Thomas and Daphne Adonis’s love has survived the toughest challenges over the years, and after 60 years of marriage, it is still going strong.
The Lansdowne couple celebrate their anniversary tomorrow, Thursday February 1, and believe that they have come this far, only because of God’s help.
Mr Adonis, 80, and Ms Adonis, 78, grew up as friends in Bishopscourt, and dated for three years before tying the knot in 1958.
Mr Adonis said the love started to bloom between the two when both of them served their church, Good Shepherd in the then Protea village, as Sunday school teachers.
During the apartheid government’s forced removals, the couple moved to Lansdowne in 1960. Although those were very challenging times, the pair believe it only made them stronger.
Said Ms Adonis: “I remember it was on an Ash Wednesday, and it was my 21st birthday on that day when we got the letter that we must move. I believe it had to happen. It allowed me to grow stronger in my faith. When we moved to Lansdowne, we grew more spiritually. Up until today, we are both very active at our church, St Aiden’s.”
When Mr Adonis mentioned that they were both also confirmed at St Saviour’s Anglican church in Claremont, Ms Adonis said this was all part of God’s plan for their lives.
“I think God already had a plan for us. We also got married at St Saviour’s. It was tough times. We were both very young at that stage. We experienced many anxious moments in our lives, and our marriage went through tough times. Our first born died at the age of nine months, but we managed to pull through, with God’s grace and mercies,” Ms Adonis added.
After Mr Adonis completed his schooling, he worked for a law firm for 10 years, before joining the Cape Law Society “as a jack of all trades” for 37 years. He retired 18 years ago.
Ms Adonis was a stay-at-home mother, and cared for both their parents. Ms Adonis’s mother lived with them for 38 years.
Mr Adonis said apart from God, both their parents also set a good example and “laid a solid foundation” for them.
“God won’t give us a burden that is too heavy for us to carry, and He carries the bulk of the load anyway. Our marriage was not without troubles, but we always put God first. God said come to me all who are heavy laden, and I will answer your prayers. He knows our needs even before we ask. We didn’t get this far on our own. God carried us through,” Mr Adonis said.
And their advice to the younger generation?
“When you have a function, then there are always centrepieces on the tables. After the function, one tends to put it away and it will gather dust until the next function. Our advice to younger couples, is to have God as a centrepiece, and to never pack Him away,” Ms Adonis said.
They added that they often learn new things, and learn from younger people also. They have three children and four grandchildren.