Disabled tie knot at mass wedding

By PHILIP MWAKIO

Mombasa County: A Mombasa church was the centre of attraction when it conducted a mass wedding for 20 couples, including a disabled man and his spouse, perceived to be mentally unstable.

According to parishioners at St Mary’s Catholic Church in Changamwe, the couple, Paul Anyadho alias Waya Waya and Teresia Atieno, who are blessed with six children, have been under a church support programme for some time.

Their first born, Margaret, completed her secondary school education at St John’s Girls’ High School last year and is currently enrolled in a computer college.

Atieno is known to suffer from fits of mental disorder and had two aides sitting beside her during the entire four-hour ceremony.

But Atieno sat composed and offered smiles all around as the wedding mass, conducted by Father David Kai Kaluah, progressed over the weekend.

The couple and their children used to live in a makeshift structure before good Samaritans came to their rescue. A four-roomed house put up for them within the sprawling Changamwe Estate was a donation from the Catholic Men’s Association (CMA) at the church.

The entire cost for the wedding, including clothes and a sumptuous meal, were catered for by the church faithful.

According to Nicholas Mbithuka, deputy spokesman for the CMA at the church, Anyadho required support to sustain his needs and those of his family and the church and some well-wishers offered to help.

Showered praise

An excited Anyadho told The Standard that the blessing in church and exchanging marriage vows with his wife was the culmination of many years of searching.

“I’m now able to receive the Holy Communion (sacrament) as this has always been my wish since I want to be close to my creator,’’ he said.

Dressed resplendently in a black suit, shoes and a multi-coloured tie, Anyadho could not wait to put the ring on his wife’s finger amid ululations from the congregation.

Fr Kaluah showered praise on the couple and urged other newly weds present at the mass to practise true love as exhibited by Anyadho.