For the past six years Mary Walters has been on a mission. A mission, which she never dreamed would keep her and her new husband apart for so long.

On Feb. 6, 2002, Mary Walters of Westby was married in Irbid, Jordan, to Abdalla Altiti, after what many would consider a whirlwind romance. Walters met Altiti at an online chat room in 1999. The two long distance friends kept in regular contact through e-mails and phone calls for three years before Walters took the trip of a lifetime to Egypt, with a return route through Jordan and an encounter with fate, which would change her life forever.

Walters left the United States on December 6, 2002 for a 3 1/2 month excursion to Egypt, where she fulfilled a lifelong dream of seeing the pyramids. As fate would have it and a time schedule allowing her the freedom to choose her own direction when leaving Egypt, Walters soon found herself in a boat, floating on the Nile River and headed for the country of Jordan for a face-to-face meeting with her long distance friend Altiti.

Before Walters knew what happened she and Altiti were falling in love. They spent day and night talking about their hopes and dreams for the future and the rest of the time dealing with the differences which test any relationship, and can make or break a courtship.

Walters lived in the United States, while Altiti lived in Irbid, thousands of miles away. Altiti was only 27 years old, while Walters was nearly twice his age. Walters admits she felt like she was robbing the cradle by a couple of decades, but to Altiti age wasn’t an issue, it was his heart which was finally content when the two of them were together.

Altiti proposed to Walters in January and in February they were married in a small ceremony in Irbid surrounded by his family. The simple ceremony was all Walters and Altiti needed to complete their circle of love, a circle which has remained strong through verbal and online communication, but lacks the physical connection.

On March 10, 2002, Walters was scheduled to return to the United States, a trip she wasn’t planning on taking alone. She assumed her new husband, Altiti, would be by her side and the two of them would return to Wisconsin and begin building a life together. Her fantasy was soon shattered when Altiti was denied a VISA to return with Walters to the United States by the U.S. Embassy in Jordan.

Still reeling with disappointment, Walters was forced to return alone, but lived with the hope that the red tape which prevented Altiti from joining her in America would soon be cleared up. Now six years later, Walters is headed back to Jordan after Altiti was denied yet another VISA in February due to lack of contact between the married couple.

After years of red tape, thousands of dollars in paperwork and attorney fees, Walters admits she couldn’t afford to travel back to Jordan to visit her husband on an annual basis. A dentist by trade, Altiti, sent Walters money when he could, but medical conditions of her own prevented her from flying and financial restraints kept her close to home. Tired of the delays and missing her husband, Walters took out a bank loan and headed back to Jordan, arriving in Irbid on Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2008, with plans of returning to Wisconsin in a month with a husband by her side.

With requested sponsorship paperwork, photo identification, medical release documents and every other possible requested document in-hand Walters is ready to fight for her chance to be happy.

“This has been going on for six years. We’ve missed out on so much, for so long, and we deserve to be happy. I had to borrow money to go over to Jordan, but I pray for happiness every night and that can’t happen unless Altiti is here with me. All we want is a chance to be together,” Walters said.

Over the past seven years Walters and Altiti have exhausted every avenue available in their pursuit of happiness. Walters contacted every government representative in the area and has copies of the letters in her portfolio. She found American sponsorship for Altiti and has spent hundreds of dollars making sure all of her information is documented.

Walters wasn’t fighting alone, Altiti found additional sponsorship to the United States with a cousin, who resides in Virginia, a cousin who has also paid out thousands of dollars in attorney fees to assist the two of them.

“Waiting is the hardest part. Just when we think we took one step forward something knocks us two steps back,” Walter said prior to her departure for Jordan.

Walters knows she won’t be alone in Irbid. She’ll be with her husband and his loving family, a family who welcomed her with open arms and continues to support their mission to live together as man and wife in America.

Back in America, Walters doesn’t want to make excuses to her friends and family anymore. She wants them to see for herself that Altiti isn’t just a figment of her imagination, but the man she loves and wants to grow old with, but in the United States, not Jordan.