Written by Isaiah Kirieri, HHFL IT and Communications Manager

2018 has been a very defining year to me. It is my 7th year since I started working with these amazing children, a responsibility I have always considered as being my preparation for family life among a few other reasons. In all these years that has been a mere dream, a wish, a castle in the clouds…. not until the start of 2017 when I hit the road on the various stages that had to be passed for me to get legally married.

At long last, on April 7th this year, I got married in a colourful church ceremony that was attended by my fellow church members, family and friends from both sides, and of course my HHF family. It was an all-day event, which leave for the trouble involved during the planning and execution, it left me satisfied that I am finally a complete family man.

My HHFL family played a very big role on this day. I had Albanus, Cidella and Christian (Alice’s son) as part of the bridal team, while my elder girl Lydia did the make up for the ladies. The rest of the HHFL family came in numbers that got me so touched.

The wedding was held in here in Nairobi, with families and from both sides having to travel hundreds of kilometers so they could come and witness this. In most weddings that I have attended, people prefer holding them upcountry to reduce traveling problems etc. Our case could have been made different due to the mileage between the families. We are about 500km apart with Nairobi being a fairly good meeting point.

On the material day, I woke up very early – about 5 AM just to do the final touches with my organizing team. There were bridal team members to be picked and dropped where they were meeting, coordinating the transport, etc. With the butterflies fluttering as it is with such events, I had a quick light breakfast with my groom’s men and drove to church to wait for the guest of honor – my bride!

The day did not disappoint. I just loved how colourful it all turned out to be, the smiles on everyone who was present, the congratulatory messages I got and basically everything. Church weddings are broken into three chapters…the serious religious ceremony that is presided over by a recognized clergy, a wedding photo shoot, and the reception where all guests get to shake to some warm music – of course led by the bride and groom.

At the end of the day(that was around 7pm), we were an exhausted but very happy new couple and we are living the same happiness.

Being a married man is a wonderful experience that I am loving all the time, from knowing that I am not alone in this life and always remembering there is some other brain in the house to consult when there is need. Most of all, I love being the head of our young family. I enjoy being relied on.

All I want to do is put my family first, be the best husband to the wife of my youth, and the best dad to the few kids that God will bless us with.

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(A small update since publishing this story: Veronicah and Isaiah celebrated the birth of their first child, Ethan Njuguna, on June 5th, 2018. Welcome to the HHFL family and big congratulations!)