On February 2, 2021, Bernard Musyoki and Deborah Jan Spicer walked up to Sheria House in Nairobi and tied the knot.
Musyoki had on a ring worth Ksh.50, while Deborah spotted relatively old ring, but they were not going to let this mere factor put on a dent on the happiest day of their lives.
Although Deborah is almost twice his age, Musyoki believes that theirs is true love that will conquer anything.
“I don’t have a choice on who I fall in love with. She’s the perfect person, it just happens that she lives thousands of miles away,” says the Malindi-based businessman.
37-year-old Musyoki met his 72-year-old wife, who lives in Michigan, USA, on Facebook and they fell in love despite many objections from friends and relatives.
“I bought a ring worth Ksh.50 for my wedding and my wife used the one she had. She told me she didn’t mind the fact that I got a cheap ring. What mattered to her was me, her prince charming,” Musyoki narrates.
It has been two years since the love birds got hitched at the Attorney General’s office and their anniversary is a few days from now.
“Our anniversary is on February 4 and both of us will go to a hotel and we will have a meal on video call. Because of time difference, she will go for lunch and I have dinner so that we can be in sync with the time difference,” he says.
Unlike many couples who live together after getting married, Musyoki last saw his wife in June 2021, but the long distance does not hinder them from doing everything together.
“We do everything together, we shop together, take walks together, cook together, sometimes I might encounter something interesting and she is the first person I want to share it with. This has made us grow fond of each other every passing day,” he says.
Every relationship, however, has its own set of challenges, and theirs is no different.
“We experience challenges like any other relationship, sometimes I miss her so much. With distance, you don’t know sometimes what your partner is up to and so you need all the reassurance you can get,” Musyoki says.
He notes that when a couple trusts each other and are committed, they can beat anything, including long distance.
“I take care of myself, I am faithful and I know my wife is faithful too. I cannot cheat on her because I know how that would hurt her and break our marriage,” he adds.
In 2018, Musyoki was to travel to the United States to meet his princess, but he was denied a Visa.
He notes that the Visa process is a long and rigorous process requiring proof of the relationship as well as financial records.
“It was hard saying goodbye and not knowing when we’ll see each other next. I hope we can finally be together soon, she is the best thing that ever happened in my life,” he says.
Above all, Musyoki believes that long-distance relationships can flourish, provided both parties communicate regularly.
“Good communication is key, don’t let a day pass without communication. If you can meet each other’s communication needs, you can feel like your partner actually isn’t thousands of miles away,” he concludes.
