The Sorum's: Our love story that has taken 17 years of long-distance dating and three years of marriage
A photo of Josephine Kuria and Mortem Sorum.
It may have taken 17 years of dating, three years of marriage and sometimes being thousands of miles apart, but for Josephine Kuria and Mortem Sorum, that is what makes their love story unique and they would not have it any other way.
The two met in Norway at a party to which Josephine had been invited by a friend. It was at the party that they exchanged contact details.
"My family and I had moved to Norway from Kenya in 1988 and I met my current husband in 2003 at a Norwegian party of my friend where we exchanged contact details and the rest is history," said Josephine.
With Josephine living in Oslo and Mortem in Tonsberg, it took a while for them to meet again after the party due to the two-hour distance.
"Most of the time I was the one who spent three to four months in Kenya, and across the vast expanse that separated Kenya from Norway, our love unfolded like a timeless story," she says.
Even though most of the time one would find solace in the warmth of Kenya and the other in the cool air of Norway, the miles couldn't stop their love from growing.
Instead, it blossomed with every moment they shared, in a love story written across borders. As the couple say, trust and unwavering communication were their anchor.
Josephine Kuria and Mortem Sorum (middle) during their Kikuyu traditional wedding.
"Our hearts beat in harmony despite the miles, creating a melody of love that transcends geographical boundaries," said Mortem.
"Irrespective of the number of hours we are apart, distance hasn't been able to extinguish the flame, but it has only fueled our commitment to each other, as I always made sure to make time for my wife when we were miles apart, but now we live together in Tonsberg," he said.
The couple officially tied the knot three years ago after 17 years of shared laughter, tears and dreams, which Mortem says proved that love can thrive across continents and stand the test of time.
"Although I am a Norwegian citizen and my wife is a Kenyan citizen, we had a mixed Kikuyu and Norwegian/Christian tradition on our wedding day," he said.
Mortem points out that what has always attracted them to each other is the fact that they share a number of interests, which has allowed them to build properties together over the past 15 years and create charities for children back home in Kenya.
"Apart from trust and communication, the main virtue has been respect, which has strengthened our bond over the years, culminating in a joyful marriage," said Mortem.