Mario Jung bio

From brokenness to blessing

The art of healing

By Major Frank Duracher

SOUTHERN SPIRIT STAFF

Mario Jung spent his whole life searching for God. An accident and paralysis forced Jung to lay still and let the Lord find him. An accomplished artist, Jung was making a good living working for Decorative Expressions, Inc. of Atlanta, where he still works in the Fine Arts Division. He had money, talent, a promising career and a wife. The only thing his life lacked was a joyfilled spiritual relationship. He felt that God was too distant for him to find. A fall from a third-story balcony left him paralyzed, blind and partially deaf. In the four months that followed, he lost everything - including the will- to live. Doctors gave him no hope. Surgery on his broken back was out of the question, although an optic surgery could possibly restore some of his sight. He had no desire to even eat. At the age of 53 he felt he had absolutely nothing to live for. Then Jung had a dream - a remarkable vision of Jesus handing a bit of food to him and urging him to eat. In the dream, Jung accepted the food from Jesus and ate it. By the next morning, he awoke to find that he could move his hand ever so slightly. That was a life changing moment for Jung. Through an interpreter, his corps officer Captain Michael Chang, Jung said that joy flooded his heart, and despite his physical distress and utter helplessness, he was overwhelmed by God's presence. "God gave me new life. Not only did I know that I would walk again and see again, but that I would paint again, and that my first painting after my recovery had to be of Jesus rescuing me," Jung said. To the amazement of doctors, family and friends, Jung's recovery continued. In the days and weeks that followed, he visualized the painting he knew he must offer as a gift of thanksgiving and witness. By the time he was able to sketch again, full mobility, total eyesight and most of his hearing was restored. He began work on the painting, which he had decided to donate to the corps. Jung completed the painting in 20 days and brought it to Chang to hang in the foyer of the Atlanta International Corps. It is a magnificent portrait with deep symbolism. Jung is the sheep, whose broken and bruised body was at the point of death. Christ is the shepherd coming to Jung's rescue. Satan is hovering nearby in the form of a bird of prey. Healing rays emanate from Christ's hand to the sheep's back. The twin waterfalls in the background represent the Old and New Testaments, and God's covenant with Jung is the rainbow in the lower right hand corner. God gave to Jung much more than he lost. He said that he feels a joy in his life he never knew before. Everything has new meaning for him now even his painting. Now that he is born again, Jung wants only to use his talents for the Lord and the Army. Although he speaks no English, the light in his eyes and his bright smile are unmistakable in any language: "Before I was saved, I placed conditions on helping people. Now that I have Christ, I want to help people without conditions attached!"

Reprinted from Southern Spirit