"WORKS OF EVIL" says a survival

Trapped for 13 hours under rubble of the collapsed seven storey residential quarters of The Synagogue Church of All Nations in Lagos, a Durban woman has spoken for the first time of how her will to survive – and “warfare prayer” – got her through the nightmare.
She told the Daily News on Wednesday that she was mere centimetres away from certain death as a collapsed wall hung over her face. Zwane blamed the September 12 disaster on the “work of evil”.
The KZN government employee has also strongly defended church founder TB Joshua, who she described as “the prophet”, warning that those who vilified him “will face God’s wrath”.
“Let God forgive those who speak ill of the prophet. Bible says do not judge.
“He is not God but only an appointee just like previous prophets in the Bible . So those who judge him will face God’s wrath,” she told the Daily News from her home in Durban, where she is recovering.
“We are in a period where the Christian faith is being tested. The only way to deal with it is to speak the word of God.”
Zwane, who described herself as a born-again Christian and an ordained evangelist at Faith Life Ministries International, which is based near Springfield Park, said she would return to the Nigerian church after missing out on a face-to-face meeting with Joshua on her “spiritual journey”.
Describing how the tragedy, which killed more than 115 people, unfolded, Zwane said the churchgoers were having a midday meal and she was just about to finish hers when she saw a wall moving towards them in a huge dining hall on the first floor.
Suddenly, the hall was filled with smoke and darkness. Others were screaming hysterically. She found herself trapped under a white chair on which a table rested.
“Miraculously, the wall hung a few centimetres from my face. I talked to God to hold it still. I could not even see my fingers.
“I shouted to others to stop crying but to pray for their survival. “While I was praying I called for the stars, thunder and Holy Ghost fire in Jesus’ name,” she said.
“It was a warfare prayer. I made such a noise that everyone started praying hard.”
With all the pain she suffered from her bruised forehead and left limbs, Zwane tried to stretch her right leg, which felt very numb at that stage. She rested her head on another survivor lying next to her. She said his name was Patrick and they started plotting their survival strategy while calling out Jesus’ name.
Just before midnight, while moving her hand, she felt a Bible. She asked anyone with a cellphone to switch it on and she read a book of Psalms, which talks about protection.
Zwane said there were 7 487 promises in the Bible and one of them had promised protection against evil.
She said the book of Psalms stated that mankind could live 70-80 million years and thereafter it was only through the grace of God.
Zwane, who works for the KZN Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs in Durban, said she felt disheartened after learning of those who died during the collapse.
“I became emotional when I heard about the loss of lives. But I do not blame anyone except the work of evil.
“The prophet could not have done anything to prevent the incident. It was God’s secret.
“People should just read and understand the Bible. Stop being ignorant because it is all in the scripture book,” she said. Zwane said another survivor had told her that she had arranged her funeral while lying helplessly under the rubble, but after Zwane’s powerful prayer she was saved.
“At 2am I noticed a light shining through the wall. I think it was one of the holes drilled by paramedics. I dragged myself out of it and pointed in the direction of others who had been trapped,” said the mother of two. Zwane said the collapse happened before they could go for their second Bible classes in the church, which was open 24 hours for prayers.
While treated in Broad Hospital in Lagos she received many calls – messages of support from relatives and colleagues.
After two days she asked to be discharged and left to make arrangements to return to South Africa.
When she landed at OR Tambo International Airport on September 17 her cellphone inbox was full of messages of support from comrades, church members, relatives and friends.
Her two children whisked her away to their house where she received further medical attention for two days before arriving in Durban. Zwane complained of pain in her left limbs.
She said she lost her luggage and a Bible in the disaster but what mattered the most was that she was