The Stolen Phone

[written by Joe]

It’s sometimes in our darkest moments that we see God’s power in a big way. 

Working with teenagers at times can be very frustrating.  When it comes to our CGA secondary students, 95% of them really touch my heart.  I love to meet them when I see them on the road or at school.  They greet you with warm smiles.  They are disciplined, hard-working, and really doing the best to make the most of the opportunity God is giving them through CGA.  The problem is the other 5% are a major challenge.  They consume most of my time following up with them, solving cases they are involved with and meeting with their parents/guardians.   

During the CGA secondary student reunion in November we had team visiting from Nairobi to minister to our 100+ secondary students.  On the first day of reunion one of the visitors came to us to say that his Blackberry phone was stolen from the office.  We started investigating immediately, questioning students who had come to the office, and even went as far as to search the bags of some students and check their pockets.  During the investigation, one brave girl pulled me aside and told me that she saw a certain boy, Jason, carrying a backpack walking away from the office during lunch.  After hearing that, I went to where all of the students were gathered and looked for him but couldn’t find him.  So I found his friends and asked them, but they didn’t know where he was. 

With my colleague, Pastor Amos, we took Jason’s closest friend with us and drove to his home near Nyachebe fishing beach ~2 miles from school.  We went down to the trading center at the beach and then searched his home but couldn’t find him.  On our way back to the vehicle we spotted him and he started running from us.  We chased him through the bushes, but he knew the surroundings better than we did.  We left word with the village elders, beach leaders and his family that we were looking for him.  Meanwhile... back at school Daneen called me to say that at school the guard had found a phone case and fresh foot prints behind one of the classrooms leading out through the barbed wire fence.  It was clear that whoever took the phone must have snuck out of school in a way to ensure no on saw them. 

We were unable to resolve anything more that afternoon.  We exchanged contacts numbers with the family and went home.  Jason’s family and the local elders would continue to keep their eye out for him.  As soon as Daneen had finished preparing a delicious meal, I got a phone call from Jason’s older brother telling me that they had “arrested” him.  Before getting a chance to eat, I rushed out and picked up Pastor Amos to head 7 miles back to the beach.  We arrived after dark and Jason’s brother, mother and a village elder were there holding Kevin by his belt buckle so he couldn’t escape.  They had spotted him on the back of a motorcycle and yanked him off.  Jason was sternly denying stealing any phone.  Pastor Amos talked to him nicely and told him that if he admitted it now, we would be finished with the matter.  Since he was still denying, I decided to talk.  I told him that he must think everyone is a fool.  He thinks that his family, his teachers, the community and everyone else is a fool.  But I told him: “God will reveal the truth.”  If it was him who stole the phone, God would expose him in front of everyone, and we would see who the fool is.    

Jason is not new to trouble.  Even during primary school, he was a challenge to many of his teachers.  In 2013 he was in his 2^nd year of high school and had some problems because he was caught sneaking out and was suspended from school.  During his suspension, he snuck into school and got into a fight with another student.  Because of his actions, he was expelled from school just before the end of the year. He was already on CGA Probation; a time to prove to us that he’s ready to change and focus on his education.

After all of his denials, we had no other choice but to take him to the police station.  We drove back 15 minutes to the police station and they put him behind the main desk.  We narrated the story, they frisked him and then questioned him.  With no success, they asked us to step out for about 20 minutes while they interrogated him a little more force.  I was beginning to doubt that he stole the phone, and I tried to think of who else could have taken it.  With no confession, they said they wanted to record statements and then put him in jail for the night.  After recording the statements, they said we were free to leave.  I had gotten into my vehicle and texted my wife to tell her I was on my way home.  As we were pulling out, someone ran out to us and flagged us down, telling us to come back into the police station.  The police officer asked me if this was the stolen phone as he showed me the Blackberry.  I asked him how he got it.  He said that when they were booking Jason and preparing to put him in the jail they had to do a thorough search.  They found it in his underwear!  He had it the whole time!  The timing of when God revealed it was pretty ironic; in the police station, behind the bars, at the very last moment.  It made for a late night coming home past 10:00 pm, but it was worth it since God helped us to get the phone back. 

The next morning, Jason’s attitude was much different.  He was repentant and admitted everything that had happened.  He apologized.  Though the police were very convinced that he should go to court and spend 2-3 years in jail, the owner of the phone didn’t want that.  The owner was from another tribe that is usually thought to be the enemies of the Luos here in the Lake Region, but he wanted to show forgiveness and grace.  He shared the Gospel with the boy and gave him a Bible.  He also promised that he would travel from Nairobi once every month to visit him and spend time with him.  The boy was blessed that he didn’t go to court.  Instead he was disciplined again by the police officers and then told to come back every day for the next week to do work around the police station. 

It was a very difficult situation, but God used it for good.  We shared the whole story with all of the secondary students.  We shared with them because all of them were involved or affected in some way since they were searched.  In addition, we wanted them to learn that if they want a good, safe school or community then it is up to them to report problems and help police themselves.  We also told them the story because we wanted them to see God’s power and sovereignty. 

What Satan intends for evil, God can turn to Good!

Please pray for Jason to learn from his mistakes and begin following God’s ways.