American boy sends Christmas box to Pinay girl, not knowing he’ll marry her 14 years later

Who knew you could meet your soulmate by getting a Samaritan’s purse?

That’s what happened to Joana Marchan who lived in Quezon City in the Philippines. When she was a little girl, she got a Christmas box. Tyrel Wolfe, a seven-year-old American boy, sent the shoebox.

For the uninitiated, a Samaritan’s purse is a box filled with goodies. They’re usually prepared by American kids. Send it to a kid living overseas, like the Philippines, as a gift for a less fortunate kid.

He received a thank you letter from her

Maybe out of curiosity and gratitude, Joana wrote a thank you letter to Tyrel, her sponsor. Unfortunately, her snail mail didn’t get to the recipient, since it was hard to send such a letter from the Philippines in those days.

She Sent Him Friend Requests on Facebook

She was able to contact Tyrel years later thanks to Facebook. Not once, but twice, she sent him a friend request on Facebook. At first, he ignored it. Eventually, he took notice. Tyrel asked how Joana met him. That led to an inspiring love story.

The Marriage

By 2014, the girl was married to the man who had given her Samaritan’s Purse. She and her husband are currently living in the United States.

 Also, they kept the tradition of sending Shoebox gifts to kids, thanks to Operation Christmas Child. That’s how they show their love.

You can find love in the most unexpected places. Joana and Tyler were united by a Samaritan’s purse, which served as a bridge to help them find each other and have a happy ending in America. Maybe the same will happen to you. You never know.

Learn more about their touching love story in the video below!