Photo By Sgt. Ian Ives | Children of The Holy Family Homes of Osaka, Japan, take a photo with Soldiers and...... read more read more
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SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii – The sun was particularly strong and the sweet smell of meats cooking on a charcoal grill filled the air. An 11-year-old boy runs after an orange baseball that his foster father had just thrown into the bright blue sky. Almost as if it were second nature, the boy positions himself under the ball and catches it in his well-trained gloved hand.
“Nice catch Masaru,” yells 2nd Lt. Nolan D’Angelo, a medical officer with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division, and temporary foster father for Masaru.
Masaru Taknaka is one of four children from The Holy Family Home, an orphanage in Osaka, Japan, that has been sponsored by 27th IR for over 50 years. Tanaka has been visiting 27th IR along with Kuga Nakasuji, age 12, Rio Okubo, age 11, and Donzono Eri, also age 11, as part of the 58th summer visit for The Holy Family Home.
During this time the children experienced Hawaii with visits to the Dole Plantation in Wahiawa, the Honolulu Museum of Art and the Waikiki Aquarium. The Soldiers of 1-27th IN also prepared a special event for the children named Day as a Wolfhound. On the Day of the Wolfhound, the children listened to a story from Yuko O’Reilly on the history of The Holy Family Home. They also observed a static display of M1126 Stryker vehicles, participated in an obstacle course and ate a Meal Ready to Eat for lunch.
Most of the children’s time was spent in the homes of their foster families, who volunteered to host the children.
While many of the families who volunteered have children of their own, for one family, having children in their home was a new experience.
Sgt. Justin Jones, a mortar section sergeant attached to Company A, 2-27 IN, a native of Long Beach, Calif. and his wife Kirsten Jones volunteered to host the two girls Eri and Okubo for one week.
Going into this situation the Jones’ knew because the children did not speak any English, there would be a language barrier. They do, however, have experience communicating with Mrs. Jones’ younger brother who speaks only German, so, when it came to communicating with Eri and Okubo, they had an idea of how to get started.
“The saying is true, 90 percent of communication is body language,” said Jones. “So a lot of the time what gets us through the day are simple hand gestures. It is not too hard but still a challenge.”
Jones said the children enjoy going to the beach the most.
“We have been having an awesome experience with the children,” said Jones. “Their favorite thing to do so far has been to go to the beach, which they refer to as Omi.”
Jones and his wife said spending time with the children has aspired them to have children of their own someday.
The children of The Holy Family Home departed the 5th of August with a going away ceremony organized by the Soldiers of 1-27th IN. Both the Soldiers and families of the 27th IR have been honored to be a part of this wonderful tradition.
| Date Taken: | 08.06.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 08.10.2015 21:08 |
| Story ID: | 172702 |
| Location: | SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, HI, US |
| Hometown: | LONG BEACH, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 43 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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