Friends From Hawaii

Recently some very close friends from Hawaii came to Japan. It was a joy to see them and their beautiful children. Pastor Ricki Aoki of Leeward Community Church and his family, visited Japan for a few weeks. Also, I was able to meet my good friend Dale Lemke who took care of Pastor Ricki's arrangements while he was here.

The photo on the left has Dale, Ricki, and me. The photo on the right has Dale's wife Heidi and their child Mia on the left. In the middle is Ricki's wife Liza holding Peter. Next to her is her is Leah with Ruthy standing behind Leah.

My wife Izumi is on the right of the photo with our daughter Emma. This morning I read a passage of the Bible that says: "If anyone says, 'I love God,' yet hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen."

According to the passage I quoted above, loving people is something that we have to do first before we say that we love God.

1 John 4: 20