My name is James.
There is one day in my life that I will never forget.
It was the day a simple mistake changed everything.
My mother had been admitted to the ICU.
Her condition was serious, and the doctors needed urgent payment for treatment.
My entire family was frightened.
We were calling relatives, looking for help, and trying everything possible to make sure she received the care she needed.
After struggling to gather the money, I finally managed to get KSh 63,000.
To me, that money was not just cash.
It represented hope.
It represented my mother’s life.
With shaking hands and a worried heart, I sent the money through M-Pesa to the number I believed belonged to the hospital payment contact.
But moments later, I realized something terrible.
I had sent the money to the wrong number.
My heart sank.
I immediately called the person who had received the money.
At first, he answered.
I explained the situation.
I told him the money was meant for my mother who was in ICU and that it was needed urgently.
I begged him to return it.
I thought any person would understand the seriousness of the situation.
But instead, he refused.
After several calls, his phone went off.
I sent messages.
I pleaded with him.
I wrote that when he switched on his phone, he should understand the pain my family was going through and send the money back.
But there was no response.
Time continued moving.
The hospital was waiting.
My family was waiting.
My mother was fighting.
But the money had not arrived.
The delay became another painful burden.
Sadly, my mother passed away.
The loss broke something inside me.
I felt anger, sadness, and helplessness all at once.
During the burial period, I kept thinking about the person who had my money.
I felt that he needed to understand the pain his actions had caused.
I wanted him to learn a lesson.
After the burial, I sought guidance from Dr. Magongo as part of a traditional spiritual consultation and reflection process.
I explained everything.
The lost money.
My mother’s death.
The anger I was carrying.
The desire for justice.
I told him I wanted a way to recover what I had lost and find peace.
He listened carefully and encouraged me to avoid being controlled by revenge, but to seek restoration and accountability.
A symbolic intervention was prepared.
A red cloth represented the seriousness of the situation and the emotional pain I carried.
A red thread symbolized reconnecting what had been separated and seeking resolution.
A piece of garlic (kitunguu saumu) represented strength and protection in the cultural symbolism of the ceremony.
The process was presented as a symbolic moment of releasing anger and seeking the truth.
Less than 24 hours later, something unexpected happened.
My phone rang.
It was the same man.
His voice was different.
He sounded worried.
He said he wanted to talk.
He claimed he had been experiencing disturbing dreams and felt troubled by the situation.
He told me he wanted to resolve the matter.
I listened quietly.
I remembered my mother’s suffering.
I remembered the pain my family went through.
I told him there was only one way forward.
He needed to return the money and take responsibility for the damage caused.
After a long conversation, he agreed.
He promised to repay the amount and compensate for the loss caused by the delay.
For me, the greatest lesson was not about revenge.
It was about the importance of honesty, responsibility, and understanding that every action affects another person’s life.
The money was eventually addressed, but the memory of losing my mother remained something I carried forever.
Today, I tell my story not to encourage anger, but to remind people that when they receive something that does not belong to them, they should think about the person on the other side.
Sometimes a small decision can have consequences far beyond what we imagine.
