Tomorrow is the big day.  Doris is a mixture of nervousness and calm.  Tomorrow we will decide if "Mr. I'm Interested in Your Daughter" can move forward with his plans.  His future, their future, hangs in the balance.  

We are ready.  Shiloh is shinning.  The food is all planned out, purchased, and partially prepared.  We've discussed fully who will say what and what will happen next.  What are we looking for?  How will we know?  It's all pretty much culturally dictated.  A cookie cutter formula, really.  

It begins with her introducing this stranger to us.  Who is he and why is he here in our home?  Then he must tell us who his family is.  We listen carefully to hear if he descends from anyone who shows up in our girl's family tree.  After we've determined there are no taboos against a marriage, we let him know we are a strong Christian family.  Does he know our Lord?  We listen carefully to his testimony.  We tell him in no uncertain terms that we do not want to hear about them having sex before marriage.  No pregnancies.  No abortions.  For their sake, the standards are high for our daughter.  The questions will move on to his ability to support our girl.  Is he living by faith alone?  With his head in the clouds?  Or does he have adequate income to take care of her, even when she gets sick?  And where will they live?  And on and on it will go.  

We anticipate no more than two hours of interrogation, including eating together.  When he leaves Shiloh, he will not know if he has passed the test.  But if we are able, that is we all feel comfortable about this relationship,  I, as the mother, will be commissioned to talk privately with my daughter and let her know that she can move ahead with our blessing.  She will rush home and phone him with the good news.  If, however, we have misgivings, we will meet and discuss things until we all decide on our answer.  It may be early next week before she will know our decision.  

WOW!  Getting married Cameroonian style is not easy.  Daughters are not given away to any old guy that comes along asking to marry them.  This is serious business.  Much rides on the outcome.  Future generations will be impacted by this all important decision.   

We are trusting Almighty God to guide us in a clear way as we go through this important first meeting.