Busy week

Boy, what a busy week we have had!

First of all, last weekend, we were invited to a Bengali wedding. We are friends with a family whose sister was the bride.

My friend Moksud, this time last year had had a massive stroke ( I may have mentioned this before). This left him paralysed, unable to talk, and t the time close to death. He is the father of one of the Kids Club kids. When I heard the news I really felt the compassion of God and felt I should befriend him and pray for him. I have been visiting him in hospital ever since. He has made massive progress and now is able to sit in a wheelchair, use his left hand and talk a little.

The wedding and indeed the mehndi was lovely! We felt honoured to have been invited.The mehndi is a ceremony to prepare the bride in readiness for her husband. A kind of "sending off" and normally just for family members. This showed how much we were respected and honoured to have been invited to go. The Wikipedia entry describes it better than I. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mehndi

Before I got to the main ceremony though, I pranged my car. I was reversing out of the estate where the bride lived and did not see a slight bend in the road. BANG! I had hit a gate post! I felt so stupid. Fortunately Andrea and I were OK but it was bit of a shock. It was still drivable - to a point, and so was still able to get to the wedding. I had damaged the drivers side rear wing and lights. The car isn't worth that much so I think it is a write off. And, sadly, the insurers came to take it away last Thursday.

We arrived at the wedding being one of the first. The banqueting hall was massive with tables everywhere. It was deceptive, the hall was so big I could not decide whether or not there was a mirrored partition in the middle. We were met by Moksud's wife, Shulee, welcoming us; she looked lovely in a green Salwar Kameez. She was busy so left us to our own devices.

Slowly the room filled up and we were surprised how many different nationalities were there: Japanese, Afro-Caribbean, African (I think Ghanaian) Albanian-they sat next to us to name but few. The grooms brothers and friends were strutting around in the sharp suits having come in their flash cars. Loud Asian dance music was playing in the background.

The the drums started! A procession was afoot! The groom, seemingly the only one wearing the cream Asian suit, was following two drummers announcing his entrance. Following behind were his family and friends. The groom was very handsome and and very noble looking. He smiled and greeted those looking on with a smile and a flash of the eye. He took his place on stage (which was plushly furnished) and posed with family and friends to a wall of photographers.

The Imam got up to speak and lead prayers. He spoke of living a pious life and prayed for forgiveness; then all the other leaders prayed for the groom.

The bride had been waiting in a car for all this time, now the photos for the groom had finished we were all asked to take our seats and make ready for the bride. She too came in with a procession behind her, not with drums this time but quietly and with poise. People were snapping away at their cameras as she made her way through the crowd. The groom and bride met and stood while the photos were being taken. The groom's family seemed so welcoming to the bride and, like any wedding should be, it brought joy to see them together.

I was looking after Moksud and taking him to good vantage points to see the action. He was asked to see the cutting of the cake. I was new to all this but was thrilled to see each family cutting a piece of cake for the other starting with the bride and groom. Moksud, as a close relative, was offered cake to by the groom, the groom's mother and the grooms father. I was so impressed by the care shown by the groom and his family. There seemed genuine compassion and care for him.

Then the food was presented to us. It just kept coming, dish after dish placed on the table. Chicken curry, Lamb curry, Naan bread, Biriani, Dahl. And as it was used up a new dish would replace it. I joked withe others on the table that we were expected to finish all this. I knew though that it would have been impossible.

Ever since the stroke Moksud was still "nil by mouth" so he could not could not join in with the eating. I felt a little awkward but he reassured me to enjoy myself. Later on his wife "fed him" using a syringe straight into the stomach.

More photos were taken and Shullee and Moksud's brothers expressed their thanks for all we had done for them. We have developed a real friendship and all I can say is it is a privilege and an honour. All I want to do is express the love of Jesus to them. I said I was happy to help and be friends with the family.

Because of the crash of the car it brought forward what I had wanted to do for a while; I had been looking out for a new car anyway. I was looking for something newer and maybe something bigger. Andrea had been complaining how small the boot was, not big enough, she said, for our camping equipment. I agreed, it was a little awkward to have to fold the seats down to accommodate all the stuff we normally carry.

Today we are travelling to Manchester First Class on the Train. We are doing this because our Richard is moving to Berlin for two years. He wants to learn German so he can read the great German theologians in their native language.

Richard's wife is putting on a party and we are going to see Kieren join us too.

We are preparing this week for our camping trip to Scotland. I hope to tell you nall about it as we go along with postcards.