I grew up in a church that believed Jesus still answered prayers for healing the sick. I have experienced healing in my body several times when people prayed for me. But three years ago when the Order of St. Luke was first mentioned at All Saints’ I was not interested. I already prayed for people and I didn’t think I needed to be a member of any "club" to do that.

Jesus changed my mind.

I am a professional seamstress and until recently I did custom alterations. About two years ago a client who had lost weight asked me to refit her professional wardrobe.

While I was measuring her she mentioned her sister’s "caregiver." It flew past me as I was pinning her dress and the moment was forgotten. But on her next visit I remembered what she had said and I asked her about it. She told me her sister was a 57 year old wife, mother of 2 sons with 4 grandchildren. She was suffering from bone cancer. The sister lived in Ft. Lauderdale but was going to Shands in Gainesville for treatments.

I prayed with this dear woman for her sister right then. (She and I have since become very good friends, sharing our faith together and encouraging each other.) But I also wanted to find someone who could go and pray for her sister. I didn’t want just any "granola Christian" going to see my friend’s sister in the hospital. After all, there are lots of flakes, fruits and nuts out there!

Then my husband suggested that we look online for an Order of St. Luke chapter in Gainesville. We soon were in touch with an Episcopal rector who was chaplain for a local OSL group. Fr. Ron Kuykendall agreed to visit the sister and pray with her while she was at Shands. My friend’s sister shared later how grateful she had been for Fr. Ron’s sensitive and caring prayers with her.

Jesus had more to teach me out of this. When I spoke to Fr. Ron on the phone, I learned that his own wife, Susie, was also undergoing treatment for cancer. I quickly added her to my prayer list. I have been able to stay informed on her progress at their family’s web page as she has recovered.

Because of OSL, I was able to find someone to pray for my friend’s sister and I was also privileged to join in long-distance prayer for Susie (whom I’ve never met) during her battle.

Last year, four short months after her diagnosis, my friend’s sister found her final victory going home to be with Jesus.

And I had learned one of the important reasons to support the Order of St. Luke. Christians who want to join OSL are given a serious course of study and training before being inducted into the Order. When I hear that someone is an OSL member, even in a distant location, I know they, too, believe Jesus still answers our prayers. I can trust them confidently with a request to pray for family and friends far from me.

So I decided to become a member of the Doulos Chapter at All Saints’ Church after all. If someone from out of town, or out of the country, should call to Lakeland needing people to pray, I want to be ready.

Melanie Hoover