Wedding
Life in the Igreja Evangélica Menonita is always interesting as the church continues to learn and be faithful to the call of Jesus in this community and the life of the church. Being a fairly new church they are learning much and trying to reorganize their lives such that they can walk faithfully. In Mozambique the laws are such that to be recognized as married you have to be registered which is quite expensive for most people. Also with the custom of having huge weddings with hundreds of people, food and a fermented drink made from corn and lots of sugar called “Muheu” (pronounced “moo-hey-oh” and non-alcoholic for those that are worried) it is too expensive for a major part of the population. Thus people just move in together because they can’t afford it or do it the traditional way which is exchanging gifts between families and the groom’s family comes to the Brides families house to take her away bringing gifts. In trying to be faithful to the Bible our Associate Pastor, Saide, and his wife, Noemia, decided to get married so that they can in turn marry the rest of the church, serve communion with a good conscience and lead by example. The rest will follow as funds permit and the church can help make it possible.

The following is a short account of the festivities:

Jenny had been commissioned to make the cake. We were told that it would just be one small cake and one larger one and fairly simple. However, two days before the wedding the other women of the church found out and came with all their opinions on how it should be and fairly soon we had a three tiered cake on our hands. We had quite a weekend trying to make the cake, finding the equipment to do so and preparing our house to host our CRs, Cheryl’s parents and our colleague, Brooke, as well. After burning one icing to the consistency of hard taffy, making a second icing that looked like runny milk and destroying two cakes, we finally completed the task. It was quite beautiful in spite of the circumstances. The weekend went quite smoothly and was enjoyable.

The festivities began at the church with people gathering and making food in huge pots, in a grass enclosure beside the church. I drove our MCC vehicle with singers singing all the way to the registration building in the center of town. Noemia and Saide arrived in a truck with all her family in the back. Everyone sang and threw rice as the couple walked to the registration, Saide in front and Noemia following, neither one smiling. They registered and left the building to much singing and entered our vehicle and I drove them and their Padrinhos (God-Parents) all the way to the church honking the horn with kids running and singing all around the car and the rest of the people following and singing behind.

I will explain what we understand about the Padrinhos. They are an older married couple that gives direction to the couple about how to be married and the also leads the couple through the ceremony. The couple cannot smile, talk or do anything for themselves until after the reception. The Padrinhos have to help them cut the cake, put the rings on and all the other activities. They do this because it is such a serious occasion in their life to smile or talk does not respect the seriousness of it. We actually were able to get Saide to smile a little when I gave him a thumbs up halfway through the wedding. It is so different than our American weddings were if we are not smiling people think something is wrong with us.

After arriving to the church they entered with rice flying and there was much singing and dancing. They sat on chairs in the front with two flower girls for the ceremony. There was a presentation of singing by the youth from both churches followed by a young women singing and dancing in front of the church. It kind of reminded me of someone doing interpretive dance for those who are familiar with that, but she was singing at the same time. Jenny and I read some of the verses that were presented at our wedding. Noemia and Saide were then married by the Associate Pastor of the Mennonite Church in Tete who had come down for the occasion. It was the first time he had ever done a wedding ceremony so it was a good thing for the Mennonite Church.

A few weeks ago I had posed a question to some of our Mozambican friends. “Do Mozambicans kiss?” I had never seen them kiss so I wondered if they don’t or if it is just out of the public’s sight. They kind of laughed and said that it is not really present much in their culture but that outside influences from Brazilian TV and the West are changing that. However, my answer was confirmed after the marriage ceremony as they kissed in front of the whole community. It was a better kiss than Jenny and I had at our wedding. The couple then came to the front and cut the cake and fed it to one another as well as a glass of Fanta (the soda, for some reason they always use it in weddings).

We then went outside where there was a man dancing on a table and singing and shouting with people all dancing around him. Evidently he is the entertainer who was to present the gifts that the bride’s family had brought for the couple. We were told he is an evangelist and we can see why. He was quite animated. To our eyes he seemed quite crazy. But I guess it is a thing they do at all weddings.

We then had a meal of “Sadza” (corn porridge) chicken, goat and cake. When all was done we drove the couple back to their home where the relatives of the couple carried them from the car to their house and we all retired to ours. What a day for them, the church and for all of us who were experiencing it for the first time!