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Technology is changing the way we find love. Today, single Christians who are searching for a mate have access to scores of online matchmaking sites. And e-mail, chat rooms, and instant messaging are connecting singles with potential mates from across town or across the world. Just ask Rianti Bos. Her story of online romance is dramatic, but increasingly common for lonely Christians who are looking for the Right One.

I met him through a Christian-matchmaking site on the Internet. I lived in Jakarta, Indonesia, and he lived in Ontario, Canada. The seas, many islands, and 13,053 miles separated us. Still, his arrow of love reached my heart.

His name was Clarence, and he was the answer to my five-year prayer. He had a strong faith in Christ—which was my top priority. I always was impressed by the kindness of the Dutch people when I traveled to Holland as a journalist (my past job), so I prayed for a Dutch husband. He was Dutch. I liked the idea of living on a farm, so I put that in my profile as well. He lived on a farm.

Like a miracle, all my criteria matched with his. And from the essay and multiple-choice questions that we had to complete at the website, 59 percent of his responses matched mine.

We corresponded almost every day, shared our news and faith, and encouraged each other. Our relationship depended on the computer. So, when my computer didn't work one day, I couldn't send e-mail to him. When my computer was back in operation the next day, I received an e-mail from him saying he was worried because he hadn't heard from me. Was I okay? He said all he could do was pray to God for my well-being.

Only two months after our first e-mails, Clarence asked me to marry him. Oh, how my heart was filled with happiness. After praying about it for an entire day, I answered confidently: "Yes, I will marry you."

People were skeptical. "How can you be so sure? You haven't even met each other yet?" they said.

But even though we had never met, it was as if I knew him intimately. I sensed when he was sad or happy through his letters. And from his words, I knew he was a good man.

Two months after the marriage proposal, he asked if he could visit me in Jakarta. So in June 2000, he came to Jakarta. That was the first (and only) time we met "face to face" before marriage.

Clarence was tall and gentle and had a remarkable faith in God. We didn't hold hands or touch each other. We agreed not to do that until we were married. But he did place a beautiful engagement ring on my finger.

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