Divine healing transformed Von Barillo’s life in the winter of 2012, turning a former witch doctor from emptiness to profound faith. In the quiet of his Vancouver apartment, the once-master of candle magic wrestled with a gnawing void. Having wielded dark forces for years, Von had tasted occult power—but it left him utterly hollow.
That fateful December night, after chasing elusive promises and fleeting fame through witchcraft, he uttered a desperate plea: “God, if you’re real, come change my life.”
What unfolded next was a modern miracle of divine healing that not only reshaped Von’s heart but also echoed through the streets, touching countless lives with the undeniable love of Jesus.
A Descent into Darkness
Von’s path into the shadows began in the Philippines, where spiritual forces felt as tangible as the air around him. As a child, he witnessed his brother’s lips twist upside down during a demonic possession, a chilling punishment from elemental spirits. His mother, plagued by relentless curses, fell gravely ill, her crosses mysteriously snapping under unseen attacks.
In a bid to heal her, Von delved into witchcraft starting in 2004, mastering dark rituals that could inflict sickness or even death. “If I wanted to put sickness on someone, I could do it,” he recalls somberly. “If I wanted to kill them, I could, too.”
By 2009, his occult practices had tragically failed to save his mother, and his chase for fame in the film industry only deepened his emptiness. A shattered relationship and a severely injured knee added to his mounting despair. Medical experts offered no hope for his physical recovery, leaving his spirit equally broken. “I was tired of trying to put on a show,” Von says, his voice laden with the heavy burden of those turbulent years.
Divine Intervention in a Song
On that pivotal night in 2012, as Von’s heartfelt cry pierced the darkness, God responded with a gentle whisper that sparked divine healing. While scrolling through YouTube, he unexpectedly encountered Chris Tomlin’s “I Will Rise.”
The lyrics transcended mere words, they delivered a divine invitation straight to his soul. “I felt a voice saying, ‘Welcome home,’” Von shares, with tears welling up at the vivid memory. It marked a moment of supernatural clarity, where light began to pierce the deep shadows he had inhabited for decades.
Shortly thereafter, recurring dreams of Jesus started to visit him, each one gentle yet unyieldingly persistent. “He was pursuing me,” Von explains. These experiences went beyond simple visions; they were profound divine encounters, drawing him away from the clutches of pride and longstanding occult ties. The same individual who once summoned dark spirits now sensed the Creator’s love, closer and more real than his own breath.
Faith and Prayer Ignite a Fire
Von’s remarkable transformation through divine healing extended beyond his personal sphere. His mother, still enduring intense spiritual oppression, became the central focus of his emerging faith. Engaging in street ministry, he started praying for strangers and witnessed immediate healings that affirmed this modern miracle. One homeless man, crippled by excruciating shoulder pain, felt it completely disappear under Von’s prayer: “In the name of Jesus, pain, flow right now.”
The man broke down in tears, not solely from physical relief but from the powerful message, “Jesus loves you.” Von’s church community united in support, offering fervent prayers for his mother’s deliverance. “Love is your calling,” Von emphasized, dismissing the notion that effective ministry demanded a formal title or special status.
Anointed prayers, deeply rooted in biblical passages like Acts 19:12, served as his primary weapon against darkness. “We plugged back into the source,” he describes, likening faith to a power pack that God continually recharges. Throughout Vancouver, fellow believers joined the effort, their shared intercession forming a formidable shield against the enemy’s deceptive schemes.
The Turning Point: A Mother’s Freedom
By late 2012, Von’s mother achieved a monumental breakthrough through persistent prayer and divine healing. Where elaborate rituals had previously fallen short, simple faith-based prayer triumphed decisively. “She opened her eyes,” Von recounts, vividly describing the instant when her longstanding spiritual oppression finally lifted.
Baffled doctors, unable to explain her sudden surge of vitality, could only label it as “inexplicable.” For Von, it represented nothing short of a resurrection. “Light overcomes darkness,” he asserts, his voice resonating with unshakeable conviction.
The family home, formerly a chaotic battleground marked by falling crucifixes and eerie disturbances, evolved into a peaceful sanctuary. Von’s prayers, now empowered by an authentic relationship with God, shattered the chains that had bound his mother for so many agonizing years.
Recovery and Transformation
Von’s personal healing encompassed both physical restoration and deep spiritual renewal, embodying a true modern miracle. His knee, previously declared irreparable by specialists, regained full strength, enabling him to walk without any pain. Yet the more profound change occurred in his heart’s complete renewal.
“I was part Buddhist, part Christian, doing things my way,” he confesses openly. By surrendering his pride, he fully embraced a faith that called for bold action. Street ministry became the steady rhythm of his life, with each witnessed healing serving as a powerful testament to God’s infinite power.
His bond with his mother strengthened immeasurably, now firmly grounded in their shared faith journey. “God was patient with me,” Von reflects, filled with awe at the extraordinary path from witchcraft to wholehearted worship.
Today, he chuckles about his former life, quipping, “I went from cursing to blessing!” Nevertheless, his mission remains deeply serious: to demonstrate the Creator’s boundless love to everyone he encounters.
Impact on Others
Von’s compelling story as a former witch doctor stunned those familiar with his occult background. A previous mentor in the dark arts, observing his radiant joy, conceded, “I’ve never seen peace like that.” Skeptics within his community, who once viewed Christianity as inherently “weak,” encountered irrefutable power through his healings.
“Witches believe in their abilities more than Christians do,” Von challenges pointedly, encouraging believers to boldly claim their spiritual authority.
He aspires for his testimony to motivate others toward active faith. “When you see someone who can’t walk, you have the power to heal them,” he declares, his message serving as a passionate call to embrace compassionate, fearless faith.
In the present day, Von traverses Vancouver’s streets as a living embodiment of divine healing and transformation. “I was in darkness, but God said, ‘Not yet,’” he proclaims confidently. His core message rings true: No curse, no despair, and no medical diagnosis holds ultimate authority. God’s love has the power to restore everything.
Watch the Miracle Unfold
Von’s extraordinary journey, from wielding occult power to embracing divine purpose, is captured in vivid detail on Jan The Miracle Hunter’s YouTube channel. Highlighted moments include:
- Von’s deeply emotional recounting of hearing “Welcome home” through an inspiring song.
- The homeless man’s heartfelt tears as his pain vanished and God’s love was proclaimed.
- Von’s mother’s powerful deliverance, overcoming years of intense spiritual torment.
- His courageous challenge: “Be led by compassion, not fear.”
Praise God! We give Him all honor and glory for this miracle!
