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Mashudu Mambo
THE love story of Japhet Nyathi (84) and Eveline Ndebele (74) from Magwegwe West suburb in Bulawayo is a testament of enduring love and commitment.
The couple has been married for 50 years and they are blessed with four children. Nyathi met his wife in Nkayi in 1973 where he had been deployed.
“I am a teacher by profession and I was deployed in Nkayi and this was one of the hardest decisions that I had to take but God had his plans. While I was in Nkayi, I met my wife who was a student at a nearby school and we fell in love. We started dating and in 1974 we got married in a lovely ceremony. We managed to save money and we bought this house in 1979,” he said.
He stated that they have been inseparable since 1974.
“Our marriage is built on love and respect, we are always together and this is because we are concerned about each other’s well-being. In the middle of the night, when I wake up to drink water she accompanies me to the kitchen. This is how much we care for each other. The key to a successful relationship is prayer and mutual understanding and this has seen us grow and even lead a church together,” he said.
Ndebele said she fell in love with how her husband treated her.
“We met in my village and I fell in love with how my husband was concerned about my welfare. He was supportive and when we met I had not completed my studies, he helped me advance and I became a qualified teacher. There was a time when my husband went abroad for studies for five years, I remained faithful to our marriage and took care of our children without complaining or murmuring,” she said.
Ndebele stated that prayer is a key to a successful marriage.
“Prayer has been the glue to our relationship, we pray together for everything. We have always been united as a team. The other key factor is respect and this is important even when you are provoked, as a woman, it’s important to submit and not talk back at your partner. You have to try by all means to avoid conflicts and exchanging words with your partner,” she said.
She added that a number of marriages fail because everyone believes that their view is crucial.
“As a woman it is very important to listen to your partner even in cases when you are not in agreement with him. A number of marriages fail because women do not submit. Women, you have to allow your husbands to make the final decision,” she said.
Online Reporter