As I stand here today for Holy Matrimony, I’m overwhelmed with gratitude, joy, and awe at how God has written our love story, not in one chapter, but across decades, continents, and life’s unexpected twists.

I met my husband long before I even knew what love truly meant. I was just a little girl in Ekondo Titi, full of dreams and innocence. He was living with his aunt at Lobe Estate, a woman who happened to be one of my mother’s closest friends. Our two families were woven together like extended kin. He was always around, one of the familiar faces that shaped my early years. To me, he was “Big Brother Raphael.” I looked up to him. He was kind, respectful, and carried himself with a quiet strength that, even then, left a lasting impression, though I was far too young to understand its depth.

In 1988, he left for Nigeria to continue his education, and with that, we lost the closeness that proximity brings. Life was shifting in my world, too. My parents were transferred to Buea, and we each began writing different chapters in our own lives.

Years passed. In 1997, I left for Germany to pursue further studies. One evening, while attending a Cameroonian gathering in Munich, I saw a face that struck a deep chord. It was him, Raphael. He was based in the UK at the time. We were both so surprised and overjoyed to see each other. We exchanged numbers, full of good intentions, to stay connected. He reached out several times, but as fate would have it, I lost my phone,and with it, I lost touch with him again.

In 2001, I moved to the United States, unaware that he, too, had found his way to American soil. Our paths ran parallel once more, so close, yet not quite a meeting.

Then came the day in 2016, which changed everything.

It was around 5:20 PM. when I received a phone call from Dr. Eban Ebai. He said someone wanted to speak with me. Curious, I asked who. Then came the voice I hadn't heard in years calm, familiar, and completely unexpected: “This is Raphael Sona.”

My heart skipped a beat. I was stunned. He told me he had moved from California to Maryland, and we caught up like long-lost friends. He asked about my family, and I gave him the numbers of my siblings.

What happened next took me by surprise: He didn’t stop at calling me he reached out to every one of my siblings, one by one, reconnecting like a man on a mission. Then, my eldest sister called and said something I’ll never forget: “Raphael Sona called me. He says he’ll be coming to visit.”

When he visited her, she insisted I come over as well. So I did, unsure of what to expect. It was a beautiful reunion, familiar, yet filled with something unspoken.

Just two days later, he called and asked if I could come cook eru for him. I laughed and said yes. Cooking for him stirred so many emotions, warmth, joy, and an unexpected sense of comfort. As we sat together that day, he looked at me and asked, “What’s your status?”

I paused. I asked him why he wanted to know. And then he said the words that would forever change our lives: “Because I want to marry you.”

I was speechless. I had known him all my life. Never once had I imagined this. He continued, saying it had always been his dream from the time I was a little girl, that one day, I would be his wife.

I needed time to process everything. It was overwhelming, surprising, and unexpected. But it was real. As we spent more time together, I began to see what he had seen all along: our bond was something deeper than time or distance could ever erase.

After that emotional conversation, I left his house deep in thought. The moment I stepped outside, I called my baby sister Efu. With wide-eyed surprise, I told her everything. She listened and said something I’ll never forget: “Be open-minded.” From that day on, she and I playfully nicknamed him “What is your status?” a fun reminder of that unforgettable moment.

The next day, I visited my older sister. She looked at me and asked directly, “Did you go to Raphael’s house to help him cook that eru he mentioned?” I smiled and told her everything, the conversation and how unexpectedly deep it had become. She listened, then asked, “So, what do you think?” I replied honestly: “I don’t have anything in mind right now.”

That’s when my sister, Ma Antho, said something profound. She asked me to go on a seven-day fast and pray about it. I agreed. For seven days, I poured out my heart to God, asking for clarity and direction.

When the fast ended, she asked, “So, how do you feel now?” And I said, truthfully “Nothing has changed.”

She simply smiled and said, “Then we continue.” She joined me in a second round of fasting, 25 more days. This time, we were determined to hear from God clearly.

Just two days after we completed the fast, Raphael invited my family to his house for lunch after church. That Sunday, my mother, my daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Mbu and I accepted the invitation.

To our surprise, Raphael had prepared a full spread of food himself, from traditional dishes to delightful flavors that warmed both body and soul. It was a beautiful gesture, full of love and care.

After eating, I began to feel very sleepy. Raphael gently offered, “Go rest in my room for a while.” I accepted.

And then came a moment I will never forget.

As I napped, I had a powerful dream. In it, I saw my beloved father, who had passed away five years prior and I had never dreamt of him since his passing. He looked weak, yet his voice was calm and strong. He said: “Stop crying. God has given you another father. Respect him, and cherish him.”

I woke up in tears. It was overwhelming. I stepped out and said to my family, “We need to leave now.” They were surprised, unsure of what had happened. In the car, I told them the dream.

My mother, in her calm wisdom, said: “You’ve been fasting and praying for God to give you an answer. My daughter, He has spoken.”

And truly, the rest was history.

From that moment, God began to write the next chapter of our love story, a story not just of romance but of divine direction, family support, prayer, patience, and purpose.

And today, here we are.

I stand before you, entering Holy Matrimony with not just a good man, but a man who has loved me from afar… who waited patiently… who never gave up on the dream God planted in his heart.

From Ekondo Titi to Lobe Estate, from Munich to Maryland, from childhood memories to a love nurtured by time. This is more than a reunion, It is a divine appointment.