2025 was a year
full of new challenges
& unexpected joy
Lucca in 2025
• Went on a Mission trip to Nicaragua during Spring Break with his friends from church and Franco to serve with a program with young children.
• Traveled to the Peruvian Amazon with Yuki as part of a medical campaign with orthopedic surgeons and got to scrub in for a second year in a row. He was also in charge for handling the electronic medical records with the surgeons.
• Started 11th grade in a collegiate high school program at Florida International University where he is enrolled as a college student attending classes at the university for half of the school day and high school AP courses. This will allow him to graduate with his high school and associates degree at the same time.
• Finished a successful first semester of three college classes while still being an 11th grade high school student. He is leaning towards going into the medical field.
• Continues his classical piano lessons and is now playing more advanced Chopin pieces.
• Serves regularly at church hosting the youth group Rec time on Wednesdays and every week as an assistant teacher at Sunday school with the 5th graders.
• Has been doing a great job driving, now on his own!
Click below to see a video of Lucca playing the piano and scrubbing in the Operating room in the Peruvian Amazon.
Akemi in 2025
• Graduated from Middle school and started high school. She’s taking dual enrollment classes and finished her first semester with straight A’s.
• Continued playing volleyball for her school team as a starter with roles both as an outside hitter and defense specialist.
• Tried out for Club volleyball Miami Volleyball Academy and made it to the National team, so we will be traveling a lot this coming year for tournaments!
• Won the award for “Best all around volleyball player” for her state team at the end of the 2024-2025 season.
• Performed at the University of Miami playing the violin at the Frost School of Music Spring show.
• Became inducted in the Math Honor Society.
• Serves every week as an assistant teacher at Sunday school with the 5th graders and as a math tutor in school.
• Will be going on her first Mission trip to Nicaragua this coming Spring with church friends to serve with young children.
Click below to see a video of Akemi playing the violin at UM and making a point during her high school volleyball season.
Yuki & Franco
We have both been busy working full time jobs and also assisting with some creative design work at church. Yuki took on a new role at the medical mission organization she has been working at for over two years. Previously working as the Creative Director, now with a new set of responsibilities working as the Executive Mission Director. It has been a challenging transition as well as a blessed one to be able to work with U.S. and Peruvian teams to bring orthopedic surgical care for the people in the Peruvian Amazon. Her greatest joy is still spending time with the kids as they grow into wonderful, compassionate young adults.
Franco continues to volunteer as a Deacon for Christ Journey Church, focusing on serving our elderly community. He has also been working from a new office in Coral Gables (10 minutes away from home). It’s been a very very busy year for both of us between our jobs, home responsibilities, kid’s sports, guiding the kids academically, music and church activities. We thank God for his provision & blessings to our family this year through our community, friends and family.
Some snapshots from this past year…(for a better view turn your phone side ways or view on a laptop :)
You can view our last year’s letter here.
P.S. from Yuki - I wanted to share a more detailed recap of our year since I usually a little absent on group chats and social media to be more present with those who are in front of me, but you can always reach me directly. Much love ;)