Danny and Maria Able from Annapolis, Maryland

(married February 18, 2005)

I am very thankful to Encounters International that it helped me to find the person that I want to spend the rest of my life with. I hope that they will have many more couples as happy as us.

Very few people that I know believe that it is possible to find a match among people who were raised in so different environment and have such different mentality. Nevertheless, it is really possible. I can testify to that.

Many of my single girl fiends in Russia and even in the USA ask me how it was possible that everything worked out for me and Danny so perfectly well. It does not seem real for them. My response to them is -- here is the telephone number of Natasha Spivack's agency. Do not waste your time. Call her and she will take care of you.

Maria Gorchakova-Able.

Danny Able writes: I must admit from the first women I spent time with in Russia till the last women I spent time with they were all very exceptional women with many qualities to offer. All of the women would have been excellent choices for a future wife. To tell you the truth if I were dating any of these ladies back home I would have never pursued another women. I was fortunate to be able to have so many wonderful women to possibly have as a future wife and I was truly praying for a sign or something that would lead my to the right choice. On my second meeting with one of the ladies and I saw all the ladies at least twice, I clicked and bonded with one of the ladies. We laughed and smiled and spent an incredible evening together and I was so comfortable with her, and it felt so comfortable and natural being with her and her 4-1/2 year old so Vanya. I just knew she was the one for me and I had to be with her.

Her name is Maria Gorchakova and if I have a soul mate she has to be it. I was now 7 days into my 12 day trip and I was so looking forward to spending the last 5 days with Maria. This made sound a little corny, but with each day me and Maria became better and better friends and our love grew more and more. When I had to return home it truly felt like I was leaving a lifelong friend and it was the most difficult thing for both of us. We had talked about me staying with her in Yaroslavl for the duration of waiting for our visa and she would take care of me. It sounds crazy, but I actually considered it for short time. I was not sure how everything would turn out, but it could not have been better. For those who have never been to Russia and are thinking of going and joining the Encounters International club please do yourself a favor and try it, you will be so very happy you did.

Danny Able.