Easter Monday is a national holiday in Kenya, so that is probably why the wedding was held on a Monday. It also worked out for us too because Logan had the day off!
We have learned that Kenyan weddings begin at the bride's home in the morning. She gets ready and of course chai is served. Then family and friends make a convoy of cars from her home to the groom's home. It resembles a funeral procession in the States. The cars are decorated with flowers, and some just stick a tree branch in the front bumper.
We opted not to join them that early so Liam could take a morning nap. Nancy picked us up from the Tea Hotel at about 10:30 and we headed to the main part of Kercicho to wait for the convoy to pass by.
As we waited, we went grocery shopping at Tuskeys, a larger chain market than I am used to at Tenwek. I bought everyone in our group a soda to drink while we waited. Alfred said, "I wish this drink shall never end." The drinks did end, but our wait for the convoy never did! After our shopping was finished, we went to a public park to let Liam roam free. He waved to everyone and we had fun watching the monkeys play in the trees.
A little before noon, Logan and I made a little bet about when the wedding would actually happen. I had never even been told what the goal start time was. Logan said Nancy told him about 1:30pm. Based on that, Logan guessed the vows would be said at 4:00. I confidently said 6:00pm. Logan busted out laughing and said it would be over, and we would be well on our way home to Tenwek by that time! We will see.
We moved on to an Arboretum which is right beside the Lipton tea fields! That was pretty cool to see. In this park was one tree for every kind of tree you will see in Kenya. Most of them I could not pronounce because posted was the scientific name, and then the Swahilli name. Neither of which helped me!
However, there was some amazingly huge bamboo trees that caught my attention. Logan jumped into a game with some kids using a knotted plastic bag for a ball. Liam had fun playing with the kids too!
About 1:00pm Liam and I started getting hungry. I asked Nancy what we will do about lunch and she said they will feed us at the wedding. I said, "well when do you think that will be?" She gestured at the highway and said "they shall come." So, literally we were just waiting for a convoy to pass, and then join it! It does no good to even call someone because they always say they are "coming now."
Because it was getting late, Alfred's brother took us back into town to eat at the Sunshine Hotel, which had been recommended as a place that was safe for us to eat.
In the half hour that we ate our meal, we received word that the convoy was passing. We quickly got some chips (french fries) to go for Alfred and Nancy and headed back to the tree park where they were waiting.
Nancy and Alfred jumped in the car and we started driving to the wedding. Now, keep in mind anytime I would ask where the wedding is, whoever answered would always stretch their arm out toward the hills and say "it is up" or "it is away" or "it is far." The reality was that they did not know exactly. At one point in our drive, Alfred hopped out of the car and stood facing the mountain to find the way. Apparently he did, because we made it to the groom's home!
When we arrived at the groom's place, we could see a few tents and a mass of people gathered on the hill. As we exited the car, a crowd started to gather around us! We were in a small village, which I do not know the name. Nancy said many of the people have never seen a white person before. About 1000 people were already gathered and we were escorted right through the middle of them. Alfred and Raymond passed Liam back and forth, as they both wanted to be holding the white baby as we passed through the crowd of people.
We were taken to the uncle of the groom's house and served millet ugali and chicken. They gave us sodas to drink since there was no time to boil water properly for us. Liam mooed at their cows and barked at their cat. (we are working on the meow).
We were then whisked away because "it has started, it has already begun!" 
As we walked back up the hill we heard girls singing very loudly. As we got closer we saw the group of about 30 young girls all dressed in white dancing and walking in unison.
The groom was in the middle of the group, and they were escorting him in and singing praises about him and his land.
The groom wore a western style suit but had a shiny necklace, or lei, similar to tinsel we would decorate with at Christmas. His groomsmen followed behind him and were seated in a tent to await the coming of the bride.
Nancy said it will be 5 minutes. I smiled and looked at my watch which said 4:08. She laughed and said "Kenyan time. It is but a mention." I rubbed it in Logan's face a little bit that we were already past his estimated time. He then requested to change his bet time to 5:15pm. Still sure of my upcoming victory, I generously allowed it. 
To kill time, a few guys starting singing and playing guitars. The very old grandmother was even enjoying herself so much that she started dancing in the middle of the field! Everyone loved it and no one seemed to mind waiting for the arrival of the bride.
This free time also gave the crowd the opportunity to watch the white visitors. We were given VIP treatment and seated in chairs (most were seated on the ground) right next to the bridal tent.
There were probably about 1500 people there by this time. They stood or sat on either side of a wide isle lined with roses. The two sides face in toward each other. Picture like a soccer game, or any field sport with crowds on both sides.
After waiting over an hour, I decided I must feed Liam and change his diaper. Nancy and I took Liam back to the car. Of course, while we were there, the singing started back up again and Nancy strained to see over the crowd. "She has come!" I then started seeing a pattern of just missing things this day!
We soon squeezed back through the crowd and were seated just in time to see the bride! She too was preceded by a group of girls from her family. As they escorted her in, they sang praises about her and her homeland that she is leaving.
When they reached the middle of the crowd, they bent down to their knees in unison with chanting to "reveal" the bride.
She had a traditional western-style white dress with a train. Her face was covered by a veil, as were her hands covered with gloves. She was adorned with flowers and the same tinsel we saw on the men.
We could not understand the singers because they sang in their native tongue, but thankfully we had translators with us.
The girls leading the songs apparently are very funny and tease the groom with their songs. They call for him to take 5 steps forward, ask him why he is not smiling, tell him to sit back down, ask him if he is sure he is not hiding any girlfriends, and other things to embarrass or tease him. The audience was laughing a lot! 
The girls would call for the mother and father to come take pictures with the bride, then the elders, the sisters and brothers, etc. So these people would sort of "dance" forward and take a picture with the bride.
Finally she took a seat in the tent, but not next to the groom until they are married. Now it was past 6:30pm, approaching dark, and the wedding has not even begun! The men in our group decided we should just leave now so our driver does not have to drive in these hills after dark. So we slipped up to the tent and handed the couple our present (a pitcher with matching glasses), took a picture, and congratulated them. 
The card we gave them was hilarious! It is more like a scroll with a plastic flower glued to the front. When I saw it, I couldn't NOT buy it!
We said our goodbyes and got into the car. Then the car was mobbed with people looking in every window. Faces were smashed against every glass part of the car as I buckled Liam into his car seat. I told Logan this is as close to being a celebrity as I will ever get! No wonder these stars goes crazy with all the paparazzi!
We got back to Tenwek safe a sound at about 9:00pm, but it felt like midnight. We were sad we were not able to see the actual wedding. As we were leaving, Logan was informed that he was slated to say something at the wedding. We had heard that this might happen, so Logan did prepare a little something from Ephesians, but unfortunately did not have time to share. Their loss!
This whole weekend was an experience of a lifetime. We could talk, or write, for hours about it! This small synopsis will have to do until we return. The newlyweds are good friends with Alfred's brother, Raymond. Raymond was essentially the treasurer and coordinator of the wedding. I know he was proud of the outcome, and excited to host the American family. Here we are at his work at James Finlay. Raymond is the shorter guy on the left.
We will never forget those three days we spent in the villages surrounding Kericho!
Now to cash in on that bet with Logan...
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So you guys were a little like the virgins who forgot to bring enough oil, you had to leave before the ceremony. Thankfully I know that's not the case when it comes to the BIG wedding ceremony with Jesus and His bride. I think it's so funny how schedule oriented we are in America and how no one seems to care in much of the rest of the world.
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