After driving literally through the snow and ice we are in Flagstaff celebrating 38 years of marriage. This morning we were thinking back or dreaming about when we first met. We were at an Inter Varsity Christian Fellowship weeklong camp in the Santa Cruz Mountains. I was there being part of our Cal-Poly IVCF group and Anne was there as a requirement to get some training before her Ethiopian mission trip. This was almost 40 years ago in the summer of 1972. I must confess that I was a longhaired hippy Jesus Freak who had little idea of what a missionary kid would be like as my wife and best friend.
As we were waking up this morning in snowy Flagstaff I started to think back to the incredible journey of what brought us together and how we have become so much more than a statistic. You know most marriages end up in divorce court or you live totally separate lives and wake up when you are in your 50’s with a stranger in your bed. I am excited to share that my Anne is my best friend, partner and inspiration to write and live out the gospel in our South Phoenix neighborhoods.
I was a science major at Cal-Poly, California Polytechnic State University, where I was very involved with the IVCF Chapter. I had become a Christian my last semester in High School through a group of friends that were real hippy types, you know kinda like Jerry Garcia or Momma Cass. I grew up in a military home, which meant I didn’t have any real church experience. So my college days with IVCF was a major ingredient in making me the person I am today. So back to my story in Santa Cruz and seeing this short, long ed blonde girl who grew up in Pakistan and was headed to Ethiopia become the focus of my heart.
I was a small group leader for the week as we looked at the gospel of Mark in a manuscript context. (This meant the book was printed out without verses or chapters.) So as we formed our group for the first couple of times I took a notice of Anne, notice it isn’t Ann but Anne. She had an interesting accent, very intelligent and spiritually alive. She was also cute. We argue about whether I married her for her brains or looks. (I can’t really mention on the blog her attractive features.) As we discussed the beginning of Mark I had an interest in this gal from Pakistan. I had recently decided at the age of 18 that I didn’t want to get into another relationship unless it was the real thing which anyone with common sense would say at 18 or 19 is insane.
It wasn’t until ½ way through the camp that we actually went to the Santa Cruz Board Walk and the beach that I had an opportunity to talk with Anne and hear her real story. I was fascinated with her history of travel and being able to see the world. At first I was thinking maybe there is a way for me to be able to join her in going to Ethiopia. Never the less, I was intrigued with her story, accent and passion for God. So after body surfing and looking like a wet fury dog we went back to the camp. I knew that as a leader to go off alone for the whole night was breaking the rules.
It was an interesting night as we both shared our life stories and interests. As I listened I became more and more drawn to this foreigner that seemed to not like the American culture but had a contagious love for God and serving. The night literally flew by us and I realized I needed to be back at camp for breakfast, a leader’s meeting and then our small group study. As we walked back out of the forest I wasn’t sure whether anyone would figure out that we had been out all night.
My memory of the week finished with me giving Anne my address and phone number. (This was before e-mail, cell phones and Facebook.) She reciprocated and I am assuming that she thought she would never see or hear from me again. As I drove back home for the summer I couldn’t get this short, blonde, missionary girl out of my mind. I was working at two jobs, which meant working at an Ice Cream Parlor at night and then a peach weighing station during the day. I was now infatuated with this Pakistan girl and didn’t know what I should do?
I know that my Father in-law has always labeled me as impulsive and I too have returned the favor as he has also become very impulsive. So my impulsive side said go find this girl and talk or get her because she might be the one. Little did I understand that her dad had his dream for his middle daughter to graduate from college and graduate school and then head off to the mission field with marriage being held until her scholastic goals had been met?
So I took off in my little Fiat Spider to find this gal that I had known for about 3 weeks. The adventure begins as I drive to San Diego knowing her address and that she was volunteering at an orphanage in Tijuana. This was before the day of Google Maps or IPhones. So as I prayed that God would guide me as I drove nine hours to find this girl that was some where across the border. I have to admit that I was flying on a spiritual high as I drove down I-5 through LA then to San Diego. I had never been across the border and here I was driving to find this girl named Anne.
So I drive for hours and make it to the San Diego border crossing not having any clue where this orphanage, Casa de Esperanza, happens to be. So I drive and just go with the flow of traffic not having a clue where I am or where I am going. I look at my gas gauge and decide I’d better get some gas. So as I am filling up I ask if they know about this orphanage and am surprised it is just around the corner. I obviously had a God connection that brought me this close to finding Anne. So I fill up and drive down the road.
As I am driving I see this large sign with an arrow about the orphanage so I am shocked to realize that I had just driven 10 hours and actually find Casa de Esperanza. As I pull up I see kids all over the place. It is a rather large setup that has multiple houses, an open field, soccer field, a basketball court and a parking area. I park my little red sports car and start looking for a friendly face. I really didn’t know any Spanish except for two years in High School. I ask about a gringa from San Diego who is helping and am directed to a specific house. I knock on the door and low and behold Carol, a good friend of Anne’s, opens the door. I am in shock that I have actually found the place and that someone I know is actually there. As we talk a little I discover that Anne has just gone back home the day before for some family event. Ahhh now I have to drive back across the border and attempt to find her house. Fortunately, I wasn’t too embarrassed to stop and ask for directions to their house from a gas station in her generally area.
I park my little car in front of their house. I really didn’t know what to expect. We really had talked at all but only sent a couple of letters over the last few weeks since camp. Anne’s older sister, Kerry, answers the door. She was dressed in just a blue work shirt and had obviously just gotten out of the shower. She screamed for Anne, “This guy is here who wants to see you!” Our eyes meet and I didn’t really know what to say apart from HI. I had this deep inner sense that I was supposed to tell her that I loved her and had this sense she would be my wife. This isn’t something you just blurt out at the door. I was also aware of the fact that she was leaving in 2 months for Ethiopia and would be gone for most of the school year
Anne comes to the door and is truly surprised that I took the time and made the effort to drive for hours, go to Mexico to find her and then back to her house. We talked a little bit at the front door and then she introduces me to her dad and mom. She gets permission to go with me to a park where we can talk. I can’t fathom what must of being going through the minds of her parents. Remember, I’m a longhaired hippy type driving a red convertible sports car. I come out of a military family where my dad just recently retired from the Air Force where he had flown B-52’s and dropped thousands of bombs in Vietnam over the last decade.
So off we go to the park all by ourselves. I felt somewhat strange knowing I was going to say something that 40 years later some would laugh at not understanding the circumstances. How do you tell someone you’ve only known for a short period of time that you believe God has brought you together and that you sense you will spend the rest of your lives together? I didn’t have a clue as to whether Anne sensed the same thing towards me or would label me some crackpot charismatic that needed to get back into the little red sports car and head back to northern California?
As I am looking at her with her cute smile, long blonde hair and missionary wardrobe I tell her my story of how God had led me to her from my Yuba City home. I had driven really not knowing where I was going but obviously was enabled by God to find her either in Mexico or her La Mesa home. I was truly pleased that she didn’t label me as a crackpot, even though I know her dad must have thought it but she to seemed to show a real keen interest in my presence. I know that looking back this should have been much more romantic and lustful and not a God told me to tell you type of situation. Yet, looking over the last 40 years I have been able to show my Anne the romantic side to what God brought about. I have much more to share about our initial courting year or waiting time for her to return home from Ethiopia.
I close this first part of my story with Anne just thankful that my foolishness of acting out of impulse paid off and brought huge dividends. I know that her dad especially had hoped that we would wait until we were through with college to be seriously committed to each other and not get married. He was the one who married us and made the statement that we were too young, too short, too poor and too inexperienced to get married. Yet, he performed the wedding and closed with the vows of do you take …… and then made the pronouncement you are now husband and wife and what God has brought together let no man put asunder.
No comments:
Post a Comment