Sunday, July 20th, 2008
The usual evening activities in the Willeke household completed, and the quietness setting in, a cell phone was handed to Ashlee, who blushed, made a curious face, and then ran downstairs to privacy.
1000 miles away in Tampa, Florida the charming redhead introduced himself. It was finally good to hear her voice, he said. The conversation lasted well over two hours. There was never a moment of silence, never an awkward pause, never a hesitant answer; it could be safe to say that they felt they had known each other forever by the end of the conversation. She told him about her family, what she loved about and learned by being raised in a large family, and how she hoped to have one of her own. He told her about his missions trip to Wales and the passion he had for an area and culture that had no understanding of biblical principles, and where a covenant family was virtually unheard of. He said, with emotion in his voice, of how he hoped to live and pastor a church in an area such as that, so that the Lord could use his hopes for a large, Biblical family, and Reformed theology to witness to the people there.
Then he told her how he hoped to someday adopt perhaps half a dozen children from countries around the world: A little girl from India, one from China, an African baby boy. She fell in love with the idea, and put it on her mental notepad.
Had she been any less sensible her heart would have been won before the night was over, but as it was, any emotion that he arose in her she quickly pushed aside, and when her sister asked her what she thought, her reply was that he was still much too intelligent for her, but that he was amazing, and funny and a great man. His thoughts were reserved as well, and he told Peter only, that he'd like to talk to her again.
However, the following day he requested permission to continue to call her periodically, as a friend, and she agreed—as a friend. After two weeks of such conversations (they did not shorten in length) and many late nights chatting, she decided she had better okay everything with her dad. He agreed without hesitation, but with some perplexity; and when Daniel called not too long after that to ask for permission to make a visit up to Ohio, it became evident to Mr. and Mrs. Willeke this young man was not interested in simply being just friends. (Though they remained silent on the subject!)
The visit was planned for Labor Day weekend, September 5th would be the first day they met face-to-face.
The usual evening activities in the Willeke household completed, and the quietness setting in, a cell phone was handed to Ashlee, who blushed, made a curious face, and then ran downstairs to privacy.
1000 miles away in Tampa, Florida the charming redhead introduced himself. It was finally good to hear her voice, he said. The conversation lasted well over two hours. There was never a moment of silence, never an awkward pause, never a hesitant answer; it could be safe to say that they felt they had known each other forever by the end of the conversation. She told him about her family, what she loved about and learned by being raised in a large family, and how she hoped to have one of her own. He told her about his missions trip to Wales and the passion he had for an area and culture that had no understanding of biblical principles, and where a covenant family was virtually unheard of. He said, with emotion in his voice, of how he hoped to live and pastor a church in an area such as that, so that the Lord could use his hopes for a large, Biblical family, and Reformed theology to witness to the people there.
Then he told her how he hoped to someday adopt perhaps half a dozen children from countries around the world: A little girl from India, one from China, an African baby boy. She fell in love with the idea, and put it on her mental notepad.
Had she been any less sensible her heart would have been won before the night was over, but as it was, any emotion that he arose in her she quickly pushed aside, and when her sister asked her what she thought, her reply was that he was still much too intelligent for her, but that he was amazing, and funny and a great man. His thoughts were reserved as well, and he told Peter only, that he'd like to talk to her again.
However, the following day he requested permission to continue to call her periodically, as a friend, and she agreed—as a friend. After two weeks of such conversations (they did not shorten in length) and many late nights chatting, she decided she had better okay everything with her dad. He agreed without hesitation, but with some perplexity; and when Daniel called not too long after that to ask for permission to make a visit up to Ohio, it became evident to Mr. and Mrs. Willeke this young man was not interested in simply being just friends. (Though they remained silent on the subject!)
The visit was planned for Labor Day weekend, September 5th would be the first day they met face-to-face.
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