Half a Century of Impact

Half a Century of Impact

Jul 12 , 2025. By Eden Sahle ( Eden Sahle is founder and CEO of Yada Technology Plc. She has studied law with a focus on international economic law. She can be reached at edensah2000@gmail.com. )

On a cold Saturday afternoon last week, we gathered to honour a couple who have profoundly shaped both my life and my husband’s, not just spiritually or emotionally, but in how we understand marriage, resilience, and purpose. They were celebrating 50 years of marriage.

For five decades, they have lived out a love story rooted not in ease or perfection, but in unshakable commitment, service, and faith. What made this celebration unforgettable was not merely the longevity of their union, but the depth of their influence.

The stories shared by those they touched, and the simple yet powerful truths they live by, revealed how private consistency can quietly shape many lives. They are not just a couple; they are a compass. When they speak of their journey, they avoid romanticising it. They openly share that their marriage has weathered storms, including deep financial hardship.

There were seasons when money was scarce and uncertainty loomed like a shadow. But they never allowed external pressures to weaken their bond. They chose love every single day, not the feeling, but the action. That gritty, deliberate love is what sustained them.

In a world obsessed with emotional highs, their consistency is quietly radical. Their love is rooted in decision, not impulse, and that choice has built something enduring. Equally essential to their longevity is the deep respect they hold for one another. In both speech and action, they practise honour.

Even in moments of frustration, they never speak ill of each other. Public words are never used as weapons, and they always preserve one another’s dignity. That choice, to protect each other with language, has built a fortress around their union. Their marriage is strong, sacred, and stable.

It is a kind of strength that invites others to lean in and learn. It is a quiet strength, the kind that does not boast but cannot be ignored. Perhaps most striking is how different they are. Their personalities, decision-making styles, and approaches to life often diverge.

Yet instead of trying to change one another, they have embraced those differences. They have discovered that harmony does not require similarity. Many people believe compatibility means being alike. However, our mentors have demonstrated that true compatibility is founded on a unity of purpose.

Their shared commitment to serve others, raise children with wisdom, and remain anchored in faith is what makes their relationship work. That common foundation keeps them aligned, even in disagreement. One of the most powerful lessons they have passed on is how to handle conflict. In their home, disagreements are never spectacles.

They do not involve outsiders, nor do they use public platforms to vent. They have cultivated the discipline of private resolution, built on humility and patience. This does not mean they ignore problems, it means they confront them head-on, with grace. Their sacred sense of privacy is rare and refreshing.

In an age of oversharing, they remind us that marriage is between two people, not two people and the world. Their unity extended into parenting. Far from their Canadian roots, they spent thirty-three years raising children in Ethiopia. They embraced everything about the country they came to love.

Ethiopia was not just a posting, it became home. Their children were raised with a blend of spiritual discipline, cultural appreciation, and a deep commitment to service. During the celebration, their children shared how their parents’ unity and consistency gave them a strong sense of security. Now adults and parents themselves, they carry forward the same strength and clarity of purpose.

One daughter adopted Ethiopian twins, a testament to the family’s enduring love for the country. Their identity has grown beyond national borders. It is not where they came from, but where they gave the most, that defines them. Their roots are planted in Ethiopian soil, and in Ethiopian hearts.

I have felt their legacy in my own life. When I lost my father, they visited not with rushed condolences, but with presence. They sat with me in silence, in comfort, and in wisdom. Their quiet companionship spoke volumes.

Later, they walked with my husband and me through our engagement. Along with their daughter and her husband, they offered premarital counselling rich in lived wisdom. What they taught us was not theoretical but forged in decades of grace-soaked experience. Their voices still echo in how we navigate marriage and family today.

Their influence stretches far beyond us. They have comforted the grieving, guided the confused, and mentored couples across generations. Their marriage is not only long, but also layered with intention, sacrifice, and meaning. It is lifted by love that endures.

During the anniversary celebration, one by one, people stood to share how the couple had shaped their lives. Some had once been lost; others were unsure of their path. Many found purpose and clarity through their guidance. Their legacy lives on in the lives they’ve helped reshape.

They carry a well of life-giving stories, not of perfection, but of real love, tested faith, and miraculous endurance. These are not tales for applause, but lessons for life. What makes them unforgettable is not their eloquence, but their truth. In a world where marriages are often reduced to fleeting emotions, theirs is built on something deeper.

Not on chemistry, but on covenant. Not on convenience, but on conviction. It is a marriage that stands as a beacon. Their story reminds us that commitment still matters.

That grace builds bridges. That strong marriages are no accident, but the fruit of daily intention. And when two people share a purpose, they can outlast any storm.

They did not just survive five decades, they thrived. They raised children who are change-makers in their communities. They lived not just in Ethiopia but became part of its heartbeat. Their mentorship is more than advice, it is transformation.

Fifty years is more than a milestone. It is a legacy of unwavering faith, enduring love, and purpose that continues to echo. As we honoured them that Saturday, we celebrated more than time, we celebrated a life well given. Their story calls us all higher.

It teaches us to love intentionally, to speak with honour, to build patiently, and to stay united in purpose. Because when we do, fifty years is not the end, it is only the beginning of a legacy that lasts.

PUBLISHED ON Jul 12,2025 [ VOL 26 , NO 1315]