Committee meeting two....

Well this meeting went better then the first one that I attended. The colours were announced and no one stoned me. The fact that I want a friend to MC and not a total stranger went well. The fact that I was willing to walk from the church to the hotel where the reception is went over really well including laughter lifting from around the table as they found out that is what I said at the last meeting. I would just hike up my dress so it didn’t drag through the red soil and I would show everyone my silver and baby blue wedding shoes (running shoes by the way) and I would make the normally 4 minute walk to the reception. Probably this day it would take a little longer. When I made the suggestion to do pictures before the wedding (I know slightly non-traditional for Canadians) my idea was met with a cheer. Because now they could stop arguing about what part of the reception we needed to leave during before it got to dark to take pictures. It starts getting dark at 6 pm and is totally dark shortly thereafter.

I can’t actually tell you if the wedding plans are coming along well or not. I don’t understand a single word at the meetings except the little that is translated to me. I am assured by Bariki, Christina and Julita that plans are coming along well and that day will be perfect. I am still a little nervous trying to figure out what is going on. The fact that they do not send out invitations till a week and a half before the wedding stresses me out a little, but I can tell you for sure I am not in Kansas (Canada) anymore.

Today I went to church for the second time. I will try to explain a little bit about church here. Tanzania was a British colony years ago. So it was filled with British missionaries that enforced many rules and regulations about the way church and school and other things should look. Including things like hitting the kids whether at school, conformation class or at home as a form of discipline. Not teaching about things like premarital sex as something that is against God’s will, or being an alcoholic as something of which God is not pleased. Oh and one of my favourites not going to church as a family and if you do you cannot sit together. It is some form of discipline I guess. Men on one side women on the other, you cannot worship with your husband or wife or your son or daughter. Well today I walked into church with my fiancé and sat right down beside him, on the men’s side I might add. Can we say uncomfortable?

Here in TZ by law you have to announce the wedding for 3 weeks in the church before you can get married. So in order to register the wedding I needed a letter from my home church confirming that I was a Christian, they knew I was coming to get married and that there was no reason that anyone should object to me getting married. So they will announce the wedding three times here. They will put the announcement on a bulletin board and anyone who objects gets to put their name and the reason. They have three weeks to do this and then a week before the wedding we sit with the Pastor and go over any objections. The Pastor said it is to get everything out on the table, past marriages, past engagements or anything else like that. It seems strange to me but when in African do as the Africans.

My husband to be is coming over tonight to cook me supper. African men do not cook usually so I am very excited for this. I will let you know how it all goes. Thank you for your prayers and your support. I love you all and miss you already.
Jen