2014 Annual Church Picnic

The picnic has always been held on the Independent Day, July 4^th. The picnic weather for this year was very wonderful, it was not hot and not cool, and sun was shining all day long. No one wanted to go home. Hiroko couldn’t remember this fine, fine weather we had for picnic until this year.

These photos were taken around 11:00 o’clock. Pastor came to this picnic ground around 8:00 am the first one to arrive and to prepare the ground. He said there wasn’t too much to do, because all the tables were in the right places and clean. Church has to pay $100.00 to reserve this place, so the City of Chicago Park District must be cleaned all over. Come to think of it, there weren’t any flies and mosquitoes in the park, too. Everyone had a very, very wonderful day. Give thanks to our Lord to keep this picnic so wonderful.

The most of them sat and enjoyed talking with each other is company.

Young people enjoyed playing bocci-balls,

others were playing baseball, and mother and son were playing Frisbee

Many others were preparing games. Some had a hard time collecting the water from the bathroom sink for games. Thanks to all those hard workers for preparing for the picnic to be fun.

Barbecue rack – hot dogs were cooked

“Isn’t it time for eating?” “The two hard workers are still collecting the water.” “Let’s wait for them.”

Pastor, please give the grace for food! Pastor started to give thanks to our ancestors who fought to get the freedom to the United States. Dear Lord, thanks for further more for the true freedom from God and help us to share God’s freedom to others. Lord, we ask for us to have a joyful time and safe picnic on the Independent Day. Jesus Name! Amen!

As usual, after the prayer Hiroko started to eat. For Hiroko the foods are more important than taking photos.

These photos are left over after the lunch.

There were so many foods and some came after the lunch, even though they brought their share of the foods.

These are the desserts.

Finishing the lunch, all those prepared games were started.

Picking up the balls

Kicking the balls

Flying the plastic missiles

Don’t drop the balls

Tossing the bean bags and getting the points

Hula-Hoops

Do you want to do? Yes!

He had patiently making the water balloons. Why? Let us have patient to wait for what game these water balloons are to be used.

He loves to ride, but no one puledl him, so he decided to pull these girls.

But he became tired to pull the wagon with these two girls, and then, someone gave him a quarter. That made him so happy that he is starting to pull the wagon again with those two girls in.

Tug of war between girls and boys – who won? Girls won two times and boys one.

This was the prize table. All the boys and girls got something.

Now, Suika-wari (Hit the watermelon) on the ground blimd folded

Please imagine how funny the children were, who hit the ground couple of feet away from the watermelon, and enjoy these photos.

Finally, on the 15^th or 16^thturn, a boy hit the watermelon; many were trying to pick up the broken pieces of watermelon. There were couples of more watermelon which was in the cooler, so everybody enjoyed the cold watermelon.

Now, the water filled balloon tossing game.

Hopefully you can enjoy this water filled balloon tossing game in these photos. It was interesting to watch. Please come to see this game next year.

These groups are winning teams. The boy in the last photo is the partner, son, of the blue shirts father.

Dan-san caught the balloon, but the balloon was broken, so the water in the balloon splashed on him. He was thinking, “I’m wet all over.”

Pinnata

It was very hard for the small children to break this. Finally high school girl broke the pinnata, and then all the candies in the Pinnata came down. None of the small children caught the candies.