Engagement News

Yes, it’s true; I’m engaged to be married!

In case this comes as a big surprise to you, I’ll fill you in on some of the details.
Let me first assure you that I wasn’t looking to meet a guy when I came to Africa; I was quite content with being single. When I lived in the states I never met anyone that said “oh yeah, I think I want to spend my life among the poor in Africa, too.” So to me it kind of makes sense that if I were to meet that someone special it would happen here - to meet someone with similar goals, beliefs, and vision for the future; someone who is already in Africa. Although we come from different countries and cultures, we have a lot in common and we are very happy together. I am so thankful for this amazing blessing in my life.

I met Jean-Patrick when I was in Mali the first time, in January and February 2009. We got pretty well aquainted during that time and after I left we sent emails almost daily until I came back in October. Since then we have seen each other every day.

Jean-Patrick is from the country of Chad, but he has been in Mali for several years. He came here and then spent 3 years in Bamako (the capital) studying at medical school to become a nurse. Then he returned to the base to join as staff. He works with the baby malnutrition center and is often called on to use his nursing skills in other ways, too. I’ve watched him give injections to treat typhoid, I’ve seen him drain an infection, and I’ve heard him help people to understand the details of their malaria treatments. He also bandaged me up nicely when I cut my finger one time. He’s a great nurse.
Besides the nursing stuff, he works with kids in the children’s clubs here and leads music on the base. I think that he’s all-around fantastic.

My relationship with Jean-Patrick has definitely helped me with my language skills as we mostly talk in French. His first language is French, but his English is getting better and better. He can speak a total of 9 languages!

We are working on plans to make trips to both Chad and the USA. I’m hoping to be able to do this after the school year ends. It is really important for us to meet each other’s families and to see where we both come from. To be able to do this we need to get a visa for me to go to Chad (not too hard) and a visa for JP to go to the USA (this is a bit more complicated, but not impossible.)

We also need the money needed to get the really awfully expensive plane tickets to fly to both Chad and the USA. (Chad is only 2 countries over from Mali on the map, but it would take at least 5 whole days to get there by bus, and I am told that this is not safe for me to do as a foreigner.) 

Beyond the trips to Chad and the USA, our plans are to get married and to live happily ever after.

Thank you for sharing in our joy!
Love, Erin