This is a true love story that proves small gifts can carry great destinies.

It began in 2000 when seven-year-old Tyrel Wolfe from Idaho, USA, packed a shoebox gift for Operation Christmas Child that was sent to the Philippines. The recipient was a young girl named Joana Marchan.

Remarkably, Joana kept a photo of Tyrel, which he had included in the box, for years.

A Journey Across Time and Distance:

2011: Joana successfully located Tyrel on Facebook. They began talking, quickly discovering deep shared values and interests.
2013: Tyrel traveled halfway around the world to Manila to meet Joana. The connection deepened immediately upon their in-person meeting.
The Fateful Wedding: After asking Joana’s father for permission to marry, Tyrel brought her home to Idaho. On October 5, 2014, they were married on Tyrel’s parents’ ranch—the very place where that simple shoebox gift was packed years earlier.
The story of Tyrel and Joana is a beautiful testament to how true love can bloom from the most unexpected origins, turning a childhood Christmas gift into a lifelong promise.