At long last, on June 22nd, 2024, over a year after we started dating, Misako and I are finally married! Praise the Lord, for He is good!
After taking many planes, trains, and automobiles, we had made it to the hot and humid Okinawa, where the ocean is clear as crystal, and the sun is merciless and cruel. I believe I got the worst sunburn in my life on this trip, but so worth it!
The ceremony was beautiful. We held the event at a local church, and I believe the pictures below speak for themselves. Such a great venue and location! Even though it was a bit hot outside with 30 degrees C (80 degrees F), the day was bright and sunny. Thank the Lord the rainy season had just ended, and we didn't choose an outdoor ceremony! Since there were so many pictures of the wedding taken by family and friends, I am including many of them in a Google Photos album that I'll link to below. Our official wedding photos by a professional won't be finished until the end of this month. Enjoy!
I had the privilege of not seeing Misako in her bridal dress until the very moment she walked down the aisle. I distinctly remember feeling blown away by her beauty and grace, like seeing a celebrity or a real-life princess in person, and knowing she is to be my wife made me overflow with joy, happiness, and love. A few days earlier, we visited the US consulate in Okinawa and the local Japanese government office to become legally married in Japan, but it wasn't until we made our vows before God and man that we truly were married. I've been waiting all my life to find, fall in love with, and marry a woman of Christ, and to have finally met Misako, the woman of my dreams... How can I not sing praises of the goodness of Christ and His blessings?
For our honeymoon, we stayed a few more days in Okinawa in this very nice rental house near the beach! There, we swam in the crystal blue ocean, dined on tasty food, and watched lots of classic 90's Disney! Speaking of tasty food: let me tell you the tale of a mystical encounter we had with a person of legend, who we shall call, for reasons to be revealed soon: The Pirate Chicken Man...
Our story begins in the afternoon of our first day on our honeymoon. The heat and humidity were high, our collective energy was low, and our collective stomachs were growling in protest. Ordering delivery seemed to be our best option, so we searched long and hard in vain for a restaurant that could come to our little villa in the middle of nowhere. However, luck had it that one small venue, selling tasty-looking jerk chicken, looked promising, so Misako called them up first. Not two seconds later, Misako asked for my help, unable to understand a word the gentleman on the other line was saying. Confused, I picked up the phone: "Oh, hello? Do you understand English, sir?" A pirate answered back:
"'Ello dere, ma man. I cans hears you good. Do you be needing a chicken sir?" Taking slightly aback, and trying not to laugh, I asked him if food delievry was avaible. "Wells, we normally not be delivering, but just for you, ma man, I'll ask me best friend to take it to ya. He be back in about 10 minutes, if all righty with ya? I got cha, don't be worried." Bewilered and amused, Misako and I waited 10 minutes before calling back. The pirate Chicken Man quickly answered: "I apologize, but me friend aren't back yet. But I still got cha. You'll get yer chicken tonight, I promise. It will be tasty, yes!" 10 minutes later:
"I'm reals sorry, but I sold all me chickens tonight, and it takes me 2 hours to cook em up again! Good for me buiness, but bad for you. We be closed tomorrow, but just for you, I will cook you up the best chicken you've tasted if you come on by me shack by noon, 'cause that's the kinda guy I am! I gotcha, man." Disappointed, but amused, we decided to take him up on his offer. Sure enough, the next day, we drove to his place at noon, and we did get our jerk chicken after another 30 minutes of waiting. But sure enough again: it was some dang tasty chicken. Thank you, Pirate Chicken Man; you made our honeymoon interesting and hilarious. For privacy reasons, I won't give out his real name or business, but that chicken was worth all the wait!
That was just one story of our adventure in Okinawa. If you would like to hear more tales of our adventures and misadventures, such as the kind-hearted barber, the Blue Space Worm, Disney Sea Adventures, and Spider of Death, let me know and I can post some more in future blogs.
I know things won't be perfect, and trouble and conflict will arise throughout both of our lives. But I know that as long as we put Christ first in our marriage, and treat each other with love and respect as well as communicate clearly and healthily, we have a bright future ahead of us! Thank you all so much for supporting our journey into marriage, ministry, and beyond for these past years. To all who were able to make it to the wedding: thank you so much! And to all those who couldn't make it: thank you for your kind words of love and peace, and I pray I can visit you in the near future!
Speaking of, Misako and I would love to still visit America sometime this September, but we are still budgeting and planning for it. If you would like to help us, please stay tuned for further updates, or please reach out to us. Once again, thank you everyone so much for your prayers, support, and love as we enter this new season of marriage!
Ecclesiastes 3:11
"He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end."
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