Wedding Update:

Ruth 1:16-17, “Do not beg me to leave you, to return from following after you. For where you go, I will go. Where you stay, I will stay. Your people shall be my people and your God my God. Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried.”

This passage is the verse that God gave Josué to represent our wedding/ marriage. It is on our invitations and unity candle, and will be part of the pastor’s message.

Josué and I continue our counseling sessions. We are currently discussing “how to be a faithful spouse” and “how to communicate: dialogue not argue.” We also read marriage books together and discuss them every day.

We found a place that does invitations and we were able to make a special order—with our wedding’s theme: red and white interconnected hearts; we distributed them last week, mostly on Saturday, when Josué officially presented me to his relatives (a custom here). He surprised me by giving me an engagement ring, which was special.

A relative of Josué is a hair and makeup stylist. She’s been working with me on hairdos and makeup ideas for the wedding.

After searching for two days for the locale for the wedding, Josué and I found a large open room that rents for special events. It is a second story that overlooks the Plaza of Armas with its trees, a colored fountain, statues, and an array of people enjoying the night air (the wedding will take place the evening of February 7). A fresh breeze passes through the large open balcony, and fans dot the walls.

We will have 17 decorated tables, to seat the 100 guests—mostly Josué's family, church, and classmates from school; also a few YWAM friends). There will be a table for the cake, our verse in calligraphy, and a candle by which to remember my dad. The American and Peruvian flags will hang above the table.

I hired a caterer and a decorator, who will work together to create a paradise; the caterer provides the waiters to serve the dinner (chicken, rice, a salad, and a local fruit juice) and the red and white heart-shaped cake as well.

A carpenter is making us a 6-foot wooden cross with a heart in the center and a little platform for the Lord’s Supper. The cross will stand under an arch of flowers and the unity candles will be on a nearby stand.

We got our medical tests (we don’t have AIDS—smile!).

We signed the legal paperwork; everything is in order. We continue to work on visa regulations.

Friday, February 6, is our “civil wedding”—the one that counts for our governments. That’s where we complete the paperwork. It will be at a church member’s home; she has a pool and a grill—so after the ceremony, we (with close family members and friends) will grill out and swim. We will also have the rehearsal that day.

We reserved a hotel room for 3 nights (the 7-9); it’s one block from the plaza, so very convenient. I will go early on the 7th and spend the day there, keeping tabs on the decorations and trying to rest. Josué will be following the tradition of not seeing me the whole day before the wedding.

February 9 and 10 we will work on visa requirements, both for my residency in Perú and Josué’s visa to the States. We leave February 11 for Lima , where we will spend a couple more days on visa paperwork (embassy). When everything is in order, we will travel by bus for a month to the southern countries—southern Perú, Chile, Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay, and Bolivia.

We had a meeting with the musical band and singer.

Josué is working on the music, photographer, and rings. Next week we will concentrate on the vows and ceremony. We will also focus on honeymoon plans—plane tickets to Lima and the timetable/ route.

Mama Luz, Josué’s mom is sewing daily. She has completed the flower girl’s dress and my maid of honor Vasti’s; these dresses are red with a short white train; the embroidered flowers have red pearls sown onto them; they will wear pearl headbands. She has also finished the detailed decorations (knife set, ring bearer’s pillow, etc), her dress, and Josué’s tuxedo and white shirt. She is now working on the ring bearer’s and Bible bearer’s red shirts with white ties, and my dress for the civil wedding.

Next week she will start on my dress, which is white with a low back, with crisscross tie-up ribbon, and a red train; on the embroidered flowers will be white pearls (it’s the exact opposite of the two girls’ dresses). My tiara, veil, and jewelry are a pearl and diamond theme.