July 2024 Newsletter

“I am my Beloved’s and my Beloved is mine” – Song of Solomon 6:3

As you recall from our last newsletter, we shared how we will be doing a group wedding. It deeply concerned us that couples are living together without being married. In our broadcasts, we explained that God’s ordination for marriage is clearly laid out in the Bible.

So, we campaigned on the air that we would be doing a group wedding. The message was received with enthusiasm. At the very first announcement, thirty-seven couples signed up. Our recommendation was for all couples to attend a Marriage Seminar before the wedding.

Please understand that some of the people who signed up have been living together for up to twenty years! Some of the couples changed their minds for various reasons after signing up.

It may have been family quarrels on how to proceed. Some families wanted to still go through the dowry payment and traditional wedding first before the church wedding. Others listened to false rumors that this group wedding sounds cultish and, therefore, is demonic. Also, there was the fear of trying something new.

However, some were steadfast in their decision. On June 2^nd, nine couples got married for the first time and seven couples renewed their vows. Though it was a “group wedding”, each had a turn to walk “the aisle” one couple at a time.

God showed His favor by providing beautiful weather, so we could hold the program outdoors. After the ceremony, those who paid the small wedding reception fee went up to the conference hall for the traditional wedding dinner” Jollof rice, fried chicken and macaroni salad. Each couple had their own cake – individually decorated! It was a fun filled, blessed day for all participants.

GibiTV documented the wedding and there were also news reporters on site. The response has been explosive, with over 1000K views of the event! One of the local radio stations here, Classic FM, interviewed us for a one-hour program to discuss the weddings. The group wedding was something new and people wanted to understand it. Once they learned all the details, they understood and embraced the idea. Praise God!

Since then, many people have contacted us and wanted to sign up for the next time we do this. Just yesterday, a pastor called us asking for help in performing a group wedding at his church. We hope more churches here adopt this style to help ease the financial burden on their members for a wedding.

It has been one month since the event took place. When we visited a church in which one leader participated in the group wedding, he told us, “I feel so free!” The couple was very happy that they don’t experience that nagging of their conscience about their living arrangements any longer.

We have two possible dates for future weddings.

By Grace,
Monika and Caleb Sannoh