{"id":743,"date":"2025-09-01T06:43:08","date_gmt":"2025-09-01T06:43:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/africadiplomacy.net\/?p=743"},"modified":"2025-09-01T06:43:09","modified_gmt":"2025-09-01T06:43:09","slug":"tom-close-and-his-wife-share-the-secret-to-a-strong-marriage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/africadiplomacy.net\/?p=743","title":{"rendered":"Tom Close and His Wife Share the Secret to a Strong Marriage"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Dr. Muyombo Thomas, popularly known as Tom Close<\/em>, and his wife Ingabire Ange Tricia, have revealed some of the values and lessons that have kept their marriage strong for 12 years. The couple shared their testimony during the Young Leaders Prayer Breakfast<\/em>, where they emphasized patience, constant communication, and teamwork as essential foundations for a lasting union.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the discussion, Tricia spoke first, noting that while their marriage is built on strong values, it has not been without challenges. She explained that time management was one of the earliest hurdles they faced, especially since Tom Close is both a musician and a medical doctor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhen we first got married, time was our biggest challenge. He was already a well-known artist, later became a doctor, and still managed to start writing and illustrating children\u2019s books. It was not easy to balance everything. I wanted to support him, but I also needed time for myself and for the children,\u201d Tricia said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She recalled turning to prayer before approaching her husband about sharing responsibilities more equitably.
\u201cI told him, \u2018Even though you have many duties and you\u2019re working hard for the family, at home you are the king. I need you as my husband, and the children need you as their father. Please try to give us even a little of your time after work.\u2019 He listened, and because God was in it, things started to change.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From that point, they began splitting household duties. For instance, when he came home and found her bathing their daughters, he would bathe their sons. On some days, he even took over the cooking, a task he enjoys.
\u201cIn those moments, he would call the children to help him make snacks, and I could see how happy they were just spending time together. It became clear that small gestures made a big difference,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tricia said that late-night conversations after the children were asleep also became crucial to their bond and even contributed positively to Tom Close\u2019s professional life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The couple, who share five children, have also learned to compromise on smaller issues. Tricia recounted how they used to clash over what to listen to in the car\u2014she preferred music, while he preferred news updates. \u201cIt bothered me, but I didn\u2019t say anything for years. Recently, I told him that sometimes listening to music might help him relax after work. But he explained that for him, music is work, so he preferred the news. I realized I should have spoken up earlier.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For his part, Tom Close highlighted how external voices\u2014whether from relatives, friends, or social media\u2014can strain a marriage. He recalled how, in the early years of their union, rumors circulated online that they had a child with albinism and had even separated.
\u201cAt first I ignored it, but my wife received calls from family members asking what was going on. We had to explain to them directly, and eventually, I used social media myself to address and dismiss the rumors.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He stressed that spending quality time together and making joint decisions has been central to their success. \u201cI don\u2019t make decisions alone. We plan as a family, even long-term, to avoid unnecessary waste or conflict.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Umutoni Gatsinzi Nadine, Director General of the National Child Development Agency, who also attended the discussion, praised the couple for being a role model to young families.
\u201cI commend you for showing that young families can thrive when they build on shared values and communication,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, Rwanda Leaders Fellowship member Bariho Lambert emphasized the importance of preparing couples for marriage beyond the wedding day. \u201cIt\u2019s not enough to only prepare for the ceremony. Couples must also learn to align their expectations and deal with the emotional scars of their past, as these are some of the hidden issues breaking families today,\u201d he noted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Author: Justinmind HARERIMANA<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Dr. Muyombo Thomas, popularly known as Tom Close, and his wife Ingabire Ange Tricia, have revealed some of the values and lessons that have kept their marriage strong for 12 years. The couple shared their testimony during the Young Leaders Prayer Breakfast, where they emphasized patience, constant communication, and teamwork as essential foundations for a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":744,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-743","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t