The Bridal Party

The Best Man (CHRIS DODD)

I first met Chris in 1996 while visiting my home church during student holidays. After graduating Anderson University and settling in the Atlanta area, Chris and I began to spend more time together. At first we had little in common except for mutual friends and a desire to grow in our relationship with Christ. Out of this desire, we began to talk about our struggles and fears, as well as our strengths, and sought to encourage one another. As we spent more time together, our interests began to merge. Chris developed a liking for camping and hiking, and I began to take a greater interest in technology and things that you can learn on the Discovery Channel (ask Chris a question about anything, and he'll give you a believable answer). While he and I have very different tastes in music, I began to appreciate singers like Steve Green. He later admitted that Audio Adrenaline was not so bad. We both discovered that exercising at the gym can be pretty fun if you have good company.

Our travels together have been some of my greatest memories. I will never forget eating Powerbar and date sandwiches in the hot summer sun as we stood on a lake of ice, taking a rest from our attempt to get over the Continental Divide. I will never forget Chris' huge smile as he pulled in one of the biggest fish I have ever seen during a deep-sea fishing trip in the Florida Keys. I on the other hand, clung desperately to the side of the boat, begging to be taken home because of seasickness. Chris came with me in my first trip to New Zealand and helped to confirm God's calling for me here. I could fill many pages with interesting, and sometimes scary, experiences (like the questionably male housemaid that attempted to fix our bathroom at a motel in Pennsylvania), but you'll have to ask Chris to tell those.

Never have I had a friend who showed such commitment in friendship. My life will always bear the mark of his influence. Although many miles now separate us, I know that I can still count on him. I feel so privileged to have him stand with me in my wedding. ~ Chad

The Maid of Honour (ADELINE SHIH)

One of my earliest memories with Adeline involved me being upset that she'd drawn all over my favourite storybook (I still love Bambi to this day). Needless to say, I didn't start off being too impressed with my new baby cousin. It seemed like she was always taking my toys, eating my food and getting me in trouble with my mother.

However, having to move countries a lot, especially as an only child, I found that I looked forward to coming home to visit my cousins (Andrew had arrived on the scene by then). Being somewhat of a tomboy, I was surprised to find that I enjoyed doing "girly things" with Adeline, and it was with a sense of freedom that she finally got her driver's licence, which better facilitated our shopping excursions.

2001 proved to be the turning point in our family's history when Andrew was diagnosed with cancer. It was through this incident that Adeline's family came face-to-face with God's power for the first time, and about a year later, with Andrew fully healed, they were all baptised together. There is nothing like Christ that can bind a family together - and I can say this from experience.

Now, all grown up, I am proud and excited to have Adeline up front with me on the big day. I can't deny that she has been the closest thing I have to a sister, even if it means proving my parents' predictions right! ~Diane