Healing room focuses on power of prayer

Carolyn Aiello had her doubts.

The idea that a room full of people praying would make her pain go away seemed questionable, to say the least.

But Aiello had exhausted traditional medical venues, and the pain caused by rheumatory arthritis made her desperate to try anything.

"I was skeptical," the Benssenville resident said. "But I wanted to see for myself if this was something for real or from outer space."

She walked into the healing room in Spokane, Washington. She walked out a new person.

"I didn't feel anything right that minute," she said. "But that night, all the swelling went down. When I got up that morning I was healed. I've been healed ever since then."

That's why she helped start a healing room ministry at Grace Lutheran Church in Bensenville -- an extension of the International Association of Healing Rooms. Aiello is its volunteer director.

The room opened in October. While there may be other similar ministries, this is the second International Association of Healing Rooms ministry in the Chicago area. There are four others in the state, including one in Libertyville, according www.healingrooms.com.

The power of prayer has long fascinated the world.

Some people truly believe in the power of the divine. Others say it's a scam. Some think it's simply the power of mind over matter.

"There are psychological factors in prayer that help make it a healing experience," said Rick Richardson, associate professor of evangelism and leadership at Wheaton College. "People who believe in the higher power often experience that."

Richardson is the author of "Experiencing Healing Prayer: How God Turns Our Hurts Into Wholeness."

In his research, Richardson's found a variety of examples of how prayer can heal. He said prayer can make people proactive and place a larger framework around their struggle. He said positive thinking has a role.

"Prayer is good for you," he said. "The medical effects of faith on health are not a matter of faith, but of science."

Plus, it usually can't hurt. There's nothing wrong with sending good thoughts out into the universe.

"The worst thing that can happen to you is you will have an experience of being profoundly loved," Richardson said. "The best thing that can happen to you is that you might hear Jesus' voice."

However, there are times when prayer can become dangerous, he said. The hazard lays in the types of things for which a person decides to pray.

"That's when you pray for the three Gs," he said, specifying them as gold, glory and a certain guy or gal. "Those are things that aren't helpful to pray for."

Each healing room may operate differently. In Bensenville, a person is asked to fill out a short form. It needs to explain why the person has come to seek prayer.

Then, a group of church volunteers -- who have been pre-approved by the healing director -- will pray for the person. It generally takes about 20 minutes, and walk-ins are welcome.

The healing room operates from 7 to 9 p.m. the first and third Monday of each month at church, 950 S. York Road, Bensenville. While the group of volunteers may ask the person a few questions, the ministry does not focus on too much conversation.

"It's not a counseling ministry," Aiello said. "It's strictly a prayer ministry."