Drive Thru Prayer Stand Opens

Matthew Cordell, left, prays with John Templeton as he operates a prayer stand along Hunt Highway in Queen Creek

Vendors set up along Hunt Highway in San Tan Valley Arizona to peddle turtles, mattresses, tamales and other items. But a newcomer to the scene doesn't have a ware to sell. Hand-painted fiberboards welcome motorists to Matthew Cordell's roadside stop with this message: "Prayer Stand, Drive Thru Open." Cordell, 38, has recently become a familiar sight to morning commuters on Hunt Highway east of Gary Road. He's there from 6 to 10 a.m. on most Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, waiting for visitors with his "assistant," a friendly 5-year-old Chihuahua named Skye. People stop by to make requests for him to pray for things such as the healing of ailments and the safety of children going to college for the first time. "They pull in, I go up to the window, we can pray and they pull out," Cordell said. "And people know they can have their needs met. It seems to be a real blessing." One woman pulled in on her way to Urgent Care for chest pains. He said the pains subsided with prayer, and she went home instead. In another instance, Cordell said a man with a severe brain injury began improving following his intercession. Cordell doesn't look the part of a minister, nor does he want to be one. He's a former body-shop worker who felt God was calling him to missions work. A roadside fruit vendor was the inspiration for his prayer ministry. That was in the spring, but he said he wasn't ready. Illness and personal issues sidelined his plans until mid-August. But when his pastor began preaching a series about leaving one's comfort zone behind, Cordell said it was like "a kick in the head." "When it's something God wants you to do, you can't get away from it," he said. "You keep running from it, and misery is just going to follow you. Once you (accept) this is what you're called to do, you're going to realize that the blessings were just waiting for you all along." Most people drive past the white canopy erected at the entrance of an empty, fenced-in parking lot. Christian music pumps from car speakers, its volume competing with the din of passing traffic. On a recent morning, the first prayer seekers of the day began to show up about 7 a.m. Sergio Alvarez, 32, pulled up in a black Nissan Sentra. His wife had given birth to their first child, a girl they named Brianna Isabella, fewer than two hours earlier. Alvarez, who was still wearing a hospital band on his wrist, asked for a prayer of blessing. Cordell clasped one of Alvarez's hands in his own and closed his eyes. "Dear God, what an incredible miracle, God, the miracle of life, Lord," Cordell said. "I want to pray a blessing on this child, God, that she'll have a healthy life, she'll grow up knowing you, Lord, and God, that you'll give them the courage and strength and knowledge in you to bring her up in your ways." When the prayer was over, Alvarez thanked Cordell and promised to stop by a week later with his wife and the new baby. Pinal County Sheriff's deputies have stopped by, too, after passers-by called 911 to report traffic being backed up for miles near the prayer stand. Cordell complied with the deputy's request to move the stand down the road. The Sheriff's Office and county code enforcers have been clamping down on roadside vendors accused of obstructing the right of way and trespassing on private property in San Tan Valley. Pinal County district Supervisor Bryan Martyn said the county was exploring ordinances to manage them. "Right now, the rogue vendors, we need to control that aspect," Martyn said. "If you're in the right of way I'm going to have to ask you to move along in the interest of public safety." It's not clear whether the prayer stand falls in that category, but Martyn said he was intrigued by Cordell's mission and plans to visit. "As a Christian brother, I'm really interested in what he has to say," he said. "He wouldn't be out there if there wasn't a need in the community. Right now, a lot of people just need someone to listen to them." And Cordell does. He said people have been so open with him and quick to reveal things others might deem taboo. He notes each prayer request and often refers to the list when seeking divine intervention throughout the day. Cordell's goal is for people to hear about his prayer stand and start their own. A church in Chandler followed his lead by offering drive-through prayer one evening last week. His wife asked him if he was upset about someone else using his idea. "I said, 'What are you, crazy?' " he said, laughing. "That's what I wanted. It wasn't my idea, it was God's."