Like no other Wedding I have seen!
The trip to Torrio is a long bumpy road. I think my butt spent more time in the air then it did on the seat. That’s kind of the way of Uganda roads but I am told that the roads here are nice in comparison to Kenya. I don’t want to know! There was about twenty of us total that jumped into the van to go for the two-hour drive. As you go through part of the journey you can see baboons that come right up to the side of the road unafraid of all the cars passing by. We decided to slow down to see if we could get some snaps. Amanda tried to woo them closer to the vehicle to get a better shot. She grabbed some biscuits out of her purse and before you knew it the baboon was ready to jump through the window to get the goodies. Needless to say Amanda screamed and threw the treats out the window and we sped off as to avoid the van being overtaken by the whole clan of baboons. Defiantly some entertainment that you would never capture at the local zoo.
We got to Torrio at 11:30am for a 12:00pm wedding which soon after was pushed back to 2:00pm, which was still enough time to make the wedding and get back to town. Most of the people in the van were from the islands and we were taking a boat back late that night. Besides that our taxi driver needed to be back by a certain time and really wanted to leave by. So we waited and went to get lunch knowing the we might not make it to enough of the reception to eat, African culture makes a ceremony out of all events and it seems to draw things out.
So 2:00 rolls around and still no signs of the wedding starting, we headed over to the church and waited but their were no signs of the bride or groom. We continue waiting patiently wondering what is going on. Now let me say it is not uncommon for things to run behind in this country, its known as “Africa Time” but for a wedding to delay this much seemed to even have the locals concerned. 4:00pm and still no one has shown and we have to pile back into the taxi and return home. Finally one of them men we were with received a text from Joy (the bride) saying that she didn’t know what was going on but her Father was demanding three hundred million shillings which is the equivalent of about $1300.00 in addition to the cattle given for her payment before he would give his blessing. So here was Joy, the day of her wedding, waiting for the blessing of her Father so she could wed and instead here was her husband running around town trying to pay off Joy’s Father for the price of his bride.
Some time around 7:00pm long after we had gone home along with many of the other guests David and Joy wed and followed it up with a reception. When later asking Joy if she was angry she said no I had faith that God would surly not let my wedding fail. It seemed amazing to me that she had remained so calm and that they still honored the irrational desire of her Father who cared more for the love of money than the happiness and care of his daughter.
Upon Joy’s arrival back to the islands this week her husband David came with and is able to stay for the next to weeks. The island put together a grand celebration and everyone came. All the children sang and performed and many speeches were afforded in congrats to the couple. I sat near the couple as they smiled happily and was grateful that even though there wedding wasn’t as they expected, this could not be stolen. David and Joy now wonder why they didn’t have their wedding on the island in the first place having been so overwhelmed by the love and care of the people on the island.
Congratulations David and Joy! May you find comfort and strength in each other, and may love remain through all the days of your lives together and happiness be written upon the doorframe of your home!
The trip to Torrio is a long bumpy road. I think my butt spent more time in the air then it did on the seat. That’s kind of the way of Uganda roads but I am told that the roads here are nice in comparison to Kenya. I don’t want to know! There was about twenty of us total that jumped into the van to go for the two-hour drive. As you go through part of the journey you can see baboons that come right up to the side of the road unafraid of all the cars passing by. We decided to slow down to see if we could get some snaps. Amanda tried to woo them closer to the vehicle to get a better shot. She grabbed some biscuits out of her purse and before you knew it the baboon was ready to jump through the window to get the goodies. Needless to say Amanda screamed and threw the treats out the window and we sped off as to avoid the van being overtaken by the whole clan of baboons. Defiantly some entertainment that you would never capture at the local zoo.
We got to Torrio at 11:30am for a 12:00pm wedding which soon after was pushed back to 2:00pm, which was still enough time to make the wedding and get back to town. Most of the people in the van were from the islands and we were taking a boat back late that night. Besides that our taxi driver needed to be back by a certain time and really wanted to leave by. So we waited and went to get lunch knowing the we might not make it to enough of the reception to eat, African culture makes a ceremony out of all events and it seems to draw things out.
So 2:00 rolls around and still no signs of the wedding starting, we headed over to the church and waited but their were no signs of the bride or groom. We continue waiting patiently wondering what is going on. Now let me say it is not uncommon for things to run behind in this country, its known as “Africa Time” but for a wedding to delay this much seemed to even have the locals concerned. 4:00pm and still no one has shown and we have to pile back into the taxi and return home. Finally one of them men we were with received a text from Joy (the bride) saying that she didn’t know what was going on but her Father was demanding three hundred million shillings which is the equivalent of about $1300.00 in addition to the cattle given for her payment before he would give his blessing. So here was Joy, the day of her wedding, waiting for the blessing of her Father so she could wed and instead here was her husband running around town trying to pay off Joy’s Father for the price of his bride.
Some time around 7:00pm long after we had gone home along with many of the other guests David and Joy wed and followed it up with a reception. When later asking Joy if she was angry she said no I had faith that God would surly not let my wedding fail. It seemed amazing to me that she had remained so calm and that they still honored the irrational desire of her Father who cared more for the love of money than the happiness and care of his daughter.
Upon Joy’s arrival back to the islands this week her husband David came with and is able to stay for the next to weeks. The island put together a grand celebration and everyone came. All the children sang and performed and many speeches were afforded in congrats to the couple. I sat near the couple as they smiled happily and was grateful that even though there wedding wasn’t as they expected, this could not be stolen. David and Joy now wonder why they didn’t have their wedding on the island in the first place having been so overwhelmed by the love and care of the people on the island.
Congratulations David and Joy! May you find comfort and strength in each other, and may love remain through all the days of your lives together and happiness be written upon the doorframe of your home!
posted by Jessica at 4:10 AM
1 Comments:
Hey beautiful hairdresser in Africa, good to hear you're doing well. I was wondering how your money situation is and if I could maybe contribute a bit of something.
Btw, you might have heard of this tradition already, but I find it wild and crazy and fun. I met a Ugandan some yrs ago in KC, and I asked him about his tribe's marriage traditions. He said that the man must kill a lion(done only in a ceremony nowadays) with the help of 2 friends. He must bring the lion and place it on the doorstep of the woman he intends to marry, and then, she can still say no to his marriage proposal if she doesnt want to marry. Hah!!! I love people. Wild! I miss that guy. So innocent of the western mindset and a sincere man of God. Another odd tidbit, we have many Africans working at Catholic Charities. One man, Peter, hasnt seen his family (wife and 7 children) in almost 5 yrs since he has been here. And some of his stories of life in Liberia are incredible, from losing the house he built with his bare hands, in the last civil war to saving his family and many other refugees from soldiers. He is also a man of God. But, I now bid you, Adeau.
May God turn His face to you and shine upon you!
Ps. Where are pics of Africa, Miss Chaudier?
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