Greetings, friends. Today I’d like to share a story with you about African culture I just heard this week, and it ties in with a prayer request. I received an email prayer request this week from my friend John Sabuni, pastor and leader for the Evangelical Free Church of Ugand in Adjumani District, northern Uganda. He is a good friend, has been married to his wife Celine for four years, they have two small kids, and we are developing a close relationship.

Here is his request: After returning home to Adjumani from a seminary course he was taking in Kampala, he was surprised to see his wife and their two small children gone, and the house locked up. When he investigated, he found out that they had gone to her family’s village some distance away. He tried calling, but she would not answer his calls. A few days later, he received a call from one of her brothers. He informed John that the brothers had come and taken John’s wife Celine away, along with their kids, back to their home, and would not release them until John finished paying the remainder of the dowry which was owed to the family for Celine. No communication was allowed.

I was shocked when I heard this story, but as I checked around, I found this is not uncommon. Dowry is VERY common in Africa, and prevents many couples from getting married due to the extremely high prices demanded (sometimes dozens or even hundreds of cows, along with thousands of dollars). My friend David lives in northern Uganda, is in his early 30’s, and wants very much to get married, but is the son of a pastor and has very little saved, and is unable to pay the high dowry prices demanded, even by other families in the church. What a different world Africa is from America. Please join me in praying for a quick resolution to this difficulty John is facing. Obviously, as a pastor in rural north Africa, he has very little, and will be challenged greatly to get his wife back.

Pressing on by God’s grace, Eric