A Facebook Love Story

When Virginia Nyambura accepted Jacob Maina’s friend request on Facebook in late 2014, she did it out of routine and didn’t think it would amount to much. But Jacob Maina, 29, knew too well he was looking for a wife and his heart was convinced that Virginia was the one. Jacob, a pastor at Grace Fellowship Centre in Muchatha, Kiambu County, was ready for marriage and although he had spent practically all his life in church, he had not seen a suitable candidate among the flock. He thus turned to Facebook for help.

“From the word go, it was clear in his timeline that he was a God-fearing man,” says Virginia.
Virginia was going through a rough patch at the time and sought advice from Jacob through Facebook. “I advised her and we continued with our regular Facebook chats. We grew fond of each other to a point that we wanted to meet up face to face. She didn’t show up for the first rendezvous but she later gave a good reason for it,” says Jacob.

Their first meeting would happen in May 2015 when Virginia asked Jacob to accompany her to see her sick mum. Jacob bonded well with Virginia’s family during this visit and even ended up spending the night in her home. Virginia was pestered by her sisters who wanted to know who the man was, but all she said was that he was a friend.
After this visit Jacob returned to Kirinyaga and Virginia to Nairobi but they both knew they had crossed the friendship line. It wasn’t long before they started talking of marriage.

“While dating is good, it’s not the perfect foundation for a healthy marriage. If you are mature and well equipped with the word of God, you are good to go once you meet the right person,” says Jacob. He adds that God gave man authority to choose the kind of a wife he wants, meaning the man is the one supposed to make a wife from the product (woman) God gives him.
“Love is more than emotional. It’s a decision. You make a decision to love and stick with the woman you chose,” he says.
At the time, Jacob worked at a graphic and design firm as well as serving in his church. “We both lost our jobs as the wedding plans were in top gear, but we vowed not to lose hope and soldiered on. Our wedding budget was Ksh500,000 inclusive of dowry payment and God saw us through,” says Jacob while acknowledging the help he got from friends and the congregation he served.

Virginia reveals that people tried to discourage her from marrying a person without a stable source of income but she gave their advice a cold shoulder for she was in love with Jacob and not his money.
“We held our wedding on June 25, 2016 at Jacob’s home church in Sagana, Murang’a. It was a great day,” Virginia says smiling. The couple has since been blessed with a child.
“Do not to look at one’s financial standing when looking for a marriage partner. Money is not key to a successful relationship. Look for a man who is after God’s heart,” she advises as we wind up the interview.