It’s so nice to meet you.
Maybe you’ve heard of Tim through his water charity work, or maybe a photo or video of us caught your eye and something about us made you curious.
No, we are not an AI-generated image.
Yes, then you might be wondering, How does a “regular” 5'4" woman fall in love with a 4' man?
It’s a question we’ve asked ourselves too. And we love sharing our story because it is filled with hope. Hope that life doesn’t follow scripts. That something real and beautiful can unfold when we stay open, take your time, and let love grow slowly, gently, and unexpectedly.
The best stories are often the ones we don’t plan.
We wrote up our story, because we often get asked how we met. We can always give the short answer—“through mutual friends”—but the longer story is much more winding and wonderful!
One day, maybe we will get to meet you and share a chai or an adventure.
Until then, please come and sit with us on our digital front porch. Let us grab you a coconut pineapple Bubly from our fridge and we’ll tell you the whole story.
With Love,
Anita & Tim
Our Story: Part 1 / 3
Prologue
Without knowing it, we spent many years living in the same suburb of Toronto, Canada. Tim was born and raised here, while Anita’s family moved here when she was 11, after her early years in Cambridge. For about 15 years, we lived just 20 minutes apart, completely unaware of each other’s existence.
Our moms probably shopped at the same grocery stores. We know the same intersections, plazas, and Starbucks locations by heart. Tim attended a church just a few kilometres away from where Anita’s dad was a pastor. And, in one of life’s serendipitous twists, Tim even went to conferences at the church where Anita worked from 2018 to 2021.
As fate would have it, we could have even crossed paths in East Africa between 2012 and 2013, or perhaps we unknowingly brushed shoulders at Toronto Pearson Airport on our way to adventures halfway across the world.
But before we get to Africa, let’s start with the basics.
How We Met
Our story begins with mutual friends, Jordan and Sonya. Tim had been close friends with Jordan since their youth—first as his youth group leader and later as lifelong friends. Their bond grew from boys breakdancing together to men navigating homes, careers, and life’s milestones. Tim stood by Jordan’s side as his best man when he married Sonya. Yet, despite the passing years and deep friendships, Tim hadn’t found anyone he truly connected with on a deeper level.
Meanwhile, I (Anita) met Jordan and Sonya in 2020 after moving into their townhouse complex in Georgetown. Being new to the neighbourhood, I was making an effort to get to know her neighbours by baking banana muffins and giving them away.
One day, I spotted Jordan and his nine-year-old son hanging bananas on a tree in our shared backyard. Curious, I poked my head out of my back patio door and called out, “Hello! Are you tying bananas to the tree?!”
Jordan explained they were using the bananas to film a video to raise money for a charity called H2O4all.
Without hesitation, he handed me some bananas on the spot.
I dashed back into the house, quickly grabbed a plate of freshly baked banana muffins, and ran back to share them in return!
That simple, quirky exchange sparked an instant friendship. I soon learned that Jordan and Sonya had graduated from Catch The Fire’s School of Ministry nearly a decade earlier—the same organization where I happened to be working at the time! It felt like one of those “small world” moments that naturally led to a growing friendship.
Throughout the pandemic, Sonya and I went on regular walks, shared countless conversations, and swapped food often. I often saw their kids playing in our shared backyard, and before long, they began to feel like family to me.
Tim and I first crossed paths at Jordan’s birthday party in 2021.
While we didn’t talk much that day, I remember noticing that Tim’s feet dangled off the edge of his chair. I didn’t think much of it at the time. In my mind, anyone who was a friend of theirs had to be a good person—and I simply assumed Tim was no exception.
The New Neighbour
I (Tim) heard about Anita long before I met her. Jordan and Sonya would often talk about their neighbour Anita and the fast-growing friendship they had with her. They described her as so friendly, outgoing, bubbly, and incredibly generous. I remember their stories about her showing up with freshly baked treats and making everyone feel welcome—it was clear she was someone special.
I first saw Anita at Jordan’s birthday party. She came in with food she had just baked, still warm from the oven. We didn’t talk much that day, though, and parted ways without giving it much thought.
A few weeks later, following an online church service hosted by Jordan and Sonya, there was a Zoom chat where everyone could connect and get to know each other. I distinctly remember the moment Anita logged in. She was bubbly, full of energy, smiling, and sharing her ideas about generosity and staying connected during the pandemic. Her enthusiasm and the way she spoke about generosity and storytelling immediately caught my attention.
I thought, This is someone I’d love to get to know better.
After the Zoom call, I decided to send her a private Instagram message: “Heeelllo Anita! It’s Tim!!!” But there was no response. Knowing she had over 14,000 followers, I figured she probably just hadn’t seen it, so I didn’t think much more of it.
It wasn’t until Anita moved to Niagara for a new job that we finally had the chance to connect more.
Anita Moves to Niagara
In 2021, I (Anita) moved to Beamsville, Ontario, for a new job. As a part of my role, I got to live in a stunning country home nestled among vineyards and fields of lilies. From the backyard, you could see the Niagara Escarpment, a picture-perfect view that felt like a dream come true.
Despite the beauty of my surroundings, I faced one challenge: convincing friends to visit. The house was a bit off the beaten path, and most people’s busy schedules made it tough to get company. I loved the peace and quiet of being in the countryside and wished that I could share it with more friends.
One day, I happened to check my Instagram messages and saw something from Tim Muttoo. He said he was in the area and wondered if he could drop by. Sure! A familiar friendly face would be welcome.
Tim was a good friend of theirs, and although I didn’t know him well, I had seen him a few times on Jordan and Sonya’s church Zoom calls and that connection was all the reassurance I needed to invite him over. On that first visit, I was just happy to finally have a friend come and enjoy this amazing property with me!
Tim seemed kind and genuine, and I was impressed as he shared more about how he co-founded the charity H2O4all and continued to lead it. I even suggested he make use of the house for his charity. I worked with the winery right next door and thought it might be the perfect spot for him to check out or even host an event someday.
I had extended this same invitation to plenty of friends, but only a few had been able to me up on it. So, when Tim followed up, I was genuinely happy. It felt nice to have someone take an interest in both the house and the possibilities it offered.
Tim's First Visit
I (Tim) used to go to Niagara area for a bit of R&R from my busy work schedule. Since my charity work took me all over the world, Niagara was the perfect spot—far enough from Toronto to feel like a getaway, but close enough to be convenient. In Niagara, it’s easier to find good deal on a decent hotel and get a change of scenery with just a 45 minute drive.
On one of my usual Niagara R&R mini-trips, I told Jordan and he said, “Oh! Did you know that Anita moved to Niagara? You should visit her.” I could tell he wasn’t trying to infer anything. He knew that Anita liked company and the house was worth seeing.
When I messaged Anita again on Instagram, I didn’t expect her to respond—after all, she had 14,000 followers and I had sent her a message about 8 months prior! But when she agreed to have me over, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of excitement.
As I pulled into her driveway, I received a text from a prophetic friend who rarely messages me.
Her text simply said: EXPANSION.
We shared dinner, walked through the fields, and Anita prayed for me—a prayer so heartfelt I'll never forget.
Our Friendship Grows
I (Anita) started seeing Tim every few months on his trips to Niagara. I even let Tim and the charity even used the house to host their annual Christmas party. I pitched in by cleaning the space, while they brought all the food and guests—it turned into a truly wonderful evening!
Over the course of the year, I noticed Tim’s visits becoming more frequent. Every time he visited, he’d stop by after I finished work, and we’d have dinner together. We’d chat like old friends, catching up on life and sharing stories.
I began to realize how much I enjoyed talking with Tim. I felt so comfortable around him, like I could tell him anything, and he’d just get it. We shared a similar worldview—having both traveled to some of the poorest parts of the world, we deeply valued meaningful work, living a generous life, and finding a higher purpose in life.
Tim had left a corporate career as an engineer to follow his passion for building clean safe water projects in developing countries. I admired him for that; it resonated with my own choice to step away from a traditional career path to create meaningful content through media.
I also started noticing how often Tim’s visits stretched late into the evening. Part of me felt awkward—I wanted him to leave, but at the same time, I didn’t. I enjoyed our conversations too much!
I vividly remember one evening. I was standing by the door, letting him out, but somehow, we ended up talking for another hour. I sat on the stairs, and he stood in the doorway, boots on, ready to leave, yet neither of us moved. We just kept finding more to talk about!
I felt so at ease with Tim. It never crossed my mind that he might like me romantically, which was fine because I didn’t see him that way either.
After all, he was 4 foot tall.
To me, he was simply a great friend.
Tim's Take
I (Tim) began to realize how much I enjoyed being around Anita. It felt so natural, like I could completely be myself with her. At that point in my life, I wasn’t looking for a romantic relationship. I preferred friendship.
When I was with Anita, there were no expectations—I wasn’t trying to impress her or be anything other than myself. I felt completely at ease. Together, we created a safe space where we could talk openly, without fear of judgment or expectations.
As I got to know Anita better, it became clear how deeply we connected as friends. We shared so many of the same values—a love for people, for the world, humanity and a similar perspective on money and generosity. Both of us grew up in immigrant households, which meant we understood the unique experiences of being raised in that context. We both loved travel and understood what it felt like to have our hearts spread across the world, yet still call Canada home.
Every time I spent time with Anita, I felt a deep sense of peace. We shared countless special moments, walking and talking for hours in the fields near her winery.
I had never connected with someone like this before.
Awkward Texts
In between Tim’s visits to Niagara, I (Anita) would occasionally get texts from him. To be honest, at first, I found them a bit of a nuisance. I even asked my sister to help me craft polite responses that gently reiterated my boundaries—I just wanted to be friends. Looking back, maybe I was picking up on some “more than friends” vibes from him, and I didn’t want to encourage anything beyond friendship. I appreciated Tim as a friend, and that was it.
But as time went on, I started to notice something. Whenever Tim was around, I felt a little happier. He had a warmth and friendliness that stood out.
We shared a rare connection—having both traveled extensively, worked in slums, and witnessed the poorest of the poor.
We knew how fortunate we were to be from Canada, but we also shared the willingness to sacrifice potentially lucrative corporate paths in pursuit of work that held deeper meaning and fulfillment.
