East Africans Celebrate Valentine's Day in Style
  
East Africans hit the floor to celebrate Valentines day courtesy of Fresh Aroma Ministries in Chelmsford, MA. Pic by Pius Teneng/AjabuMedia

by Harrison Maina
Chelmsford, MA
Photograpy by Pius Teneng and Harrison Maina
01/15/2008  
 Close to 300 Africans clad in elegant attire of red and black, the official colors of the lover’s day, jam packed a hall inside the Radisonn Hotel in Chelmsford, MA on Saturday Feb 12,  to celebrate the wildly famous St Valentines day.

   Wiggle room was hard to find as married couples, single men and women from different African countries of Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, Burundi, DR CONGO, Liberia, Nigeria, as well as Haiti, Puerto Rico, and USA, happily mingled, wined, dined and smiled at each other in recognition of this revered day observed all over  entire world.  

“This is awesome, there are so many beautiful looking ladies here I don’t even know who to talk to”, one excited  young man was overheard telling his friend as they stared at the sea of red and black dressed  girls hitting the dance floor. “It’s better than going to a club”, the mesmerized young man added.

 The event marked the 10 th Annual Valentines Gala put together and hosted by Apostle  Darius and his wife, Prophetess Mwaka Twagirayesu of Fresh Aroma Ministries. They have been holding the gala in Lowell, MA, for the last nine years as a means of ministering the word of God and praying for couples and singles as a means of fostering better family relationships.” One day in the past, after sharing with many people, we just realized that a lot of  singles  and some couples out there  endure a tremendously hard time during Valentines day”, Prophetess Mwaka told AjabuAfrica.com. “They feel too lonely. We founded this event to offer people a place to meet up and have fun, worship and pray in a Godly manner. Some people have even formed long lasting relationships leading to marriage after meeting at these events, Mwaka added.

  Apostle Darius and his wife, however, recently relocated to the state of Texas six months ago, leaving their faithful worrying about the fate of their favorite annual event. The worries were however cast aside by  Apostle Darius,  when he  told the attendees that  Fresh Aroma ministries was growing bigger and bigger and will continue to hold the New England Valentines Gala. “We are having a similar event in Texas next week, Feb 16 th 2008 in Texas”. Apostle Darius said. “Next year, we have four events lined up, in New England, Texas, Maryland and the United Kingdom, he added to the delight of the faithful.

Young single ladies shake their bodies at the Valentine Gala H.Maina/AjabuMedia H.Maina/AjabuMedia

Prophetess Mwaka and her Husband, Apotsle Darius get the kicks from the proceedings P. Teneng/AjabuMedia

Africans who attended this event were treated to arguably the most lavish evening of the year. The event started off with worship and prayer followed by a great five course dinner, amid cool live band lingala Gospel music in the background, performed by Bob Kambamba from DRC.This was followed by a dance competition which was won by Kenyans.

The dance floor was then open up for all and sundry, which saw people, hit the dance floor. The wildly popular Congolese Gospel Musician kept the revelers on their feet as the young and old danced and cheered wildly.  The crowning of the 2008 Miss Valentine, followed, and was taken by an excited Haitian lady. Other artists who graced the event included Carol Mbithi and Grace Shikoh from Kenya.

During the preaching of the word that followed, prophetess Mwaka asked African immigrants in the USA to rise up and do what God called them to do with excellence. “I am sick and tired of this mediocrity. God did not bless you with that Visa all the way from Africa to come here and do menial jobs forever”. Prophetess Mwaka lamented. “You need to be excellent and do something great, in whatever God puts in your heart, whether it is business, family work or anything else”, She added.Mwaka who hails from Zambia met her husband, Darius , from Rwanda , while living in Kenya and have been blessed with three boys since then.

Puerto Ricans were among people from differebt countries who joined East Africans at the Gala H.Maina/AjabuMedia

Two Kenyan ladies and a young man enjoy tea and wine after the five course dinner H.Maina/AjabuMedia

As the event came to an end, the people who appeared reluctant to leave, filled the hallway as they posed for Hollywood style valentine pictures at an AjabuMedia mobile photo studio set up .Some young men took the advantage to get pictures with their newly met girl prospects.

”This photo will do the trick here man, we look so good together” , Mr Donald Chege confided to  AjabuMedia.com as he brandished a  large size instant photo  he had just taken with a lady he met at the Gala.

Watch this space for a comprehensive picture album from the event