Prayer Warriors

Today, many churches around the world will be celebrating Pentecost.  This is the day, fifty days after Easter, that the Holy Spirit descended on the Apostles and empowered them with many gifts.  This same Spirit will be with us until the end of time.  One of these gifts is the power of healing.  When someone has this gift, healing takes place when hands are placed over the sick person or when the prayer warrior prays.

Sometimes, prayer warriors work in groups.  The power of community prayer results in God showing Himself.  This is so awesome to behold first-hand.  These prayer warriors work non-stop for the Glory of God.  The best example I have ever seen comes from my former neighbor.  I am sharing his story because his wife just sent an email requesting prayers as he faces one more heart surgery at 7:30 AM on Monday.  The surgery will go until about 2:00 pm at Loma Linda University Hospital.  His name is Michael Torretti.  Here is his story...

While serving in Vietnam as a nurse, he contracted Hepatitis.  This caused his liver to fail.  He had been on a donor list for years but was never sick enough to get a transplant.  His wife asked her prayer warrior friends to pray that he get worse in order to qualify for a new liver.

Every year, we vacationed together at a Christian camp.  This particular year, he was near death in the hospital.  Many at the camp knew Michael.  He was the one that woke everybody up at 7:00 in the morning with loud shouts during inner tube water polo (his poor liver never stopped him from being a fierce competitor).  He also wore a bright red shirt that read "Proud to be Catholic".  This led to spirited conversations amongst people who played for other teams and often misunderstood his team.

The entire camp prayed for a miracle.  He was within hours of death but still was not sick enough to be number one on the list.  He got as high as number two on the list that numbered in the thousands.  The number one liver candidate died and Michael would soon follow if something did not happen quickly.  At the moment that he appeared hopeless, a tragic accident occurred near the hospital.  The person who died at the scene was a donor.  The team of doctors moved at light speed and Michael received the new liver just in time.

Meanwhile, the week long camp was coming to a climax.  We met at a place called "Victory Circle" to praise God for all the good that He did for the people at the camp at the very end of the vacation.  During Victory Circle, we got a phone message that Michael's surgery was a success.  Shouts of praise resounded throughout the San Bernadino mountains.  Everyone at the camp signed their names on a special poster that we delivered to the hospital on the way home.

Thanks to all the prayer warriors who called out for help, God revealed Himself and Michael was given new life.  He went on to become an advocate for organ donors and now serves as a deacon in his church.  The couple adopted four more children in addition to their first four biological children.

Once again, the family is reaching out to all prayer warriors to please pray for Michael to have a successful surgery.  Please keep Michael and his family in your prayers.  If you know of any prayer warriors, please ask them to add Michael's name to their list of prayers.

Michael's family follows this blog and they will know that all of you are praying for him.  Thank you for joining the prayer warriors to heal this special man and for passing this prayer request to others.