You're...what?!

I'm ENGAGED! And here's the background...

Edwin and I have known each other for 3 years now. We met at church 3 years ago here in Colombia (He's Colombian) and started a friendship (August 2012). Before I went back to the states we were able to spend time on a mission trip (pic in the red shirts) through our church. (I think I liked him by this point

but I definitely denied it in my head and was telling myself that I was leaving and shouldn't do anything about it and so I didn't) I went back to the states in July 2013 and while there Edwin and I started talking on a pretty regular basis and Skype (mostly to practice my Spanish...or so I told myself still denying any feeling I had for him!) but we were able to build a solid friendship through those conversations and in November 2013 I made a trip to Colombia to visit friends before I went on my big World Race adventure. While I was here he had told me he was interested in me and wanted to get to know me more. At the time I too no longer denied those feelings (it was a relief to know that it wasn't just me!) So we kept going forward with it trusting the Lord with His leading.

Birhtday in Bogotá November 2013

So on my trip around Latin America we kept in touch with spotty Wifi and on average more or less only being able to talk every week or 2 weeks depending on the month (It's definitely not easy getting to know someone at a distance without much communication) but through those times of communication we were able to Skype and got to know some pretty important things about each other. Then six months into my trip God told me to cut off all communication with Edwin and focus on Him because there were some things in Edwin that God needed to do a work in his life without me and some things in me that God needed to work on without Edwin in my life. He said that Edwin would be the one to initiate and I asked God how he would know when to and God said "He knows my voice. Trust me." So I told Edwin we weren't talking anymore without explanation...I really did leave him hanging with zero hope of anything in the future between us. It was a huge step of faith let me tell you. I actually wrote a blog about that if you'd like to read more about what God was teaching me in that time about letting go on my World Race blog called Everything's on the Altar Now.

In November 2014 (the 4th month of not talking with Edwin) I was in Guatemala and for my birthday Edwin sent me a gift with a letter and a video. I didn't take this as anything really because Colombians are really big at telling people Happy Birthday and making them feel special (I'm really bad at this in this culture...hopefully I haven't offended anyone...) So I didn't tell him thanks or anything.  Once I finished the World Race a week later after receiving the gifts I flew straight to Colombia visiting the foundation (where I work now) seeing if God wanted me there. (I hadn't told Edwin I was coming to Colombia because I didn't want him to know and I didn't want it to affect my decision about coming back.)  

While I was here that week God confirmed that this is where he wanted me whether Edwin would be in my life or not.  Feeling at peace about it I decided to go to church. Edwin and I saw each other for the first time in a year and the first time we had talked in 4 months! It was definitely a surreal moment.  After the service ended he saw me and came up and started talking to me.  We made small talk and just when I felt like "Okay all of this is over" I told him thanks for the gifts, letter, and video.  He said you're welcome and that he actually wasn't going to do it and didn't want to do it because it hurt him when I told him we were cutting off all communication but a few weeks before my birthday God started telling him to "búscala" meaning seek her out.  He was confused because I was the one that cut off the communication but he wanted to obey and so that was his way of seeking me out hence initiating the conversation.  Once he told me that my jaw dropped and a whole rush of "this isn't over" feeling came over me because what had happened was exactly what God said was going to happen! 

So after going back to the states for two months before returning to Colombia we talked about what God had done in both of our lives during that time of silence and again God did exactly what he was going to do and corrected us and taught us in the areas that needed to be corrected and taught/renewed.  God definitely did a work in both of us during that time of not talking. I came down in February and shortly after we felt that it was time to start officially dating with the intentions of marriage.

I said sí!!!

We had been dating each other for 6 months and through many ups and downs, challenges and joys, dates and surprises, trips to Santa Marta to meet his family, three races (a 5k, 10k, and half marathon) learning more and more about each other every day and how a relationship works with one another while seeking the Lord together. Six months and one day after we officially started dating, on
August 13th he asked me to marry him and I said yes! (actually I sí but he really did ask me in English!)

So, we've decided to get married in January! In October Edwin and I are going back to Nebraska for him to meet my family and see my culture and where I grew up hopefully helping him to understand me a little more.

We're both so excited for this next season of our life being able to work for God's Kingdom together as one glorying the Lord! 

So you might be thinking okay so I know you're a missionary but what about Edwin? What does he do? Good question!!

Edwin is on his last year of studying Mechanical Engineering. He plans on finishing next July/August. Also, Edwin too is a missionary! A few months ago he accepted a position with Vida Para Colombia (Life for Colombia) which is part of Campus Crusade in the states.  He has a huge heart for evangelizing on college campuses here in Bogotá and has been part of campus crusade ever since being in college and he has felt God has called him to help with the program for at least the next year.  Right now he is in the process of raising support himself which sounds crazy...both missionaries and getting married plus he's finishing school?! Yeah...at first I was kind of hesitant about him taking the position but God reminded me that I've been living on support for 3 years now and every year, month, and day God has provided.

We feel that it's time. God has given the green light and so we're just trusting Him. We started pre-marital counseling last night with an older intercultural couple (Colombian and Australian) from our church to help guide us and counsel us leading up to the wedding day. Right now the plan is to get married in January and I would keep working at ECA part-time and the foundation and then Edwin would finish school while being a leader of 4 campus crusade groups in 4 different colleges in Bogotá for the next year. (or at least until when he graduates) Even though we're both missionaries for different ministries we recognize that we are still working for the same Boss and the same Kingdom and are excited to encourage one another through it all.

We are so excited to see where God leads us as a married couple and how He will use us in working for His Kingdom. We're open to anywhere and both have the same desire to go wherever God calls us. Our aim is the glorify the Lord and be an example of Christ and the church.  

Please pray for:

• Preparation for Marriage 
• Preparation for the wedding (aaaah there's so much to do!!! That God's hand would just be at work all over the wedding prep and be a huge testimony for Him! We already have some sweet testimonies. God is SO good!) 
• For our week in the States in October. That it would be filled with fun and excitement as he meets my family and friends and also that we would be efficient with everything that needs to get done logistically...I need to get some papers from the government to bring back to Colombia in order to get married here) 
• For God to provide financially 
• For God to be GLORIFIED IN BOTH OUR LIVES INDIVIDUALLY AND AS A COUPLE!

Thank you so much for your prayers and support up to this point. They have been and are greatly appreciated!! 

A Dios sea toda la gloria! To God be all the glory!