Letter to Pastor Suliasi Kurulo concerning the Reported Crowd Estimates during Benny Hinn's January 2006 Crusade in Suva, Fiji

To the Reader: Suliasi Kurulo is the Senior Pastor of the World Harvest Centre church in Suva, Fiji, President of the Christian Mission Fellowship, Chairman of the Assembly of Christian Churches, and the Chairman of the organizing committee for the January 2006 Benny Hinn Miracle Crusade. Apparently, Pastor Kurulo was instrumental in bringing another controversial faith healer, Reinhard Bonnke to Suva, Fiji in 2003, where a reported total of 254,000 people attended the three-day event (refer to "God's Fire in Fiji" on Reinhard Bonnke's website).

For further information, please refer to Steve Muse's Commentary,  

March 17, 2006

Pastor Suliasi Kurulo, President

Christian Mission Fellowship

World Harvest Center

Suva, Fiji Islands

Dear Pastor Kurulo:

I was led to write and ask you a few important questions concerning the attendance estimates during the January 2006 Benny Hinn Miracle Crusade in Suva, Fiji.

We have carefully reviewed videos, pictures of the crusade, and pictures of the Post Fiji Stadium. We have communicated with individuals from the Fiji Sports Council, and with people who attended the crusade. Also, we have researched the seating capacity of the Post Fiji Stadium (which includes the stadium grandstand, the infield, and the immediate area  surrounding the infield).

We have also consulted with an expert in crowd dynamics (crowd density), which is the mathematical science of determining how much space people occupy, and how many people will safely fit into a specific area.

During the last day of the crusade, as you stood on-stage next to Benny Hinn, you said that about 80,000 people attended the first night, 110,000 attended the second night, and that an estimate of about 180,000 attended the last night. Altogether, your estimates total to 370,000 for the three-day event, which Benny Hinn also maintains.

You also said that the estimates were not assumptions, and that there were people at the crusade who were doing a head-count of those in attendance.

This leads to my first question: Are you aware that the World Stadiums website rates the seating capacity for the Post Fiji Stadium at only 30,000 people? (Click HERE and HERE for verification) 

The Post Fiji Stadium grandstand has a seating capacity of about 5,000. The infield, and the immediate area surrounding the infield, has a capacity of about 30,000. These capacities fall short of your estimates of 80,000 for the first day, 110,000 for the second day, and 180,000 for the third day.

Here are some examples of stadiums with seating capacities of over 100,000:

Velky Strahovsky Stadium (seating capacity: 220,000)

Maracana Stadium (seating capacity: 200,000+)

Maracana Stadium (panoramic picture; seating capacity: 220,000+, including the infield)  

Michigan Stadium-USA (seating capacity: 107,000+)

Compare the above stadiums with the Post Fiji Stadium (seating capacity: 30,000).

Almost two months have passed since the crusade. My second question is: Do you still maintain that 370,000 people attended the crusade during the three-day event?

Thank you, Pastor Kurulo. This is an important issue, and we look forward to your timely reply.

Sincerely in Christ,

Bud Press, Director

Christian Research Service

www.christianresearchservice.com

Jude 3