Dear blog readers,
I haven't been blogging because, to be honest, I lost interest and I've just been super duper busy that I just don't have time to sit down and type for 30 minutes. BUT I think a blog is in order. As many of you may know, I recently got engaged. (insert excited squeal here). But many of you don't know this amazing man that has asked for my hand in marriage. So, here's the story of how we met, how he asked me, and some stuff in between.
Actually, I need to go further back before we met and explain how he came to Moscow. Well, first things first, his name is Eric Merlain Njimegni. He is from Cameroon. Brother to many. Friend to many. Eric arrived in Moscow on November 11, 2011. Yes, 11/11/11. Good luck? :) At the time, I'm sure he didn't feel so lucky. He had come to Europe to go to school, but the agency that was supposed to help him and enroll him in school, conveniently disappeared when he arrived along with his tuition money. If you ask him now, he says that he is very thankful that this man stole his life savings. He is thankful that everything happened the way that it did. But if you asked him then, he didn't know why this would happen to him. He was sad, extremely bitter and not the Eric that I know today. He eventually got a job handing out papers on the street...in winter...in Russia. It is hard for me to think about this now, how cold he was and how sad he might have been. In January, he started translating (in French) for a small clinic in Moscow. Here he met a great new friend, Alvin. (Whom I already knew from church and bible study.) Eric still talks about how thankful he is for Alvin. How Alvin showed him love when he felt like there was no hope. Alvin bought him food and invited him to church.
That next Sunday, I decided to attend Hillsong church and so did Alvin. I didn't know it at the time. I remember sitting there, trying to understand the sermon (In Russian), and I saw Alvin translating for someone. I remember thinking, "I didn't know Alvin was coming here. And who is he with?" After the service, Alvin introduced us. We all decided to go out for lunch at a nearby TGI Fridays. (Which I just realized is also where he proposed. :) But more on that later.) When I think about it, I can't believe how different Eric was that day. He was so quiet and shy and didn't eat a thing (which is really weird now that I know him. :)) He seems like a completely different person now. That following Tuesday, I remember he came to bible study. I saw him sitting there and talked to him a bit but that was all. That next Sunday, Eric attended the church that I usually go to, International Christian Fellowship. It was that Sunday that he heard the Gospel and decided to talk with one of the elders. It was then that he knew why God had brought him to Moscow. Even though he didn't know what the future held, he knew what his eternity would look like. That even in our despair and when we are crying out to Him, we can have joy and know that He has a plan.
We saw each other now and again. I remember Eric coming up to me after church and saying hello. But that's all really. Little did I know he had started to fall in love with me in April. And on April 14th, 2012, he wrote a prayer in his journal asking God for the opportunity to marry me. Yes, he wrote that. And exactly 8 months later, he asked me to marry him.
To be continued...
I haven't been blogging because, to be honest, I lost interest and I've just been super duper busy that I just don't have time to sit down and type for 30 minutes. BUT I think a blog is in order. As many of you may know, I recently got engaged. (insert excited squeal here). But many of you don't know this amazing man that has asked for my hand in marriage. So, here's the story of how we met, how he asked me, and some stuff in between.
Actually, I need to go further back before we met and explain how he came to Moscow. Well, first things first, his name is Eric Merlain Njimegni. He is from Cameroon. Brother to many. Friend to many. Eric arrived in Moscow on November 11, 2011. Yes, 11/11/11. Good luck? :) At the time, I'm sure he didn't feel so lucky. He had come to Europe to go to school, but the agency that was supposed to help him and enroll him in school, conveniently disappeared when he arrived along with his tuition money. If you ask him now, he says that he is very thankful that this man stole his life savings. He is thankful that everything happened the way that it did. But if you asked him then, he didn't know why this would happen to him. He was sad, extremely bitter and not the Eric that I know today. He eventually got a job handing out papers on the street...in winter...in Russia. It is hard for me to think about this now, how cold he was and how sad he might have been. In January, he started translating (in French) for a small clinic in Moscow. Here he met a great new friend, Alvin. (Whom I already knew from church and bible study.) Eric still talks about how thankful he is for Alvin. How Alvin showed him love when he felt like there was no hope. Alvin bought him food and invited him to church.
That next Sunday, I decided to attend Hillsong church and so did Alvin. I didn't know it at the time. I remember sitting there, trying to understand the sermon (In Russian), and I saw Alvin translating for someone. I remember thinking, "I didn't know Alvin was coming here. And who is he with?" After the service, Alvin introduced us. We all decided to go out for lunch at a nearby TGI Fridays. (Which I just realized is also where he proposed. :) But more on that later.) When I think about it, I can't believe how different Eric was that day. He was so quiet and shy and didn't eat a thing (which is really weird now that I know him. :)) He seems like a completely different person now. That following Tuesday, I remember he came to bible study. I saw him sitting there and talked to him a bit but that was all. That next Sunday, Eric attended the church that I usually go to, International Christian Fellowship. It was that Sunday that he heard the Gospel and decided to talk with one of the elders. It was then that he knew why God had brought him to Moscow. Even though he didn't know what the future held, he knew what his eternity would look like. That even in our despair and when we are crying out to Him, we can have joy and know that He has a plan.
We saw each other now and again. I remember Eric coming up to me after church and saying hello. But that's all really. Little did I know he had started to fall in love with me in April. And on April 14th, 2012, he wrote a prayer in his journal asking God for the opportunity to marry me. Yes, he wrote that. And exactly 8 months later, he asked me to marry him.
To be continued...
So fun and romantic to reflect on the genesis of a relationship. Isn't it weird to think you never knew him?! Josh and I are going on eight (8!) years already, unbelievable. It's exciting to think about how much we have grown (and changed) together. So excited for you. Love Jaclyn
ReplyDeleteCan't wait for the rest of this story. I'm so excited for you guys. Also, TGIFridays seems like the serendipitous meeting spot here in Moscow - that's exactly how Max and I met (also, after a church service one sunday). Congrats to you both! :)
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