Diane DeVita knows firsthand the healing power of prayer.

The Hampden resident says she was cured of what her doctors believed was fibromyalgia when she attended a revival conducted by the evangelist Christian Harfouche in 1997. His Florida-based ministry conducted services at Abundant Life Church in Bangor about six years ago.

That experience led DeVita, 58, and her husband, Dr. Michael DeVita, a 75-year-old retired obstetrician-gynecologist, to open the first Healing Room in Maine. Located at 273 Hammond St. in Bangor, it is one of more than 200 associated with the International Association of Healing Rooms.

The couple was living in Sidney in the fall of 1996, after retiring to Maine from New Jersey, when she was stricken with “excruciating pain” in her ribs and abdominal area.

After much testing and finding little relief in physical therapy, she attended Harfouche revivals in New Hampshire last spring, shortly before they visited Bangor.

“During their first night here, Robin [Harfouche] said that she had been praying earlier that day and the Lord had shown her someone’s ribs,” said DeVita of the experience. “At that moment my whole body felt like it was on fire. I started burning from my head to my toes, and by the time I reached Dr. Harfouche, I was drenched in sweat.

“They had to hold me up. I couldn’t stand. I knew he was praying over me, but I was off in the glory and could not really hear every word. You are aware of what’s going on around you, but all of what’s happening doesn’t register at the time. It is extremely powerful.”

The DeVitas want to share that powerful experience with the people of Maine.

They have been trained and certified by the International Association of Healing Rooms based in Spokane, Wash. Last week, they completed training sessions with more than a dozen men and women volunteers who will be a part of the center’s prayer teams.

The recently remodeled building next to Dave’s Video on Hammond Street contains a reception area, office, training area and four prayer rooms where the healing is expected to take place.

Ideally, teams of three conduct a private prayer service with people seeking healing. The seekers fill out a form explaining who they are and what they are seeking prayer for, explained Michael DeVita.

People of all faiths seeking help for themselves or loved ones for healing of a physical or mental ailment are welcome, he said. There is no fee charged for healing prayer sessions, but the center accepts donations.

“The only thing the sick person needs to be healed is the presence of God,” he said. “As team members, we listen for what God’s trying to say and focus on his presence. There’s nothing spooky or magical about it.”

Most of the people who have been trained to be prayer leaders have experienced some form of healing prayer. They attend a variety of churches, from Dexter to Southwest Harbor.

Marti Burke, 47, of Newburgh began learning more about healing prayer four years ago when a friend died of cancer despite the prayers of many people and the faith that she would be healed. A dental hygienist, Burke said that through her training at the Bangor Healing Rooms she has learned to make the distinction between sympathy and compassion.

“Sympathy goes into the room with a person and agrees with the ill person,” she said. “Compassion goes in and takes control of the situation.”

Burke attended the first training session with Debbie Deane of Brewer. The women have been friends since high school. Deane said she has been cured of breast cancer through the power of prayer.

“Our bodies are the temple of the Lord’s spirit,” said the 47-year-old social worker. “I want to see people healed. The basic key is love. Anybody can get healing through love.”

Andrew Smith, 38, of Corinth said that he and his wife, Raina Smith, 31, recently returned to their native Maine from Florida to assist the DeVitas in their ministry. Andrew Smith, a lawyer, said the Healing Rooms Ministries modeled its philosophy on the example set by Christ.

“Jesus healed anybody who came to him,” he said. “He never turned anyone away. There are no denominational limitations here. People come to receive encouragement and prayer and are shown compassion until they are healed. We know that healings are taking place in similar rooms across the country and around the world.”

For information about the Bangor branch of the International Association of Healing Rooms, call 941-1118, or visit the Web site at www.sourceoflife.org.

History of Healing Rooms Ministry

Healing Rooms Ministries was founded five years ago in Spokane, Wash., by the Rev. Cal Pierce. A native California real estate developer, he and his wife, Michelle, sold everything and moved north in November 1997 “not sure exactly what God wanted us to do,” according to information on their Web site.

Having read about John G. Lake’s healing ministry in the early 20th century in Spokane, Pierce visited Lake’s grave to pray once each month for more than a year.

“On Feb. 28, 1999, I started a 40-day fast,” Piece says. “I went to Lake’s grave site to pray when I heard God say, ‘There is a time to pray, and a time to move.’ There was no doubt that God wanted us to re-dig the generational wells of healing in Spokane.”

Pierce began training intercessors and began training healing teams. On July 22, 1999, the Spokane Healing Rooms of John G. Lake were re-opened in the same location where Lake conducted healing services 80 years before.

Born in Canada in 1870 but raised in the United States, Lake was known as God’s “Apostle to Africa.” His healing ministry spanned from 1898, when he saw his wife instantly healed under the ministry of the Rev. John Alexander Dowie, until his death in 1935.

He spent five years in ministering in South Africa, then returned home to Spokane following the death of his wife and established his healing rooms. Under the direction of the Rev. Curry Blake, the John G. Lake Ministries continues to operate with headquarters in Dallas.