Anna and Angel

How We Met:
In the summer of 2011, Allie Durrua (CIN Missions and Communications Coordinator) needed to teach an English class for her practicum.  She set up in the church that the Bolivia Life Center partners with and did just that for the months of June and July.  In July, she invited her class to come to the BLC and join a group of missionaries visiting from the USA for a bonfire so that they could practice their English.  Angel has gone to the church in Cochabamba for many years and had signed up for Allie's class, so he came to the BLC for the first time that night.  I was working with the missionaries and doing a lot of running around to coordinate the boys, the team, and the visitors that night when one of the Bolivians (Angel) started talking to me.  I kept trying to make excuses to end the conversation and get away, but he talked so much!

Somebody took a photo of us at the first bonfire

How We Became Us:

That night at the bonfire, I think Angel fell in love.  But not with me.  He tells me now that he was deeply impacted by the boys and the home, and wanted to be a part of it.  Angel began coming to the BLC on Saturdays as a volunteer, just to spend time with the boys.  I was skeptical and decided to completely avoid him.  So for the next few months, whenever Angel arrived on Saturday afternoon, I went into hiding.  I've since told Angel about my strategy during this time, and he thought it was hysterical.  He was not thinking about me at all.  During his volunteering, Angel did get to know Brian McArthur (CIN's Adventure Therapy Coordinator at the BLC).  And then we found out that Angel works with Mexicans and therefore knew where there was a good Mexican restaurant in Cochabamba.  Brian and I both deeply miss good Mexican food.  I decided it was time to stop hiding from him.

First visit to a Mexican restaurant!

Also around that time, Angel took some time off of work to help our older boys learn a dance to present at the BLC Anniversary celebration.  Between the Mexican food and his obvious dedication to the boys, I knew I needed to get to know him.  On November 20, after going to see Transformers 2 in the theatre, he asked me to be his girlfriend!

When I Knew I Was In Trouble:

At some point that I can no longer remember, I got mad at God for reasons I can no longer remember, and threatened Him that I was going to marry the next guy that gave me flowers.  I've dated several guys since and even quite seriously but never got so much as a dandelion.  Until March 7, 2012...

He is also the source of the llama.

The Engagement:

We have "known" and talked about the fact that we would get married for a while.  Not long ago, Angel told me that he had a surprise for me in December (he has since learned that he shouldn't advise me that a surprise is coming...I can be really annoying).  And then quite recently we had a "what are we waiting for" conversation where we realized that we each thought we were waiting on the other.  So we started making plans, but I refused to talk dates since no one had actually asked me to marry him :)  Very shortly after this conversation, the date of my "surprise" was moved up.  I might have been a little suspicious.

On Sunday after church we were on our way to lunch when Angel stopped at an ATM.  While I waited in the car, I got bored and started going through his glove box (this is a usual practice and he is aware...he keeps photos in there).  Then I opened the consul box...and saw a little red box and immediately freaked out and slammed it closed, whirling around to make sure that Angel wasn't on his way back to the car yet.  He hadn't seen me, and I literally sat on my hands until he got back to the car.  We went on to lunch, and I noticed that he didn't open the consul when we got out of the car, so I assumed it would come later in the day.  After a yummy lunch, he said, "I'll be right back."  Not "I'm going to run to the bathroom" or "I'm going to go pay the check" but "I'll be right back."  

Since I basically knew what was coming, I got to sit back and enjoy his nervousness.  Actually I really was reassured to see him taking the situation so seriously when he really didn't have any reason to doubt what my answer would be.  Proposals and engagement rings are not Bolivian tradition, but he did an amazing job.  He even asked me in English!  And the ring...gorgeous and a perfect fit!!

And we'll live happily ever after