Sommers:
Thanks, Lance. It looks like it will be good weather to stand in Central Park, which is just what Mark Jacobs is doing as he updates us on The Healer. Mark?
(Cut to Mark Jacobs - Live feed)
Jacobs:
Leslie, that first person in the line was 42-year-old Marcie Cunningham. Ms. Cunningham declined to appear on camera, but she told me that she had been paralyzed from the waist down in an automobile accident four years earlier. What we captured just before the top of the hour is nothing short of amazing in light of this revelation.
(Cut to tape of Cunningham getting out of her chair and attempting to hug Nnkoba with Jacobs voice-over)
Jacobs:
Mr. Nnkoba wasn’t with Ms. Cunningham for long. He touched her head and said some words. Ms. Cunningham stood up out of her chair as if nothing had ever been wrong, let out an excited yell, and hugged Mr. Nnkoba. The staff ushered her out quickly.
(Cut to Mark Jacobs - Live feed)
Jacobs:
She told us that the staff asked her to move quickly so Mr. Nnkoba could address more people in a shorter time. We asked her if she could tell us what he said. She told us from memory that she thought he said, “It is The Father’s good pleasure to make you whole, in the name of Jesus, by the power of the Holy Spirit.” He didn’t ask her what was wrong or what she needed. He simply put his hands on her head, made that statement, and she felt control return to her legs.
The other thing Ms. Cunningham told us was that her doctor and her family warned her that her muscles would be seriously atrophied from four years of disuse. As you could see from our clip of her healing, her legs were as strong as ever. In fact, she danced a little jig before she left. She told us she was going to call everyone she knew.
(Cut to split screen - Studio and Jacobs)
Sommers:
What’s been happening since, Mark?
Jacobs:
Mr. Nnkoba has been simply working through the crowd. In the 12 minutes we were off the air for the break and weather report, he touched 12 people. One had the red and white cane of a visually impaired man. While we were talking with Ms. Cunningham he went by shouting about all the things he could see. Everyone who has come from The Healer has been shouting excitedly about what has happened to them. I’ve been unable to keep up with it all.
Sommers:
Is there any indication of anyone coming away disappointed?
Jacobs:
None. Mr. Nnkoba hasn’t had to take extra time with anyone and everyone has come out shouting with excitement, just like this man. (Cut to man walking past the barricade talking excitedly on his cell)
Man:
No, it’s gone. I can just tell you, it’s gone. I’ve been fighting this cancer for seven years. I know what it feels like. I know it’s gone. Even the sickness I felt from my last chemo session is gone. You can run your tests if you want, but you won’t find anything.
(Cut to Jacobs)
Jacobs:
For all the internal issues like cancer, we would have to wait for a doctor’s report before we knew with certainty whether the patient’s been healed. But that man sounded sure.
By the way, Leslie, we’ve spotted Maria Gutierrez, the woman we spoke with yesterday afternoon. She’s in line with a woman we assume is her mother. Based on how quickly Mr. Nnkoba has been moving, she should be through within a half an hour. We’ll try to get them on camera for you.
(Cut to studio)
Sommers:
Thanks, Mark. We appreciate all you’re doing out there. We’ll be checking back throughout the day and we’ll be looking forward to that update on Ms. Gutierrez.
Now for an update on our daily commute, we go to our own Janet Combs. Janet.
Combs:
It’s hard to think about traffic with all that going on, Leslie. It’s pretty exciting to see those people so happy. I wonder if he could cure my cold.
Sommers:
It’s beginning to look like he can cure anything, but would you want to take up time for a cold while people with terminal cancer are in line?
Combs:
From the size of that line, I’d probably get over it myself before I got to the front. (Laughs) OK, let’s take a look at the subways. MTA tells us …
Sommers:
Good afternoon. Joining us again to talk about the latest developments in The Healer’s story is Dr. Samuel Estive, Pastor of NYC Seeker Church. Welcome, Steve.
Estive:
Hello, Leslie. These appear to be very exciting times!
Sommers:
Yes they do. Let’s take a look at some of the people who’ve been touched by Mr. Nnkoba.
(Cut to video of on-the-scene interviews with Mark Jacobs)
Elderly Gentleman:
I haven’t been able to hear clearly, even with a hearing aid, for over a decade.
Jacobs (off camera):
And now?
Elderly Man:
Here’s my hearing aid. I’m not only hearing you, I’m hearing the conversations around us. I’m even hearing the birds singing around us. Do you know how long it’s been since I’ve heard a bird sing (begins to tear up).
Young Man:
I had my right foot blown off by an IED in Afghanistan. I watched it re-grow with my own eyes. It forced the prosthetic I had right off my ankle and on to the ground. (Wiggles his foot for the camera.)
Jacobs:
Regrown without a shoe.
Young Man:
(Laughs) I hope I still have the match, but for right now I don’t want a shoe. I want to feel the grass, the concrete, everything.
Middle-aged Woman:
The rheumatoid arthritis actually started when I was in college. By the time I was 40 I couldn’t turn the page in a book. I suffered terrible pain every day and so many of my joints were completely fused. Now look. (Flexes her fingers, elbows, rotates her arms, does knee bends.)
Jacobs:
And no pain?
Middle-aged Woman:
I would be happy even if there were pain. But, no, no pain at all. These are the joints I was born with. I’m still having a hard time believing it. I am wiggling my own fingers and waiting to find out how this is all a hoax.
(Cut to guest studio)
Estive:
It’s just beyond imagination.
Sommers:
A couple of days ago you were worried that this might not be from God.
Estive:
There’s no reason to worry about that now. Pastor Smith has given all credit to God. Mr. Nnkoba has not tried to accept any accolades for what he’s doing. The healings all appear genuine. Nobody is trying to profit. Of course, crazies are hanging around trying to capture some of the spotlight, including “Pastor” Phelps of Westboro Baptist Church. But we can’t blame Rick or Mr. Nnkoba for what others do. I could be wrong, but for right now this has all the markings of a genuine move of God.
Sommers:
Let’s look at this next clip, the first bit of controversy to come out of today’s healings.
(Cut to clip of interview with George Weston.)
Jacobs:
Explain to us what has upset you.
Weston:
(Caption: George Weston, Bronx) I have AIDS. It’s full blown. The cocktail of medications I take is keeping me alive and relatively pain free, but I’m dying. I’d really love to be healed. But I can’t have that guy healing me in the name of Jesus when Jesus would keep me out of heaven just because I’m gay.
Jacobs:
Were you asked about your sexual orientation when you reached the front of the line?
Weston:
No.
Jacobs:
Did Mr. Nnkoba refuse to help you?
Weston:
No. He was reaching for my head and I said, “Please don’t mention the name of Jesus like you have been.” He said, “I have my instructions from God. I lay my hands on people and repeat what he told me to repeat. I can’t do anything else.” I said, “The name of Jesus offends me.” He said, “It’s not my choice. It’s God’s choice. I must do what I must do.”
Jacobs:
What happened then.
Weston:
That other man, I think he’s the Pastor of the Church, stepped up and said I should either accept the healing or leave because I was keeping other people from being healed. I said I wanted the healing, but not in the name of Jesus. He said that was the only way it could be offered and I had to make my choice. So I left.
Jacobs:
And your complaint?
Weston:
They denied me healing because I’m gay. That doesn’t sound like something a loving God would do. They’re frauds.
Jacobs:
But, technically, they didn’t deny you healing. They just refused to do it the way you wanted.
Weston:
I couldn’t accept it in the name of Jesus. It wasn’t possible. They denied me the only healing that was possible. They might just as well have said they could only heal me if I inhaled water first. It was totally outrageous.
(Cut to guest studio.)
Sommers:
Sam?
Estive:
This is a really delicate place for me to be in, Leslie. I’m not in a position to judge either Mr. Nnkoba or Mr. Weston. I don’t know either of them personally. I’m certainly sensitive to Mr. Weston’s sense of persecution from Christians. I know Christians have done that. You were kind enough not to show the clip of the people from Westboro Baptist assailing Mr. Weston, but that kind of thing would cause anyone to reject people who seemed to be affiliated with him.
On the other hand, “Pastor” Phelps doesn’t represent most Christians. Pastor Smith and Mr. Nnkoba didn’t refuse Mr. Weston so much as insist on doing what they believe God told them to do. I’m in no position to challenge Mr. Nnkoba when he says those are his instructions. It’s just a tough situation.
Sommers:
So, nobody is wrong?
Estive:
Someone is probably wrong, but I’m not able to judge who. I need to understand a lot more about what’s going on with both of them. But I do know one thing, Mr. Weston is hurting, and he needs healing. I wish I knew how to give it to him.
Sommers:
You mentioned the actions of the people from Westboro Baptist that we didn’t show. We also didn’t show members of The Congregation in Central Park Church offering to pray with Weston without using the name of Jesus. They told him that, if he wanted to come back, he wouldn’t need to wait in line again.
Estive:
That sounds like a good response to me. Maybe they can find an accommodation.
Sommers:
But, if homosexuality is a sin, as many Christians say it is, would God want Mr. Nnkoba to heal Mr. Weston?
Estive:
Let’s leave the issue of whether homosexuality is a sin aside for now, Leslie. There’s been no indication that God restricted Mr. Nnkoba from touching anyone. Pastor Smith didn’t announce that anyone would be unwelcome. For all we know, rapists, child molesters, or murderers have gone through that line and received healing. If they didn’t say, we wouldn’t know. The only reason we know Mr. Weston is gay is because he told us.
Mr. Weston said Mr. Nnkoba was reaching for him. There was no question asked that might be used to see if Mr. Weston qualified for healing. The Bible tells us that some good things God intends for everyone, no matter how “good” or “bad” they are. This gift of healing appears to be available to anyone who will let Mr. Nnkoba touch them and say what he has to say. The Jewish patient of the other day, Mr. Weston today, there’s been nobody turned away so far.
Sommers:
Thanks again for joining us, Sam.
Estive:
Any time, Leslie.