I never realized just how much one person could mean to me until I met Hugo. In December of 2018, I spent a couple of weeks in Chile serving at two YWAM bases while also getting to know this amazing man. With our time being so limited in Chile, we tried to figure out how we could meet up again. But we didn’t have any for sure plans when it was time for me to leave.
When I arrived back in America a couple of days before Christmas, I had many different feelings. I was thankful to be spending Christmas and New Years with my family, but I was also hurting deeply not being with this man that I had grown to love and cherish so much.
I missed him like crazy, but I had no idea when I would get to see him again. While having our conversations during this time apart, Hugo would often tell me how much he loved the time we spent together and how he wanted us to be together, but all in God’s timing.
One option we had was for me to visit him in Brazil since the visa process for me was much easier than for him trying to get to America. I applied for a visa to Brazil the beginning of January and was approved within three days! It was so fast! It was a huge relief that the process had gone so smoothly. Having this visa meant I could get a plane ticket, and just a few days later I had a ticket for January 20th.
It was the best feeling to know that we now had an official countdown of when we would see each other again. I still missed Hugo so much, but it helped knowing we would soon be together. I spent the next couple of weeks getting things sorted out at home as best as I could while also saying goodbye to life as I had known it.
On January 22nd, I arrived in Brazil. After getting my luggage and going through customs, I was standing face to face with Hugo. I was reunited with my best friend and was so happy to be with him.
We started the process of getting our marriage license soon after I arrived because we both had peace from God in this next step of our lives. We applied for the marriage license on January 29th, and on March 14th, we will sign the marriage license and officially be husband and wife. We are so thrilled with everything that God is doing in our lives that we simply don’t know how to put it in words or describe it!
We are unsure if, when, or where we will be having a celebration of our marriage, but we are hoping to do something.
Currently, Hugo handles a small translation business which allows us to serve with YWAM (Youth With a Mission) in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. It has been a blessing getting to meet missionaries from different countries such as Holland, Ghana, Germany, and even ones from the United States.
We will be here for a month and then head back to São Paulo the beginning of March to sign our marriage license. There are a few different places that Hugo and I have talked about going after we are married but have not fully decided yet. We want what God has for us and have been praying for where he wants us next. We invite you to pray for us as we seek God for what he has for us in this next season of our lives. Thank you so much for all of your love and support.
Curious as to how Hugo and I first met? Here’s a brief backstory to how God first brought us together – “Janae’s Life Update”
Our Faith Journey 