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In Jane, Joseph was sure he had met his soulmate
Joseph and Jane Ganja say with God as their guide, not even the sky is the limit. Photos/Joan Salmon
What you need to know:
- For three days, Jane fasted, asking God if Joseph was the one for her.
- Her prayers were answered when he proposed during a Valentines Day dinner at church.
When a friend told her, Taata wange akwagala loosely translated as “My paternal uncle loves you”, the journey that led to marriage started.
Jane Nampemuko Ganja, was then in her second year at university when a relative of Joseph Ganja made the revelation.
“We were doing the same course. I was excited but also scared because he was the first man in my life. I, therefore, took my time before saying yes,” she says.
The year was 2009 when Joseph noticed a woman with a simple and humble lifestyle that endeared her to him.
“I am glad that I found an easy way to get in touch with her,” he shares. In the long run, Jane was smitten by the fact that he was always well dressed.
It was a humble journey with bumps but Joseph was sure he had met his soulmate and wanted no other. The couple had their firstborn ( a son) in 2011 then later in 2014, Jane got born again. This came with the thought that having had a child out of wedlock, maybe he is not the one.
“I knew God was not happy that I had given birth before marriage. So, I simply concluded that Joseph could not be the one. However, he was always sure that I was the one,” Jane shares.
She recalls a time when she assured him that they could not not get married. This wrecked havoc so bad that Jane’s mother said, ‘Someone’s son is going to die and his blood will be on you’.
Prayer and fasting
“I loved him but the guilt of the sin kept gnawing at me. For peace of mind, I prayed and fasted for three days, asking God if Joseph was really the one. I am glad that He said he was. Looking back, I can say that the devil has a way of using our past mistakes against us and we end up missing out on what God has prepared for us,” she says.
Determined to make her his, Joseph proposed to Jane.
“It was quite interesting because I proposed on Valentine’s Day. The amazing thing is that she did not expect it,” Joseph, a businessman working out of Kampala, shares.
While he says it was not costly as such because it was during a Valentine’s Day dinner at their church, Jane says it was a surprise and she shed tears of joy.
“By then, I did not have money but used the little I had. With that, I bought the ring. However, the other issue was it was not easy to approach her for the proposal among the many people who were in attendance,” he recollects. Jane adds that she is glad he insisted that she attends the dinner since she had planned not to.
Boldness to propose
“I was not planning to attend it but he and my sister convinced me. While it did not cost that much, I believe it was romantic enough because there were many witnesses. I was also left wondering where he got the boldness to propose in the presence of all those people,” Jane smiles.
Joseph says had he had enough money, he believes he would have done it better and differently.
Bonding
As a pastime, the Ganjas enjoy watching movies, walking and generally enjoying each other’s company.
With Jane’s conscience clear, the two had their introduction on November 13, 2021 and later wedded on March 26, 2022 at Victory City Church, Rubaga.
At this point, well aware that they were meant to be, the Ganjas say their first year of marriage was filled with love and joy. “We had nothing that could stop us from loving one another.”
That said, a life of commitment somewhat differs from one where one had options. For instance, each has to deal with the differences of the other in a manner of learning how to live together rather than trying to hide them under the rug. The Ganja’s also had these moments.
“Honestly, Joseph adjusted a lot for me. For starters, he became born again because it was the only way for us to get and stay married. The other thing was that although he did not grow up in Kampala, he chose to start living in my home area just to be close to me. Also, he would occasionally take alcohol but gave it up for me,” she smiles.
The other challenge is having to work around the fact that Joseph’s job is demanding, which leaves little time to spend with Jane.
“Sometimes, I am caught up with work thus failing to spend as much time as I would have wanted with my Jane. I also fail to fulfil some promises,3 which hurts her,” he says.
However, he remedies this by trying, as much as possible to adjust his time table. Joseph is also working on communicating better and more.
“I make sure I call her and talk as much as possible every day. That way, the gap is bridged,” he says.
Jane adds that she trusts him. “I am sure that he is devoted to me and that keeps me contented. Additionally, prayer works wonders and we put God first so He guides us where we are going astray,” she says.
The parents of one are in for the long haul and know that they made the right decision. “I know Joseph and I were meant to be because we went through a lot of challenges before we got married. However, despite all our struggles, Joseph always had one answer, “Jane is mine, no matter what, she has to be my wife,” she smiles.
