Embu pastor prays for wife’s resurrection

Pastor Robinson Karumba of Eagle Wings Prophetic Ministries addresses the press at Gakwegori funeral home where he demanded to be given his wife’s body to pray for her resurrection. PHOTO | CHARLES WANYORO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The church members took the body of Ms Polly Rosa Ng’endo to a secluded room within the morgue, laid it on the table and smeared it with anointing oil.
  • And to demonstrate his faith, Pastor Robinson Karumba had carried clothes and shoes for his wife.
  • He said his wife, 38, had been unwell and died on Sunday.

A cleric caused a scene, after he stormed a mortuary in Embu County and demanded to be given his wife’s body to pray for her resurrection.

Accompanied by his followers, Pastor Robinson Karumba of Eagle Wings Prophetic Ministries, went to Gakwegori funeral home and asked that the body be released to him.

The church members took the body of Ms Polly Rosa Ng’endo to a secluded room within the morgue, laid it on the table and smeared it with anointing oil. They then started singing and playing musical instruments.

The noon incident left the mortuary attendants and other people seeking services there in shock.

However, Mr Karumba insisted that he was following Jesus’ teachings, which he claimed said that those who believe would be raised from the dead after four days.

And to demonstrate his faith, the father of three had carried clothes and shoes for his wife.

MERELY RESTING

“We believe she is not dead, but merely resting. She is a believer like me and has preached in many places and with prominent preachers. I had to do what I have always preached. Jesus was called to Lazarus’ home after he had died for four days,” he said. “Even my daughter said my mother will come back on Wednesday. We are playing instruments because she was a musician.”

He said his wife, 38, had been unwell and died on Sunday.

In the same mortuary, Ms Ng’endo’s uncle was there to book a hearse to take the body for burial on Saturday. “The uncle said he was not bothered by the prayers and would not interfere with the session,” said Mr Genesio Njiru, a mortuary attendant.

Ms Gladys Murugi, another attendant, said: “This is the first such incident we are witnessing but we didn’t bar them.”

The pastor said he will not be heartbroken if his wife fails to “wake up”. But if she does, they will have proved naysayers wrong. “Back at home, people have been preparing for the burial. If she resurrects, Saturday will be a thanksgiving ceremony. We will be marking her resurrection,” he said.