Light their path

Yesterday at Church was another significant service with the rededication of the Anamoyo (Women’s Christian Fellowship) and the Blessing of Percy and Muyunda’s marriage. This was finally solemnised earlier in the month after protracted negotiations between Percy and Muyunda’s family. Percy is the Youth Pastor here and has been reaching out to young people in the community for the past year, though his role was only formalised in December 2008. We are delighted that he has found his wife and a helpmeet in Muyunda.

Sunday dawned bright and fresh after a heavy shower on Saturday. Brothers and sisters in the Church family had baked and decorated the cake, arranged the flowers, shredded the coleslaw, cooked the chicken and beef and prepared the Simba lawn for the lunch with furniture; and the benches from the chapel and tables from the Conference Room were set under the shade of the river-bank trees. Many hands were busy arranging the bougainvillea, hibiscus, roses in a profusion of delicate shades into dainty baskets, together with scented lavender and golden rod. Our family tent was pitched and its verandah used as a shaded pavilion for His Royal Highness Senior Chief Inyambo Yeta, who graced the occasion with his presence. The Anamoyo organized a group to prepare the rice and buhobe.

The service was held outside at the Church and Percy and Muyunda walked together hand in hand to the front of the congregation where the Reverend Silishebo blessed the couple with prayer and Scripture. They both promised to be faithful, loving, comforting, protecting and honouring life-long to each other this was followed by the exchange of rings and the Aaronic Blessing. Finally the congregation had the joy of embracing and congratulating the two of them and presenting them with gifts as tokens of love and esteem.

The celebration was a delightful mix of the Zambian and Christian.The first guests together with the couple arrived soon after the service for photographs in the garden.

Lunch followed, washed down by iced water and the ubiquitous bottles of Coke, Fanta or Sprite. (The bottle tops are a handy teaching aid for demonstrating square and triangular numbers to Grade 8!) The accompanying music was from the CD produced by the Mwandi Choir.

Percy and Muyunda have faced a tough time physically and spiritually, but they know who is leading them. At the end of the lunch both said they felt full of energy and ready to face the task God has set before them. They know they have been strengthened from God’s boundless resources and were able to pass through the difficulties that beset them earlier and to endure them with courage. As they start married life together we pray for God’s grace to light their path as they construct a ministry together that will bless and transform their life together and the lives of others.