I will always be grateful to the Shumway's for their love and spirit of ohana they shared with me.

During the month of July, several alumni of BYU-Hawaii were able to reunite in Arizona. The group consisted of Senaka Samaranyake ('03), Raja Ratnayake ('04), Bishan and Sarah Abeyasekera ('06), Prasan and Janan De Silva ('02), Karina Marcella ('04), and Christie Leon (employeed at Library).

During the reunion, the men -- all natives of Sri Lanka -- prepared a delicious traditional Sri Lankan dinner. We were also able to make a trip to the Grand Canyon and the Arizona Mesa Temple.

The reunion was enjoyed by all and it was great to be back together with each other after five years apart. It brought back lots of memories of the time we all spent at BYU-Hawaii and an appreciation for the close friendship we developed during that time. We are looking forward to making this an annual reunion.

When I first attended BYU-Hawaii and President Shumway (then Stake President) spoke at our ward (as he did all the wards the beginning of every semester) I discovered that he was from a small Arizona town, not far from the area that my family settled. I asked him if he knew any Palmers. He asked if I knew Tom and Mel Palmer (cousins of mine). He told me that they were some of the dirtiest Mormon basketball players he had ever known.

When I next saw Tom and Mel, I had to ask about President Shumway. Their response? He was one of the dirtiest Mormon basketball players they had ever known.

It did my heart good to know that there was someone from home near by. I can't imagine BYUH without him, but I do know that Tonga will be blessed for his presence. I also know that the leaders coming in will not let the school go astray.

Our hearts are full as we think back over the years to the decade of the 1970's and our association with CCH, with the members of the Oahu Stake, and especially with the Shumway's. We served together in the stake, rode horses together, exchanged babysitting, and mostly, just tried to balance the many responsibilities and opportunities of those times. Over the past 30 years, President and Sister Shumway have remained constant and committed to the vision of CCH, and later, of BYU-Hawaii. We express deep affection and appreciation to both of them and wish them well in their new assignment.

URUMQI: On our last full day in this city I was busy photographing the faces of the people and scoping out the souq [market] across the street from the Grand Bazaar. For example, I was curious why a large group of men were mingling on the sidewalk. It turned out they were buying and selling cell phones and watches. Another smaller group was looking at "rocks," which I later learned were amber [petrified resin] when a Uyghur vendor tried hard to sell me one, demonstrating how good it was by rubbing it on his face. I must admit, however — to use a phrase from back east — I don't know from amber.

Then, a minor incident at the Grand Bazaar summarized part of my fascination with the people of this place: A small group of Uygher musicians were playing their exotic Middle Eastern music — with a lot of small drum sounds, tambourines, a brass horn you might associate with a snake charmer, and even an accordion — when an old, plainly dressed man felt impressed to get up and dance . . . and dance . . . and dance.

For more than a half-hour while I was watching he vigorously entertained the crowd which gathered. When he finally took a break, I felt compelled to recognize his remarkable skill and energy by making the Uyghur gesture of heart-felt appreciation — placing the right hand on the heart (toward the left shoulder). He immediately repeated the gesture . . . then embraced me. It was a moment of pure delight; and then he started to dance again.