Christians Claim Healing From AIDS
Evan Wall and Patrick Day now help AIDS
sufferers deal with what some call a 'modern plague'
By: Margaret Feinberg
A Pentecostal minister and a man who was delivered from
homosexuality say they've learned that God will heal any disease even
AIDS.
Evan Wall, associate pastor of Foursquare Church in Jefferson City, Mo.,
and Patrick Day, who says he was delivered from homosexuality eight years
ago, claim they were healed of HIV, the virus believed to cause AIDS.
Today both men are active in ministry and are leading healthy lives,
despite their recent traumas dealing with doctors' fatal diagnoses of what
some have dubbed the modern plague.
"I believe that a bug is a bug whether it's a cold or AIDS, it
doesn't make any difference to God," Wall said. "After all God
had brought me through, I refused to die of AIDS."
A severe stroke in September 1990 left Wall unable to move, with a feeding
tube surgically implanted in his stomach. He was told that he would
probably never preach, eat or function normally again. Then, Wall got the
worst news he was HIV-positive.
Earlier, during four months of therapy to regain his capacities, Wall had
received numerous blood products and accidentally acquired the deadly
virus. In January 1991, he prepared for surgery that would reattach his
stomach to his esophagus.
"When the doctor told me that he had bad news for me, I wasn't
surprised. After all, it was the day before the worst surgery of my
life," said Wall. "But I never expected to hear that I was
HIV-positive. I thought he was crazy."
The doctor made sure there was no error; he had double-tested. Wall went
ahead with the surgery and spent nearly a month in intensive care. His
signs of recovery after experiencing kidney, lung and vascular failure
amazed doctors.
Wall asked the doctors to administer another HIV test. "At first, my
physician thought I was living in denial," he said.
The doctor performed five separate tests and sent them to three different
laboratories. They all confirmed Walls' belief: He no longer tested
positive for HIV.
Wall and wife Diane recently had their sixth child, Hunter, who is also
HIV-negative.
"They all said that I was never going to be able to walk, eat or
live," Wall said. "Now I can eat at McDonald's, Wendy's or
anywhere I want. When you put God into the equation, anything is possible.
If you take Him out, you get stuck with what naturally happens."
Patrick Day, coordinator of a New Hampshire ministry for disabled adults,
says he also discovered God's infinite mercy and healing from HIV.
After being sexually assaulted when he was young, Day began a confusing
and experimental search for love, ending up in homosexuality. In 1989, he
made a pledge to God not to return to his homosexual lifestyle.
Within a year he discovered that one of his old partners was dying of
AIDS. Day then tested positive for HIV and found himself lying in bed for
almost a week in a deep depression.
"At first I didn't tell my home church I was infected, but when I
did, it didn't go over so well," Day said. "I found a smaller
church and told them of my situation. They welcomed me in and we started a
Christian AIDS network. By 1993, God started doing a work in me dealing
with who Patrick Day was in Christ."
After much encouragement from friends, he went to a prayer meeting, and
the leader prayed for his healing. "I felt something different,"
Day said. "I felt the Holy Spirit like I had never felt Him
before."
When Day decided to get retested, the doctor called and said there had
been confusion over his results and recommended another test. Both tests
revealed Day no longer was infected. Although the doctor claims the
original diagnosis was incorrect, Day believes he was healed.
"I was shocked, and then I was scared. I wanted to know why God let
the healing happen in my life and not in so many others'," Day said.
"Then I wanted to know what purpose the healing had and what I could
do with it."
Over the last three years Day has booked numerous speaking engagements
with high schools and churches. He has helped several churches in New
England establish AIDS policies and ministries, and he hopes to write a
book.
Source: Revival42day News at www.revival
42day.com
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