Once upon a time, in 2013, two teenagers, Jess and Liam, were about to experience the most unexpected love story. Jess, a sweet and shy 13-year-old, was persuaded by her friends to attend a youth group session in Siggiewi called Faith Alive. The center hosted fun activities and lighthearted religious talks, and after weeks of begging from her friends, Jess finally agreed to go. Little did she know, this decision would change her life forever.

One day at school, Jess heard from a friend that she had a crush on a quiet guy who was new to the group. Intrigued, Jess went home and checked out this mysterious guy’s Facebook. What started as curiosity quickly turned into attraction when she thought, "Hey, he’s actually cute!" This was Liam.

Jess couldn’t resist sliding into Liam’s DMs (as any teen would), and soon, they were chatting for hours each day. As they got to know each other, their feelings grew stronger. Before long, they both realized they wanted to meet in person. But there was a catch: Jess had to tell her friend that she fancied Liam too. Understandably, the friend wasn’t thrilled, but Jess bravely spoke up.

However, there was another hiccup. Liam had Christmas exams, so they had to wait a little longer before they could meet. Finally, the day arrived—January 23rd, their first date. Both were nervous (of course) and decided to tell their parents they were meeting a "group of friends" (a classic move). But in reality, it was just the two of them—alone—spending the evening chatting away. It was magical.

Liam had been waiting nervously, and when he saw a girl with curly hair and hazel eyes walking toward him, he knew instantly that he liked her just as much. From that day on, their bond grew, and what started as a sweet crush blossomed into true love.

Fast forward to June 2023, ten years later. Liam knew it was time to take the next big step: proposing to Jess. They had gone to Sicily for a family wedding and decided to extend the trip to Puglia for a longer holiday. Liam, feeling all sorts of nervous, had Jess’s engagement ring hidden in the car the entire time, worried she might find it. Thankfully, she didn’t suspect a thing. On June 20th, as the sun was setting near the famous trulli of Alberobello, Liam knelt on one knee and asked Jess to be his wife. As you can imagine, the answer was a definite "Yes!"

And just like that, from their first nervous date to countless shared moments of connection—both challenging and rewarding—Jess and Liam went from liking each other to falling head over heels in love with a bond that’s unbreakable. Who would’ve thought that a chance meeting at a youth group would lead them to forever?

Things to Do coming soon!