B.J. Murrey - World Orphans, Central America

She never saw it coming. It was November when I started planning how I was going to ask her, shortly after having moved to Guatemala. I found the ring while in Guatemala (with the help of my brother) and began to call friends and family back home to orchestrate the deception… er, the engagement. I had a puzzle created of our favorite photo from Africa with the words “Jenna, will you marry me?” written on it. We both love it and I knew she’d recognize it immediately.

I had the puzzle delivered to my parent’s house, and called Jennifer to coordinate with my mom to pick it up from her. We were making plans on spending New Years Eve with Jennifer and Duane, so I figured they could help me “set her up” well. Since they had just bought a new house, Jennifer decided that after giving us a tour of the house, she’d lead us over to where the puzzle was partially assembled on the fireplace for her to notice. The only thing that was missing in the puzzle were the words, stacked in a pile beside the near-complete puzzle. There’s no way she’d mistake that it was for her.

The month of December was difficult to hide my plans from her. We were talking about engagement, about me asking her dad for his blessing while I was visiting the states over Christmas, and about the future. I kept goading her that since I was just a “poor missionary” I was going to have to propose via “Skype” from Guatemala and tie a string around her finger because missionary budgets can’t afford fancy rings. She had no idea what lay ahead for her during my visit!

Meeting Jen & Duane at their current home on New Years, we hopped in the car for a ride across town to see their new home. The tour began. I had the ring in my pocket and was fumbling it with my fingers. Jen and I laughed behind corners where Jenna couldn’t see. They orchestrated the tour perfectly through the whole house, ending at the fireplace in the living room where the puzzle was laid out. Her reaction was better than I could have expected. She just thought it was a forgotten Christmas present!

Of course she recognized the photo on the puzzle and began piecing it together. “Jenna”. “Will”, “you”… She looks up at me with a silly grin, suspecting, and  continues smiling bigger and bigger. “marry”, “me?” She looks up again as I get down on one knee, pulling the ring from my pocket. I ask her as I slide the ring on “Jenna, will you be my Bride & Joy?” She said, “Yes!” with the biggest smile I have ever seen on her face, in a gleeful tone that bubbled up from within. Shaking with excitement we kissed, before heading out to New Years Eve dinner with Duane & Jennifer.

Surely this was one of the happiest days of my life!