Noah and Betina's wedding!

We just got in from the wedding -- 8pm! It was a great day; some similarities and many differences from an American wedding.

Of course it started on "Africa Time", which was good because we were still at the Nakumatt getting gifts at the time it was supposed to start. Not too long after we arrived a caravan of cars pulled into the church property, bearing the lovely bride and her relatives. The crowd circled the bride's car, dancing and singing songs before she actually got out.

Some highlights of the wedding ceremony were when the brides family and the groom's family marched them together at the altar and everyone started cheering! After they said their vows, their relatives and friends flooded the front of the church and the ladies carried the bride around the sanctuary and the guys carried the groom. When the Bishop said that Noah was a pastor and needed to set a good example and so--- he should kiss his new wife the congregation went wild! There was wave after wave of dancing and cheering all afternoon at this wonderful celebration!

Everyone was fed a full meal of rice, chicken and beef, salad and chipati! Then we went back into the church for everyone to individually present their gifts to the happy couple. After all of that, it was time to cut the cake. It was a little crumbly, but hopefully everyone got a taste.

There were speeches, blessings from all the visiting pastors, and a (short) sermon from the Bishop. It was an amazing day for all of us!

Yes! There are pictures! But -- we are at the hotel and somehow we can't get pictures to load from the blog at the hotel. So next time we are in downtown Nairobi, we will send them out!