‘I told him he was not my type’

“I also distanced myself from Apollo because he was among the most principled ushers. I saw him as someone who would never be interested in me,” says Leah.

Their first impressions of each other were starkly contrasting. Leah saw Apollo as a smart yet serious individual, while Apollo perceived Leah as a pretty but unapologetically straightforward woman.

“She was pretty but an unrepentant individual. With time, I got to know she was actually a decent person, especially to her friends and family. It took her time to get used to someone new,” Apollo says.

Loved up

Gradually, Leah and Apollo became close friends.

“She became my confidant. I got amazed by the fact that she was always free and comfortable around me,” Apollo shares, adding that this did not guarantee that they were prospective partners though.

“I was an extrovert who never cared about how people perceived what I did or said and he always told me how he pitied the man who would marry me. My ‘careless’ response to him was always, “you can be sure it is not you because you are not my type,” Leah recounts.

As their friendship grew, they gradually exceeded their initial expectations. Leah’s heart began to soften towards Apollo. She found herself drawn to his kindness and patience, qualities that were hiding beneath his tough exterior. However, she never believed they could be more than friends.  She also admired Apollo’s humility and willingness to lend a sympathetic ear during her moments of vulnerability.

“Whenever I ran to him with a problem, he would calmly comfort, advise and counsel me. But even at this time, I was sure he would never be my husband, ”  Leah narrates.

 Meanwhile, Apollo discovered Leah’s caring nature, honesty, and resilience, qualities that resonated with his vision of an ideal partner. Although after university Apollo lived in Bushenyi District in western Uganda and Leah in Kampala, the two kept in touch, and with time, an irresistible bond developed.

“I loved the way she always appreciated everything I did for her, even something as small as sending a text message. Whenever we talked on phone, she made sure we concluded with a word of prayer,” Apollo recollects.

Apollo confesses his love

While Apollo gradually got attracted to Leah, he sought God’s intervention and spent nearly a week crafting a proposal.

“On June 16, 2018, I sent her a WhatsApp message requesting her to be my future wife. I also gave her a timeline of two months to give me a response since I did not want to waste any more time,” Apollo shares.

Surprisingly, Leah took only 13 days to reply. Apollo’s heartfelt message had deeply touched her.

“It took me two full days to complete reading the message not because it was so long but because I would become emotional at every attempt.  I could not believe this amazing man was choosing to spend the rest of his life with me,” recalls Leah, adding that she requested to share her feedback in person, which Apollo agreed to.

“He travelled to Kampala on June 27, 2018, which was my birthday. With a few friends, he surprised me with a birthday party. A day after, we met again and I was ready with all the questions I wanted him to answer if I was to say yes.  He answered all of them as I expected,” Leah says.

Their courtship, which began on June 28, 2018, was marked by transparency, accountability, and a commitment to maintaining purity until marriage. Friends and mentors provided guidance and support throughout, with one of their mentors becoming their best man.

Marriage proposal

On March 16, 2019, while at Biku Prayer Mountain in Nebbi District for an ushers’ prayer retreat, Apollo requested the moderator to close the session by choosing Leah to give a vote of thanks to the host. While she gave the vote of thanks, Apollo got down on one knee and asked Leah to be his one and only. She said yes.

Leah and Apollo exchanged their vows at St Francis Chapel, Makerere, on September 14, 2019, four days after their introduction ceremony in Kayanga Village, Kambuga Sub-county, Kanungu District. The couple says their wedding, that cost Shs20m, was funded by family, friends and their savings. The cake cost Shs850,000, while decoration cost Shs1.5m.

“We had initially planned to host 150 guests at St Francis Chapel Makerere University Community Centre Hall, because we did not want to have any debts after the wedding. However, we ended up with 400 guests. Our guest list adjusted as finances came in,” says Apollo.

Leah shares that although it rained heavily minutes to entering the church, this did not change their jolly mood.

She adds that she was amazed by their friends, parents and siblings who showed up, “we also enjoyed the worship songs by Bethel Judah choir, both in church and at the reception.”

To Apollo, marriage vows were and are still the reason he got married. At the time of exchanging vows, he felt a solid commitment he was making before God, in a holy place.

So far

Today marks four years of Leah and Apollo’s marital journey. They say their keys to a happy marriage are prayer and putting Jesus Christ at the centre of their marriage.

“We also resolve conflicts based on scripture, and not our feelings, celebrate all milestones and love each other unconditionally,” Leah shares, adding that they are also always grateful, not entitled and work hard.

The couple says during their first year of marriage,    they learnt and adjusted to each other’s characters, set goals and worked hard to achieve them.