Our family was invited to attend the wedding of a couple that we met during our home stay in Cheptebo. You may remember reading about our attending their engagement ceremony during our home stay. We got to know them and felt privileged that they asked Tracy and Emily to be flower girls in their wedding. The wedding was December 6th. We left Kijabe on December 5th and returned on December 7th. All in all it was a very rewarding experience. We did have quite an adventure again in the house we were staying in. It was the same house where we spent the last week of our home stay in August. The first night I came out of the bathroom and nearly stepped on a little mouse. We killed the mouse and put it outside hoping we wouldn't find anymore. The girls slept in one room, the boys slept in another and Philip and I slept in another. At around 12:30 a.m., Philip and I were woken up by something gnawing on wood. We sat up in bed and listened and determined that it was coming from the dresser. It sounded like it was huge! We contemplated opening the dresser to see what it was but I told Philip that I was sure I would scream when I saw it and wake everyone up. We sat there for a minute trying to decide what we should do. We finally opted for leaving the room and shutting the door behind us hoping to trap the creature inside the room. I slept with the girls and Philip went into the boys room. In the morning we didn't find anything in the dresser. The next night after Luke got in bed he shouted "a mouse" and then he got up and started chasing it. The mouse ran out of the boys room and down the hall past the bathroom. Luke shouted "a snake". We all came running and sure enough there was a small snake in the bathroom. Who knows what kind it was. We just killed it and threw it outside. I was pretty sure that there had to be other snakes but we never saw them. We ended up killing the mouse also. We started out sleeping with the kids and just kept that bedroom door shut where the huge gnawing animal lived. The next morning the girls and I were woken up by the boys killing the big rat that was gnawing the dresser. They heard it when they got up and decided to see what it was. They were able to kill it and we were all thankful. Despite all of our adventures during the night we had a good time and were thankful that we got to visit with the people in Cheptebo.
When we first arrived at the church on Friday evening, we blew up balloons for about an hour. The kids had a blast and our jaws hurt the rest of the evening!
Our car was part of the processional so it was decorated like the other cars. The bridesmaids were in our car. We drove to the church from the little house that all of the girls in the wedding dressed at. It was only about 3/4 of a mile. Someone was standing in the back of a pickup in the front of the processional line videoing the drive. As we got closer to the church, people who were going to attend the wedding were lined up on the side of the road cheering and dancing.
This is the little house that the girls got dressed in. I put Tracy and Emily's hair up and then sprayed it with glitter spray from Texas. They were all fascinated with the glitter spray and so we sprayed many of the other girls hair including the bride. They were so happy to have that special treatment!
This is the dress rehearsal for the wedding. It was right outside that little house they all got dressed in. It was also right before the wedding! After the rehearsal, the entire wedding party marched down the hill to the cars that had been decorated. They sang and celebrated the entire way.
This is the processional going to the church. We are driving along dirt roads up in the mountains. It is very pretty and very bumpy! Tracy and Emily are in the car that is just crossing the water.
Tracy and Emily walking down the aisle. They are throwing confetti instead of flowers. After the ceremony, the preacher who officiated the ceremony said he was surprised when two white girls walked down the aisle.
This is right before the wedding began. The wedding party is gathered in front of the Church getting ready to march in. The two ladies singing are close friends of the family. Purity, the one wearing the pink dress was raised by Sally and Joseph. She is currently attending college in Eldoret. She helped keep the girls in the right place and doing the right things throughout the day.
After the pictures with the bride and groom's families, we all drove to an overlook area and took even more pictures. This is our family with the groom, Pastor Walter and bride, Sally. It was so hot and when we got back to the car Emily said that she was just forcing her smiles because she really just wanted to cry. The dresses they were wearing were so thick because they are all bunched up on top. There were many yards of taffeta in each dress!
After pictures at the overlook area, the girls were seated at a table to eat the meal. Everyone except the wedding party and those who went with them to take pictures had already eaten. This is the table of honor because you got to sit down and were also given soft drinks. It is a big thing in Kenya to serve an honored guest soft drinks. They always come in bottles and most of the time they are hot. We have learned to ask for "soda baridi" which is kiswahili for cold soda.
Entire wedding party. The lady on the top row on the left is Sally who was the wife of the couple who hosted us during our home stay.
Philip is taking pictures and video during the gift giving portion of the wedding. This happened right after the meal was eaten.
Luke had taken his flute with him to Cheptebo so that he could practice while he was there. He ended up playing 3 or 4 songs in front of all of the people at the wedding. He didn't miss a note and didn't seem nervous at all. We were proud of him. I don't think I would have done this in front of so many people when I was 12 years old!
More dancing and celebrating after the wedding.
This is a picture of a portion of the crowd of people at the wedding festivities. I know that they didn't all fit into the church. The crowd seemed to grow and grow. I am amaze.d at the beauty of the people of Kenya
When we first arrived at the church on Friday evening, we blew up balloons for about an hour. The kids had a blast and our jaws hurt the rest of the evening!
Our car was part of the processional so it was decorated like the other cars. The bridesmaids were in our car. We drove to the church from the little house that all of the girls in the wedding dressed at. It was only about 3/4 of a mile. Someone was standing in the back of a pickup in the front of the processional line videoing the drive. As we got closer to the church, people who were going to attend the wedding were lined up on the side of the road cheering and dancing.
This is the little house that the girls got dressed in. I put Tracy and Emily's hair up and then sprayed it with glitter spray from Texas. They were all fascinated with the glitter spray and so we sprayed many of the other girls hair including the bride. They were so happy to have that special treatment!
This is the dress rehearsal for the wedding. It was right outside that little house they all got dressed in. It was also right before the wedding! After the rehearsal, the entire wedding party marched down the hill to the cars that had been decorated. They sang and celebrated the entire way.
This is the processional going to the church. We are driving along dirt roads up in the mountains. It is very pretty and very bumpy! Tracy and Emily are in the car that is just crossing the water.
Tracy and Emily walking down the aisle. They are throwing confetti instead of flowers. After the ceremony, the preacher who officiated the ceremony said he was surprised when two white girls walked down the aisle. 
This is right before the wedding began. The wedding party is gathered in front of the Church getting ready to march in. The two ladies singing are close friends of the family. Purity, the one wearing the pink dress was raised by Sally and Joseph. She is currently attending college in Eldoret. She helped keep the girls in the right place and doing the right things throughout the day.
After the pictures with the bride and groom's families, we all drove to an overlook area and took even more pictures. This is our family with the groom, Pastor Walter and bride, Sally. It was so hot and when we got back to the car Emily said that she was just forcing her smiles because she really just wanted to cry. The dresses they were wearing were so thick because they are all bunched up on top. There were many yards of taffeta in each dress!
After pictures at the overlook area, the girls were seated at a table to eat the meal. Everyone except the wedding party and those who went with them to take pictures had already eaten. This is the table of honor because you got to sit down and were also given soft drinks. It is a big thing in Kenya to serve an honored guest soft drinks. They always come in bottles and most of the time they are hot. We have learned to ask for "soda baridi" which is kiswahili for cold soda.
Entire wedding party. The lady on the top row on the left is Sally who was the wife of the couple who hosted us during our home stay.
Philip is taking pictures and video during the gift giving portion of the wedding. This happened right after the meal was eaten.
Luke had taken his flute with him to Cheptebo so that he could practice while he was there. He ended up playing 3 or 4 songs in front of all of the people at the wedding. He didn't miss a note and didn't seem nervous at all. We were proud of him. I don't think I would have done this in front of so many people when I was 12 years old!
More dancing and celebrating after the wedding.
This is a picture of a portion of the crowd of people at the wedding festivities. I know that they didn't all fit into the church. The crowd seemed to grow and grow. I am amaze.d at the beauty of the people of Kenya
3 comments:
I just love hearing about your adventures. Keep the updates coming! Love you, even in Africa, Aunt Jane :)
Oh, by the way, Philip, you look very handsome in your authentic African shirt! Jane :)
OK, so it took me over a year to find your blog. Jim updates me whenever I run into him. You are in our prayers. God Bless you all for what you are doing.
PS You are quite striking that shirt!
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