In the months leading up to our return visit to Uganda in August 2012, I imagined proposing to Rachel on Lake Bunyonyi. This was to become a reality as I purchased the engagement ring on Saturday 21 July from Samuel Lawrence Jewellers in Beverley with Ben and Ellie there. A bacon sandwich and a cup of tea provided a welcome break in deciding the right choice of ring. A visit of a known Revd in the jewellers also confirmed the ring choice.
On the morning of our departure, I asked everyone to leave my house so I could "check that all the electric sockets are off". In fact, it was to enable me time to go upstairs and grab the ring hidden above my wardrobe and put it firmly at the bottom of my bag.
The journey of the ring to Ben and Ellie's house in Cambridge was eventful. I decided to wind Ben up by sending him a text saying "I've forgotten the most important thing". He tried ringing me but I prolonged the joke by not answering.
As we arrived outside their home, Ben arrives alongside my car with a ring box in his pocket. What a joke! It turns out he manically rode from shop to shop in Cambridge looking for an alternative ring. Once inside,I gave Ben the real engagement ring and he was to look after it until we arrived at the lake.
Once in Uganda, I made a nervous effort to visit the ring every night in Ben and Ellie's room. I knew it was right, but I was beginning to gather nerves. I never doubted Rachel would say "yes". The week prior to the deed, many Ugandan friends where quietly and openly asking me "when are you going to propose?" At Caleb's giveaway, his neighbour called Franco turned to me and said "I see the way she cares for you. You will make a good husband and she will be a good wife and you'll have a good family." I took these as prompts from God?
On the Sunday night, the evening before we set off to the lake, we were at Hilary and Judith's home. Amos asked me "when is the day?". My reply was "you'll be one of the first to know Amos!" Ali Doolan overheard and laughed as she knew it was to be very soon, sooner than Amos probably expected.
At the lake- we all decided to go out on the lake in canoes (part of my master plan). Ali Doolan decided she would prefer a walk, but a sly eye glance from me changed her mind pretty swiftly. It was cloudy but as each pair boarded their boat the sun gleamed! The boat man at the lake told me that Rachel and I had to face the same direction, which meant I had to devise a way of turning round once in the boat and in the middle of the lake (which could prove fatal).
We all headed off in our canoes, I told the others that I was taking Rachel off for some 'alone time'. We headed off towards the left of the lake, Rachel wanted to head towards the narrowest part of the lake where the valley met. The sun was shining on the lake and Rachel kept saying that everything was "perfect". As we rounded the second corner a house appeared on the shore with a huge love heart outside on the grass mountain.I knew this was the moment. Rach commented on how perfect this would be as a honeymoon destination, I kept wondering if she knew what was coming.
I kept reaching into my bag to pull out the ring, but I kept pulling out something different...water, my camera, water again. I was nervous! The last time I reached into my bag I pulled out the Bible. We sang a worship song together 'You're beautiful' before I read from Song of Songs chapter 7 - you must read it to get a mental image of the situation. I still didn't feel like I could 'pop the question' then so I read 1 Corinthians 13. I knew after that, that this was the moment. Just as I was about to pull out the ring a boat of white people 'muzungo' came past. After it had passed Rachel said to me "you can turn round now" so I did. I sang a line of Bruno Mars to her "Just the way you are". I knew this was the moment. I had been gradually moving the ring to the top of the bag throughout the journey. As I got down on one knee I pulled the ring out of the bag and said "so Rachel... we have been together for two years and I love you lots and lots and lots and lots. We have been through our ups and downs and I Iike the person you have made me to be. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, so I have bought you a necklace". I got the ring out and opened the box, just so it was facing me. I went on to say "look, if it is the wrong size the woman in the shop said that you can change it for a better one, just like you change me for the better". Then I said "so, Rachel Melissa Banyard, will you marry me?". I turned the ring round and Rachel said "are you being serious?". I gave her a look and then Rachel said "Lee Edward kirkby, yes I will". I put the ring on her finger. We then prayed and asked God to be at the centre of our relationship. We shared a kiss before taking some photos. Rachel was still crying - if you look at the photos you can see the tears. We were both in a moment of "what has just happened?".
As we headed back to shore we took in the moment where it had happened. As we paddled back Rachel said to me "This is like our journey of life. It is hard work to paddle, probably steering off course. Sometimes we will be plain sailing, other times we will go round in circles...It is only when we work together that we make progress. At the end of the day it is that we are still in the boat together and that nothing will stop us".
We got back to the shore and Ben had champagne at the ready. I shared the news with everyone, and the Champagne was popped! We took lots of photos. I then told the story of what had happened and Martin Doolan began to cry, then Ben did, Ellie and even Annie shed a tear - Adam was speechless.
It was the perfect moment and the happiest occasion ever!
I cannot wait to be the husband of Rachel and to have Rachel as my wife!
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