Vera & Leo: A Love Written by Faith

Vera never expected love to arrive through an email, especially not one that would make her laugh out loud. But there it was, living in her inbox, a series of messages from her now husband, Leo Ovadije.

Leo, on the other hand, had accepted long ago that love doesn’t come easy, and he wasn’t to blame, he had experienced past heartbreaks…to him, love seemed uncertain. He had jokingly resigned himself to being a successful but single 50 year-old physician, convinced that marriage was a hurdle he couldn’t get over. All of this changed when he spoke to Vera. Their shared faith and effortless humor created a bond that neither had anticipated.

Many thanks to Dr Tessy, mutual friend of the two and co-founder of the Catholic Connect Singles Network. She had sensed that they could be a perfect match!.  “Vera, there’s someone you should meet”, says Dr Tessy and with Vera’s consent, she passes along her contact to Leo’s Sister, Franca, and before you knew it, what started as email exchanges soon became long phone calls & conversations that felt natural, as if they had known each other forever.

Back in those days, international phone calls were not cheap - but neither cared. That first phone call lasted over an hour—an instant familiarity, as if they had known each other for years. “It felt like I was speaking to my best friend,” Vera recalled.

Leo, skeptical of romantic clichés, found himself reconsidering an old song lyric he once dismissed as foolish: “I knew I loved you before I met you.” Because with Vera, it felt exactly like that.

A seemingly perfect beginning, but it wasn’t void of its challenges. At first, their love story was a long-distance one—Vera was in Nigeria, Leo in the U.S. They spent hours talking and laughing but after months went by, Vera, uncertain of the status of her “relationship with Leo” had to ask, “We’re spending hours talking… but what are we?” She needed clarity, she couldn’t continue without it, and thankfully, Leo matched her need for clarity with reassurance, “I want to date you… but would you consider moving to the U.S.?” Leo asked. 

A big question, which required a big decision, but Vera made the choice, she took a leap of faith and moved to New York, where her family was. When she landed, she was met with a young man, grinning from ear to ear, holding a big bouquet of flowers at the airport. It was their first in-person meeting and the connection felt so strong. The long distance between them seemed to cause another challenge. With Leo working a demanding job as a Kidney specialist in Tennessee and Vera living with her family in New York, frequent visits weren’t enough. He asked Vera to consider moving closer. 

Another big ask, at this point her family had to step in,“You’re moving to another state for a man you’re not even married to?” they asked, concerned. But Vera knew this wouldn’t be a mistake—when you know, you know.

The decision wasn’t easy but through every stage of their relationship, faith was central. Each night, they prayed, “Lord, if this is not your will, let it end now.” They wanted God to lead their journey, trusting that if their love was meant to last, it would. So she packed her bags and moved all the way from New York to Tennessee. “I cried the whole way there,” she admitted. But deep down, she knew she was walking toward something beautiful.

When Leo finally proposed, Vera was taken completely by surprise. “I wasn’t even thinking about marriage yet,” she laughed. But there, in a park in St. Louis, in the quiet of a cold February night, she knew her answer.

Now, 22 years later, Vera and Leo’s love remains as strong as ever. They have built a home, raised four children, and continued to put their faith at the center of their marriage. Their story is a testament to God’s perfect timing, the power of prayer, and the beauty of love built on shared faith.