East and West Meet at Lancaster

 On Friday evening, October 30, we attended the wedding of our grandson, Marcus Stauffer, to Irene Mbilinyi.

Marcus was born in Haiti and brought to this country by his adoptive parents twenty-four years ago when he was two years old. Irene was born in Tanzania and came to this country from and orphanage at the age of nine. She went back and forth several times but spent most her time in California with her foster family. She knew someone in Lancaster, Pa. and went there to attend college. That is where she and Marcus met. They were born on opposite sides of the world and lived on opposite coasts of the United States. Whoever would have dreamed they would get together?

They planned to use a small barn on a relative's property for the wedding but then decided it was too small for the 75 people who would attend. So the ceremony was held on the lawn behind the barn and the reception in a tent. That would have been perfect except for the weather. Fortunately, we were warned to dress warm so we had heavy coats and a blanket. But the poor bridal party shivered through the ceremony with no protection. Halfway through the ceremony Marcus took his suit coat off and put it on Irene. Black skin isn't any warmer than white skin!

The ceremony was short and sweet and then everyone made a beeline for the tent where it was a little warmer. We braved the cold long enough for a grandparents photo. We are the only grandparents Marcus has.

The buffet table at the reception offered us an array of choices. It was all very good and plentiful.

Marcus and Irene took the weekend for a short two-day honeymoon and will be living near Lancaster while continuing their studies in nursing. We wish them success in all their endeavors.