The Big Wedding...
June 26-July 1, 2012
A Haitian Creole Proverb:
"Sevis ranvwaye ranje moun touni."
"A postponed ceremony accommodates the naked person."
We had planned to the have the "23-Couple Wedding" several weeks ago, however, many of the couples did not have their "legal paperwork" finished. So, the wedding was postponed until June 23rd. This gave the "naked couples" time to get their paperwork done!!!
"Pedicures and Manicures" for the Poor...
Our friend Richard Hotes (RWH Foundation) has a wonderful heart for the poor. He brought a team of volunteers down to help with the wedding. It was incredible... the"poorest of the poor" got manicures and pedicures...
Here are just some of the brides that got their nails and toes "done" by Joni and Florence. They went house to house and did most of the brides' nails. Some were not home the day before the wedding, but they managed to get them all done. Some were finished at the church tent...
"Manicures for the Men..."
In Haiti, you would have to be a rich man to afford a manicure, but Joni and her friend "hunted down" the grooms and gave them all manicures. It was so cute!!!! Andre, one of our gardeners, was so excited to get his nails done...
Decorating the Church...
Volunteers with the Hotes team helped decorate the church.
The Church at Fond Parisien was decorated...everyone helped.
"Hey, what does that balloon say?" "It's a girl!"
The Last Practice and the Bad News...
Friday afternoon, the couples were lined up at the door of the Church. We were praying that the pregnant lady, due any minute, would "hold off" until after the wedding.
All the Pastors had arrived for the practice except Pastor Belgad, the main Pastor... Just then, we got a phone call. Pastor Belgad's father had died, and he could not make it to the wedding!!
We all got nervous! Twenty-three Couples (now 22, because one could not get a paper signed) would all have to line up and march inside. Chairs had to be set up in sets of four - bride, groom, maren and paren...
The music had to be ready. Someone would have to make sure the couples lined up in order of the procession, and nothing goes right in Haiti.
All of us missionaries were "worried sick," but at last we had to admit, "Haitians always do things at the last minute and look like they are not organized, and yet, it always turns out so well. Let's not worry...this wedding is in the Lord's hands."
Saturday Morning...
By Saturday morning, Durkje and Carole had all the wedding gowns in the school classrooms. Four or five ladies would get dressed in each classroom, and their names were marked on paper outside the door...
That way, when they got off the bus and the truck, they knew where to go...
God bless the Hotes group... They brought beautiful jewelry for the women!!!
The brides were so nervous and excited as they were changing into these beautiful and expensive wedding gowns. It brought tears to our eyes, and it brought tears to many of the brides...
Durkje was there helping the brides get dressed.
They were so beautiful...
Make-Up...
Joni and crew brought make-up and "did" the ladies' faces...
The Guests Arrive...
"Who are the Brides?"
Haitians love to dress up!!!! They will look for any excuse to get all glamored-up...funerals, weddings and children's graduations are their number one "dress-up events."
In the States, "no one out-dresses the bride," but in Haiti, you always have the "wanna-be brides."
They look and dress like the brides, but they are not brides!
The Crowd Begins to Grow...
We all knew this wedding would be the talk of Haiti. Everyone and their cousin, from Fond Parisien, Miracle Village, Le Tant and surrounding cities, would be there, and it would be "standing room only..."
We even saw some groups standing outside, with their faces against the windows.
The Wedding...
When the music started, we were all shocked to see the first group coming in, dressed in burgandy outfits and performing a beautiful dance. It was elegant...
There were little flower girls and little tiny "Bride and Groom Couples"
Another miniature bride and groom, and the bride wasn't too happy.
There were more dancers...
Then, the first couples began to come in...
Flower girls and a Maid of Honor...
There were special singing groups from Churches...
And more Bride and Groom Couples marching in...
Marens and Parens...
A Maren and Paren are like a Godmother and Godfather. They give advice to the newly married couples. Reggie, LAC employee, was chosen to be a Paren...
Our own Sandra, LAC bookkeeper, was a pretty Maren in the wedding. Every couple had a Maren and Paren...
The whole church was packed from front to back...
The Wedding Vows and the Rings...
We had each couple stand and hold hands...
And say their wedding vows...
It got a little complicated for some of them to figure out which finger to put that ring on!!!!
Bobby was there to help!...
Some of them got a little exited and decided to kiss the bride "before the kissin' time came around..."
The Pastor had to "put the brakes on!"
Finally, after all the vows were said and more ceremony was done...
It was time to KISS THE BRIDES...
It was a very happy day.
We tried really hard to get all the couples to stay in one spot for a group photo, but that did not happen...
It took four and half hours for the Ceremony. After the "kissin stuff," they all had to sign their legal documents...
Some people took a LONG TIME to sign because they could not write very well, and others could not sign at all, so they had to put finger prints.
After the Wedding...
After the wedding, the couples got pictures taken...
It was not easy getting each couple photographed.
Each couple had a picture taken with their Maren and Paren too...
Then, they loaded up on the bus and trucks and headed back to Miracle Village and Le Tant...
Visiting the Brides and Grooms...
Later that evening, we all went to visit the Brides and Grooms at their new houses...
They had not gotten into their cakes, yet.
There were parties outside...
Everyone was so happy...There were hugs and kisses and more hugs and kisses....
There was food "cookin' in the pot..."
What a happy day!!!
We want to thank everyone who donated men's suits and other wedding clothes, shoes and so many other items...Without your help, this could not have been possible.
God bless you,
Bobby and Sherry and "Happy Wedding Couples"
