We did not hide our imperfections 

Basically, addressing conflict in good times (while dating) helped Jackie and Isaac Kisembo start their marriage journey on one page; knowing what the other can and cannot tolerate. 

The couple met in 2008 through Pacesetters, a youth fellowship at All Saints Cathedral in Kampala.

A student at Makerere University,  Isaac was already a member while Jackie, who had just joined Makerere University Business School was aspiring to join the fellowhip.

However, even after Jackie becoming a member, the two would only become friends a year later and soon after this, they developed romantic feelings for each other. 

“I was and I am still attracted to her beauty. Most importantly, it was her zeal to serve God Lord that really drew me in,” Isaac says.

Jackie says Isaac is an excellent listener and was everyone’s confidant. 

“People trusted him, always running to him with their prayer requests despite him being an introvert,” Jackie says, adding that she loved the fact that Isaac was also independent and never gave in to peer pressure. As such, he earned her respect even without trying hard.

After two years of dating, Isaac knew there was no point in waiting to propose marriage to Jackie.

“This might sound too spiritual, but in regards to surprising my wife, I pray and seek God’s guidance, every step of the way on the ideal activity and time, among others. I must confess, He has never disappointed me,” Isaac says, adding that it was also important to understand her tastes and preferences.

That is how Isaac was certain that on the day he planned to propose marriage, Jackie would be smitten because not only had the introverted Isaac stepped out of his comfort zone, he had also considered her desires.

Proposal
Finally settling with proposing at the end of the youth service, Isaac talked to the ministry chairperson as well as the pastor who were instrumental in making it memorable.

“After the youth service, Isaac called all the leaders to the pulpit and once we had all gathered, he turned towards me and got on one knee. I could not help but scream. However, I remembered that we were in church and calmed myself down. I was blown away because this was over and above for Isaac. While I do not remember what he said, I said, “Yes” the moment he stopped talking,” she says.

The couple held their introduction ceremony on January 23, 2016, at Jackie’s parents’ home in Masajja, Namasuba (off Entebbe Road).

It was followed by their wedding on April 23, 2016, at All Saints Cathedral in Kampala. The couple has been blessed with two children; Liam Kitiibwa and Lyza Kuteesa.

Apart from God, the glue that keeps them together is engaging in joint activities such as fellowship and family movie time. 

First-year of marriage
Looking back at their first year of marriage, Isaac says it was interesting and memorable, mostly because of the adjustments they had to make. 

“We enjoyed bonding as a married couple because God was at the heart of our marriage and we were ready to make it work. Premarital counselling also laid a firm foundation that we still follow to date,” Isaac says.

Jackie says the first year is where theory meets reality and while there was a lot of adjusting and learning to do, it was easier than they had anticipated. 

“We had to learn to communicate, deal with finances and help each other with home chores,” she says, adding that talking to couples who had been married for some time also helped them garner enough knowledge to fall back on when things were not going right. 

Challenges
Marriage has seasons and the Kisembos say a couple’s attitude is important in how well they manoeuvre the daily challenges. 

For Isaac, it was when he was not earning much, which strained their finances. The other was communication owing to their personality differences. In Jackie’s case, it was when they were trying to conceive their first child. 

“Nobody tells you that conception is not as obvious as it sounds. We also had a trying time when my husband was in between jobs, and we had to live off one salary. Nonetheless, it brought us closer, helped us streamline our finances and we understood that truly, God is our provider,” she says.

To overcome, Isaac says, he continued skilling himself as he trusted God to open doors for paid work. 

“We also learnt to be grateful for what we had and prayed for what we needed. In regards to communication, apart from seeking God’s wisdom, we attended a couples’ fellowship and sought counsel from the elders,” he says.