Diamond and his Mom are MIA! That hurts me, a lot. Our phone conversation with the woman who used to see Diamond’s mom went like this:
“Hello, how are you today?” I asked
“Hello, I’m fine,” she replied. “I know I had promised to call with information about Mama Diamond,” she continued. “The health centre is also looking for her so they can give her fresh medication. I will pass the information that you’re looking for her when I see her.”
“Okay, thanks. I will wait for your call,” I said, knowing I was going to break the promise by calling her in a few days’ time.
I remember the very first time I met Diamond at the juvenile prison. he is about 6 feet tall, has a heavy frame and calm. Yet deep within his heart, I knew he was scared. Scared about what the future held for him and afraid about what was happening to his mom back home.
What stood out in him was the fact that he wanted me say ‘sorry’ to Sister Angela, who had brought him up. To do that, I had to travel to a rescue centre out of town. My trip ended up with me patiently waiting and wishing I should have listened to my wife and taken a heavy breakfast.
Diamond and his Mom are MIA
I discovered why Sister Angela was special and deserved an apology a few minutes after I had introduced myself. I was wondering why Diamond would like to say ‘sorry’ then I discovered something else, she said. It turns out that I met and rescued his mom from the streets. That was many years before she gave birth to Diamond.
I have never gone to prison and I am scared of even thinking about going there, she continued. However, I am going to get hold of my fears and visit Diamond. He needs the two of us. Please assure me that you will not abandon Diamond.
“I promise to do all I can to walk with him,” I said.
Sister Angela visited and she was able to talk to Diamond. This was a huge thing. Diamond soon started to have interest in life, dreams and goal setting. We soon set a number of goals that we promised to follow through with. We were also able, through Lifesong Kenya’s supporters, to provide ground nuts so Diamond’s mom could start a ground nut roasting and selling business.
Diamond’s freedom
One day, our team and I arrived for our Friday weekly sessions. We were glad to learn that Diamond had been set free! Even the remaining 7 boys, from the original 14 we had began our program with, were very excited. His freedom gives us hope that our time to go home is going to happen soon, they said.
Their ‘please find him and let us know how he doing out there’ pleas soon turned into ‘have you seen Diamond?’ And so, two Fridays later, I called Sister Angela who shared her fears with me. Since then, the two of us haven’t been able to trace Diamond and his mom. Diamond and his Mom are MIA!
There are three things I can right away.
- Continue praying and hoping Diamond and his mom will resurface and contact us
- Continue calling our contact after every 5 days and asking if she has seen or heard from Diamond and his mom
- Take a big leap of faith and trust God for a half-way centre where boys leaving prison can stay for 3 weeks. The place can also provide shelter for any other young man in need of shelter, Peter ‘Pistar’ Mbugua, comes to mind immediately.
The fact that Diamond and his mom could be in a crowd where no one is able to detect they need help scares and hurts me! I pray and hope that you will do your part. Please look around you for that one person who needs a helping hand. Ask the Holy Spirit of God to guide you into seeing beyond ‘I-a-m-fine!’ There are people out there – right now – who will not ask for help. That doesn’t mean they don’t need it.
