Pastor Idris & the Wedding of His Daughter

When Pastor Idris Nyalos Kida invited Kristi and I to the wedding of his daughter, along with a special invitation to a family luncheon the week before the wedding, I was thrilled! Pastor Idris is the center of my third case study of my PhD research, so any chance to spend time with him is a wonderful opportunity.

We expected the family luncheon to be a simple affair at the home of Pastor Idris and his wife Mary. When we arrived at the petrol station near his home, Idris gathered us up into his vehicle and drove us to the event. When we approached the area of his home and I saw the tents outside, I knew that the event was much bigger than what we had anticipated, but it also felt very South Sudanese. As we stepped down from Idris’ Landcruiser, we were met by Pastor Zechariah who directed us to a protocol person who directed us to another protocol person who seated us near the front. As elder family members and dignitaries arrived, the women ululated and the joy was palpable; we ourselves were greeted with this same joyful response. A young man and a young woman emceed the outdoor event, which was punctuated by traditional dancing led by the family of the groom-to-be, who are of the Acholi tribe. I joined in the dancing, and it was clear that connecting with one’s cultural roots during these occasions brings great pride and joy for the gathered families and community.

The formal occasion did not last long; we were all directed to various local homes where we would eat the special meal. Kristi and I joined a pastor couple and another pastor, all of whom serve the largest Pentecostal church in Juba and who would officiate the wedding the following week. We had a grand time connecting and enjoying the festivities together. Looking after our every need, Pastor Idris took us out from an inner room to an outdoor area where the air was cool and we could feel more comfortable.

At these types of events, one always feels extra special when the host spends time with you. Pastor Idris came and sat with the five of us; we enjoyed hearing stories from the other guests of the many and varied men and women whom Pastor Idris had led to Christ and discipled over the course of three decades and more. One story highlighted a man who had come to faith through the ministry of Pastor Idris, but who had turned away from God and had turned back to alcohol after his wife died. While driving his motorcycle from Torit to Juba, this man heard an audible voice repeatedly saying to him, “If it was not for Idris, you would not be here,” meaning, if not for Idris’ influence in your life, you would not be alive. The man, his name Martin Elijah, was shaken to the core. He immediately turned his life back to God. Today, he plants and leads churches among the Lotuko people of Eastern Equatoria State in South Sudan.

Sitting outside with Pastor Idris and other guests

Many other fascinating stories were told that evening as we sat outside of the home of Idris and enjoyed the joy of the occasion. I did not realize it during the event, but the groom-to-be and bride-to-be were not present. The following week we would see them in all of their matrimonial glory. On that day at Juba Christian Center (JCC), while others were going forward to offer well-wishes to the bride and groom, I seized the opportunity to go forward, bend down, place my left arm over my right arm (a gesture of respect), and offer my hand in congratulations to Pastor Idris Nyalos Kida on this great occasion, the wedding of his daughter, Hannah Idris Nyalos.

Bride and Groom 

Bride and Groom and their families ~ 
Pastor Idris in front row, left, tall, wearing beige suit