Mary Ekah
Emmanuel TV, a Christian television network founded by Prophet T.B. Joshua, the general overseer of The Synagogue, Church of All Nations (SCOAN), has over the years built a team reputable for its focus on reaching out to the four corners of the troubled world regardless of continent, nationality, race, tribe or tongue. Weather it is responding to natural disasters or initiating welfare programmes for indigenous communities, the Emmanuel TV team has proven its commitment to Christ’s mission of bringing bread to the hungry, water to the thirsty, hope to the broken-hearted and a roadmap to the lost.
A very recent and typical case of the Emmanuel TV team giving hope to the broken-hearted and the lost was when 12-year-old then, Praise Sunday, a victim of armed robbery, whose life was almost snuffed out was rescued and his life given back to him. Unfortunately however, Praise’s 10-year-old younger sister and their dear mother’s lives weren’t spared. Right in front of young Praise, these daredevil robbers killed both mother and child in front of the boy before they finally slit his throat open leaving him to die also but Praise was divinely saved.
Recounting how it all happened during a special service, two Sundays ago, at the Synagogue, Church of All Nations before a very huge congregation that fought hard to hold back their tears while the testimony lasted, the little boy now, 13 years old, said the incident happened on May 8, 2016.
The hypothetical armed robbers whose mission turned out to be not just to rob a helpless and poor widow of her valuable possessions but to probably wipe out the entire family of three whose breadwinner had been snatched by the cold hands of death a few months back, tuned out to be the cruelest act of this dispensation. It was obviously more than a mission to rob.
The husband and father reportedly died from a motor accident thereby leaving behind his wife and two children solely to themselves and two were killed in the cruelest manner and one of them miraculously survived.
Giving his testimony in the midst of family members who had accompanied Praise to the special Sunday service, he recalled that his mother had stepped out of the house to her shop, just in front of the house where she does petty trading, which also served as her kitchen occasionally, where she does quick meals for the family while she also watches over her wares and also attend to customers, to bring their evening meal.
On her way back to the house with a pot in her hand which was meant to serve as dinner for the evening, she was intercepted by a group of hungry and fierce looking hoodlums who led her at gunpoint into the sitting room where the children were watching a programme on the television while waiting eagerly to have their meals. But instead, the volume of the television suddenly increased, they looked up to find strangers inside their home with their mother being led at gunpoint.
Tying their hands and feet, in their presence, the invaders ate their dinner and also went into the poor woman shop and took drink which they drank to their satisfactions. After satisfying themselves, the daredevil robbers began demanding for physical cash and ATM cards from the poor widow, which she never had.
The mother brought out all her possessions but that wasn’t enough for these armed robbers and so they went ahead with the cruelest act. They grabbed her 10-year-old daughter and, in a sudden movement, slit her throat. Provoked by her shouts of agony, they then grabbed the mother and raped her in front of her 12-year-old son. When he tried to intervene, the attackers slit his mother’s throat and began to stab the young boy. He was stabbed in his stomach and chest and his throat was slit. The armed robbers took the family’s possessions and disappeared.
The robbers left having been satisfied that they had probably wiped out the entire family and so their mission accomplished but what they never knew was that they were never going to be able to take the life of one person, even though they had satisfactorily checked that he was also dead. And with a slit throat, hands and legs tied, he lied helplessly in his pool of blood; he was left to die too. But Praise, survived!
The story shared via a documentary broadcast across Emmanuel TV showed how the prophet splashed millions of Naira on a 12-year-old-boy from Agbor, in Delta State before he was finally flown abroad for surgery on the bills of TB Joshua through his Emmanuel TV team platform. Praise’s testimony evoked tears and pity as the congregation fight hard to hold back tears from dropping from their eyes while many who could not just control it bowed their heads as they let down the tears.
Left to die and unable to move, the young boy Praise was surprised to see an angelic being take him up and deposit him to his neighbour’s doorstep. As he landed on the ground, the white being pounded the door and disappeared. The neighbour came to the door and saw Praise in a pool of blood. Shouting in horror, the neighbour rushed Praise to the hospital and subsequently informed his next of kin. Praise was literally dead on arrival. Coming in with the Morning Water and Morning Sticker, a spiritual water and sticker from the Synagogue Church, his aunt and uncle believed in God for a miracle.
“I managed to open my eyes and saw something white, sparkling and tall like a human being. It carried me, took me to my neighbour’s gate, banged the gate and then disappeared,” Praise told the congregation.
Lapsing in and out of consciousness and fighting for his life, Praise was taken to the General Hospital in Agbor before being transferred to the Federal Medical Centre. “Blood was pumping out like a shower; they could not control it,” he recalled of the shocking torment.
Although Praise miraculously survived the attack following emergency surgery and the usage of “T.B. Joshua’s Morning Water”, he was left with his vocal chords severely damaged and a pipe inserted into his throat. For nine long months, he could not utter a single word.
After seven operations at medical institutions across the country yielding no result and several pleas for financial aid to government bodies within Delta State falling on seemingly deaf ears, the family decided to pay a visit to The Synagogue, Church Of All Nations (SCOAN) in Lagos.
After hearing the story of the heartbreaking ordeal of a little boy, T.B. Joshua, well known for his philanthropic gesture, instantly sprang into action, promising to sponsor Praise’s travel overseas for more advanced medical attention.
Prophet T.B. Joshua provided shelter, feeding and clothing for Praise and his aunt Mabel while medical specialists were consulted for the referred operation abroad. Praise’s health began to improve while living in The SCOAN. Prophet T.B. Joshua helped them obtain international passports and visas and provided $5000 for the initial medical deposit, $2,000 for visas, passports and flight tickets and an additional $2,000 for their welfare while in South Africa.
Flying for the first time, Praise and his aunt travelled to Johannesburg, South Africa and were welcomed by the Emmanuel TV Team who accompanied them to Cape Town where the specialised hospital is located. Providing transportation and accommodation within South Africa, Prophet T.B. Joshua sponsored all medical operations and procedures. T.B. Joshua spent a total of $50,000 (N25m) on Praise’s trip, covering his welfare, travelling expenses and medical bills.
Shortly afterwards, the young boy left for Cape Town, South Africa with his caring aunt Mabel, all expenses paid for by Prophet T.B. Joshua and Emmanuel TV partners, there, a four-hour major operation was conducted at Life Vincent Pallotti Hospital in Cape Town, overseen by specialists Dr. Martin Vanlierde and Professor Mark De Groot. Given a clean bill of health after several months of check-ups, Praise returned to Nigeria to testify that his vocal abilities had been completely restored.
After two months and several procedures, the pipe was removed from Praise’s throat and he was able to breathe and speak for the first time in nine months Coming back to The SCOAN, a fully talking Praise and his aunt give glory to God for His hand of love, generosity and healing through Prophet T.B. Joshua.
