There was joy and celebration at Bible Israel Church in the Majengo area within the outskirts of Narok town after the church led prayers for Anne Wangoi, who returned home after 17 years.
The good news prompted Citizen Television to catch up with Olokurto village, where the family of Wangoi, now 27 years old, lives.
In 2006, Rachael Wanjiku, Wangoi’s mother, lost hope after a domestic disagreement, which prompted her then-10-year-old daughter to disappear without trace.
Wanjiku recounts with joy that finding her daughter is the happiest moment of her life, despite life’s challenges and endless efforts to locate her in churches.
Her daughter Wangoi, who appeared to be holding back excitement for a sense of belonging, expressed happiness at finally being at home.
She recalls travelling with a friend to Nairobi, where they parted ways, but a good Samaritan took her to Othaya town, Nyeri County, to the Bewomi Beautiful Worship Ministry rehabilitation home run by Joseph Muthendeki.
Wangoi recounts how, despite all the unexpected challenges, she was fortunate to have received education from primary to secondary school, as well as hospitality and sewing skills.
Now that she has a trade, her prayer is to be employed so as to assist her ageing mother in realising her fruits of success.
Mary Njoki, who worked alongside Wangoi as a chief cook at the Silent Lodge in Othaya Nyeri town in the year 2020, recalls encouraging Wangoi that she would re-unite with her family in Narok.
Lydia Wairimu, Njoki’s mother, and Hellen Murunya, a Masikonte Primary School teacher, took on the task of tracing Wangoi’s kin, where answers to a 90-day fast and prayer by the Israel Church bore fruit.
Stephen Wa Wanjiku, a pastor at the Church, emphasised the importance of prayer in the family unit while cautioning parents against provoking their children.
Pilot Khayemba, Narok County’s children’s officer, who spoke on the phone, emphasised the importance of reporting cases of missing or found children as soon as possible, citing an average of ten cases per month caused by irresponsible parents and guardians.
Later, the family members gathered for a meal at the home of a friend in order to learn more about Wangoi’s experience.
According to a statistics report released by the Kenyan government in May of this year, 6,000 children go missing each year.
According to a report by the Red Cross Society in Africa, at the end of August 2020, half of the world’s total of 44,000 missing persons were children.
