again before having the surgery. Phil was
faithful to go to the fitness center and
watch his diet. After losing the weight, he
was told his scores were perfect.
Hearing God’s Voice
“With all the voices competing for
our attention, learning and discerning the
voice of God takes experience,” explains
Phil. “But Jesus told His disciples, ‘My
sheep hear My voice.’ I had a lot of people
praying with me and helping me to dis-
cern God’s voice. I believe God will speak
when we are ready to hear Him. I said yes
to the voice of God with every intention
of following through with my decision.”
Bill said, “The statistics say that
78,000 to 100,000 people are waiting for
kidney transplants in the U.S. The wait-
ing time is from five to seven years for
a donation that comes from someone’s
death, and to have someone like Phil step
forward and say ‘I want to give you a kid-
by WANDA GRIFFITH
ney’ is amazing.”
YOU ARE A MATCH!
Phil responded by saying, “Dr. George
has so much more to contribute to the
kingdom; saying yes was not difficult. I
knew the Lord had spoken to me and yes
Through Phil Hoover’s gift of a kidney, Bill George gets his life back.
was the answer.”
On Sunday morning before the trans-
plant, Pastor Erwin Lutzer and others at
W
HEN PHIL HOOVER read on odds are probably one in many thousands Moody Church in Chicago anointed and
Facebook that a mutual friend, that Phil would be a match, but he wasn’t prayed for Phil. Then on October 27,
Fred Garmon, had posted a mes- surprised. 2009, Phil traveled to Birmingham for
sage that Bill George needed a “I didn’t respond to Phil’s first contact the transplant the next day. As soon as
kidney transplant, he prayed, “Lord, some- because I didn’t want to take advantage the kidney was connected in Bill’s body,
where in this big family of Yours, there has of just a ‘spur-of-the-moment notion,’” it started working. The doctors called it a
to be a kidney; there has to be a match.” As stated Bill. “I waited for the second “textbook surgery.” The operations took
Phil ended his prayer, the Holy Spirit said contact to make sure he had thought it an hour less than usual; Phil was dis-
to him, “You are a match!” through because this is a big deal. When charged two days later and Bill was moved
Without hesitating, Phil said yes. He he called me back and said it was a ‘go,’ I to rehabilitation on day four instead of
contacted Fred and asked how to reach was very happy.” day seven. It could not have gone better.
Bill George, his former teacher at Lee Col- Bill explained that for the last 35 In all, eight people offered to give Bill
lege in the eighties, who is now the coor- years his diabetes and high blood pres- George a kidney. What an unbelievable
dinator of education for Church of God sure had been the “kidney killers.” He testimony of Christian love and giving in
World Missions. was in Nairobi, Kenya, when the kid- the family of God!
After Phil’s second inquiry, Bill ney failure happened. That was almost More information on kidney transplan-
emailed him the information to contact two years ago. He has since undergone tation is available on The National Kidney
the University of Alabama at Birmingham dialysis three times a week to cleanse his Foundation’s website: www.kidney.org.
Medical Center. When Phil called Bill to blood and keep him alive.
tell him what he had done, Phil said, “I In June 2009 Phil received a call from
believe this is the right thing, so let’s see the surgery team in Birmingham telling Wanda Griffith is a writer,
what the Lord has for us.” Three weeks him that his glucose was one point out of speaker, and singer who lives in
later he received a call from Birmingham range. After further tests, they suggested Cleveland, Tennessee.
saying, “You are a suitable donor.” The that he lose 10 pounds and take the test
EVANGEL • JAN 2010 25
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