Sweet Reunion and Wedding

This is the last of my monthly updates (all done in one month :-). I have chosen my April highlight to be the four days that I spent in Illinois when a former Shioda American Kindergarten student came to the United States. I taught him when he was four and five years old and attended school in Japan while I was there. Who could have possibly imagined that thirty years later such an event would take place? Tomoya brought with him his new bride, her parents and his parents. The purpose for the visit was to be married by Willis Ehnle in a Christian ceremony, although none of them have a profession of Christian faith at this time. I would say that at least Tomoya is a seeker. His story is that he had a "chance" meeting with Willis, Ehnle-san as we call him, last summer. At that time, Ehnle-san asked Tomoya if he was married. Tomoya said no, but he would like Ehnle-san to come to his wedding when he did get married. At that time Ehnle-san informed Tomoya that they would be moving to Illinois in November because of some health issues, after 50 plus years in Japan. He did become engaged the following January and started talking about coming to the states for the wedding at that time, not really knowing how this could possibly happen. Thanks to much help from a couple at our Shioda church in Japan (who they did end up receiving premarital counseling from) and my dear friends Randy and Evie Mogler, the wedding was planned and they arrived on April 15th. We took a drive up Grand View in Peoria Heights after meeting them at Bradley University, where the charter brought them after arriving at O'Hare Airport. This is Tomoya's parents, Evie and I, then and now. The Amemiyas were our guides when we climbed Mt. Fuji, many moons ago. The bride and groom: Naomi and Tomoya. The wedding was on Friday afternoon, April 17th, at The Depot in Mackinaw, IL. We had the service and the reception there. It was attended by many former teachers to SAK and their spouses. There were 22 of us in all. Frank and Kathy Sauder hosted the Amemiyas, Vicki Ramsyer and I.

Mrs. Amemiya is studying the Japanese Tea Cerermony. She brought along supplies to demonstrate it. Here she is showing Kathy's daughter Rachel how to present the candy that you eat before receiving the tea, and also the tea to Kathy and I. After this, we met the group at the Busy Corner and then they were off to Chicago and I was headed back to Leo. My heart was full of blessings and gratitude.