Adopted Families

[sign at Bethlehem Baptist Church; beautiful sanctuary - arch was designed by Jim]


[after Sunday morning service with Jim & Shirley]

Not only were we blessed with a home away from home with Jim and Shirley Taliaferro (in fact when we returned from a concert, we'd yell out - Mom/Dad, we're home!"), but we had the honor of participating in their morning worship service at Bethlehem Baptist Church. Their sanctuary is so beautiful that it was a very worshipful experience for all of us. It was there that Danette got to catch up with Brent Fryrear, who was only in 9th grade when Danette was in seminary.


[Brent Fryrear, Danette and Elvin; Ray & Joanne Fryrear with Master's Touch & Gay after their concert at Shelbyville]

Speaking of adopted families ... this trip was a time to catch up with old friend who were like family to Danette and Gay and Randy. Ray and Joanne Fryrears were Danette's adoped family while she was at seminary. They included Danette, right along with their 3 children in their family! A wonderful story that Danette shared with us about this family's love is the bicycle story. Danette rode a bicycle back and forth from her apartment to seminary. Unfortunately it got stolen. The Fryrears attended a Catholic church/school bazaar in their town. The top raffle of the day was a bicycle. So each Fryrear bought a raffle ticket and on the back of each ticket, they all wrote Danette's name. And when it was time - can you guess who's name was pulled on the winning raffle ticket? You are soooo smart! Yes, the back of the raffle ticket said "Danette".


[Edwina & Danette; Betty Jackson, daughter Mary Ann - the Hongos adopted mother]

If Ray and Joanne were Danette's adopted parents, Edwina Rowell was Danette's adopted sister. When Danette was attending college at Oklahoma Baptist, Cliff Hoff introduced her to Sharon Kaneshiro, a member of University Avenue Baptist Church, who was also attending OBU. When Danette expressed interest in Southern, Sharon said that she knew someone in Kentucky because this woman had been a summer missionary in the early 70's at UABC. So instead of heading off to Palm Spring (the destination of choice for most college students), Sharon and Danette headed to Kentucky, to the home of Edwina. An instant friendship developed and they have been friends - through Danette's seminary days, through Edwina and Larry's (her husband) work as missionaries for the Foreign Mission Board to the Ivory Coast, in Africa, and now while they serve at Campellsville Baptist Church. Edwina currently teaches English as a Second Language classes at Campbellsville University and Larry just resigned his position as Minister of Education to pursue a degree in Journalism. In fact, it was Edwina who introduced Danette to Gay & Randy!

Betty Jackson was Randy & Gay's adopted mother while they were in seminary. Adopted mothers come in very handy, especially as Andrew was born in Kentucky ... all new mothers know the value of an experience mother!