Seeing my period nearly ruined my honeymoon

Dear Pastor,

I am 22 years old and I recently got married. My husband and I were on our way to spend our honeymoon at a hotel when my menses came.

I felt as if I was going to die. I felt sorry for myself, but more so for my husband, because he was looking forward to making love with me. He had asked me for sex so many times, and as a Christian, I kept telling him no - wait until we are married. He even asked me for sex a couple of weeks before we were married, and I told him he should wait.

When we were on our way to the honeymoon, I felt that my period was coming. I told him, but he did not believe me. He asked me what I was trying to do to him, and I told him I was speaking the truth. When we got to the hotel, I checked in and rushed to the bathroom in our suite. My period truly came. I asked my husband what we were going to do, and he said we were going to have sex. I told him that I did not think it would be right for us to have sex while I was seeing my period. He said he was not sorry for me, and he was going to find a pharmacy to purchase condoms. I told him he should not leave me. He said he had to go because he would not want to have sex with me without condoms, because I was seeing my period. He went out and bought some.

My husband told me that I should have known when I was expecting my period. The truth is, it came earlier than usual. I had sex before I became a Christian, but after I did, I abstained from sex. I told my husband the truth. He, too, was a practising Christian, and although it was hard for both of us, we did not have sex. We were looking forward to our honeymoon. We padded our bed with the extra towels that were in our room. The blood did not affect us. The only thing that bothered me is that my husband wanted to have sex with me twice, and we did not have enough towels to protect the sheets. Don't think that I am rude, Pastor, but when I saw that my husband wanted us to have sex for the second time, we went into the bathroom and had sex under the shower and in the tub.

Did we commit a sin by having sex while I was seeing my period? I just want to know.

L.E.

Dear L.E.,

I don't think you need to bother about that. It was your special night. Making love with your man on your honeymoon is something that both of you were looking forward to, and nothing should have stopped that.

I could imagine why your husband was upset with you, but you said that your period came early. Some religious organisations discourage couples from having sex while the women are menstruating. However, some women say that they feel highly sexy while they are seeing their period, and they do engage in sexual activity. It is not for me to condemn them.

I am glad that your husband and you found ways of enjoying yourselves during your honeymoon.

Pastor