Tyrel Wolfe, who was seven years old at the time, helped his parents pack Christmas shoebox gifts for kids in the Philippines in the year 2000.
Numerous things, including school supplies, toiletries, and small gifts, were shipped as part of the Operation Christmas Child initiative, which was run by Samaritan’s Purse.
Every person who participated by filling a shoebox was asked to send a photo of themselves along with their gift. The young man uploaded a photo of himself as a direct result of this.
When Wolfe was 21 years old, a woman named Joanna Marchan sent him a friend request on Facebook. He didn’t pay any attention to it because he didn’t think it applied to his life.
‘Two years later, Marchan sent me another request to be her friend.’ This time, Wolfe responded, asking her about how she was able to recognize him and expressing his curiosity in the matter.
Marchan informed him that she had received the picture and shoebox present from Wolfe and had stored them in a special location ever since.
She went on to say that although she had sent a thank-you note, for some reason it had been lost in the mail. All of those uncertainties vanished the moment he saw her.
When I finally arrived and met her, ‘I had to hit myself several times because I felt it was a dream.’
It was advantageous for both parties that they got along. Marchan’s family had a tradition that neither of them could be legally wed without first getting Marchan’s father’s blessing.
Although Wolfe was unhappy to have to return to his former residence, the incident just strengthened his resolve.
We had no idea when we would see each other again, so it was one of the hardest goodbyes I’ve ever had to give.
I promised her that I would get in touch with her as soon as I could, no matter what.
A few months later, Tyrel traveled to Manila once more, this time with his own father Ivan, and was able to convince papa bear that he may marry Marchan.
This sweet tale, which isn’t really fiction, shows us that love and magic are all around us, just waiting to be discovered, if we have an open heart and a little bit of faith.