Mother’s Day moving Facebook post brings long-lost kin together

A fervent Facebook appeal, a grandma’s 22 good years of prayer and an immortal longing for reunion with blood and kin.

This is stuff of the miracle world that happened on Mother’s Day last Sunday when Eric Kibaiku, 29, set out looking for his mother who disappeared in 1996 after a domestic strife in Watuka village, Kieni, Nyeri.

It all started when Purity Nduta Macharia, a Facebook user, posted Erick’s moving appeal on her wall asking people to share widely and help him locate his mother.

Traumatising circumstances

In the appeal, Erick claimed his mother Lydia Akinyi Nyandegah separated from his father Eliud Mwangi Kibaiku, a former police officer, 22 years ago in circumstances most traumatising:

“He beat my mother so bad that she had to run for her dear life... I could see the image of my mother fade away in the horizon since it was not so dark and hear her shouting for help that was no where near arrival since the dominance of the perpetrators was quite evident,” Eric wrote of her mum’s beating by his father in 1996.

“She went and went and went... never ever to be heard again...” Eric wrote on his own behalf and on behalf of his sister Faith Wamucii.

Four years later, their father died and for the next 18 years they struggled without parents.

“If anyone knows of LYDIAH AKINYI NYANDEGAH kindly give her this message of love and tell her she is missed by her children ERICK and FAITH,” he pleaded.

It did not take long before the miracle happened. Her mom’s sister - Atie Nyandegah commented saying they had been looking for them (Eric and Faith) for eons that her mother, their grandma, had been praying for them every single day of the 22 years.

“I have cried my eyes out after reading this. You are my nephew and niece. We have searched for you. Lydiah is my elder sister. Please get in touch with me on messenger,” she wrote.

A deluge of congratulatory messages for Eric for finding their mother followed but Atie took it easy for a heartbreak lay ahead.

Mentally unstable

In between preparations to break the news to Eric, she had to battle online brutes:

“Your mum, most probably got another suitor and, may be cheated that she had no children. You people now want to break another marriage; you will look like fools.

If she ever loved you she could have resurfaced during your dad’s burial,” one commented before Atie took him on:

“You are right, no sane mother can abandon her children. My sister was not sane. She became mentally unstable after being nearly killed in Nyeri.

Her children are here, do not be insensitive. So if you have nothing good to say zip your mouth please.”

It turned out later that Eric’s mother had died of depression 10 years ago to Eric’s disappointment. But there was no let up in the joy of lost kin reuniting. A proper reunion in Karachuonyo is in planning stages and their 70-year-old grandma, Phoebe Asaka Nyandega is upbeat about it.

When we caught up with her at Kanyawawa village, North East Karachuonyo Location in Homa Bay County, she was all thankful for having her 22-year-old prayer answered.

“I have been praying on a daily basis for many years to God so that he could enable me meet my grandchildren,” Phoebe said.

She saw them at her home last when Erick was about four years while Faith was learning how to walk.

“Lydia died in 2008 and was buried in Siaya County,” she said.

Phoebe said she is ready to receive the grandson and daughter at her home.

“I thank God for getting a message from one of them. I am ready to receive them here at my home and accord them any support they require,” she added.

Sadly and despite such a compelling story of human triumph against all odds, her son and daughter threatened legal action if this story was published.

Their argument being that their mother was interviewed without their consent.

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