It was on a Sunday, the 30th of December 2007, when the country expected the announcement of the winner for the just concluded presidential election. There was so much tension and anxiety in the country. Every voter silently hoped their presidential candidate would win this election. Coincidentally, I was severely experiencing this very same apprehension back at home, in my seemingly prestigious bungalow. At that time one could feel and smell the stillness of war clammy air. The atmosphere was harsh and unfavorable. The space I was in felt borrowed and so toxic to occupy. All this was after I had experienced very extreme hostility and cold treatment for a couple of months from my spouse. I did not anticipate what was awaiting me in the event he came back home, this is because he had failed to return home in the last week.
This particular Sunday I got ready for church as usual. With my 6-year-old daughter Camilla, we wore our Sunday best, the most flowing glowing long white dresses in a manner to imply that all we wanted was peace. Apparently, this day I really looked forward to being in the house of God and in the fellowship of other brethren. Am not sure whether it was a hunger for the word of God or simply church was a place where I found peace and solace from the brutal domestic wrangles and dramas back at home. I was extremely tired of living this kind of life. My tears rolled down my cheeks uncontrollably during worship, one could think I was overwhelmed by the presence of the Holy Spirit. While in reality, I wept over the problems I was going through. I cried out loudly about the endless anguish I experienced in my marriage. I cried to God to intervene and somehow save me the situation.
After a very powerful sermon that gave me temporary relief, the time came to meet and greet in the parking lot on the way home. As I met with my fellow congregants and did a bit of catching up, I received a strange phone call. It was my father calling. He seldom called at this time of the day. I thought there must have been an immediate need for action. He had to deliver an urgent message. He spoke in his mother tongue,
“Wairimu, your husband has called and also your mother in-law, notifying me that you should not go back home due to the differences you and your husband have.”
My Dad
My body was trembling. He continued,
“There are serious marriage allegations that need to be discussed and determined by the elders that could probably lead to you two parting ways”.
My Dad
The message sounded ridiculous, vague, and distorted. I really struggled to understand that, leave alone to internalize. I tried to break down the information so that I could consume it little by little but it became more and more difficult. A second call came even before this reality arrived home. The tone was rude, harsh, and unfriendly. The person introduced himself as a police officer.
“Are you Jennifer?”
police officer
I answered yes in a trembling voice. He continued
“Your matrimonial home has been barred from access until we conclude on an investigation being conducted for a matter reported by your husband.”
police officer
He sternly warned me not to be seen anywhere near that compound. This information was too much to process for my already stressed mind. I was very devastated and confused at the same time. A home that I left in the morning while going to church had now become a no-go zone. How?
When my spiritual mother who was still in the church compound heard of these conversations, she encouraged me that was just devil’s schemes to dilute the anointing I had just received, that it was going to be well, she reassured me as she always did when I looked worried. She was also my mentor who had fought most of my marital battles and counseled us accordingly. She was my prayer warrior who constantly prayed for me when the situation was unbearable. She always gave her breast for bullets for me. Continue resting in eternal peace Mama Judy. She literally fought to keep my marriage from breaking. She held numerous prayers in my house to help sort from a spiritual angle. She walked with me in my journey of faith and life. She is the reason I still hold tight to this faith today.
Rest well ma’am.
She advised me to ignore all the threats and counterfeit commands and go back to my matrimonial home since she was certain I had not committed any mistake to guarantee such improper instructions. Before then, she offered a cup of tea in her house that was not far from the church. That cup of tea sustained us through the task that was awaiting us. My daughter Camilla and I had to quickly go home before it got dark. We hurriedly made it across the town to the other side.
Demonstrators chanted within and outside the town. There was chaos and lawlessness in the surrounding area. The presidential results had been announced that evening and some voters disagreed with the results and for others, their preferred candidates lost. The tension was very high in the area which added more anxiety and fear to the threats I had already received.
could not wait to be home after a long day of fatigue and mental torture. Our bungalow house sat on our own premises surrounded by a long perimeter wall and a very strong metal gate. I reached out to get the keys from my handbag to open the gate. Surprisingly, the keys refused to open. The lock was different from what I left in the morning. He had come in our absence and changed the locks to deny us access.
There was no one within the compound to open the gate since we lived there alone. I had to immediately think of a plan of how to enter the compound since it was getting dark and cold. Luckily, I saw a motorcycle rider who was rushing to pick a customer. I asked him for a hand to support us jump into the compound over the gate.
Did the motorbike guy accept to help my daughter and I Jump over the gate? Did I manage to jump over the fence with my 32 weeks pregnancy?
