Beautiful love

Years back, Adela left for Japan to attend a special training for people with disabilities (PWDs). Nobuyuki, more known as Yuki, was one of the coordinators for the special PWD training program.

Adela narrated that before she left, her mother teased her that she may return from Japan with the love of her life. True enough, during the training, Adela and Yuki found themselves liking each other, and later, growing in deeper love for each other. Last Saturday, January 9th, joined by family and friends, and in thanksgiving for God's blessings, Adela and Nobuyuki Kono celebrated their happy 25th Wedding Anniversary at the Shinagawa Prince Hotel in Tokyo, Japan.

Their love story is beautiful in many ways.

One, their story can be a beautiful narrative to capture in film, or for tv, or for a novel. In fact, many stages of their lives, as a couple or as unique individuals can be shared to inspire so many others along the way. For example, Adela and Yuki narrated that plans are underway to print each catechism lesson for Yuki that was handwritten by his diligent and committed foreign catechist who did this lovingly so that Yuki could more easily and more profoundly understand the meaning of faith in God.

Theirs is also a marriage made in heaven. God blessed the union of Adela, stricken by polio and Yuki, who had much compassion for PWDs. How these two individuals, one able and one PWD, joined together as husband and wife and managed, through the years, to overcome barriers and challenges together can fill pages of an inspirational novel. Each happily testified that they drew and continue to draw strength from each other. Despite daily quarrels, they have continued to move on together loving each other and sharing their beautiful love with others.

Adela and Yuki have been very active campaigners and supporters for PWDs, for barrier-free Cebu, for a barrier-free world. Together with local and global advocates and partners, they continue to move on united to make the world a better place for all, including for PWDs all throughout the world. Theirs is a beautiful love story about advocates and those they work with and for.

Their beautiful years of love together is also inspiring in the midst of the high rate of divorce and conflicts among Filipinos with Japanese spouses. Their continuing strong love and marriage herald so much hope that many Filipino-Japanese couples can overcome barriers and dark nights and can welcome, instead, more bright dawns together, if they commit to love and to meet challenges together, drawing from each other's strengths and accepting each other's weaknesses. If couples focus on what matters most, their love for each other, then, they can look forward to continuing years of beautiful togetherness and love.

Adela and Yuki also shared with everyone in their thanksgiving party the beautiful love of family. They believed that their mothers who had long joined the Lord were present with them during the ceremony. The Avila family's love for Adela and for each other continues to inspire–theirs is a love bound together by prayers and total acceptance of one another. Yaya Trining looked just as happy and beautiful as Adela whom she continues to deeply care for and who Adela also continues to deeply care for as well.

Despite their busy schedule, Adela and Yuki showed their love for their guests, their friends and colleagues, in the smallest details all throughout the ceremony. Instead of the traditional practice of anniversaries focused solely on the celebrants, Adela and Yuki took turns to introduce every guest to everyone else, highlighting the link of their guests to their lives as a couple.

So much beautiful love to celebrate that day: the beautiful love of two individuals continuing as husband and wife guided and blessed by the Lord through the years, the beautiful love of this couple for others, especially the PWDS, the beautiful love of  a cross-cultural couple, the beautiful love of family and friends.

Thank you Adela and Yuki for sharing your beautiful love with us all. May you both continue to share your beautiful love with as many as the Lord sends your way!

[email protected]