In May 2016, Elissa made a last minute decision to go to a weekend retreat in Canada. That Sunday, she visited her uncle's nearby church. As she stood talking after the service, Pieter, thinking she was someone else, went up to say "Hey," and quickly changed it into an introductory, "Hi, I'm Pieter!" A few minutes later, Pieter walked away wondering how he was going to meet this beautiful girl again and Elissa couldn't get the handsome guy with a passion for God out of her mind. After a brief wave and smile in July when Elissa was in Canada again for a wedding, Pieter determined to ask her to date him when he would be in Michigan in November. Thankfully, a Facebook hacker got involved and communication between Elissa and Pieter began. It was during this time that both Elissa and Pieter began to see each other's heart in their love for God and neighbours. A few weeks of conversation later, on October 7, 2017, Pieter told Elissa he wanted to pursue a relationship with her. It was the second time they had ever talked in person, and Elissa was about to leave for Sumba. "You know I'm going to be teaching in Indonesia for a year, right?" Elissa asked. Undeterred, Pieter replied, "Yes. Yes, I do." And so the story began!

It's Your hands that form the mountains Your hands set boundaries for the seas And in Your hands You hold tomorrow The same hands that took the nails for me Every sorrow, I leave it in Your hands Every promise, I leave it in Your hands And my future, I leave it in Your hands Amen, I can leave it in Your hands I can leave it in Your hands These words from Unspoken's "In Your Hands" played in my head as I (Elissa) boarded my flight to Indonesia three months later. The year ahead seemed incredibly long, but Pieter and I had committed to each other and placed our relationship in God's hands, so I swallowed my fears and my tears and determined to make the most of this incredible opportunity. A visit from Pieter and my brother, Bobby, in the beginning of April was an ecstatic time, and the two and a half months before I visited home in June seemed to pass quickly, but communication got harder when I returned to the mission in July and settled into full-time teaching with the nearest telephone signal a half hour drive away. There was no reliable mode of transportation and a 12 hour time difference between me and Canada. One Saturday morning, I was determined to talk to Pieter. It had been a week since I last heard from him and missing him made my heart ache. There were two problems. The motorbike I usually borrowed was unavailable, and all the staff members who could accompany me were busy slaughtering chickens. Praying for some way to open up, I started asking around for ideas. One of the staff members walked with me to the local school, past the curious faces of the students, to ask a construction worker who was working there if we could borrow his bike. He said yes. We drove through gale force winds, herds of bony cattle, and steep ravines to the two trees that marked the farthest reaches of cell service. Though he never knew exactly when I'd call, Pieter was always willing to drop everything and stay up late to chat. I drove home radiant. God is faithful.

Imagine seeing the sun setting into dusk through the branches of weeping willows that brush the calm surface of a small lake. A fountain is splashing in the distance, surrounded by elegant swans, and you are enjoying the view from your seat on the large rocks that line the shore. That is where Pieter and Elissa ended up on the evening of June 24. Pieter knew Elissa was having a conversation with him, but his mind was focused on trying to find a nice location to sit away from other people. Elissa could tell that something was up and tried to ignore the goose poop under her bare feet. When he finally found the perfect spot, they sat down and Pieter gave Elissa a wrapped gift. Inside was a scrapbook that took Pieter forever to make, and included photos and memories of their time together. The last page included a Scripture passage, saying, "Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together! (Psalm 34:3)" Using this passage, Pieter shared with Elissa how he would like to do this very thing with Elissa, in marriage. Pulling out the ring, he went down on one knee and asked for Elissa's hand in marriage. Without hesitation, Elissa responded with, "Yes, with all my heart!"

We are so excited to share this special day with you! As the day approaches, we know that as much as this day is about celebrating our marriage, it's even more about our Saviour, Jesus the Messiah. Scripture teaches that marriage between a man and a woman is a picture of the deep and precious relationship that Jesus has with His church. This means that our marriage gets to be a portrait of Christ and the church, a display of the gospel! This is so awesome! We hope and have been praying that all of us will leave with a greater understanding of the Christ of this world!