IMO STATE: The Miracle Tree

The Cathedral Church of Emmanuel Anglican Communion in Mgbidi, Oru –West Council Area of Imo state has become a pilgrimage site of sort as people from far and wide have converged on the premises of the church, to scoop water gushing out from the base of a tree that they believe, has healing powers. Consequently, people of various faiths troop to the new miracle site daily ostensibly, for miraculous healing for their ailments.  At the church premises, both old and young men and women with plastic containers wait patiently on long queues, to scoop the miracle water.

One of the church workers that identified herself as Uloma, told Sunday Sun that one of the women who sweep the church premises had discovered a puddle at the base of the tree in the compound when she pulled out the weeds around the spot. Surprisingly, the water flowed out of the base of the tree.  Uloma said that no one paid attention to the water initially, until one of their colleagues who was ill, said that she was directed in a dream to drink the water coming out from the base of the tree. She did so and received her healing the next day. She further stated that another woman who had ulcer came to the church when she heard about the water and immediately she drank it, she was miraculously healed.

Another resident, Mr Onyekachi Ozoemene, told Sunday Sun that he suffered from severe stomach ache until he heard about the miracle water and came to the church. Onyekachi said that he got to the church on Friday evening but was able to access the water around 3am on Saturday because of the huge crowd that was there for the same purpose.  He testified that 30 minutes after he drank the water, he noticed that his severe stomach pain was gone.  Another visitor, Mr Ejiogu came all the way from Egwe community in Oguta Council area of the State and had arrived in the church premises in the early hours of Friday but got the water at about 9.30am. He said that he was told that the water has the power to ward off evil spirits and that he would sprinkle it on his business premises and his home to ward off evil spirits and bad luck.

For madam Ifeoma who came from Awo, she heard of the miracle water on Friday and came to the church to fetch from it. She said that she believed that the water could indeed cure people of their ailments ward off evil attacks.  Speaking in the same vein, Madam Chinonye who waited patiently to fetch the water, told Sunday Sun that she was in the church to get the water for her sister who needs the fruit of the womb and that the water had been blessed by the priests.

She further stated that popular priest, Rev Father Mbaka, had prophesied during one of his crusades at the Adoration Ground that water would come out of a tree and that when that happened, people would go there for their miracles.  A member of the Christian Men Organization of the Catholic Church, Elder Ozor Fidelis Obioma, said he had to visit the scene when he heard that water was gushing out from the base of a tree at the Anglican Church in Mgbidi. Elder Obioma described the development as the wonder of God and a sign of peace.  However, the Bishop of the Diocese, the Rt. Rev Geoffrey Nwadioraoma, could not be reached for comments because he was attending the diocesan Synod.

Source: Sun News

UPDATE: Imo miracle water dry up

For weeks, the Cathedral Church of Emmanuel Anglican Communion in Mgbidi, Oru –West Council Area of Imo state was a pilgrimage site of sort as people from within and outside the state trooped to scoop “miracle water” that flowed from the base of a tree in the church premises.

The sudden appearance of the water said to have healing powers, was exclusively reported by Sunday Sun in its edition of May 11, 2013.

However, a recent visit to the site of the tree revealed that the water has stopped running. Although no one could tell why it dried up, residents and some of the visitors to the area suspected misuse of the ‘strange’ water by those who thronged the church premises while it lasted.

One of the ‘pilgrims’, Mr Chidi Nwike, who came from neighboring Utulu community, told Sunday Sun that the sudden disappearance of the water was due to the “unruly behaviour” of some of the visitors.

According to him, two birds that had always perched on the top of the miracle tree flew away when people began to fight over access to the water; and three days later, it stopped coming from the tree base.

He said: “There was crisis because people fought at the site over whose turn it was to scoop the water and the sale of the water to those that could not get to the base of the tree. I have been coming here since the water started flowing from the base of the tree. The two doves that were usually seen at the top of the tree flew away immediately people started fighting and demanding money before they were allowed to take the water. Three days later, the water stopped flowing.

“Those doves were always at the top of the tree since the water started coming about a month ago and I think it was the ungodly behaviour of the people that caused the water to stop flowing. We know that the Holy Spirit cannot abide where there is ungodliness.”

However, Mr Nwike was optimistic that God would restore the water whenever it pleases him to do so.

Apparently confident that the healing power in the miracle water could have rubbed off on the ground, people still visit the site in their numbers to scoop the sand from the base of the miracle tree. When Sunday Sun visited the church premises, many of them were seen scooping the sand into plastic containers, believing that the power in the water was still in the sand if used with faith.

Mr Obinna Okereke, who came from Isiala Mbano, said that he came to the site when he heard about the healing powers of the water, but discovered that water had stopped coming out from the tree base. Determined not to miss out, he scooped some of the sand at the tree base into a plastic container.

“When I got here, I found out that the water no longer came out, and as a man of faith, I decided to scoop the wet sands from where the water used to gather. I believe that if used with faith, it will work for me. Every thing is faith, so whether the water has dried up or not does not matter to me”, he said.

It also did not matter to Madam Mary Ozo who came from Owerri to fetch the miracle water. She also scooped some of the sands into a plastic container believing that the power that was in the water remained in the sand.

H e satiated: “The power that is in the water is the same power that is in the sand and I believe that it will do what the water has done for those who believed without doubt.”

However, one of the priests at the Cathedral who spoke on condition of anonymity told Sunday Sun that the church was aware that the water stopped coming out about three days ago, and did not know what happened even though people have continued to come hoping that the water would return.

“We only knew that the water suddenly stopped coming out and we really don’t know what happened. But as you can see, people are still coming to the premises of the church, hoping that the water will soon start running again. You know this is an issue of belief ”, he said.

Source: Sun News