My name is Kevin.
For many years, people in my town knew me as a hardworking businessman.
I started with a small transport business. I saved every coin I earned, and after years of sacrifice, I finally had enough money to invest in something bigger.
I always admired people who owned several vehicles.
To me, cars represented success.
I believed that if I bought more vehicles, my income would multiply and my family would finally enjoy the life we had always dreamed about.
That was when I entered the second-hand car business.
At first, everything looked perfect.
I imported my first used vehicle and sold it with a good profit.
The money came quickly.
I became excited.
I thought I had discovered the secret to becoming wealthy.
I started buying more vehicles.
I borrowed money from friends and financial institutions because I wanted to expand faster.
I told myself:
“The more cars I have, the more money I will make.”
But I did not understand the hidden risks.
Some vehicles looked perfect from outside but had serious mechanical problems.
One car developed expensive engine issues shortly after purchase.
Another had electrical problems that took months to repair.
A third vehicle remained parked because customers did not want to rent it due to constant breakdowns.
Every repair consumed more money.
Instead of earning profits, I was using money from one vehicle to fix another.
My debts started increasing.
The business that I thought would make me rich slowly became a burden.
At home, my family noticed the change.
I stopped enjoying time with them.
I was always calculating debts.
Every phone call made me nervous because I feared it was someone demanding payment.
Within a few years, the business I had worked so hard to build collapsed.
I sold some of my property to repay loans.
The vehicles that once made me feel successful became the same things that pushed me toward bankruptcy.
I felt ashamed.
I avoided friends because I did not want anyone to know how badly things had gone.
One day, an elderly family friend noticed my struggles and encouraged me to seek guidance from Dr. Magongo in Kisumu, known in the community for traditional spiritual consultations and cleansing practices.
I visited and shared my story.
I explained how my dreams had turned into financial pressure and how I felt like I had lost everything.
He listened carefully.
He encouraged me to reflect on my decisions, accept responsibility, and rebuild with wisdom instead of rushing after quick success.
He explained that traditional cleansing ceremonies are viewed by some communities as symbolic moments for releasing emotional burdens and preparing for a new chapter.
The symbolic ceremony included different traditional items.
A calabash filled with clean water represented renewal and starting again.
A woven basket containing seeds symbolized rebuilding slowly and patiently.
A wooden measuring stick represented careful planning and making wise decisions.
A bundle of traditional herbs represented restoration and leaving behind painful experiences.
A white cloth represented peace and forgiveness toward myself.
A small clay pot symbolized keeping valuable lessons from the past while moving forward.
During the ceremony, I reflected on the biggest mistake I had made—not buying cars, but believing success comes without proper research, patience, and preparation.
After returning home, I changed my approach.
I stopped chasing quick profits.
I started learning about business management.
I paid my debts step by step.
I began a smaller business with less risk and better planning.
It took years, but slowly, I recovered.
Today, I no longer measure success by how many vehicles I own.
I measure it by stability, peace of mind, and making wise choices.
Looking back, the difficult season taught me a lesson I will never forget.
A person can lose money and rebuild.
But ignoring lessons can make the same mistakes return again.
The symbolic cleansing became a turning point for me—not because it erased my problems overnight, but because it helped me accept my mistakes, regain confidence, and begin again with a wiser mind.
