Weddings

Our weekends are filled with weddings right now! And it is no small affair and we are finding we aren't as young as we used to be based on our endurance (and reality!)

Last weekend, Carlos and Christina (Tina) were married. Juka and Elina were their godparents (padrinos) and had returned to Maputo for this and the wedding of Elina's brother this weekend. I've written about weddings in the past and they are truly joyful affairs as they should be but it is a total weekend commitment. We were especially excited about this wedding as we have spent time with this couple and the godparents are good friends. The godparent responsibilities in this culture are tremendous and they have the responsibility to coordinate absolutely everything associated with the wedding. They retain responsibility for this couple from this point forward and if the new couple has difficulties, it falls to the godparents to resolve. It is also a considerable financial committment both short-term and long-term.

Our day started at seven at which time I left to pick up family members of Carlos and take them to the 'Wedding Palace' in down-town Maputo. They had the slot between 0800 to 0900 for the official government wedding. They seem to run about two weddings every 10 minutes through the Palace. But the surprise was when two three-wheel carts showed up with the Groom in One and the godparents in the other. We leave Machava in a caravan - two three-wheel Bajajs and several cars to the wedding palace. There is a traditional honk you do on the horn (long - short blasts) that we all do all the way into town. No police roadblocks today as we're passed right through - people waving and shouting as we pass. Much singing coming out of each carload of people (I think I had 15 or 16 in my car!). We arrived a little late at the Palace and we wait about an hour for the short ceremony. After many photos outside this beautiful and old facility, the bride and groom are loaded together into the carts and away we go to a nearby park for the traditional photographs. The singers and dancers arrive first and the bride and groom pass through them to much song and celebration. Many different poses are done throughout this beautiful park that was actually a trash collection area when we first came to Mozambique, but is now a privately owned area that caters to weddings on the weekends. We can smell and see the Indian ocean from this bluff.

After a very pleasant time in the park and literally hundreds of photographs, the wedding party moves back to the cars, and we now have about seven total cars full of people following the three-wheelers throughout Maputo. Around and around we go with the bride and groom hanging out of the carts waving at everyone. And everyone waves back and hollers greetings. The photographers are in the front car photographing the carts in every possible configuration, jumping out and every corner in Maputo photographing the carts as they go by. People are really responding as I can't recall seeing these carts being used for weddings before - probaby started something new! I'm getting a little nervous as there is lots of traffic and I see two "almost" accidents caused by all of this stopping and starting and a few people are raising their fists at the party but they are oblivious. The driver in front of me is clearly getting upset with all of this and after several discussions with Juka, he takes off, presummably for the church and two others go with him. The tour continues and finally we head for the church, arriving at 1430 for a 1200 ceremony at the church pastored by the family the bride lives with (her parents have passed). He is NOT happy, but the wedding party is oblivious to it. The church wedding is held and the bride's party follows.

We took off early because we are to prepare to receive the bride and groom at our house for their first night together. Ann has prepared our guest bedroom very specially. The couple is to arrive at 7 PM but I know better!

At midnight, we get the call they are in-route and will arrive 'soon'. The first order of business is a meal. Afterwards, we retire and they retire with the understanding we leave at 0800 in the morning for service at the Khongolote church, where Carlos is one of the Pastors. He says "no problem", they will be up by 630 and breakfast at 700. Ok.

At 0745, I call Juka because there is NO movement from within and no response to knocking. I called Juka and he tells me I must pound on the door as they are nearly there! At about 0815, Juka and the bajaj drivers arrive and he and Elina enter the bedroom and we leave for the church at 1000 for the 0900 service. Again, honking and weaving, arriving 45 minutes later. All of this delay, perfectly acceptable in the culture.

They enter into the church and I become quite emotional because he is their Pastor and the church excitment is undeniable and the singing beautiful beyond imagining. They dance to the front and Abel challenges them with a powerful sermon on fidelity. Tina is challenged with the responsibility of being a Pastor's wife and the church covenants to pray and watch over them. We pray over them and after testimonies, greetings, presents, the service ends. I quit watching the time, something I have learned to do here, and we again caravanned back to Carlos' family's house for the party. The old Khongolote tent had been set up to receive the guests and Ann repeatedly remarked how it had been the most beautiful Mozambican wedding to date.

After the meal, we and the other guests took our time dancing and singing as we presented gifts to the couple. When dark approached, we made our exit, knowing that more food would be forthcoming and the event would continue until late. As we prepared to leave, the bride's family arrived with her goods, a bed, a couple of chests, clothing, dishes, supplies. With great celebration and dancing, the goods are taken into the house.

We leave, feeling such joy to have had our small role in this celebration. Juka and Elina look like they are about to drop, but their responsibilities will continue through the next day, when the goods are transported back to Carlos' simple house, the tent is dismantled and returned to Khongolote, and the couple is taken back to Khongolote.

While it was a joyous celebration, I cannot help but think of the incredible burden all this on those who can ill afford it. So many we know never marry as the culture expects all of this - it isn't a wedding without it. So, instead, people live together, which really puts the 'wife' in a difficult situation - a wife but yet still not quite accepted culturally, and certainly without official status. A few, but very few, are toning this all down and focusing on the covenant between a man, a women, and a holy God.

And yet, in this culture, this marriage is truly 'owned' by the godparents, the families, and the community and all of this comes through the incredibly complex process that must be navigated prior to a wedding. It all works and there is certainly a kind of strength that comes through this kind of accountability and process. So who am I to even have much of an opinion on cultural things like this, truly? Certainly they had parties in Jesus' day and he did his first miracle at a wedding celebration, not so unlike one like this. It truly is a time of celebration.

It was a marvelous weekend and we pray God's rich blessings on this precious couple who are involved in full-time ministry. They are solid, they love God, and they are following Him.

Blessings,

Dave & Ann

"Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to himi and praise his name. for the LORD is good and his love endures forever, his faithfulness continues through all generations." Psalm 100:4-5