Have you ever lost and recovered a valuable item the same day? TIMOTHY KAMBILIMA did and now recounts his unbelievable stroke of luck on a day he was taking an important examination. Read on…

ON Wednesday, May 27, 2015, I left Luanshya for Kitwe for the sole purpose of writing my first examination paper with the Zambian Open University. The examination was scheduled to start at 09:00 hours at Kitwe College of Education, the venue for the first semester examinations.
As usual, I had to hike a vehicle in order to reach Kitwe, initially called ‘Citwe’ by the locals. The driver was very steady and composed and by 07:30 hours we had arrived in Kitwe, which was once home to the current Republican President of Zambia Edgar Chagwa Lungu as a young boy.
As I was disembarking I only heard a young man I sat next to saying “Big man, here is your phone.” Oh, my God, I didn’t know that my phone had mysteriously slid from my pocket. I thanked the young man profusely for being so honest because it is uncommon, if not miraculous nowadays, for people to lose their phones and expect to recover them. Most people have other intentions with other peoples’ possessions, including selling off cheaply for the ‘quick buck’ for a drink.
After I had bought copies of the Times of Zambia, Zambia Daily Mail and The Post newspapers, I got on a taxi to Chimwemwe with a view to drop at Nakadoli Market. Those who live or have been to Kitwe know the place I am talking about.
Despite the morning traffic jam in the city of Kitwe, I was able to reach my destination a few minutes after 08:00 hours, according to my phone which was in my hands throughout the drive to Nakadoli.
I did not want to take any chances by putting the phone in my trouser pocket again.
From Nakadoli, I decided to take a walk to Kitwe College of Education which is within the vicinity, some 500 metres or so away.
Now, on my way I decided to stop at one of the makeshift booths to buy airtime.
Meanwhile, as I was buying the K5 worth of Airtel recharge, I received a call from one of the schools where one of my daughters is a student.
Believe you me: I was being reminded of the user fees I had not paid for the second term. Imagine while you are thinking of the examination coming in less than an hour, then you receive such a call!
If this was not agony of some sort, I don’t know what it was!
Anyway, I promised to meet my parental obligations the following day, which I did, of course.
After getting my recharge card, I walked away and, just as I was about to enter the Kitwe College of Education premises, I heard a feminine voice, “Mune, mpelako ifyo wasanga muli wallet,” (my friend, let’s share what you have found in that wallet).
It was at that point that I immediately stopped and checked in my pocket. And Lord forbid! Was I dreaming or what?
The small, black wallet I was given by Stanbic Bank customer relations manager Chalwe Chungwa was missing!
I quickly shouted at the top of my voice “My friend that is my wallet!”
The young man, who happened to be a student at Kitwe College of Education, did not hesitate to hand over my valued wallet to me.
It contained a lot of valuable cards and documents such as a Zesco prepaid card, a variety of ATMs from various financial institutions and, most importantly, K1,000 cash that I withdrew only the previous day to help me with logistics for the examinations and other requirements.
I explained the purpose of my visit to the young man whom I later came to know as Peter.
I offered him a K50 note in appreciation of his good deed, since the English say, such a deed deserves another in return, but to my surprise, he turned it down saying, “Ba Sir, it’s okay, don’t worry.” Really?
In these hard times how many of us can turn down a K50 offer for whatever reason?
The young man really impressed me with his benevolent attitude and I also thanked the lady who called out the young man who she knew.
What occurred reminded me of one Mark Twain who once said: “The best way to cheer yourself up is to cheer somebody else up.”
Indeed, as I was going to write my examination the young man really made my day. May the Lord all Mighty bless him abundantly!
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