I was introduced to Priscilla in Spring 2015 at Salisbury University after a Bethel Campus Fellowship (BCF) bible study by a mutual friend. However, I don't remember having a conversation with her until the end of that semester when we both decided to serve on the executive board for BCF. In Fall 2015, she started calling me "bestfriend" even though we didn't know each other that well. In that short amount of time, we got to know each other a little while serving alongside each other but more so from a "work" relationship aspect until I left Salisbury.
The following year, I'd check up on her every now and then to ask her how life, school and ministry were going. By 2017, we started talking more and became actual best friends. I started seeking the Lord about her because I realized I was catching feelings and wanted to make sure I sought the Lord about it. That summer (July), I told her I was interested in her but she didn't say anything back. We went out as friends in October, (keep in mind she still hasn't said anything to me about what I said a few months prior).
2018 rolls around and in March I went to talk to my mentor at the time Noble. On this specific day, he randomly asked me if I was thinking about marriage and if I had anyone in mind. After I told him, he had a few more questions to get more insight. A couple days later Priscilla told me that she's also interested in me. A month later, Priscilla and I had a meeting with Noble to get some advice on moving forward so he told recommended we go through BCF's GRM [Godly Realationships Movement department] and we did. We were then instructed to pray and fast for some time to seek the Lord for confirmation. After many months of prayer and a couple meetings with mentors we entered onto courtship.
Boy meets girl, boy likes girl...
Girl gives boy the honor of marrying her. The end
For real though:
Aight so boom! One day at a Bethel Campus Fellowship (BCF) bible study Jeff came in with two guys. After bible study, I said hi and found out the guys were both from Ghana and I was excited to meet them because they’re my Ghanaian brothers. Fast forward to fall of 2015 when I was approached about taking on a leadership position in BCF Salisbury. I decided to pray on it before giving a final answer. After agreeing to take on the role of madam president, a meeting was set for the new leadership to meet and review roles. Mind you by then I had seen YB a few times and we’d just exchange formalities. During this meeting our roles and duties were discussed, I was president and he was secretary. At that moment I declared “we gon be bestfriends.” I said it with the idea that president and secretary have to work hand in hand but little did I know that I was prophesying our future.
We worked together in ministry and went from strangers to friends but I wouldn’t say close friends. It wasn’t until after he left Salisbury that we actually because closer. He’d occasionally text me here and there to check up on me, see how ministry, school and life was going. One day he asked me if I would be okay with him hitting me up more often and I said sure. We went from occasionally checking in to texting almost daily. There was a particular day I sent him a screenshot of a message he sent prior and he noticed that his name was saved as “‘bestfriend Yaw’” on my phone and he asked where that came from. I referred him back to that day we were appointed as leaders and he laughed and asked “do you actually wanna be bestfriends?” My response? “Sure, why not. You’re cool.” and that was the birth of bestfriendship.
Somewhere in 2017 after my graduation, he told me he liked me but I brushed it off. Not because I didn’t like him because believe me I had caught feelings that I wasn’t fishing for and threw them back months before he confessed, but because I truly loved our friendship and didn’t want anything making it awkward or causing us to lose the friendship. That didn’t mean he was letting go though, he would bring it up sometimes like “you know you haven’t responded to me right?” Or “should I take it as you curved me?” Lol. All the while I was still doing long tins! We hung out a few times and remember those feelings I caught and threw back? They jumped back into my net and he was growing on me.
In March of 2018 I confirmed my interest in him. He spoke to his mentor and his mentor asked us to do it the godly way and be mentored through the whole process, we obliged. After months of mentorship and praying for confirmation. We entered courtship in December of 2018.
I started planning for the proposal sometime in mid August with the help of Patrina and Ayodoyin. I had also asked for their help because I was planning to throw Priscilla a surprise birthday dinner. Originally, I planned to take her somewhere with a nice view and tell her it was for a photo shoot. Considering it would be a good opportunity to kill 2 birds with one stone, I could’ve proposed and had a photo shoot. However, a few months prior Priscilla told me she had a dream that I had proposed and described it very similarly to what I had been planning. From that point I decided to do something else.
We started by getting Priscilla’s input of how she’d like the proposal, Patrina asked her once when they hung out and I asked a couple times just to get an idea. A few things Priscilla stated were simple but she preferred a private proposal between the 2 of us and to have friends hidden around the location to “pop out” after I asked her to marry me. This already sounded a little complicated but to add on, I didn’t know when I would be able to propose because my family had to do what is called a “knocking ceremony” before I ask her to marry me. In short, a knocking ceremony is to inform the family of a lady of their son's intention/desire to marry her (Our son has seen a flower in your garden that he would like to pluck) lol. It’s a formal way of announcing the marriage plans to the lady's family. The parents of the man or any of the man's senior uncles within the family could go and represent the entire family at the occasion.
Later in the year both our families went through some personal issues, which caused the “knocking” to be put on hold. Fast forward to November, our parents met and talked a bit just so both of our parents could be formally introduced. Later that month, my parents and I went back so they could inform Priscilla’s parents of my intentions. After everything was said and done, I was basically allowed to propose.
I decided to propose the week after her birthday since Patrina had also planned the birthday dinner. I called Priscilla’s parents the Sunday of to let them know I would be proposing. To cut out a lot of minor details, the original location we chose wasn’t going to work for various reasons so we found MD Live! Casino. I drove there the night before to find a space we could use and saw a VIP Registration Room as I walked in. I went to talk to the FD Clerk who says we can play the piano in the lobby and use the VIP Registration Room for a bit but I’d have to talk to the manager. I went to talk to the manager and she says sure. A new place was secured but I’d have to coordinate the photographers, I texted Emmanuel & Brandon the new location and everything was set.
After 4 months of planning for Priscilla’s surprise dinner/proposal we (Patrina, Ayodoyin & myself) were able to solidify everything for both. I bought candles and rose petals for the décor at the proposal location. I had Emmanuel, Brandon (2nd photographer), Prince and Malvina in the room to take pictures and record a video of the proposal as we waited for her to walk in the room.
I remember some time in August of 2019 Esi(Patrina) suggested we have or rather she’d have a celebration for MY birthday in December to celebrate my life and testimony of all God had done for me that year. I was immediately down for it because it was a trying year but also one to be appreciated. She told me she would plan everything and I just needed to be available all day as we’d pamper ourselves before dinner.
I was very excited for this upcoming event and even tossed in an idea of a “Suited” theme where everyone would be in suits but she shot it down(rude). I even had my suit outfit picked out, but she said since it was about me, I should stand out in my suit. I don’t like attention like that lol.
Anyway, fast forward to the day of the proposal. Esi came to my house, we hung out a bit and then head out to get our pamper on. We went to her house to get ready and then took pictures before heading to dinner. I knew there was dinner and that there would be people but I didn’t know where it would be.
We get to the location of the dinner and it’s MD Live! Casino. I was a bit taken aback because I didn’t realize there were restaurants in there, atleast not any that I’d have a birthday event. But that’s besides the point. My brother and sister were supposed to meet us in the parking lot(we were waiting for them) but they decided to go in before we got there(Rude!). A series of hijinks ensued as we headed inside. 1. We forgot our IDs so we had to walk back to the car to get them because they wouldn’t let us through the casino without IDs. 2. My legs decided to stop working, I literally could not walk straight! I’m not sure why but my entire body was being weird..... I think it knew tonight was the night but it hadn’t clicked in my brain yet! I ended up taking off my heels to walk through the casino to get to the restaurant(or so I thought).
After we exited the casino we entered a lobby area so I decided to put my shoes back on, then I saw Joe, I said hi and kept moving. If I didn’t already know that there’d be people there, I would’ve suspected this was gonna be a proposal. I had previously mentioned on a couple occasions that I would prefer a private proposal so I figured this wasn’t it. I also assumed strongly that it would be either on our anniversary or sometime in February of 2020(not sure why).
We turn a corner and there is Oyin(Ayodoyin) handing me flowers. At this point I was confused as to why I was getting flowers. Then I saw my brother vaguely through the darkened door with his camera out, before I could think the door opens, there’s candles more cameras and a pianist playing “still standing” x Calledoutmusic. At this moment, my first instinct was to run but Alas, Esi and Oyin guarded the door and sent me back. As I walked down the candlelit aisle, I saw YB standing in the center of the room. It took me a bit to get to him because I kept stopping to catch my breath and get myself together because I realized I got got! This was indeed the proposal..... seeing that there were people and NO FOOD!
I finally made my way over. I honestly can’t even remember the words the man said. Scenarios ran through my head of times that I should’ve caught on but didn’t. Then I heard my name: Priscilla Akosua Dapaah Anafoa Serfour-Arhin and my mind snapped back!! 1. Because I realized how long my name was lol and 2. Because I knew exactly what was coming next.... “Will you do me the honor of being my wife?” I was shaking, but like the hard girl I am I kept my cool. My response?.......”DUH!!” Lololooolol
We later went to the real dinner where we were met by several other friends, to celebrate the occasion.
The meaning of our hashtag:
Our hashtag is the combination of two Twi words; “Nyamekye” meaning God gives/God’s gift and “Adepa” meaning Good thing. Our hashtag stems from our terms of endearment.
I call YB Nyamekye because I believe with my innermost being that he is my God given gift. ~Cilla
I call Cilla Adepa because she is indeed a good thing that I’ve found. ~Yaw
When you put these two words together, it forms the two worded sentence Nyamekye Adepa which translates to God gives good things.
So there you have it #NyamekyeAdepa20 #NA20 #Godgivesgoodthings20 #GGGT20.