Deaf lovers on Sunday, May 28 exchanged silent vows with the help of sign language interpreters in a colourful church wedding that amazed residents in Nakuru.
Jenifer Wanja, 24, tied the knot with 41-year-old Bethwel Kinyua at St. Francis Catholic Church in Nakuru, in a wedding ceremony officiated by Father Vincent Makokha.
The wedding attracted hundreds of congregants who gathered to witness the unique ceremony.
“He is a caring man, and loves me genuinely,” Wanja stated through an interpreter.
From vows to speeches, everything was done in sign language to ensure all members present follow the activities as they were unfolding.
To seal their vows, Jennifer and Bethwel walked down the aisle at St Francis of Assisi Catholic Church in a special union.
After exchanging the marriage vows, their faces lit up with joy signaling their inner happiness and satisfaction of the dream come true.
Since meeting in 2022 in Mukurweini, Nyeri County, at a church event, the couple could not hide their love for each other.
“I went to work there in Mukurweini and met Jenifer, talked with her parents and brought her to Nakuru here,” Bethwel explained.
Her father noted that Wanja was ecstatic when she met her lover.
“She came and told me she had found love and was ready for marriage. I gave per permission and wished her well in her marriage. I am happy the day was successful,” Wanja’s father narrated.
Jenifer’s mother Mercy Wambui, on the other hand, revealed that she was praying for her daughter to get a husband who would understand her.
“When she was young, I used to pray to God to bless her with a man who is also deaf for them to understand each other easily,” revealed Mercy Wambui.
“I am happy my son is now married. I wish them God’s blessings in this journey of a new life,” stated the groom’s father Titus Kinyua.
Makokha, who officiated the wedding, also relied on the interpreters to convey the message to the couple.
“We are celebrating the marriage of lovers who met and fell in love with the many things they share in common. It marks the birth of new beginnings,” noted Makokha.
Members of both families acknowledged that it was a wedding that proved being born with special needs was not a barrier to having a colourful wedding.
The lovers had dated for 8 months and they mainly communicated through texting.
