Our journey started in July 2003. At that time, Mark was in Perth, Australia , & Tasia was in Beijing, China, studying Mandarin.
The journey began through a website called Friendster.
Tasia was about to go back for good to Indonesia & thought of working in Jakarta. It wasn't intended to see Mark as future partner, just a friend (since he wrote on his profile "Jakarta" as his location).
We started to email each other until Tasia arrived in Semarang, her hometown. The relationship continued, as we found it was enjoyable to communicate eventhough we were thousand miles apart. From emailing, we exchanged personal mobile numbers. From mobile numbers, we started to send SMS. From sending SMS, Mark started to call Tasia.
It was beautiful of how God met us through this way. The relationship continued for 3 years until we got married at the end. Every 6 months Mark would make a visit to Indonesia to see Tasia.
It wasn't easy to go though those 3 years. We missed each other so much yet couldn't hold or see each other (apart from when Mark visited Tasia). We could only communicate via telephone, internet, letters & mobile. On top of that, we did quarrel a few times especially in the area of finance. We had different view of how to handle money. It was challenging to be in the long-distance relationship. Many people would be skeptical even Tasia's own father.
The journey began through a website called Friendster.
Tasia was about to go back for good to Indonesia & thought of working in Jakarta. It wasn't intended to see Mark as future partner, just a friend (since he wrote on his profile "Jakarta" as his location).
We started to email each other until Tasia arrived in Semarang, her hometown. The relationship continued, as we found it was enjoyable to communicate eventhough we were thousand miles apart. From emailing, we exchanged personal mobile numbers. From mobile numbers, we started to send SMS. From sending SMS, Mark started to call Tasia.
It was beautiful of how God met us through this way. The relationship continued for 3 years until we got married at the end. Every 6 months Mark would make a visit to Indonesia to see Tasia.
It wasn't easy to go though those 3 years. We missed each other so much yet couldn't hold or see each other (apart from when Mark visited Tasia). We could only communicate via telephone, internet, letters & mobile. On top of that, we did quarrel a few times especially in the area of finance. We had different view of how to handle money. It was challenging to be in the long-distance relationship. Many people would be skeptical even Tasia's own father.But God was indeed faithful. For many times His words again and again confirmed our relationship. Our relationship wasn't based on feeling/emotion. It was a supernatural experience. Beyond our emotion, our thoughts, our plans...
PSALMS 127:1a
Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it;
Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it;
This was one of the verses we received during that period. Time of waiting...time of preparation...time to be still...
To cut the story short, on January 2007, Mark and Tasia engaged. Ps Agus Gunawan from Bethany, Perth, became Mark's representative (since it wasn't in Western culture to ask for someone's daughter for marriage). Mark gave Tasia a beautiful cross necklace as a token of engagement.
We had a simple celebration. We had a dinner in a Chinese Restaurant called "Pringgading Restaurant" in Tasia's hometown in Semarang. It was attended by family and close relatives.
And the journey continued....
Wow,wonderful messages
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