Winkie Pratney, Well-Known Minister to Young People Around the World, in Serious Condition in South Korean Hospital

Le 3 avril 2007, par Aloys Evina,
By Michael Ireland
SOUTH KOREA — Winkie Pratney, who logs more than 150,000 miles in his quest to speak to half-a-million young people each year, is in critical medical condition in a hospital in South Korea. He is currently in septic shock, which is life-threatening.
Winkie fell last week in S. Korea, which led to surgery and a series of complications, according to a blog on his website www.winkiepratney.com.
« His first surgery (a herniotomy) was on March 26. The next day it was clear that there were more problems than just than a hernia, so Winkie underwent major surgery on his whole abdominal cavity. They found several adhesions of his bowel which were causing intestinal obstruction, » says Steve Loopstra, executive director of the Minneapolis, Minnesota-based Prayer Transformation Ministries, in a prayer update.
Loopstra says : "The condition of his transverse colon was very severe, so they performed a segmental resection where portions of his colon were removed entirely. In addition to this, he suffered micro-ruptures at certain points that were repaired.
« Winkie began to improve and talked with his wife, who has now flown in from Australia. But in the past day, his condition has worsened and he is now in septic shock, with his vital organs failing. »
Loopstra commented : « Winkie is a hero of faith, having ministered to the lives of countless thousands of people, especially young adults. He is a brilliant teacher and a gift to the nations. Please be in prayer for Winkie and his family at this critical time. »
Pratney’s website profile says that Winkie has wide experience in youth work.
"His technical background in both science and the popular music culture has given him a unique insight to the particular needs of a media-dominated technological society, and his constant monitoring of youth trends combined with continual feedback from young people themselves has helped him interpret these for those with a vital interest in the welfare of the young.
« Besides annual leadership training seminars he has for three decades helped challenge and inspire young people to holy and happy living. Winkie is involved with helping and training young people of all ages and works with many leading international youth movements including Campus Life, Champions For Christ, Operation Mobilization, Masters Commission, Youth With A Mission, Young Life, Youth Alive, and Teen Challenge. He conducts yearly leadership training for youth workers in Europe, North America and the Pacific, and has been involved as an advisory and consultant to church, civic, educational, government and social welfare leaders on the needs and problems of modern teenagers. He occasionally speaks in churches, but his primary call is to students. »
The site says that as a frequent featured speaker and guest on national television talk shows, his audio and video-tape lectures are carried by many effective outreach ministries as part of their training.
"Winkie has authored more than twelve books including youth manuals like the best-selling Youth Aflame !, Handbook For Followers Of Jesus, books on contemporary and historical issues like Devil Take The Youngest, Revival - Twenty Centuries Of Vision and Visitation, Dealing With Doubt and evangelistic and apologetic works like the contemporary devotional theology The Nature And Character Of God.
Read More