More from my Autobio, another marriage
It had taken Josh about five years after meeting Sarah to come to the point of commitment. With Nat, things progressed a bit faster.
He had a girlfriend in the States before he left for Turkey, but because she was not interested in or equipped to work in a difficult, overseas environment, Nat eventually ended the relationship.
At the end of July in 2007 he called me on the phone. “You know, Dad,” he said, “I’ve always wanted a ‘sports car kind of wife,’ more of a movie star type, like Mom. But now I realize that what I need is an ‘SUV wife,’ one that can go off road with me into difficult places.”
“Good!” I said, “I’ve got the girl for you. She will be coming to Ankara in two weeks. Her name is Abby. Take her out and get to know her!”
Abby was a great match for Nat. Like Sarah, she was a vibrant believer and was already part of our group. She had spent three years in the country with a different group, so she already spoke the language and knew the culture. And she was fully supported in her ministry by her own church and individual contacts.
Unbeknownst to me, others were also thinking about the possible matchup of Nat and Abby. So when she got back to our country of service, her friends also encouraged Nat to get to know her.
Nat took her out, enjoyed the time, and sensed a nudge from the Lord that he should get together with her again. On their second date, Abby’s purse was stolen in the restaurant where they were having supper. Abby told us later that she had no idea what to do such a situation, but Nat did. First he called her cell phone– the thief answered but immediately hung up; then he talked to the waiters to get their input and finally he took Abby to the local police station to make a report.
Abby told us that In the midst of this she said to herself, “If this is what it’s like being married, I think I’d really like that!”
A week later Nat took Abby out for the third time and said to her, “I think we should talk about our future together.”
“Great!” said Abby, “The tension has been killing me!” So two weeks after meeting they were planning their marriage.
Nat’s birthday is May 27th, so this number is special to him: his email address is 27, he signs his drawings with a 27, his prayer letter was called 27, and Psalm 27 was his theme. And, it turned out that Abby was 27 when they met! That clinched it for Nat!
They wanted to marry on the 27th, and were talking about January in the States. I suggested to Nat that they have a civil wedding in Turkey on December 27, which would make the year of their wedding also contain both a 2 and 7: 2007. However, the cost of doing this was prohibitive, so that idea got scratched.
In the end they married in the States on January 27, 2008 in Virginia. Then, like Josh and Sarah, they also had a reception in Connecticut and one in Ankara when they returned. Their wedding was well celebrated!
