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Published: October 12th 2009
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The decorated truck
The wedding party was transported in this We looked forward to joining in the celebration of Mary and Samson's big day on the 3rd October, in Salima. We planned on spending the night so we would make it to the building on time as Ed was officiating the occasion. Weddings in this part of the world, for some reason take place at 8 a.m. Not that they actually begin at that time but that is the time set. I wonder if they are schelduled so early as not to allow the couple time to change their minds. Don't know!
Our excitement was shortlived. The night before we got a phone call that one of our very favorite students had died last night. It took us while to figure out that we shall try and attend both.
The morning of we hurried and scurried to get to the church building on time. The building was open but not a soul in sight. Not unusual! The father of the groom finally showed up and told us to go on to the village which was about 3 miles out of the city. Off to the village we went and were met with a very happy group of women, singing
Celebrating
The village women very involved in the celebration before it all begins a wedding song. Of course in Chichewa. It looked like they had been up all night celebrating. We noticed several fires still going where they had been making enough of the locally made drink, "tobwa", called the "fanta" for Malawians. The singing and a sound I call the African yoodle, made by the trilling of the tongue carried on for almost a half hour. At this rate we knew we were going to have a very hard time making the funeral that afternoon, especially knowing we had a two and a half hour drive all the way to Kasiya.
About 9:15 a.m. here came a 3 ton truck with another very festive group. This was carrying the wedding party along with other well wishes. Imagine a mixture of African culture flavored with some western blend. The bride had spent the night with her sister in one house and the groom had spent the night in their new house, which was right in the front yard of her parents. Another half hour and we rounded everybody up to head back to town. As it turned out we carried the bride, the flower girl, bridesmade and the coordinator to the church
The Happy couple
Mary and Samson now husband and wife building.
Just before 10 a.m. the wedding parade begun making their way into the building. It is interesting to note that it is not important for the parents to join in the witnessing of the wedding vows. In fact more people attend the reception than the ceremony. I could safely say they were about 50 adults in all and about that many curios kids from the street. Ed wasted no time getting this ceromony underway. It was all over in the 30 minutes. He tied the knot tight. We now knew we could proceed to the funeral after our congratulations to the couple. It was too bad we could not continue with the happy occasion.
The funeral was on hold waiting on Ed to be present. Apparently, Mala's last wish was that Ed and Lina be present at her funeral. Respecting her wishes, the family wanted Ed to preach the funeral. After two and half hours exactly we made it to the village. There was quite a crowd present, probably close to 2'000 people. Christians came from far and wide and the singing was beautiful, just like Mala would have wanted it. Our moods by this time had
changed from laughter to tears. But we knew she was going to a better place and for that we rejoiced. Beautiful things were said about her and we all got the sense that she was highly respected in the village and very much loved.
This is the lady who attended the Mobile Bible School for 3 years faithfully, walking one day to a village, stopping to spend the night and continuing on the next morning to get to class on time. We missed her this year due to illness. She did attend 2 classes in the month of September. She fell seriously ill again and that was the last we saw of her. She was definitely an inspiration to all and will be greatly missed, not only at the classes but all the area meetings. She was laid to rest at 76 years old, gone to meet our Lord. The family was very appreciative of our coming and insisted we eat a meal before we leave. This we did.
It was almost 7 p.m. before we got home to a dark house. The power was out so I fixed
something to eat over the gas camp stove.
The newly wed's house
A brand new house built for the newly weds What a day! We were ready for bed. Our day had started at 5 a.m. and we had been on the go the whole time. Bed was a welcome sight. I do not think we have ever spent a day like this, to a wedding and a funeral all in one day. There is a first for everything.
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