Be a prisoner of hope

By Mukurima x Murimi

“A year or so ago, I walked into Muthaiga police station. By no means was I a guest of the state. My mission was a little bit awkward-to charge my phone that had run out of battery. 

When I explained my predicament to the officer manning the desk, he at first laughed at me thinking I was (day) dreaming.  I laughed too, knowing too well that I was serious! Don’t they say when you go to Rome do as the Romans do!  

The officer then asked me identify myself, which I dutifully did. He then took my phone and the charger, went to a back office and plugged it in.  

As the phone was charging, the officer and   I warmed up to each other and had this wonderful conversation that explored different topics. When I told him my name is “Mukurima,” he wondered if I was truly a farmer. This opened up a discussion about agriculture and how he was HOPING paw paws in his rented farm would give him a good harvest. 

I asked him what it feels to be a cop, and he eloquently narrated what  led him to join the Police service-to serve Kenyans equally, the ups and the downs, the accomplishments, the endless wait for a promotion and so on.  His face, in spite of what he hoped and eluded him for so long, remained bright. He then stood up, walked to the back office to check the status of the phone and returned with some good news: “kana charge.” (The tubambes take a while to charge!). 

As he took his seat, he asked me if I was a Christian! “Of course I am! “ I responded. “I am an adherent of the Church of Province of Kenya (CPK), baptized by Canon Ephantus and confirmed by Archbishop David Mukuba Gitari.” I added. He made a correction about CPK, noting that the church is called the Anglican Church. We both laughed!  I returned the same favor and posed: “are you a Christian.”

“Kijana,” he called me with some authority in his voice. He then cleared his throat and continued: “I got born-again when I was 12 years old. I have been through so many things in my life and in all situations, God has come through for me. My life has been about hope, the absence of which I don’t know where my l would be, either as a family man or as a police officer. Society tends to think cops should not have big dreams, faults us when we look forward to greatness. I am not talking about getting kiinua mgongo! 

There are many aspirations that cops have. We risk our lives. We serve a thankless community. I have hope someday I will be promoted. I have these big dreams, and my wife has to remind me I am just but a cop. Si unajua wanawake wakati mwingine. I keep trusting in God though. If you read the scripture in the book of Jeremiah, God says He knows the plans He has for me. Plans to prosper me and not to harm me, plans to give me HOPE and a future.”

I could tell the officer was a patriot, who had gone through a lot in his life and in line of duty. In his tone, there was a feeling of betrayal. Here was a man doing his best to fulfill his mandate as police officer, yet he was not making enough to support his family. 

The officer was not done: “Things are not okay, for now. But they will be. I don’t give up on hope. Zechariah tells me to be a prisoner of hope. That when I return to my stronghold, God will repay me double!”

I was stunned. Here I had come to charge my phone, yet getting schooled on the notion of “HOPE.” For the first time, I heard about being a “Prisoner of Hope.” Since this was a first time, I asked the cop to explain a little more (I get very excited by such philosophical delving).

With curious eyes, he asked if I read the bible and I replied in the affirmative. He proceeded to give me some wise words that will forever remain stenciled in my little mental sheets:

“Mukurima, there was a time when the Jews were an impoverished people. They were so hopeless. They had recently returned from a long exile in captivity. They were not sure when the promise, heck prophesy of Jeremiah of a good future would be realized. But God told them to be ‘prisoners of hope’. Even though they were hopeless and helpless from the world’s point of view, they were Prisoners of Hope from God’s perspective. They had been bound by a certain promise that God had given them. Eventually, it came to pass!"

No matter what 2021 showed you, stay put as a prisoner of God's hope. Don't you try to escape!

May everything you have lost be restored