Prophet resurrects woman from the dead

IN a bizarre incident that left Abundant Life Ministries congregants shell-shocked, a 33-year-old woman reportedly resurrected from the dead after the church's prophet Itai Ukama prayed for her.

she had allegedly died during a prayer session two weeks ago.

Portia Rangarirai had allegedly been brought to the church in a critical condition when she "died" on Sunday November 24 after spending two days admitted at the United Bulawayo Hospitals (UBH) complaining of a severe headache.

Portia's mother, Kenia Rangarirai, a nurse with 24 years' experience, confirmed the bizarre incident in an interview yesterday.

"She was ill for a week and on Friday November 22, she became serious when we were at home in Montgomery and we took her to a doctor for blood pressure and sugar check-ups and she was given medication. However, her condition deteriorated and we brought her to church during the same morning and she became better," Kenia said.

"We went home, but she deteriorated in the evening and we took her to UBH where she was admitted and given six drips and oxygen at intervals. In the morning of Saturday she was looking fine and we took her home."

She said the following day on Sunday they came to church at her (Portia) instigation and during the prayer session her condition deteriorated again.

"I decided to leave church and go home because her condition was drawing attention of other congregants, which I didn't like. However, some ushers advised me not to take her home, but let her pray. They called pastors to attend to her.

"When the pastors were still praying for her I realised that something had gone wrong and even the body language of the pastors was suspicious. She was dead. I felt emptiness in my stomach. As a nurse I had seen that she was dead. I checked her pulse and there was nothing. She had rolled her eyes and her lips had become white."

Kenia said one of the pastors rushed to inform prophet Ukama who ordered that the "body" be carried from the auditorium to a room downstairs.

"I and my daughter-in-law started crying uncontrollably and in my mind I said they were taking her downstairs to fold her.

"She was taken into a room and I was told to remain outside. After about 10 minutes we were called in and she had awoken. I cried even worse and now they were tears of joy," she said.

Prophet Ukama also confirmed the incident, but said it was not that he could pray for every dead person and raise them.

"It's not real that we go to every dead person and say wake up. It's God's hand that was shown here. I can't go about bragging to people that I raise people from the dead. This was a miracle which just happened. Naturally I have asked people on five occasions to pray for their dead, but nothing happened. This one came back to life and didn't only come back to life but was healed of all the symptoms of her illness. She came here on a stretcher, but she is now walking," prophet Ukama said.

Portia, who sobbed uncontrollably during the course of the interview, said she was unaware of what was happening in the church as she was in another world where she saw angels which later brought her back to life.

However, Mpilo Central Hospital clinical director Dr Wedu Ndebele said it was possible for a person to pass out and have no pulse and come back after being prayed for.

"A person can go into a comma for a short while and lose all the pulse. I think you have heard of incidents of people who come back to life after being put into a mortuary.

"However, it would also be important to understand who had certified the person dead.

"If it was a relative, she could have been emotionally involved and her judgment impaired. However, miracles do happen and I can't deny that a miracle could have taken place," Ndebele added.