Five minors between the ages of four and 16 years from Nakuru escaped home to travel to Kilifi for healing after watching the sermons of Pastor Ezekiel Odero on television.
Speaking to the media on Friday, October 6, the parents of the children stated that their children may have hitched a ride to Kilifi because they did not have any money on them.
For the entire week, the parents stated that they have been trying to get the minors back to Nakuru without success.
Notably, one of the minors was a person with disability. The parents stated that the children may have made the journey to New Life Prayer Center to take their disabled friend for prayers and healing.
Teresia Wamaitha, a mother to three of the children stated that she came back home the previous Sunday to find her two daughters and her son missing.
Wamaitha also revealed that two of her neighbor’s children left with her kids that day.
“The children could have left because of the struggle they have seen us go through with the disabled child. I am a single mother and cannot go to work because I have to take care of him,’ she stated.
Also Read: Pastor Ezekiel’s Church Deregistered
The Journey to Kilifi in Mombasa
At the same time, a neighbor, Josephine Ngechu, stated that the children had been talking about taking the disabled boy for prayers for a while.
“They kept saying that they wanted to take the child for prayers so that he can get better. The boy is four years old and cannot stand or feed himself,” she stated.
Ngechu further narrated that when they finally contacted the children, they revealed that a stranger had given them a ride to Mombasa, a place to sleep when they stopped over at Nairobi, and sufficient food throughout the long journey.
“They reached out to us and told us that they were given a lift by a stranger and made a stopover at Kikopey, where the man bought them some lunch.
“Moreover, the man also made a stop at Nairobi and bought the kids some more food and gave them a place to sleep,” added Ngechu.
The following day, the children continued with their journey to Mombasa with the man who then bought them breakfast and paid a rider to take them to the church.
Also Read: Handkerchiefs and Holly Water Seized from Pastor Ezekiel’s Church to be Tested
Disappointment in Meeting Pastor Ezekiel and Survival in Kilifi
When they became restless, the neighbors contributed some money to send one of them to Kilifi to check on the children.
After reuniting, the minors said they were not given an audience by the preacher and instead, were taken to a police station by the church officials where they had been camping.
“I spoke to my daughter yesterday and she told me that they had only eaten one meal. They are in a very sad situation,” lamented Wamaitha.
Nakuru Governor Susan Kihika had since taken up the matter and promised to facilitate the return of all the children to Nakuru.