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USA: A SURGEON DISCOVERS THE POWER OF PRAYER It all started in the dentist chair. Poised with a syringe in his hand, the dentist looked at his patient’s tense face as he braced himself for the needle to hit his tender gum. Then the dentist said something unusual. “Would you like me to say a prayer?” Startled, the patient consented. The dentist gently put his hand on his patient’s shoulder and offered a brief prayer, asking God to put him at ease and help him successfully finish the procedure. The patient was Dr. David Levy, a neurosurgeon in San Diego. After that brief incident in the dentist chair, something began to stir in his heart. God began to prompt him to pray for his patients, just as the dentist had done. Trouble was, he just could not muster the courage to actually do it. How do you begin? How do you lead up to a topic like prayer? Medical School did not have classes on the subject. Although he felt the urge to pray, he also realized this was way out of his comfort zone. And so began a journey, hesitant and awkward at first, of probing beyond the physical into his patients’ spiritual needs. The results astounded him. His patients didn’t laugh or get angry. On the contrary, they were appre-ciative. Many cried and thanked him. In his recently published book, ‘Gray Matter: A Neurosurgeon Discovers the Power of Prayer... One Patient at a Time’, Dr. David recounts his first awkward moments of introducing prayer into his practice. After a while, it became easier. Now, when seeing a patient in his office, after initial examination and discussions are done, he closes the visit by saying, “It is my practice to pray with patients. Would you mind if I pray with you?” Although responses vary, many patients are grateful, especially when their surgeon prays for them just before surgery. Although selfconscious of other personnel around him at first, soon he also began praying with his surgical team before a procedure. After a while, praying with patients, family members, and his own surgical staff, became routine. Then, something interesting happened. One day, Dr. David was led to ask a troubled patient if there was anything in her life that was bothering her, some unfinished business. Suddenly, the atmosphere in the room changed as she broke down and, sobbing, related some serious family problems. There were hurts, unforgiveness, bitterness, resentment. After some discus-sion, the doctor gently led her through a prayer of forgiveness and repentance. It was a life-changing experience for both of them! Today, Dr. David frequently pursues this line of questioning when seeing patients. Many times countenances light up, peace replaces tension and physical symptoms improve. “Forgiveness,” he explains to his patients, “is not pretending evil never happened, and it is not calling evil good. Forgiveness is setting yourself free by not giving others the power to hurt you again every time you think about them. It is the best way I know to help your body continue to heal.” In his book, Dr. David noted that many patients, who won’t listen to relatives or religious leaders, are often open to reconnecting with God when encouraged by their doctors. - David Levy, Aubrey Beauchamp (HCF) , JNI780. SOUTH ASIA: JESUS GOT HIM BACK ON HIS FEET AGAIN Missionaries are often called on to pray for the sick in South Asia. And when God heals them, entire families recognize His mighty power. Pintan Khundir’s family moved from a congested urban area of South Asia to a small village because they thought the rural area would offer a better life. Pintan and his wife have three children, and they wanted them to be raised in a more traditional environment where, among other things, they would learn to follow the family’s customary religion. But then disaster struck: Pintan was paralyzed. He could not walk or work or interact with his children like a normal father does. His family, ever faithful to their traditional gods, carried Pintan to the temples and offered sacrifices on his behalf. They also took him to several doctors and hospitals for treatment, but nothing worked. Pintan lay in bed, unable to walk for two full years. With Pintan unable to work, the family’s financial safety net was gone. They didn’t have enough money to buy food and many days, the entire family went to bed without eating anything at all. Missionary Beeni Sunkalam serves in this village. He heard about Pintan’s situation while conducting a prayer meeting as the believers there were praying for him. Beeni decided to visit Pintan and pray for him in person. Beeni was greeted warmly by the family, who listened intently as this missionary explained the free offer of salvation through Jesus Christ. As Pintan listened to the love of Jesus being shared, he began to weep openly as he recollected the many sins he had committed in his life. Pintan and his entire family were touched in their hearts when they heard that Jesus loved them and wanted to be a part of their lives. After explaining the Good News to this family, Pastor Beeni bowed his head and prayed for them, specifically asking for Jesus to heal Pintan. A short while later, Pintan got out of bed and walked for the first time in two years! The family was flabbergasted by the miracle and, that very day, they chose to give their hearts to Jesus and receive His offer of love. The entire family, including Pintan, is now back on their feet both physically and spiritually. - Beeni Sunkalam, GfA, JNI780.