On Sunday, June 17, we were able to minister in two churches we had been in last year. That is such a great joy for us!! We are able to "pick up where we left off" and deepen our friendships.Sunday morning we were with Pastor and Mrs. Ron England at Kukuilani Baptist Church.
We just love this dear missionary couple! We receive plenty of "good medicine" when we are with them – we laugh a lot! We enjoyed ministering again with their sweet church people. We feel right at home.
Their church meets in a school, so they have to set up Sunday morning - move "Cuddles" the bunny and everything! We were able to enjoy the perfect weather through the open doors on either side of the building. 
Sunday evening we renewed friendships with Pastor and Mrs. Les Lippincott III and their church people of Kahua Baptist Church.
Enjoying lots of good fellowship is a "given" at this church!! Our hearts were truly blessed to be able to visit and get to know them all better. One added delight of this church is the setting - they use an open area at a local school, so we enjoyed hearing the birds sing right along with us!
Roger and Becky are from our church in Watertown. They both teach at Hanalani Christian School. Last year they flew back to the mainland and we missed them at both ends. We were glad to catch them just before they left for WI this year. Roger and the boys took Jeremy boogie boarding and to a cool lookout spot. (pictures below) Good times!
We enjoyed visiting with their dear church people and getting to know them a little better during a fellowship time after the service. This church was an extra special treat for us because it is the home church of people we know. 
This is Carla Hamilton's and her friend Joe's home church on the island, so it was a blessing to meet their church family and those who are having such a godly impact in their lives. Mrs. Kaneshiro is a "Titus 2 woman" to Carla and it made my heart glad to meet her and see why! 
Sharon and her friend Joe were able to be in the service as well. (pictured below) We'll be in Sharon's island church this coming Sunday. 
Also, Jeremy was able to get reacquainted with John Lucina, a fellow BJU Choral member in '94-'95. Jeremy enjoyed catching up with John – it had been a few years. 
It was also a pleasure for us to see and visit again with Tim Befus, a former MBBC student.
He has been through a great trial this year with the loss of his mother to cancer, but it was encouraging to see his increased faith and joy in the Lord and hear how the Lord is taking care of him. He will be teaching history full-time at Hanalani Christian School.
We also had the joy of renewing friendships by seeing the Inafuku family at this service. Jeremy knew Kevin Inafuku from his time at BJU. I (Alisha) was able to meet Mrs. Cheryl Inafuku (pictured below) when we ministered at their church last year. (Due due to schedule conflicts we are unable to be with their church again this year, so the Inafukus made a special effort to come to one of our services.) Cheryl is a kindred-spirit in the Lord as well as in suffering. She is in the midst of her health battles, so it was a special blessing for me to be able to see her, give her a hug and assure her of my prayers for her. To be able to say "I understand" is one of the "roses among the thorns" of my illness. If you think of it, I know Cheryl would appreciate your prayers for physical healing & endurance and spiritual strength to keep pressing on.
Our morning service was with Pastor Jason Filler at Central Oahu Bible Church, which meets in a Christian school (pictured above). We enjoyed visiting again with Pastor Filler and his wife Anna, their son Jason and new little guy, George.
Our evening service was with Pastor Wayne Surface at Ohana Baptist Church. Their current church building is a refurbished bowling alley. We were treated to pizza after the service with Pastor and Mrs. Surface, three of their five children and youth pastor Matt Finch, his wife Lanissa and son Austin.
Both churches are in "transitional" times – one praying about joining with another work in the area and the other in need of finding a new building in which to meet. Our hearts were encouraged to see God use the reminders of His faithfulness through the testimonies of Fanny Crosby, Thomas Chisholm (who wrote "Great is Thy Faithfulness") as well as our own from my illness. We know God places us in the churches at just the right time, but what a blessing when we actually get to see it!
Personally, I (Alisha) was able to see God at work in my heart during our services as well. My heart was stirred as I heard again the story of Fanny Crosby and her complete acceptance and total embracement of her blindness. I still have limitations due to my past health problems and at times I am not very content with these limitations. As I stood to give my testimony of God's faithfulness to me during my illness I found myself saying, "Who am I to share this testimony when at times I question God's current plan for my life?" As I began singing the words to "It will be worth it all when we see Christ" my heart was overwhelmed and I couldn't hold back the tears. NOT part of the program! All I could say was "I am human." And I believe that is just what God wanted me to say and for the people to see. Sometimes we need to remember it is God in the midst of us Who is mighty, not us. (Zephaniah 3:17) That He chooses to use us to proclaim His faithfulness and love is truly amazing. This is His work, and we are so grateful for the privilege to be a part of it.
Amidst our days of ministry on the island we do have time to enjoy the beauty of God's creation. 
The above picture is Diamond Head – a volcanic crater, now a state monument. Jeremy hiked the crater and took the following pictures. You can see Honolulu and Waikiki Beach and the get a glimpse of the gorgeous ocean that surrounds Oahu.
