By Stephen Kyalo

My tears and screams were too much for me to bear. I remember even wishing to die rather than to stay in this condition… That morning I had woken up early, prepared my son to go to school and given my loving wife a big hug. I had told her as usual that I would take her for a special treat as I had done before, not knowing what was awaiting me.

I reached my work place and carried on with my duties as usual - driving vehicles for service. I was working on a contract basis and being paid for the vehicles I delivered, so I had to be a competent driver. On that day, because time and tide waits for no man (not even a king or queen), I was forced to use a motor bike as a taxi to help get through the Nairobi traffic jams.

I vividly recall directing the motorcycle driver to take a right turn about 100 metres prior to my destination. At this spot the worst imaginable happened, something that has really left me with so many questions - like does God really exist? (And if the answer is ‘yes’, where was He when this was happening?) I saw myself in the middle of the road, my head covered with blood and my left hand looking as if it had been butchered. Adding insult to the injury, I tried to stand but I felt as if my left leg was carrying 1000 kilograms. Some good Samaritans helped me out of the road to let a presidential escort speed pass. As I gained full consciousness, I saw the driver of the motor bike screaming in pain. Then about 20 metres away I saw the Toyota van with shattered glass and the driver speechless.

I was taken to hospital. X-rays were taken and I was told that my left femur had been broken. I have always tried to be ‘good.’ How could this happen? Even now as I write this story tears are flowing down my cheeks! I cannot recall all that followed, but as days passed by I wanted to die rather than to live.

I’m happy that doctors can treat people and most grateful that God cures. I was operated on and I now have a metal plate grafted in my body, though for months my system struggled to accept it.

Moving from wheelchair to crutches, then to what I am using now - a walking stick - has been a process that I can only call hell. When I see people walking about without any additional support it looks like a miracle and sometimes I wonder will I ever walk like them? Being a professional driver, I needed my legs to drive so I lost my job. During the period I was walking on two crutches I experienced neglect, low esteem, unworthiness, distress and all manner of humiliations.

I read these words of encouragement in the Scriptures, ‘For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with deep compassion I will bring you back. In a surge of anger I hid my face from you for a moment, but with ever-lasting kindness I will have compassion on you.’ And, ‘If you suffer for doing good and endure it, this is commendable before God.’

The biggest change in my life since my accident is in how I act towards other people. I’m kinder, more loving and I share. I find that I don’t have any evil feelings towards anyone.

When I had finished with my wheelchair, I was approached by a friend to sell it to him. I said, ‘No, I can’t sell it. Please let your friend use it as I guess he needs it more than me.’ It’s now a month since I stopped using two crutches and I have given the crutches to my neighbours’ father who was also involved in a accident. My only condition was that when he has finished with them he was not to sell them but in turn donate them to somebody else in need.

I have learned that only a life lived for others is a life worth living and I have gained more than I have given.

Born in Eastern Kenya, Stephen Kyalo now lives in Nairobi with his wife and family. He first met Initiatives of Change while on a visit to Sweden.