This might be lengthy! In 2014 in Uganda, Kemi met John Stranzin, who happened to be a close friend of Eric's from Cedarville University and who was visiting that country on a missions trip. Later that same year, Kemi travelled to the U.S. with Imani Milele Children's Choir as they began their second annual U.S. tour. Since that time, Kemi and John continued their friendship as John was an integral member of Imani Milele as CFO. Kemi continued to travel to the U.S. annually to tour with the choir. Fast forward to the 2017 Tour when a choir member (Timothy) had to join the tour in PA later that summer, and John Stranzin thought it would be a good idea to have Eric pick him and Timothy up at Philadelphia International Airport and drive them to the choir's location in beautiful Womelsdorf, PA. Little did Eric know, John had been talking Eric up to Kemi for MONTHS, but didn't tell Eric about Kemi--Eric was about to be blind-sided! Eric then met Kemi that weekend in Womelsdorf, where they (we) initially started as being casual friends with occasional phone calls. In November, Eric travelled to Florida to see Kemi and the choir off before they left to Uganda. When Kemi and the choir returned in 2018, our phone calls increased in frequency and our friendship developed into something much deeper. We officially started "dating"--as much as one can long-distance--while in Roanoke, VA on July 14, 2018. In late November 2018, Eric decided to become an international traveler and for his first outside-the-U.S. flight, flew to the Pearl of Africa to meet Kemi and her family in Uganda. After shedding his own blood on Uganda soil in a near-tragic incident, it was clear a covenant was made between Eric and Kemi's homeland. (that's a separate story ;)

When it comes to the best engagement stories, this one falls flat--literally. At the end of December 2019, Eric travelled to Uganda along with his mother, cousin, and best man for what would be the trip none of us will ever forget. Eric's formal introduction to Kemi's family was scheduled for January 4, 2020. In Uganda, it is customary for the bride to "introduce" her groom-to-be in a ceremony consisting of her family, friends, and essentially all neighboring villages. According to the program of that day's events, one of the entries was "The groom adorns the bride with flowers and engages her with a ring." Eric thought to himself, "Perfect! The engagement is already planned out for me!" Well, a few days prior to the function, Kemi's friend Joy pulls Eric aside and tells him how Kemi is beside herself because she has yet to receive her engagement ring. But Kemi was leaving the next day to head to her parent's house to prepare for the ceremony and Eric didn't have the ring with him at that time. So the following day, prior to Kemi leaving town, several of Eric's and Kemi's close friends met at Joy and Sam's apartment to prepare gifts for the Introduction. Eric decided that it has to be now, so he took Kemi into Sam and Joy's bedroom and proposed! Romantic, right?! So the entire apartment screamed and yelled at the news, and tears were shed. Eric and his entourage then left the apartment since Kemi was also leaving town. After Eric left, however, the engagement ring's beauty was too much for Kemi and she fainted on the floor of the apartment. No injuries were sustained, and the Introduction was later declared as one of the best in Uganda. Perhaps with bias.