The Kato Church update

The covid-19 virus put a halt to church in March/April.  Up till that time,  several people came to the services. After that, through the end of June, it was mostly Mr. Fukumoto, Henry and I in services.  We broadcast live stream on the internet and a few people would "attend" church that way.  It was just not the same, as everyone knows.  The building owner came to service on Mother's Day, the only person besides us.  He and his wife have returned a few times since then.  

A Japanese-Brazilian couple started coming to church about the end of February, early March.  They both work in companies near the church. 
We started having limited access services in May and they brought several of their friends.  There was a good crowd on Father's Day and a high attendance of 20 on June 28th; with five children coming with their parents.   It has been good to see people coming again. 

Below are the pictures:  Mother's Day, Father's Day and the gift of drinking cups we gave them, and June 28th.  

Spring 2020 around Hatacho

On my daily walk I pass some beautiful flowering bushes and plants.  Here are just some of them.  The streets are lined with azaela bushes. 

Spring lavender in my yard. It is really a purple, not blue.

One of my neighbor's flooded rice field.  The reflection is wonderful.

In the distance is a cluster of purple and white iris.  

Sara is Engaged!

Sara met Garrison Snow at Ambassador Baptist College. Both will be seniors in the Fall.  He is a Pastoral Major; Sara is a Missions Major.  We are very happy for them.  Planning a long-distance wedding will be a challenge, but thankfully there are a couple of ladies who will be glad to help wherever they can.  

The Ring    The date is June 4, 2021, in Tennessee where Garrison's family lives.  

The Grand Little Ladies

Joe and Christin's three ladies in their Easter outfits 

The cage is for the little dog that didn't work out. 

Alora and Clarity

Willow 

Arianna with a curly top 

Arianna in her new Zebra culottes that her mom made

Cross Quilts for Church

I have made these cross quilts over the years for the church and switch them out every two months.    The one of the Empty Tomb and the Christmas quilt are up for a month. 

Watercolor cross made with 2" pieces 

3-D Cross

Empty Tomb for Easter

God's Promise 

Christmas quilt made of four different panels

Spring blooms in Yanagidani

  Purple flowers in my garden:  tulips, columbine, ajuba, and iris 

 Pink flowers belong to my nearest neighbor 

I think these are part of the iris family. 

Trip to Okinawa April 2020

We went down to Okinawa to visit Dan and Terri Gardner and to help them in renovating the second floor of their church.  

 We saw this aquarium at the Naha airport after getting our luggage.  Big tropical fish here.   

The morning glories and these other vine-like plants were growing all over everything.  

This orange gladiola grew by the roadside while on a walk around the Gardner's neighborhood.  This color I don't have, yet.  

Henry preached the Wednesday night service at Shinko Baptist Church.  It was live-streamed and recorded, with less than 10 people in person at the church. 

These walls will be repainted once the apartment area is finished.  The Japanese pastor and his family will live upstairs here.  There is a bathroom with a tub, three bedrooms, kitchen and living area, plus an office for Pastor.  

The ceiling was removed and the attic area will have flooring on it for storage.  It goes the length of the building. 

This is a tree I passed on one of my walks--looks like more than one tree/vine have attached itself to it.  

The Seaside Baptist Church is in Nago, about an hour north of the other church.  Last time I saw it, there was just the foundation laid and the lot to the left was vacant.  Now a big machine company occupies it.  There's a nice park nearby, plus some apartment buildings.  

This is a view from the opposite side of where the Gardners live.  Their home is in front of that row of trees in the middle of the photo in front of those houses.  

Not far from the above is this elevated road.  

This is a different tree trunk with other things growing on it.  

These next photos are taken at the Naha airport the day we left on April 30th.  Starbucks was closed.  There were many beautiful orchids all over the place,   We departed about 6:30 pm just in time for the sun to set over the Pacific Ocean.