Pastor Malachi's Wedding in Kampong Chnang

The month of March was full of activity and weddings. The first wedding was for Pastor Malachi and his new wife Srey Roath, pictured above.

This wedding was slightly different as it possessed a very light and fun quality, very different from the ceremonial nature of the traditional Khmer wedding. Here you are seeing Malachi and several pastors and friends lounging together for a picture before the service.

The wedding took place in Kampong Chnang, and we traveled there the day before the wedding, staying in a guest house situated about an hours from the actual wedding. Here you are seeing the Bickerts, Mamel, Mam Grace and John Park posing with several jakfruits that were growing on the property of the guesthouse.

Upon arriving, we joined in the morning breakfast of rice porridge. Here you are seeing Tim and Pastor Banyon posing together during the meal.

The missionaries are almost always asked to give a special blessing to the new bride and groom. Here you are seeing Tim giving his blessing and advice for their new marriage.

The ceremony called “Joining the Hands” is an opportunity for those attending the wedding to offer gifts for the new couple to purchase the things necessary to begin their home together. Here you are seeing us giving the money to Malachi and Srey Roath.

A special time of the wedding was when Srey Roath’s father, who is not a Christian , gave his daughter a bracelet during the “Joining the Hands’ ceremony. Here you are seeing the father, carefully attaching the bracelet to his daughter’s wrist. Tears were flowing from the eyes of father and daughter during this special time.

The entire team of missionaries gathered together for this picture with the new husband and wife.

Channa was one of the bridesmaids for Srey Roath, and here you are seeing her pose with Tiffany after the service.