Family celebrates miraculous return of John Odhiambo who disappeared in 1993

In a heartwarming tale of hope and reunion, John Odhiambo, a man who disappeared from a prayer house in Nairobi three decades ago was finally reunited with his wife and family in Nyabeda village, Ugunja sub-county, Siaya County.

Odhiambo's miraculous homecoming on July 16, brought an end to a long and painful separation, leaving his loved ones grateful and overjoyed.

The mysterious disappearance

The story of John Odhiambo's disappearance remains shrouded in mystery.

It was October 10, 1993, when he went missing from a prayer house in Nairobi.

On that particular day, his sister had accompanied him to the place of worship where they sought help for Odhiambo's mental health issues.

During the prayers, they closed their eyes in devotion, only to find him gone when they opened them again.

John Odhiambo who disappeared in 1993 John Odhiambo who disappeared in 1993 Pulse Live Kenya

The agonising Search

With John suddenly missing, his distraught wife, Elizabeth Awuor, embarked on a search to find her husband.

She travelled to Nairobi to join her sister-in-law in the quest to locate him.

Tirelessly combing through the city, visiting places he might have visited, she sadly returned to Ugunja after two months, where she had to tend to their eight children.

Hope was rekindled for the Odhiambo family when news of John's whereabouts came to them.

One of John's relatives living in Nairobi contacted them, informing them of his location after a chance encounter with someone who recognized him.

READ: Mother reunited with only child after more than 2 years

Despite facing mental health challenges, John Odhiambo's return home has brought immense joy and relief to his family.

His wife, Elizabeth, expressed her gratitude for the prayers that were finally answered, stating that the past thirty years had been a trying time for their family.

“I can only praise God for answering our prayers. He has been away for three decades and his absence has made us go through so much as a family,” she said.

For Charles Ajwang, a relative and retired prison warden, the reunion is nothing short of a miracle.

Having grown up with John in the village, Charles shared that during a prayer convention in 2022, a priest advised the congregation to write down their heart's desires and trust in God to fulfill them. Among those wishes, Charles wrote about John's safe return, and now, that wish has become a reality.