Testimony of Healing October 19, 2009 Issue

EFFECTS FROM BEE STINGS HEALED

ERIN KING

A few years ago, I had a summer internship as a newspaper reporter. One of my assignments was to interview a local beekeeper. He was very passionate about the care and keeping of his 150—plus hives, and revered the insects so much that he turned to them for therapy (commonly called apitherapy). He claimed their stings provided relief for all kinds of physical ailments.

I thought it would be an intriguing story to cover. However, I had some concerns about meeting the bees. I'd never been around hives before, and had never been stung. So I was apprehensive when, upon our meeting, the beekeeper announced, "Let's go collect some honey!"

Although he wore a beekeeping suit, he told me I'd be fine without gear. And while riding to the fields in his truck, I began to feel fearful as we approached the swarms. To make a long story short, I was stung twice—once on the cheek and once on the eyelid. The stings were very painful, and began to swell immediately. I went back to the beekeeper's truck to try to pull myself together.

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