Cynthia
Maid of Honor
I first met Ejha at Jovy’s house when she threw a welcome party for me and Ghovindo (Ejha’s brother) who had just arrived in the US for school, back in 2022. We clicked instantly and I knew that we are going to be friends for a long time. Honestly, I didn’t expect to become besties but over time our friendship grew deeper and deeper. I have numerous memories with her both at times of great joy and sorrow. Ejha literally became my family, my sister, a person I don’t have to impress or try to be the best version of myself. She accepted the real me and showered me with so much love. Words cannot express how precious this relationship is to me. She has this beautiful ability to draw people close to her and get a taste of her friendship by just being there for them.
Peter Strobel
Best Man
I first met James in the recess line in Kindergarten. We were both staring at the same Zoopets magazine and got to talking. Since then we’ve gone through Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts together, grew some and had to get glasses, tried out swim team, built a few LEGO forts, played hundreds of matches of Super Smash Bros., and have grown into adults. College and jobs have drawn us to different parts of the country, but I like to think these breaks are just brief delays before more memories.
Avery Aaliyah
Bridesmaid
I first met Ejha in the old ENCS church building off 50th & 17th. As a member of the welcome team, engaging with new faces was routine for me. Ejha immediately caught my attention with her petite stature and endearing presence, leading me to initially assume she was in high school. 😂😂 Despite her shyness and building confidence in speaking English, our conversation revealed that we were the same age. Additionally, we discovered we shared many common experiences in our personal lives that we quickly bonded over. A fond first memory was driving her to the QFC in University Village to buy some apple pie. I also cherish our times playing badminton together and witnessing her bowl for the first time. Over the past few years, as our friendship has grown, it has been heartwarming to observe how God has protected and provided for her.
Trey Reynolds
Groomsmen
I first met James in 2013 when he (along with another now mutual and lifelong friend! What a day!) joined my Air Physics Roblox demo. Our shared passion for game development has lead to our paths crossing many times over the past 11 years.
In the Summer of 2016, by complete coincidence, we took simultaneous temporary jobs at Roblox and rented apartments right next to each other. During this time, we spent much of our free time in the pool, at the park and at parties discussing anything game-dev.
This serendipity repeated itself in 2020 with our simultaneous enrollment in the Roblox Accelerator program. At the beginning of the pandemic, we collaborated on and released a game, an experience that cemented James's exceptional software engineering and management skills in my mind. I have always admired his insights and the depth of his knowledge.
James has always been a pillar of our community. His emotional maturity and endearing personality make him impossible not to get along with. These qualities will undoubtedly serve him well in his married life. It has always been a pleasure to share experiences and conversations with him, and I am honored to be a part of this special occasion.
Linda Wang
Bridesmaid
I ran into Ejha and the Every Nations fam at Seattle’s local favorite: Molly Moon’s Ice Cream. She introduced herself as Ejha. “Asia?” I asked? “Ejha,” she clarified!
I’m so grateful to know the real Ejha! Ejha and I joke that Ejha is Lara to people who first met her. At first, she seems shy, quiet, and gentle. Upon getting to know her, I was happy to discover that she is full of life. She is hilarious, widely expressive, works with endless grit, extremely passion, and endlessly devoted to loving those closest to her!
In all, I’m grateful I can laugh and cry at the ups and downs of life together! God is with us in the midst of our friendship. ❤
Lee Fitchett
Groomsmen
I met James in college when we shared a dorm and many classes together. James, Dylan and I quickly began debating the merits of our respective favorite programming languages (Lua, Pythin and C#). We continued our friendship through several tabletop RPGs, spinning tales and experiencing new worlds together.
I have many fond memories of the trips we've taken together, from the short and simple weekend trips to the olympic peninsula to the weeklong trip to europe we did one summer. Although we don't always plan ahead (we decided to do the europe trip 1 month before we left) I've always had a good time with James. The thing I like most about James is how enthusiastic he is to try new things. From skiing to pickleball to magic the gathering, james is always willing to make time to hang out and spend time with friends.
James I wish you luck on this next chapter of your life, and hope that we can continue our ill-planned trips 🙂
Violet McJunkin
Bridesmaid
Ejha and I met when we were both new to Seattle, each having moved for graduate school at the UW.
A pastor at our church, Pastor Jovy, encouraged us to meet weekly over coffee to disciple one another through a study book called One2One. I remember thinking at our first meeting, “wow I don’t know if this will work out, she doesn’t seem like she wants to share life with me at all” because we skipped the small talk and went straight into reading. It took me a while to figure Ejha out, when you first meet her, she is shy and reserved. But soon enough, she was calling me “sister” and wanting to hang out outside of Sundays and One2One.
Ejha is so relational and transparent, and I’ve walked through good times and hard times with her. She has shown me her heart and I am so grateful. I am endlessly excited for her and James to begin this new chapter of life together and I praise God for his faithfulness to Ejha!
Jonathan Roche
Groomsmen
I met James early on in Elementary School. We'd been close friends since the beginning and James is the one who really got me into Game Development. We both went to cub scouts and boy scouts and both got our Eagle Scout achievement! Even with us being thousands of miles apart, we still manage to keep in touch from time to time. Can't wait to see what other adventures we have in the future.
Aroma Grace
Bridesmaid
I met Ejha at church when I was new and feeling a bit lost in a sea of unfamiliar faces. She quickly became a beacon of warmth and friendship in that new environment, one of the first people I truly connected with. I'll never forget the day she took me and another friend for a stroll by the water; we laughed, took pictures, and shared stories, this was the beginning of an amazing friendship. Since then, Ejha has been more than a friend; she's been a sister to me. This past year, I have found myself fondly remembering our weekly lunches filled with chatter, laughter, and shared prayers. As she embarks on this beautiful journey of marriage, I couldn't be happier for her and I look forward to seeing the amazing lady she is evolving into. Here's to Ejha, my dear friend-turned-sister, and to the exciting chapter ahead.
Dylan Gray
Groomsmen
I'm Dylan
I met James at school
Which is pretty cool.
Then we interned together
like birds of a feather.
Now we're roommates,
which is just great!