13 Aug No Coincidences, Only Godincidences: Our Wedding on International Youth Day
When Anyele and I began planning our wedding, we had no idea that the date we chose—August 12, 2006—would hold such profound significance. To us, it was simply the day we would begin our journey together as husband and wife. But as we would later discover, God had aligned our story with something much bigger.
We had both been deeply involved in youth work for many years—first as young people ourselves, serving locally in our interdenominational church on the University of Ghana campus, and later nationally through The HuD Group Ghana, Scripture Union, the Navigators, GHAFES, and other platforms. Youth development was not just an activity for us; it was a calling. So it was only natural that we wanted our wedding to inspire the next generation.
Our theme, “A Celebration of Purpose, Passion, and Purity,” was more than words—it was a message. Every part of the day was intentionally crafted to reflect those values, from the program lineup to the symbolism in our attire. In keeping with the celebration of sexual purity and seXsense, both bride and groom wore spotless white garments. By God’s enabling grace, we had both kept ourselves pure as virgins until that day, and we wanted our wedding to stand as a testimony, a challenge, and an encouragement to others.
At the time, we simply thought August 12 was our date. However, we later learned that in 1998—eight years before our wedding—the World Conference of Ministers Responsible for Youth in Lisbon had recommended that August 12 be recognised as International Youth Day. The United Nations General Assembly formally declared it so in its resolution 54/120 on December 17, 1999.
That’s when it hit us—there are no coincidences, only Godincidences. As lifelong youth workers and the founders of The HuD Group Global (established in 2003 to “inspire and empower young people to discover their God-given purpose and reach their full potential”), our marriage began on a date dedicated to celebrating and empowering youth worldwide. On that day, we were not only exchanging vows but also lifting high the banner of sexual purity and godly purpose.
Today, years later, we may be “young-ish” rather than simply young, but we now have biological children who are themselves youth. Each anniversary is more than a personal milestone—it is a reminder of the generation we are called to serve, the message we are charged to live out, and the God we are committed to glorifying.
So, belated happy International Youth Day!
(Yesterday, I was primarily focused on my bride, not youth—lol! 😂)
Global CEO of The HuD Group
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