Did I ever tell you about the time I was conned in Eldoret in broad daylight? Not at night, not in a dark alley, but in the bright noonday sun with all the angels watching and shaking their heads.

I call it: 𝐁𝐲 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐎𝐰𝐧 𝐋𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐖𝐞 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐝 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐲

This story takes us back over 22 years ago, when I was a young, ambitious student at Moi University. I was pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance and Banking and yours truly, Patrick Omukhango was pursuing a Bachelor’s Degree in Geography, but we did not know wach other back then (He was on fire for God, praying for fallen fellow students in the University-that’s me and others. This is a whole book-perhaps another time). My grand plan? To become a business mogul, to build an empire to fund God’s Kingdom. Missionaries, Missions, Crusades, Build Churches and all.

But I was also being Jonah, running away from ministry work. Now, let me tell you, if you think being inside a whale’s stomach is a joke, try it. The gastric juices of disobedience burn deep. But that’s also a story for another day.

On this particular day, I had just landed in Eldoret town. Like any responsible student, I went straight to the bank—paid my school fees, cleared my rent, and had just enough money left for the month’s shopping.

I was feeling good. Life was sorted. I had also just bought a new phone—A Nokia. Now, dear Gen Z, back then, a Nokia phone was not just a phone. It was a commitment. Imagine carrying around your home Wi-Fi router, but heavier. Or better yet, imagine a small generator with a screen. That was my brand-new Nokia ‘Satellite Dish’ 3310. Indestructible, long battery life, and… about to be stolen.

I was on the street where Tuskys Supermarket was (may its doors rest in peace). Just a few steps, and I would have been inside, shopping for my essentials for the semester. But alas! The devil had other plans.

𝐄𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐚𝐧

A man was walking towards me with the biggest smile I have ever seen. You’d think we shared a bunk bed in primary school or survived a war together.

“Aah, long time! How are you?” He beamed, stretching out his arms for a warm, brotherly handshake.

I, too, smiled, because why not?

“I’m fine!” I responded.

“How is home? How are your parents? Your siblings?”

Looking back, I now realize something. He never called anyone by name. Just general questions, and guess who supplied the details? Me! Like a well-trained intelligence officer, I filled in the blanks for him.

Then came his golden pitch.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 ‘𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫’ 𝐋𝐢𝐞

He told me he worked for Unilever and was on a marketing trip in Eldoret all the way from Embu (He had to come from Embu because I did tell him I was from there. How gullible?!). His time was up, and he was leaving that night. But here’s the kicker: he had some extra merchandise left, and rather than carrying it all the way back to Embu, he wanted to give it away to lucky people like me—because, you know, that’s how businesses work, right? (Sarcasm intended.)

Now, you may wonder, why didn’t my finance-trained brain reject this nonsense? Friends, on that day, my brain was on sabbatical leave. I nodded along like a sheep to the slaughter.

He asked me to follow him to collect the goods, and guess what? I sheepishly did. We went to Barng’etuny Plaza—a place built like a maze. You enter, go round, and exit somewhere completely different.

At the entrance, he made his final move.

“My colleague is inside. Let me just call him so we can give you the products.”

I nodded like a fool.

“Can I use your phone?”

And because my IQ was at the time on airplane mode, I handed over my beloved Nokia.

He placed the phone on his ear, started ‘talking’ to his imaginary colleague, and slowly walked away.

When I tried to follow him, he motioned me to wait.

I waited.

Five minutes.

Ten minutes.

Fifteen minutes.

Thirty minutes.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠

It was ‘only after’ 30 minutes that the spirit of common sense returned to me.

I looked around.

I looked at my empty hands.

I checked my empty pockets.

I realized my Nokia was gone.

I realized my money was gone.

I realized my dignity was gone.

I, a future financial guru, had just been scammed in broad daylight.

With zero bob to my name, I had to borrow 20 bob from a friend’s shop to get back to campus.

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𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧

That day, I learned a powerful lesson. The devil tempts no one with what they don’t desire. I wanted free things, and my own greed led me to give away my own possessions. The Bible says:

“𝐵𝑢𝑡 𝑒𝑎𝑐ℎ 𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑠𝑜𝑛 𝑖𝑠 𝑡𝑒𝑚𝑝𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 ℎ𝑒 𝑖𝑠 𝑙𝑢𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑖𝑐𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑑𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑟𝑒. 𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑑𝑒𝑠𝑖𝑟𝑒 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑖𝑡 ℎ𝑎𝑠 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑐𝑒𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑑 𝑔𝑖𝑣𝑒𝑠 𝑏𝑖𝑟𝑡ℎ 𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑖𝑛, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑠𝑖𝑛 𝑤ℎ𝑒𝑛 𝑖𝑡 𝑖𝑠 𝑓𝑢𝑙𝑙𝑦 𝑔𝑟𝑜𝑤𝑛 𝑏𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑠 𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑡ℎ 𝑑𝑒𝑎𝑡ℎ.” (𝐽𝑎𝑚𝑒𝑠 1:14-15, 𝐸𝑆𝑉)

And there I was, led away by my own lust for free Unilever merchandise that never existed.

Moral of the story? If someone walks up to you promising free things, keep walking. And if they ask to use your phone? Tell them Safaricom sells their mulika at 2,000 bob.

𝐒𝐨, 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐌𝐲 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐓𝐨𝐝𝐚𝐲?

After my Eldoret Con Job Saga (which I have now filed under Life Lessons I Paid For), I figured it would be a good time to reflect on

𝐆𝐨𝐝’𝐬 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠—both figuratively and literally, because the last time someone called using my phone, it wasn’t me!

And that brings me to today’s book:

𝐆𝐨𝐝’𝐬 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐂𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐠𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐩𝐥𝐞 by Dr. Daniel M’Mutungi

Did I mention this book won the Overall Content of the Year 2023 in African Christian Authors Book Award – ACABA by CLC Kenya? Oh yes, it did! And rightfully so, because it speaks to those who have felt the tug of God’s call but, like Jonah (or yours truly in university), tried to run in the opposite direction.

Now, you may wonder, what does getting conned in Eldoret have to do with God’s calling? Well, let me tell you:

Jonah and I Had Something in Common

Jonah ran from Nineveh;

I ran from ministry work (straight into the hands of a conman).

Both of us ended up in unpleasant places—him in the belly of a whale, me in Barng’etuny Plaza, minus a phone, minus money, and minus dignity.

Delayed Obedience is Still Disobedience

Jonah thought he had a better plan than God.

I thought I could fund God’s Kingdom my way (cue Finance & Banking Degree dreams).

The man in today’s book, Dr. Daniel M’Mutungi, however, embraced God’s call head-on—no detours, no getting scammed on the way!

God’s Calling is a Daring Adventure

The book talks about the faithful yet adventurous journey of Dr. M’Mutungi and his wife Evangeline as they followed God’s leading in ministry.

𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 (𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐲 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲)

𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝟏: 𝐈𝐟 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐬, 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐠𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐭 𝐇𝐢𝐦

Dr. M’Mutungi shows how obedience leads to divine impact. Jonah (and I) proved that running leads to disaster.

𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝟐: 𝐆𝐨𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝—𝐧𝐨 𝐧𝐞𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐨𝐫 “𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐬”

Had I trusted God to meet my needs, I wouldn’t have been following a stranger through a maze-like plaza like a lost lamb.

𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝟑: 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐆𝐨𝐝, 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 (𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐦 𝐦𝐚𝐧’𝐬 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡)

Dr. M’Mutungi’s book demonstrates that stepping out in faith, rather than relying on our own clever schemes, leads to purpose and fulfillment.

Had I read God’s Calling back then, I probably would have had more wisdom and still had my Nokia. But since you, dear reader, have the chance today—grab a copy and learn from those who listened to God before learning the hard way.

And in case you’re wondering—no, I never saw that conman again. But if you spot someone in Embu still using a 22-year-old Nokia, kindly tell him I want my phone back.

Meet the Author

Dr. Daniel Muriithi M’Mutungi is a seasoned Methodist minister, theologian, and educator with a passion for both spiritual and environmental stewardship. His theological journey spans renowned institutions, including Manchester University (England), United Theological Seminary (Ohio, USA), and Boston University School of Theology (Massachusetts, USA).

With a wealth of experience in high school education, college and school chaplaincy, cross-cultural pastoral ministry, and seminary and university teaching, Dr. M’Mutungi is deeply committed to equipping others with knowledge that transforms both hearts and minds.

Beyond the pulpit and classroom, he is also a State Department of Culture–registered herbal doctor in Kenya, blending his love for biblical theology with environmental science. A lifelong tree planter, he believes in the sacred responsibility of caring for God’s creation.

As the head of Oldanya Organic, Dr. M’Mutungi leads efforts in growing, processing, and selling African herbal health products, championing natural wellness as an extension of God’s provision for human flourishing. His philosophy is simple yet profound: every stage of life should be transformed to glorify God.

He resides in Ngong, Kenya, with his wife, Lucy Nyambura Muriithi. Together, they cherish their blended family of two sons, two daughters, and four grandchildren, embracing a life rich in faith, learning, and legacy.

With Christian Literature Communications – CLC Kenya

With Christian Literature Communications – CLC Kenya

African Christian Authors Book Award – ACABA

CLC Kids & Teens

Patrick Omukhango

Jackline Ingasian