We're excited to celebrate with you!

In 2016, Ilana was living at L'Arche Portland, an intentional community for people with and without disabilities. Spencer was spending a second year volunteering through Jesuit Volunteer Corps Northwest as a Case Manager in Omak, WA. Ilana and Spencer were both nominated and selected to join the Krista Foundation for Global Citizenship, a network of people participating in ecumenical service and justice work. At the annual conference in Spokane, WA, Ilana and Spencer were in the same cohort of new Colleagues. Ilana was instantly attracted to Spencer, and thus decided to avoid him for the weekend. In a passing conversation, Spencer mentioned to Ilana that he enjoyed kayaking and planned to go out early before breakfast the next morning. Ilana responded "maybe I'll go, too!" The next morning, Spencer went out and waited on the water for Ilana, but she never came. She'd decided not to go since she hadn't actually been invited and didn't want to seem too eager. She was, however, on the deck of the dining hall when Spencer walked up from kayaking. They began chatting, and haven't stopped chatting since. After dating long-distance for over a year, loving being together in Portland, and discovering that they are better together, Ilana and Spencer are excited for a lifetime of engagement to each other and the world around them.