ONE has lung cancer. Another has a swollen hand. Yet another finds it difficult to have sexual intercourse with her husband.

They all have one thing in common: They believe that two men in Woodlands have the power to heal them.

The men are not doctors. Or psychiatrists. Or even counsellors.

Queues outside the third storey corner flat start to form around 6.30pm.

The New Paper on Sunday team spent four days observing the flat in the past week and noted there were about 10 consultations each night starting at 7pm.

On one night, a flustered-looking woman ran up the stair, with a crying baby in her arms.

She was ushered into the flat quickly.

When she left 30 minutes later, both mother and baby looked calm.

When she was approached by this reporter, the woman declined to be interviewed, but confirmed she had gone 'to seek help from the divine power at the prayer house'.

Like all the other 11 people the team approached, the woman said she was confident of getting a cure. 'My baby will be completely healed by the next three sessions,' she said, declining to say what ailed her baby.

No medicines are involved.

Treatment for all complaints - physical or psychological - comes in the simplest form: Regular prayer chanting.

And while the chanting goes on, claimed all those interviewed, those being healed would go into a trance-like state.

However, one of the two healers adamantly denied that anyone went into a trance. (See next page.)

At one session during the stakeout, our team saw a woman in one of the rooms with two bare-chested men who wore only sarongs.

After a few minutes, the fluorescent light in the room was switched off, leaving it in complete darkness.

A chant-like music came on as the room became awash in orange night light.

IN A DAZE?

From the shadows, one man circled the woman, who seemed to be in a daze.

He stood for some minutes behind the woman, who later disappeared from sight.

When that happened, another man bent over, as if looking at something on the ground.

Soon the second man also went of out sight, before coming up with the woman into our line of sight after about 10 minutes.

One believer, who wanted to be known only as Madam Kati, said of the trance-like state: 'The spiritual healer told me it was so that he could chase the bad spirits away.'

From far and wide: Some of the people queueing come from as far away as Bedok and Tampines.

The supermarket assistant from Tampines was there to seek help because her husband of 10 years had recently hooked up with another woman.

Meanwhile, Mr Mong Wah Eng was also there on his second session. The 45-year-old cab driver said his doctor had found a kidney stone in his urinary tract.

He was told that by the end of four sessions, 'the kidney stone would disappear'.

When asked if he knew that such stones - which vary in size - may sometimes break loose and travel down the urinary tract and be passed out of the body, Mr Mong said: 'Yes I know, but the doctor also said I might have to go for an operation.'

And he could not afford that, he claimed.

'As a cab driver, a day out of action translates into income loss,' he said.

Mr Mong said he had complete faith in the healers' work.

'I already feel less pain after the first session,' he said.

And he did not think it was a con job because 'look at what they are charging - only about $10 for a session'.

It was also the second visit for a tour guide, Miss Thamarai, who was there with her mother.

The 24-year-old did not want to elaborate on her 'personal problem' or that of her mother's.

Their 'healing' sessions were yet to start, but Miss Thamarai said: 'We were told how much we have to pay would depend on what is required to resolve my problem.'

Madam Tina, a housewife who lives in Bedok, has been taking an hour-long bus ride to get to the prayer house for the past six months.

After the first session which cost her $10, she claimed she had been paying $40 to $60 each time.

In all, she has spent more than $500.

She refused to disclose details of her problem but hinted that she had been childless despite being married for 12 years.

Madam Tina, 34, said: 'I can only tell you that I'd sought help from four doctors but none has been able to help me.'

DESPERATE

Desperate, she and her businessman husband went to India in 2006 to seek help.

After spending more than $6,000, they returned to Singapore a week later in disappointment.

But Madam Tina claimed she was beginning to see some results now after the fortnightly sessions at the Woodlands flat.

She added: 'Let's just say money is not the issue here, but the result.'

Neighbours and shopkeepers in the area were unfazed by the constant stream of strangers since September last year.

A neighbour, who did not want to be named, said she had heard the men were previously practising in Marsiling.

A shopkeeper, Mr Tan, 53, said: 'We mind our own business, what for bother about other people?'

He added: 'You see all kinds of characters lah, and you can't help wondering how come there are still people who will believe in such stuff.

'But, like my wife says, don't be a kaypoh.'

Is this article useful to you?