Jankie is MARRRIED!

Jankie and his wife Gladys

Jankie came back to work on January 4^thafter time off for Christmas.  I asked him how it went on the 23^rd.  He told me on his last day of work in December that he was sending relatives to negotiate labola.  A labola is an arranged payment between a groom and the bride's family in exchange for their daughter. The payment may be cash or cattle or what ever valuable the groom has to pay for his bride. Labola is a way for the groom to say 'thanks for raising a good daughter.' It is an action in mostly South Africa traditional weddings.

He said it went good and he was married on that day!  I asked him how that worked because we were under the impression that they couldn't get married until labola was paid.  He said that his mom, uncle and sisters wanted them to be able to get married so they gave him some money and he was able to pay R3000 and they were able to get married traditionally that day.  He told me he didn't realize that he was actually going to be able to get married that day.  He still owes the family R15000 but he can work hard and pay that over time. 

He explained to me that the traditional ceremony took place at her families place and her families priest from the Assemblies of God came to marry them.  He said that his parents and her parents came together to meet and become relatives in a ceremony were they prayed to their ancestors.  Jankie said he and his wife did not participate in that part of the ceremony.  He said his family knows that he is trying to live for the Lord and he will not participate in those practices anymore!  He said after the parents part of the ceremony then the priest married them and they are now husband and wife.  He told me that once he pays the R15000 to the family then they will have a “western” wedding in Mentz. 

My heart overflows with gladness at the fact that Jankie is taking a stand against cultural practices for the Lord! 

Yesterday, during breakfast Mark and Jankie were talking about Abraham.  This is a common scene at our house when he comes to work.  He desires to learn God's word and live his life to please him!   I asked him if he was still planning on attending bible study on Wednesday nights.  He said that he would like to and we told him he is welcome to have his wife join him and they can both stay here on Wednesday nights so they don't have to return to the village after dark.   It is so exciting to see what the Lord is doing in Jankie's life. 

Jankie and Meriam are working out the details for us to begin a bible study with them in their village, Mentz.  We are really looking forward to our time there with them.