We’re getting married!

"Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies." Pratyush went to Singapore looking to get rich quick. But he found something more valuable than all the rubies (or Bitcoin) in the world. Cheesy? Yes. But true. When they met for the first time at National Gallery in Singapore, neither was too impressed with the other. Pratyush actually yawned several times during the date, having been out late the night before. They wandered around the museum, making fun of various art and attempting to build a paper robot. Pratyush really didn't enjoy that---he's probably the worst artist on the planet---but suffered through. When they got to dinner, Gwen asked probing questions and Pratyush found himself intrigued by this Singaporean girl and her mind. She invited Pratyush to church the following week. While Pratyush wasn't convinced about the whole "God thing," he decided to check it out anyway. What followed was nothing short of transformative. Pratyush never thought he would believe in something more than the materialist interpretation of the world. Though it was a circuitous journey, filled with many books, sermons, and walks, Pratyush eventually encountered the tangible presence of God and gave himself to Jesus. For Gwen, Pratyush was smart and different. He asked her tough questions that grew her faith. He made her feel safe and made her laugh. They had fun picnicking, going to weddings, and watching outdoor movies. The shell that Pratyush had built up over the years finally cracked and he was able to love her freely, a love that surprised even him. Jesus was in the center of their relationship and He made it sweet and full of joy, laughter, and warmth. Gwen and Pratyush's relationship blossomed over the coming months as they reveled in life together in Singapore. They knew that eventually a time would come where it was time to return to America, but that was a journey they walked towards with eyes wide open, hand in hand.

"But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection." When he was in college, Pratyush had the idea to propose to his future wife by having a caricature artist draw the surprise engagement. However, when it came time to think of a way to propose to Gwen, he wasn't sure how to pull off the surprise without setting off alarm bells in her head. After all, neither of them were amusement park people. In fact, Gwen hated rides and rollercoasters. As he was finalizing his return to America for a new job, he knew it was coming time to figure out the proposal. No amusement park trip beckoned so he decided to take matters into his own hands by commissioning a caricature artist to "randomly" be doing art in the courtyard at Chijmes in Singapore, where Gwen and he had officially got together. However, the very next day after he had booked his plan, Gwen reached out to him and said her friend Carmen had let her know about a discount to Universal Studio, an amusement park in Singapore. Did he want to go? Pratyush could hardly believe it. God had come through for him in a way he couldn't have imagined. He called the artist agency back and set up the proposal plan. He would maneuver Gwen over by the artist and casually suggest they sit down for a portrait. The artist would draw the picture of him on bended knee and then flip it over for the grand reveal at the end. The artist was cool as a cucumber and acted as if she didn't know either Pratyush or Gwen when they sat down for the portrait. Even the passers-by who walked by, smiling and realizing what was about to happen, didn't blurt out a thing. Gwen was in for the biggest, best surprise of her life. The gathering crowd cheered at the moment when Pratyush proposed and the plan was perfectly completed. They were engaged on 3/14/2020.

"He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, 'He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust.'” When Pratyush departed for the US in the midst of the pandemic in June 2020, he wasn't sure how long it would be until he saw Gwen again. Visas were halted and they would go through a long and winding road, waiting for the process to be completed. Thank God for technology. The miracle of Zoom and delivery apps let them come together for dates, ordering each other meals from across the globe. They were still able to communicate well, make each other laugh, and also support each other during the difficult waiting period. There were times where it felt like the time apart would stretch forever, but God was always there to remind them He was their ever-present refuge. He protected them during a tumultuous year. They could go to Him any time it felt like it was too much to bear. They just had to trust Him. It was not something they would ever wish to do again, but they were able to make it through, even stronger and better as a couple.