Yes, that's right. I was a maid in another wedding. This time I did not have to travel so far (nothing like my previous epic journey). Only four hours to Kampala. Easy.
Dennis and Rebecca are part of the church I go to here. They also happen to be an amazing couple who look after and rehabilitate the boys who are rescued from the street. They have around twenty boys who live with them and there have been countless others who have gone through their house and known a love and kindness that was missing from their lives previously. The work they do for these boys (most of whom are sponsored through Australia HOPE International) is incredibly humbling.
So Dennis and Rebecca have been together since High School and have three kids but were not Christians when they got together so have never had a proper church wedding. From my understanding they were actually married but now they have a wedding certificate from the church.
Dennis' dad is involved in the Anglican church in Kampala and his family is there as is Rebecca's. So the wedding had to be held in Kampala. Hence the four hour trip. Hopefully I wont give you a blow by blow of the whole day this time. Although it was quite different from my Tanzania/Swahili experience. For one thing instead of Swahili the whole day was in Luganda, which is admittedly another language I don't know. But at least most people spoke English as well so that I could ask what was going on and they could interpret for me.
As I said Dennis' dad is part of the Anglican church so the service was held in Namirembe Cathedral which is the main Anglican church in Uganda. I haven't been to so many Anglican churches in my personal church history but this one was pretty impressive. One of those old buildings with vaulted ceilings and wooden beams. Apparently it's the fifth building and longest standing for the church community, the first four were destroyed between 1890 when the first church was built and 1910 when the fourth was destroyed. The current structure has been standing since it was completed in 1919.
(these photos are not mine – as a bridesmaid i didn’t have a lot of time to whip out my camera)
Anyway, things definitely had to be done a certain way. And there were attendants to make sure we did them. We were told when to sit, when to stand, when to kneel, when to move. Once again there were the 'normal' elements of a wedding. Vows, rings etc. When we arrived at the church we found a wedding already going on. And before our service was finished, their was another wedding party waiting in the back of the church. A wedding production line.
After the wedding and photos at the church we went for photos to the gardens of a local resort. I have to say that it was pretty spectacular. Set on the edge of Lake Victoria, with beautiful gardens, while tired of my (very) high heels, I just enjoyed being in such beautiful surroundings. I have a feeling that this however is where the majority of my sunburn came from. I haven't been burnt so badly in years and am just thankful that somehow my face did not burn like my back and shoulders (note to self - when a bridesmaid wear sunscreen even if it is raining when you leave the house).
(also not mine)
these on the other hand are mine
After photos came the reception, which to me shows the biggest difference between here and home. We danced in to the grounds where there were three marquees set up with the fourth side being taken up by a covered stage. In the middle of all this was the cake table where there sat at least five cakes. After we'd danced past the three marquees (one with Dennis' family, one with Rebecca's and one for other guests/friends) we were back where we started and then danced back in this time through an arch. Then we got to sit in our places up on the stage. We got sodas which I was extremely thankful for and I had a chance to kick off my heels (oh my goodness, the pain).
pretty shoes
killer heels
Then there were speeches followed by cake cutting. All the maids and groomsmen then took the cake to all the guests seated in the marquees. Then Rebecca fed Dennis cake and vice versa (Rebecca kneeling down to feed him somewhat going against the grain). Then it all gets a little hazy but I think this is when we got food. As our breakfast of fried liver and potatoes early in the morning at the salon now seemed a long distant memory I was once again extremely thankful. Meanwhile various people were performing and after eating the wedding party left the area. Rebecca changed dresses and we all danced back in and made a line so that we were ready to play a version of pass the parcel. Guests from each of the tents in turn came and greeted Dennis and Rebecca and gave them their gifts and then the gifts were passed back down the line to the area where they were collected. After the gift giving we danced back out to where the maids changed into their second dress for the day and Rebecca her third. After, you guessed it, dancing back in we then all danced in procession to give various whole cakes to important guests. And this brings us to the end. Apart from all the dancing (I guess there is different dancing at Aussie weddings) it's the lack of interaction with the guests that makes it so strange to me.
The whole thing was over reasonably early (I think we were on the road by 8:30pm) and I was able to get a ride with Pastor Willy and others who had driven from Mbarara that morning and were driving back that night. By this time I was quite tired having been up since 4am and not really sleeping before that or the night before. So our two hour stop in the middle of the trip to have the car repaired was not really the best timing but at least the car eventually got going again. I think we reached home just before 4am.
So today (Tuesday) I think I've finally recovered. I am still sporting my beautiful sunburn of course and a stiletto heel bruise on my foot but at least I don't feel like I've been hit by a truck or that someone is constantly slapping my back anymore.
Overall it was lovely to be involved in such a special day for two people I greatly admire. The selfless way that Dennis and Rebecca live their lives often challenges me when I think about all the conditions I put on what I do. For Dennis it has meant laying down his own ambitions in music and serving a bunch of (not always grateful) boys. For Rebecca it means caring not only for her three children but having the interests of twenty other 'children' at heart. And it is easy to see that these kids love and respect these guys. There is a lot to be said for sacrificial love.
By the way, if you are interested in sponsoring any of the boys who are not sponsored, or any of our other kids or even a class in one of our schools, or even make a one off donation, please contact the Australia HOPE International office through the details on the website.
Be blessed
bron
ps may have to add random wedding photos to some other post as I haven’t managed to get any yet
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