Reunions with Friends!

While everyone is exhausted - we have survived the first weekend ... and continue to be blessed.

On Sunday morning (7/15), we sang at Buffalo Lick Baptist Church, where Gay and Randy attended during their seminary days. A woman drove all the way over from Akron, Ohio ( a six-hour drive) in order to see Randy and Gay. Her dad was former pastor for the United Church of Christ church at Kalaupapa settlement, and had become friends with the Hongos when they came to sing for his congregation about 10 years ago. After the service we all went to Olive Garden, which we have seen many commercials for in Hawaii, but which only a couple folks had ever visited. Food was great!

Since Randy hadn't arrived yet, by the start of our evening concert at St. Matthews Baptist Church in Louiville on Sunday evening, we were a bit nervous. However, so many friends came to support us that we were blessed by their presence. Among the MANY friends were Don and Ruth Hustad (he is former long-time organist for the Billy Graham Crusades, and a good friend of Clyde Yagi; also was a professor of Randy and Danette's at seminary); Roberta Tassie - former choir director at Olivet during the 1940's and 1950's (Ayako Nakanishi and Alice Ogawa would remember her --in fact, Ayako had mentioned her to Danette just a week or so ago!); Rev. & Mrs. Mike Dixon -- former pastor at Lanai Baptist Church, George and Mary Chun -- he grew up in Wahiawa, and when Danette was about 4 years old, the Kongs escorted him and George Watanabe to their respective colleges on the mainland; Dan and Betty McAninch, with their daughter Sue Causey and her husband -- Olivet members during 1968-69 will remember them well, as Betty was our organist while Dan played oboe for the Honolulu Symphony for a year, and their kids sang in our youth choir; and our apologies to anyone we left out. Randy arrive mid-way through the concert so the concert ended on a very high note (even higher than the high notes that Gay seems to reach so effortlessly)! Randy, Gay, and Danette renewed friendships with several other friends from their seminary days. It was a fun evening for everyone!

Please continue praying for everyone, especially as we travel to Wheelwright. The forecast for the next two days is scattered thunderstorms on the way to and from Wheelwright. We are blessed that Shirley Taliaferro will be leading the way in her SUV (we had too many things to transport for our two vans) as she has volunteered at the Baptist Center there and has traveled the route. Ethel will be the middle driver in a mini-van (that story to come next), and Danette will be bringing up the rear in the full sized van. Please pray that God will be watching over the drivers as they make their way to Wheelwright on Monday (7/16) morning.