We are back on line again. There is no way we can catch you up on all that has been going on here at Shiloh.  We try to cram as much as possible into each and every day!  

But let's return to T-H-E wedding.  That was Saturday.  The stories flowing out of that one occasion would fill an entire chapter in our book.  You know, the book we're never going to get around to writing cuz we're waaaay too busy living it to have time to write it all down.

As you may already know, there are three aspects to every Cameroonian wedding.  It starts with paying the bride price, which is the traditional wedding.  Once the bride price is  paid, in the eyes of the tribe, the new couple is married and can begin living together.  Though everybody understands that many have already been living together, and may even have produced children.  The church in Cameroon teaches that one is not "really" married yet in the eyes of God, so a godly couple will not start living together at this point.  Next comes the civil ceremony.  It can take place the following day, the following weekend, a month later, or years later when the couple gets around to it.  But for Christian couples (or even quasi Christian couples) the church blessing is the final phase of getting married.  A godly couple will make every effort to have the civil ceremony just as close to the church blessing as possible.  Once they have been "blessed" in the church, they are officially married and can begin married life without fear of committing fornication.

Last Saturday's couple decided to combine the civil ceremony with the church blessing.  All was to take place at their church.  Guests were instructed to arrive on time as it is considered an affront to the government to arrive after the mayor arrives.  So 1 p.m. was the appointed hour, and 1 p.m. is when we arrived.  We met certain members of the groom's family and a couple of people from his church already there, but mostly we were way early.  (No surprise there.)  And then began the long wait.  Finally, at 2:30 p.m. the church leadership decided it would be OK to begin certain parts of the church blessing.  So the musical instruments started up and soon we were being led in congregational singing.  With many pauses in order to re-group and decide what to do now, we limped our way forward.  The small church choir sang several numbers.  There was a lengthy prayer.  It was decided we could take an offering before the mayor arrived.  Finally the powers that be felt that the bride and groom had been kept waiting out in their fancy rental car long enough.  They were each escorted in in typical Cameroonian fashion.  A semi-professional guest soloist was invited to perform.  Eventually the pastor decided to preach the wedding sermon.  It was long, rambling, and difficult to follow.  When he was mercifully coming to an end, the mayor and his assistant arrived.  It took them some time to set up, but finally, at 5:30 p.m. the 1 p.m. civil ceremony began!!!  Only in Cameroon.