It is not common to see couples make 50 years in marriage in Uganda. Not necessarily because of divorce. In fact divorce is not something common in our country even among unbelievers. Even culturally it was always "until death do us part". A marriage covenant is taken seriously and not matter what struggles a man and wife may go through they always tend to stick together. They have a saying back home that the devil i know is better than the angel i don't know. And besides this, traditionally a man pays a big dowry depending on the family and girl he is marrying. Divorce means that the girl's parents have to pay back all the cows. Therefore it bad news for the girl to come back home and her parents do not want to see her back. So if a girl is finding difficulty living with her husband, parents always call the two and talk to them into reconciliation and if this fails they talk their daughter into perseverance.
But any way despite this, it still uncommon to see couple celebrate 50 years in marriage because most couples don't live to make more than 30 years in marriage. Most people in our country die at the age of 40 to 50, due to diseases, poverty and hard life. And normally when a woman dies first the husband too dies shortly after. Women tend to live longer even after the passing on her husband.
Last week September 17th 2011, Pastor Bill and Shirley celebrated their 50 years in marriage. It was a great joy to celebrate this 50th anniversary with them. Bill and Shirley have been a tremendous blessing to many people. It was a joy to hear the great testimonies one by one from the many people who call them Mum and Dad whose lives they have touched.
They are a blessing to me and are very supportive to me and ministry as well. They accommodate me and transport around every time I am in the bay area in California. It was a blessing for me to attend this day and celebrate with the lives of such a man and woman that have been a blessing to me.
Most of their friends came to attend this great day in their lives. Their children Tom, Tim and Willy together with their families worked together to make a big dinner for their parents. It was great. I mean this is not a common thing even in America.
I enjoyed every bit of it and had a few lesson to learn from this man and woman who have gone through the wind and waves of life but kept true to the covenant they made fifty years ago.
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