Boy Sends Christmas Shoebox to Girl Overseas. 11 Years Later, Travels to Ask Her Hand in Marriage

Many people around the world are familiar with the popular Christmas tradition of filling shoeboxes with items like toys, toiletries, school supplies and more for Operation Christmas Child. Organizations, churches and schools all over begin to garner volunteers to put the boxes together. They do this in hopes to provide some christmas cheer and joy to children everywhere.

One of these organizations is Samaritan’s Purse.

7-year-old Tyrel Wolfe and his family participated in the Operation Christmas Child project, but never knew it would be a life-changing moment for all of them.

The magic began when Tyrel began packing a shoebox that was meant for a young girl around his age.

The shoebox contained a photo of Tyrel in a cowboy outfit, as well as, some other small items.

While Tyrel was excited about packing the box, him and his family totally forgot about it after it was delivered to the Philippines.

More than a decade passed before Tyrel received an unexpected friend request from a woman named Joana Marchan from the Philippines. Joana and Tyrel began messaging on Facebook as Joana wanted to express her thanks for his box.

Despite the seemingly friendly gesture, Tyrel’s parents warned him to make sure the person he was messaging on Facebook was the right person he sent his box too. Sure enough, it was the same girl that Tyrel sent a christmas shoebox to a decade ago.

Tyrel decided to book a flight to Manila to visit Joana, and the rest – is history.