A Love Story Part 2
So I have realized that nothing goes according to plan in life. This doesn’t mean that we just don’t plan, for planning is essential and gives people a focus to work toward, but I believe a true test of character is when the plan doesn’t work out and you press on despite the setbacks or inconveniences. In fact, a synonym for missionary is flexible. Hardly anything goes according to plan on the field, so the missionary spends his day being flexible: re-planning, adjusting, compromising, readjusting, re-planning, etc. It sounds like nothing would ever get done, but in the midst of all this flexibility, relationships happen, ministry happens, work gets done and tasks are achieved. This just shows how big our God is, that despite constant interruptions and setbacks, He still moves and works through His flexible people.
This was the case for Vanessa and my engagement. I made a plan and almost nothing went right. The plan was to get all dressed up, take Vanessa to Bellinis in Mexico City on December 24th and propose, and as my introduction suggest, it went wrong.
Due to Vanessa being in Mexico as a missionary, I had to fly down to her if we were to get engaged. Her Dad had graciously bought my plane ticket to fly down and had given me permission, so I flew down to Mexico City on December 23, 2008. It was great to see her beautiful face as I stepped through the airport. I checked into my hotel and we went on our very first physical date as a couple that night. It was great being with my Babe, instead of looking at her through a pixilated screen on Skype video chat once a week. I could hold her hand and hug her whenever I wanted and as a result, I kept a constant smile on my face. Christmas Eve came and as planned we got all dressed up. I was in my “hot” shirt: a black snap button, cowboy cut with red roses embroidered on the chest and back (the shirt I have always wanted to get engaged in) and V was looking good. I mean really good. She was in this nice purple dress that draped elegantly on her body, black tights, four inch heels, and wearing a face like an angel. Her eyes sparkled like the ring I carried in my pocket. She was so beautiful that night.
We went to the church plant’s Christmas Eve service, which V played bass for, and then headed to Bellinis for our dinner. Bellinis is a fine dining restaurant located on the 45th story of the World Trade Center in Mexico City. The whole dinning floor moves in a slow circle so that you look out large bay windows overlooking the city below. We took public transportation there and walked up to the door… just to find it locked and closed. *Flexible opportunity #1* We asked a lady on the street if she knew of a nice restaurant close by and she said, “Well… everything closes on Christmas Eve, but you can try down this street.” We thanked her and started walking.
After walking for 4 or 5 blocks (remember V is in four inch heels, so you can imagine her pain), we finally found an open restaurant called San Bornes. It was a nice place, but not Bellinis. We had a choice between the restaurant room and the bar room. *Flexible opportunity #2* The restaurant room had several people and an old man with a microphone, so we chose the bar room. It was dim lighting, nicely designed, and without anyone else. We sat at a table together as the waitress brought our menus and took our drink order. Across the room on the little TV were early 1980’s music videos. You know, Madonna when she had the shaved bleached blonde hair just starting her career, wearing the overly exaggerated pleated dress with the puffy shoulder sleeves in a colour only Crayola can identify. We looked at the menu and decided on the traditional Christmas meal that they offered as a special. When it came out, we ate maybe three bites and refused to eat anymore. It was so bad that the mashed potatoes still had flakes in them from where they didn’t stir the instant potatoes enough. The turkey was not of a choice cut and rubber to the teeth. The stuffing was like soggy tofu and the side looked so sketchy that even I wouldn’t venture to try it. It was horrible.
For background to explain what happened next, Vanessa really missed the tradition of Christmas. Mexico doesn’t decorate for Christmas and it is really warm. Both of these are foreign to a Canadian. Plus, she is away from her family and all the traditions associated with that.
So… Vanessa started crying. Tears leaked down her face. This was the worst Christmas she had ever experienced in her whole life. Nothing was right or traditional or Christmas for her. *Flexible opportunity #3* This put me at an awkward position, because now my mind raced between proposing or not proposing. She was still crying and I decided to go ahead with it anyways. Plus, hopefully it would cheer her up and make her worst Christmas one of the more memorable ones.
I had been carrying around a backpack all day without letting her see what was in it, so I opened my pack and pulled out a small fake Christmas tree about a foot tall and set it on the table. I said, “I know you miss your family and the traditions of Christmas, so I wanted to bring a little bit of Christmas to you.” With this she smiled as the tears stopped. I asked her, “What do you do with Christmas trees?” She replied, “You decorate them.” I followed up by saying, “What does your family decorate first?” She said with a tone of excitement, “Lights.” I pulled out a small string of lights attached to a battery pack. We positioned the limbs of the tree and then strung the lights around it to the top. I asked, “What’s next?” She said, “Ornaments.” I pulled out little glass ball ornaments to match the size of the tree and we stuck them on the branches. Then I said, “I know you miss the snow, so I wanted to bring some here.” I pulled out a bag of fake snow as we sprinkled it on the tree and the table. It was a cute little tree. It really looked good. We looked at it for awhile, admiring our work with smiles across our faces as the waitresses kept coming by exclaiming how cute we were.
I pulled the table away, which took multiple attempts (kind of embarrassing, and I should probably do more pushups), and said, “V, what’s a tree without presents?” I sat beside her and explained how much I loved her. I have always reserved the word love for the woman I knew I would marry and explained how my love is unconditional and steadfast. Then, I took out the ring still cradled in its box, knelt on one knee, opened the box and said, “Vanessa Jeske, I love you. Will you marry me?” My heart was pounding through my chest and my hands shook in nervous anticipation. She said, “Yes!” and my nervousness was replaced with sheer joy. I was engaged to my best-friend. I’m going to marry my gorgeous one and only! I get to spend the rest of my life with Vanessa!! Together, we can reach the unreached Senoufo in Mali, Africa for, God willing, the rest of our lives. He provides such good gifts to His children! Praise God!!