Weslânia + Franck: An Ordained Love Story

Our story began with a Facebook friend request on June 2013. It was a Friday, my family had welcomed the Sabbath, and we had had dinner. I went to my room with my sister, picked up my cell phone, and saw Franck’s friend request.

Along with his friend request, Franck sent a normal message—no “Hey, gorgeous!” which earned him a point. Still, I only replied on Sabbath afternoon, and he soon answered. Thus began our conversation.

Franck had never seen me in person, but I knew of him through mutual friends. I had seen him in class photos from the missionary school he attended, and once in person at the 2012 Youth Convention in Sumaré, São Paulo. I had been sitting in the auditorium balcony when I heard him present an offering request. I turned to my friend and said, “Hmmm, how cute!”

When he finished speaking, he sat next to a sister from my town. Later that day, she said to me, “Nany, I met the guy for you. He’s so cute!” I was a little disconcerted, and I didn’t say anything but thought she might be talking about Franck. I didn’t see or think about him again until his friend request.

Doubts

I didn’t know Franck personally and had heard from a friend that he was interested in someone else, so I was afraid he was stringing me along while also talking to someone else. That week, I called a trustworthy friend and asked him to find out if Franck was talking to someone else. He wasn’t. My doubt appeased, the conversation flowed.

But he’s a missionary…

I knew that if things continued as they were, we would eventually begin courting. As a missionary’s daughter, I knew the struggles missionaries face and had always told myself I would never be in a relationship with one. At the time, Franck was living in Buenos Aires as the treasurer of the Argentine Union. In other words, Franck was a missionary. And I liked him.

My parents knew about our friendship, so I talked to them, and they helped ease some of my anxieties around the implications of being a missionary’s wife. I prayed a lot, and Franck and I continued talking. I realized that Franck was someone who would support me, help me, and who shared my views in many aspects.

I liked his manner since our first messages, which sometimes felt like paragraphs. Franck told me absolutely everything about his day, and I—a person of few words—started talking a little more. I felt comfortable being myself with him.

First encounters

Before we officially started dating, we wanted to see each other in person. I was going to Curitiba for a college entrance exam in October. Franck would also be there validating his theology course, and it was the perfect moment for us to meet. I arrived on a Thursday and stayed at a cousin’s house, and he arrived Friday and stayed at a friend’s. We planned to meet Friday, after sunset, at the house where he was staying. It was the most anxious Friday of my life. It was the first time we met face to face, and my heart almost leapt out of my mouth.

That weekend, we officialized our relationship. We spent three days together then went home. Those who have experienced a long-distance relationship will agree that it’s not easy. You always miss each other, but, thankfully, WhatsApp exists and has made our lives easier in this respect.

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Family ties

At this point, my parents and Franck already spoke on the phone and had a good relationship. I would also phone with his parents, and the whole family already knew each other. This was important to me, because I always wanted to a relationship where both our families got along well. My mother-in-law told me she prayed for Franck in his room every day for a week while he was gone. A few days later, he called and sent them a picture of me, and she was sure that it would work out. 

After we met in Curitiba, Franck visited me at my family home. We traveled together as a family and got to know each other better. My mother and I also visited Franck and his family in their home. Then, my in-laws came to our house, and Franck would travel from Argentina to Campina, where I lived. Between in-person meetings, there were many hours on the phone, messages, and conversations. It was a beautiful phase.

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We were sure our relationship was a gift from God, and we decided we didn’t like the constant back and forth between Argentina and Brazil anymore. We got engaged after ten months, and eight months later we were married on April 5, 2015. It was the best decision of my life. I moved to Argentina, and then we moved to Chile where Franck was ordained as pastor on October 28, 2017. We have been married for six years, and I never regretted changing my mind about dating someone in the ministry.

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Before meeting Franck, I prayed and told God that I didn’t want to make wrong choices, that I just wanted to be with someone who was His choice for me and someone who loved Him. Franck showed up months later and was more than I could have asked for. I knew he was the answer to my prayer, and I thank God for everything He has done for us. God knows us and knows exactly who we need by our side. We just need to trust.