God is doing a sovereign work in response to the prayers of His people in State College, PA (home of Penn State University). There have been long periods of fasting and prayer in 1996 (including two pastors, one Baptist and another C&MA fasting for 40 days).

In 1997, we are seeing the beginnings of a new, exciting move of God in many congregations. My visits to Pensacola have revolutionized my ministry and our church. Plans are underway for an unprecedented unity service of 8-12 evangelical churches to suspend their regular Sunday AM (!) service on Pentecost Sunday to come together and pray for a greater move of the Spirit than we have ever known in this community.

We believe God has already given a sign--the healing of a seven year old of AIDS in the Free Methodist Church. The Free Methodist Church recently took in a biracial couple that had adopted a child and then discovered that he had AIDS. The disease had reached the point where the child was within weeks or months of death, slumped in a wheelchair, pronounced by the doctors to not walk or talk again. Death was at the door.

God gave a vision to two women in the FMC (not a normal thing there!) that the child was going to be healed. The message to one woman was that it would be before Easter this year and that Andrew (the child) would be running with the other children during the church's Easter Egg Hunt. The message to the other woman was that Andrew would be healed "in response to the couple's faithfulness." This latter message seemed odd to her, yet she shared it with the pastor's wife.

The newly converted parents of Andrew were discussing four weeks ago whether or not they should begin to tithe and trust God with their finances (not knowing the two words that the other women had received). The husband said that they should begin tithing, the wife said no, that God would understand their situation--bills, etc. The husband insisted, the wife agreed, and (as unusual as this may sound) when the husband wrote out their first tithe check, Andrew jumped out of his wheelchair and began to walk.

Three weeks ago, they took Andrew back to the doctor at an eminent hospital in our state (Geisinger Health Systems). The doctor pronounced it a miracle. The HIV viral count in the child went from 500,000 to ZERO in one week. His immune system quadrupled in strength. His body weight doubled in two weeks. He's running around healed by the Power of God. The family with their pastor present have given their testimony in our church. It is completely documented. PRAISE GOD!!

We believe more is on the way--that this is the year of the Favor of the Lord for State College and America. What an irony for revival in Pennsylvania to break loose in a university town. What a sign for a skeptical community. The local TV station is planning a story. To God be the Glory!

Blessings to all!

Paul Grabill
Senior Pastor
State College Assembly of God