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A second Chance


(Loan Informer website)

My cousin once told me that one day as he was travelling back home, he saw a shirt on a man in a ditch. The shirt looked familiar, so he asked to be dropped off. He went to check whether he knew the person. It was our uncle (not his father). He was dead drunk and was swimming in the slime and filth of a Nairobi sewage ditch. He picked him up, placed him on a motorcycle and took him home at his own expense. He made sure he was in his bed and then locked the door and went to his house.

It was not the only incident where my uncle was brought home drunk. He was known around for his drinking sprees. For as little as 10 shillings he was drunk by midday. He used to borrow everyone money, including me. When he was unable to get money he would work for it, and then go drink it all.

The problem was that he was married, twice. His first wife left him, and so did the second. He has four or is it five children. One of them is brain damaged. She is my age mate. Her mother abandoned her, leaving her with a man who loved the bottle more. She is a very intelligent person though. She reacts to what people tell her and she is very well mannered. The second wife occasionally sends her two daughters to see their father. He has a son who completed high school recently. He is independent now and does small jobs like being a tout.

One day my uncle decided enough is enough. He was getting old, his two families were broken and most of his children were looking down on him, and he still had my cousin to look after. He approached my mother and requested to be helped. He wanted to go to rehab and swore he will never touch another bottle again. My mom accepted and paid for his rehab.

This man is now home, opened a shop that is thriving and he was baptized a few weeks back. He now preaches to people to leave drinking and follow God. He took a 180 turn for the best. His son now looks up to him and is proud to call him his father. He says he has inspired him to also leave drinking and focus on his future.

This piece is dedicated to him. The man I call my Uncle Dan. He decided to make a difference in his life and that of his family. He teaches me that it is never too late to make a difference. It all starts with one step. I pray that he holds on to his new belief and encourage others to join him. People living around him are still shocked. They thought he would die by the bottle, now he looks like he will die by the bible.

(Love This Pic Website)

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