Dobson:
(Caption: Anita Dobson, Bronx) It don’t make sense. I stand in line for 2 hours yesterday and another 4 hours today. My hips hurt so bad I can hardly stand up. The man behind me got diabetes. The woman in front of us got a sore elbow. Can you believe that? I stand behind a woman with a sore elbow when every second on my feet hurt? Is this Church for real?
Jacobs:
(Off camera.) How are your hips now.
Dobson: They fine. I got no pain. I don’t need these canes no more.
Jacobs, S:
(Caption: Sam Jacobs, Harlem) I don’ know. The woman in front of me was all mad because she said her hips and my diabetes was bad conditions and we shouldn’ have to wait behind those other folks. I ain’ worried ‘bout that. My diabetes is gone. I know it’s gone. I praise God it’s gone. She can be all mad if she want to. I just glad, too glad to be mad, you know what I mean? (laughs)
Jacobs:
How do you know your diabetes is gone?
Jacobs, S:
I know I’m better. I can’t tell you how I know. I jus’ know. I’ll see my doctor for sure, and let him tell me the good news again, but God already healed me. The doctor jus’ gonna confirm it.
Jacobs:
Despite complaints, people are still being healed. But the grumbling has turned to actual protests as this group demands a more fair way to organize the line. Like Ms. Dobson, this group thinks people’s illnesses need to be prioritized, although there’s no clear picture of how they think this should be done. Some people believe it’s the level of pain. Others say it’s the impact on your life. In fact, an argument looked like it might turn violent when people tried to answer that question.
As you can see, the visits by the ambulances are generating more unrest than yesterday. We’ve already had 10 today and people waiting in line have taken to shouting at the EMTs when they bring their gurneys to the front of the line. The police presence is growing as the crowd becomes more tense. The Church may have to change its strategy soon.
(Cut to split screen - Studio and live feed)
Sommers:
Mark, can you describe how the crowd is feeling right now?
Jacobs:
Leslie, it’s starting to have the feel of the gathering for some of the more angry protests I’ve covered. Here, on the afternoon of the third day, people like Sam Jacobs seem few and far between. On the first morning there was nothing but amazement and cheering as every person was healed. Today the healings seem to be hardly noticed. But every little glitch, each break Mr. Nnkoba takes, now seems to bring a big reaction.
Sommers:
Thanks, Mark.
Jacobs:
Mark Jacobs, WCNY Live.
(Cut to break. Return to guest studio)
Sommers:
We welcome back Dr. Samuel Estive, Pastor of NYC Seeker Church.
Estive:
Nice to see you again, Leslie.
Sommers:
Sam, what do you think of these latest developments?
Estive:
It’s human nature that abnormal things become normal rapidly. Whether that thing is a surprise gift, like this healing, or an unexpected trial, like a falling economy, people will soon see it as the new normal. Not only is history filled with examples, but so is the Bible. So it’s not surprising that the focus would have shifted from the healing to the logistical problems they’re having in the line. Maybe this was a little fast, Leslie, but we can’t say it’s unexpected.
Sommers:
Do you think Ms. Dobson is correct, that people with painful hips should be ahead of people with painful elbows?
Estive:
I’m not in a position to judge. I’d have to know what the person with the elbow is expected to do day-to-day, and what Ms. Dobson is expected to do day-to-day. A retiree with painful hips might need healing less than a package delivery person with a painful elbow. But it’s never easy to suffer pain so even the retiree deserves the miracle. I suspect that any prioritization scheme would create problems. Everyone thinks their need is important.
Sommers:
What do you think The Congregation at Central Park Church should do?
Estive:
I’m not sure there’s much they CAN do. Right now, the gift is coming through Mr. Nnkoba. He, and he alone, has to touch and speak to everyone for the healing to happen. He’s moving fast, but the crowd is growing faster. Ultimately it will be impossible for him to keep up. Even if nobody gets in line for the sniffles, as one person put it, people will continue to become seriously ill or injured. Once people begin arriving from overseas the crowd control will be extremely difficult.
But what can they do? Take reservations? That has all the same problems they have now except the people wait somewhere else. Sell tickets to the highest bidder? No true Christian wants to be selling access to the gifts of God. I don’t see anything the Church can do except keep going and see what God has in mind for the end game.
Sommers:
When do you think that will be?
Estive:
I have no way to know, no way to guess. Right now I don’t even know whether I hope it’s sooner or later. This whole thing is beyond me. I’m watching with everyone else, but I’m not sure I’m as excited as I was two days ago.
Sommers:
Thanks again, Sam, for taking time to talk with us.
Estive:
Any time, Leslie.
Sommers:
We’re going to go quickly to Mark Jacobs with an urgent development in Central Park. Mark?
(Cut to split screen - studio and live feed)
Jacobs:
Leslie, we’re trying to get a clear shot of what’s happening, but the crowd just surged in the direction of Mr. Nnkoba. Church volunteers and police have tried to push their way through. I can’t tell what’s happening up there.
Sommers:
It’s hard to hear you over the shouting. What lead up to this moment?
Jacobs:
It’s just after 6:00. The Church announced that Mr. Nnkoba would be going home and people started shouting they’d been waiting all day. I’m not sure what triggered the switch from shouting to shoving, and now here we are.
Sommers:
It looks like a full-fledged riot from here.
Jacobs:
As difficult as it is to see from here, I don’t want to jump to that kind of conclusion. But from the sound of things, I’m inclined to agree. I’m going to move back a little here. I’m hoping our SkyNews 1 can be in position shortly to let us see what’s happening.
As you can see now, Leslie, a large number of police are arriving in riot gear. They’re headed to the side of the Church’s area and attempting to push their way to Mr. Nnkoba’s corner. They look like they could be overwhelmed if they aren’t careful. I’m being asked to move back further.
(Cut to split screen - studio and SkyNews 1 view)
Sommers:
Mark, we’re getting the feed now from SkyNews 1, and I can’t see where Mr. Nnkoba might have been standing. There’s no order at all behind the barricade and everyone is pushing. Do I see more riot police arriving?
Jacobs:
That’s right, Leslie. They’re trying to force open an alley down the side of the Church’s area. Police in normal uniforms are pulling people away from the back and pushing them across the sidewalk. As I think you can see, another squad just arrived. We now have three squads of police in riot gear trying to make a path to the front of the area. They’re making progress. I can see … I can see where some of the uniformed police who ran in first have been reached. They look to have been beaten pretty badly. They’re helping each other out of the path as the riot squads continue to force their way in. People back here are starting to react to the bloodied police coming out and they’re backing away. Things are …
Oh, no. Leslie, you need to get a shot from our camera here. That’s Mr. Nnkoba they’re bringing out, and he doesn’t look conscious. Everyone is bruised and bloodied, but the rest are walking. Mr. Nnkobi has his arms around the shoulders of two police, but they’re just dragging him. This is about to get graphic, you need to warn viewers. There’s an ambulance pulling up to my right. The EMTs are running toward Mr. Nnkoba. Oh, this is just awful. They’re putting him on the gurney now, but you can see just how badly he’s been beaten. The police are holding us back from following the EMTs as they load Mr. Nnkoba into the ambulance. This is just … I don’t know what to say. This is just horrible. The police are still trying to quell the crowd, even as the man they’re fighting to see is being driven away in an ambulance.
(Cut to studio)
Sommers:
Mark, we’re stopping your feed. You need to get to a safe place. Those images of Mr. Nnkoba were horrific. I don’t understand why he should have been so badly beaten. We’re just ... Ladies and gentlemen, here at WNYC we can’t express what we’re feeling right now. Three days ago that man was receiving ambulance patients and allowing them to walk away, and we’ve just watched him being taken away by EMTs with no sign of consciousness. I’m sorry … I’m sorry .. Jim, can we cut to a break for a minute. I just can’t talk right now.
(Cut to break)
Sommers:
Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve just witness what appears to be a mob attack against Mr. Mtembo Nnkoba, a man who a few days ago seemed to hold a power of miraculous healing. Today was the third day he met with people who waited in a line in Central Park. When he announced he was going to stop for the night, the crowd became violent.
Mark Jacobs has been at the site since it was set up by the Congregation at Central Park Church. We’re going to Central Park now to see what else Mark has been able to find out.
(Cut to Mark Jacobs - live feed)
Jacobs:
Leslie, Mr. Nnkoba has been taken to the Trauma Center at Bellevue Hospital. A weeping Pastor Richard Smith is following closely behind. As you know, Rick is the Senior Pastor at the Congregation in Central Park Church and Mr. Nnkoba’s Pastor. He did not want to make a comment. The police are still trying to stop the violence in the area where three days ago they had been waiting patiently in line.
Some who were at the back are now standing with shocked looks on their faces. They seem to realize that their opportunity to be healed may be gone. If Mr. Nnkoba does return, it won’t be soon. Some of these who had hoped to be healed may not be able to return. Their grief is palpable, as is the sense of unreality. And I, although I have barely met Mr. Nnkoba, I’ve been a part of what he’s been doing for these last three days almost as much as his Church volunteers have. I am just as stunned as everyone else here.
Sommers:
Mark, we can get information from others on what happens at Central park. Why don’t you go over to Belleview and get what information you can on Mr. Nnkoba’s status.
Jacobs:
OK, Leslie. Mark Jacobs, WNYC Live.
March 8, 9:00 a.m.
Press Release, The Congregation at Central Park Church
For Immediate Release
The Congregation in Central Park Church regrets to announce the death of Mr. Mtembo Nnkoba. Mr. Nnkoba was pronounced dead just after 8:00 p.m. on March 7.
Mr. Nnkoba had received a vision from God on March 1st in which he was instructed to heal all he could reach until it became impossible for him to heal. He was given specific instructions for how to conduct the healing, by laying his hand on the person and repeating the phrase, “It is the Father’s good pleasure to make you whole, in the name of Jesus, by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Mr. Nnkoba was nervous at first and visited two hospital emergency rooms anonymously. His actions caused some difficulties for hospital staff, so the Church agreed to set up a space in Central Park where he could perform the healings.
At approximately 6:00 p.m. on March 7, when Mr. Nnkoba announced he would have to stop for the night, the crowd that had been waiting for healing became a violent mob. The mob rushed Mr. Nnkoba and beat him unconscious before police or Church volunteers could intervene. Police were able to push the mob back so that Mr. Nnkoba could be taken to Belleview Trauma Center, where he was pronounced dead a short time later.
Church staff have contacted Mr. Nnkoba’s next-of-kin in Nigeria. They have requested we repatriate his body and we will honor this request.
A memorial service will be scheduled in the near future. You can check out our Web site at CentralParkCongregation.org for details.
We offer our prayers for Mr. Nnkoba’s friends and family, and we ask for your prayers for our congregation.
Richard Smith, Sr. Pastor
H. Vernon Matthews, Associate Pastor