Love on the Great Wall

Shortly after midnight on Sunday night, the phone rang, jarring us awake. We had been expecting the call but it came as a surprise anyway because we were already asleep. On the other end of the phone, I heard Mark’s voice, “Mom and Dad, we’re engaged.” He was using a cell phone to call us from the Great Wall of China where he had just asked Vanessa Friesen to marry him, and she said yes. This picture was taken shortly afterwards by Josh who is currently in China with Leah on a ten-day trip.

Mark met Vanessa (who is from California) last year when the two of them were teaching English in the same city in China. When Mark came home last July, he mentioned Vanessa and said he hoped to pursue the relationship when he returned to China in August. It was a little challenging because this year Vanessa is in northern China and Mark is in southern China. They kept in touch via email, IM, and some trips to see each other over the last few months.

We got to meet Vanessa via Skype video at Thanksgiving. It was obvious from seeing them together that there is a high comfort level between the two of them. In the last six months, Mark and Vanessa had many conversations about their future, and it was clear that God was bringing them together. A few weeks ago, Mark and I had several long talks via IM about the possibility of marriage. Then he decided to take action.

Happily she said yes. A few minutes later the phone rang in our cabin, waking us up. But this was one late-night call we were glad to receive. We didn’t talk very long because they were using an international calling card and didn’t have many minutes, but in that short time, we could hear their excitement through the telephone.

They will be in China until late June when they will return to the U.S. They plan to get married this summer. We are very happy for them, and I’m glad to share this good news with you.

“He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the LORD” (Proverbs 18:22).