Dec
19
On December 12, 2009, our Yesu Akwagala Churches in Uganda Africa, held a 14 couple mass wedding.
Traditionally in the months of November and December are big wedding months in Uganda. It is when the national schools are out for their longest break of the year. Most Ugandans have finished school. Ugandans also like to start a new year in a new way and what more appropriate than to have your wedding.
In our church organization here in Uganda we promote marriage as a institution that God has blessed and shows his favor through. As with many cultures a common way to wed is to just take up a wife and live together. In the church we teach that marriage is best as done before God and witnesses. The Ugandan Government has over the last couple of years made emphasis on couple to have a documented wedding for spouses to receive benefits from the other spouse. Uganda Christian Outreach Ministries is one of the few Pentecostal churches that is registered and allowed to wed couples in Uganda. Uganda does not have any recognized Common Law Marriage rules in country.
Many of our 14 couples are couples that have lived together and have desired to be wed in a church. Due to lack of funds they have not been able to do so. Doing the mass wedding we were able to allow a couple to be wed for about $200 each where it would normally cost $1000 or more. This is more than most Ugandans can afford. Most of the couple wed this day where blessed by the church in they help towards the wedding.
This was a great day.
