Cindy and Richard Engaged

 Richard and I “met” over 5 years ago. I received an email from him saying that he was just in Kenya and was writing an article on the golden-rumped elephant-shrew and asked for a copy of my thesis on this animal. We had actually stayed in the same place…A Rocha Kenya (Mwamba) field study center…but at different times. For some reason our elephant-shrew discussions developed into long emails about pretty much anything with no intention of anything more than friendship since he is British…living in England….and it just wasn’t practical. Last January we met in person for the second time, on my way to Kenya, and we realized something was there worth pursuing in spite of the ocean between us. Hundreds of skype calls later and a few visits here and there led to us visiting Kenya together these past two weeks.

Richard wanted to see the work that goes on with Kupenda and was so incredibly helpful and great with all the kids and people there. He also was visiting some of his friends from when he was in Kenya. I almost didn’t give him the time to propose with the schedule I had for us….it was always dark when we got back and he was determined it would be daylight on the beach when it happened. He almost had to drag me out on the beach for a walk when we finally got a few minutes on a Saturday afternoon. It was that beautiful time in late afternoon/early evening when the sun is just right in the sky. There was a giant flock of crab-plovers (link) almost watching us as he pulled out the ring from his pocket and asked me to marry him. It was fitting that we make a commitment like this in Kenya since it is how we met and a place we both have had a heart for, for a long time. It was also…fitting that the first two people we were able to tell (the day of our engagement) were our Kupenda Kenya director, Leonard Mbonani and the Kupenda Kenya chair, Rev. Mangi…both are planning to come to our wedding. They both said such beautiful words and prayed for us and our future together…it was perfect. 

The following day we were able to visit the children at the Gede school and share the news with them…they all made the signs for “good” and had giant smiles. They are insisting on a second ceremony in Kenya where they can all come.

It was worth waiting 34 years….and in Richard’s case 40. Richard is currently working for an educational publishing company focusing on physics and Chemistry textbooks and educational material. He has a PhD in Astronomy; a master’s in theology, a certificate in cross-cultural missions and is an incredible writer. We have a mutual love for nature and issues pertaining to science and faith. He has already helped with so many Kupenda activities such as the editing of the disability guidebook (link), Kupenda’s statement of faith (link), and just being so supportive and encouraging when it comes to the worries and concerns I often have as the founder of Kupenda.