Day 1 – June 30, 2005:Welcome to Hawaii!!

After a 5-½ hour plane ride (on which we were all served warm cookies), we exited the plane to feel the rush of warm humid air around us (ahhhh). Several warm faces and a video camera immediately greeted us. Apparently they have some videography classes as well. We gathered up our luggage and headed off to campus in a van. On the way I met a 25-year-old man named Junichi. He is a Japanese English teacher from Tokyo, here for the Discipleship Training School (DTS) along with us. During this conversation would be the first of many times I thought to myself “were it not for this mission school, I would probably never have said hi to this person”.

On arriving at campus we went thru some registration and were escorted to our room for the next 2 ½ months. Ruth was very nervous as to what she would be calling home. We were blessed with an upstairs room. The beauty of this is two fold; first we have a loft for the kids to sleep, second we have a beautiful view of the ocean. I sensed a great sigh of relief in Ruth as we were led upstairs. The furnishings are very simple (and old). It is about 2000 square feet smaller than the house we just left, but we have a make shift kitchen, a bed, couch table and a place we can call our own for the next few months.

We spent the rest of the day doing more registration and playing at the ark park. The ark park is a great little park for the kids right outside of our front door. Already I’ve had several opportunities to sit out there and read while the kids play. Later that night we met an Australian couple, Dave (pronounced dive) and Donna and their 12-year-old boy Matthew. They live about an hour south of Sidney. Talking with them made me want to see Australia. Extremely nice couple. I hope to get to know them more.