Daniel and Satomi Berry

Our Personal History

Daniel Berry Born in March 1970	Satomi Miyahara Born in April 1968

Daniel was born in California, USA	Satomi was born in Fukuoka, Japan
He grew up in the farm country near Delft Colony. He father, Lloyd working first as a auto and motorcycle mechanic, then as a carpenter.	She grew up in the farm country in Yanaze Village, near the town of Tanushimaru. Her father, Yoshitsugu, and mother Toyomi worked on their family farm.
In 1980, Daniel's family moved to Reedley, Ca.	In 1980 Satomi was made "Class Leader" in her school
In 1983, Daniel was moved from "Special Ed Classes" to the mainstream classroom.	In 1983 Satomi was winning awards for her academic performance.
In 1984, Daniel discovers God's wonderful creation and begins reading books such as the Bible, "Cosmos", by Carl Sagan, as well as others. He becomes a born-again Christian at about this time and is baptized sometime later.	In the 1980s, Satomi was accelerating in her studies. And winning awards in track. She makes very good friends of other Japanese girls and shares many encouraging words and actions with them. .
In 1987, Daniel begins working for Yaohan, a Japanese Food store. He buys his fist car, a Yugo GV. He attends church at "Living Word" in Dinuba.	In 1987, Satomi is busy at one of the top Japanese collages, studying Japanese history and other subjects. She enjoys this time of her life and stays pure.
In 1988, Daniel leaves High School and enters collage, where he studies computer science. He makes friends of both Catholics and Protestant believers alike.	In 1988, Satomi had finished her collage work and was working at a Japanese insurance business. She had this job to save money for here trip to the U.S.A.
In the spring of 1990, Daniel finishes collage, begins working as a quality control supervisor at JR Woods in Sanger, CA. After completing his contract there, he traveled to Oklahoma, Texas, and Arkansas then back to California, where he begins working as a quality control supervisor for other companies.	In 1990, Satomi travels to the United States, where she stays with her mother's cousin in Reedley. Later that year she moves out from Reedley to Fresno, and begins attending a collage there. She also learns about Christianity and begins going to a Mennonite church there. She becomes a born-again Christian.
In 1991, Daniel travels again back east two more times. The first time to the state of Virginia, where he stays in a small hotel off the coast of the Chesapeake Bay at Hampton. He returns to Reedley and then travels again back east. This time to the area of northern Taxes and Southern Oklahoma. He prays and seeks God's will in his life.	In 1991, Satomi continues her studies at collage and her studies in the Bible. She attends a Bible study every night of the week and is very excited about her new found faith. Harold and Marianne Gaede, who were missionaries in Japan (in the past), encourage Satomi greatly in her new life as a Christian, by offering her to be her "American Parents."
Late 1991, Daniel prays that he may walk in God's will and God tells him to travel back to California. Daniel pleads with God that He would not send Daniel there, and asks God to send him an helpmate to help him live a Godly life in the un-Godly state of California. God replies, "Describe her." So Daniel does, he asks that she be a born-again Christian (one who is serious about their faith and repentance), two years older than he (very mature), born and raised in Japan (Daniel had learned about the Japanese culture, language, and work ethics, which impressed him greatly), and that she had not had a boyfriend of any kind. God replies, "Go to California, NOW." So he went to California and waited for further direction.	Late 1991, Satomi attends California Christian Collage and enjoys her new walk with God by reading her Bible and praying often. She then constructs a goal in her life to be a missionary in Japan and begins researching possible means to this goal. One is studying more at California Christian Collage, were she was a student. She shares her faith with her family and friends in Japan, through long letters and telephone calls, but they believe that it is just a "passing thing" or "Americanized" and missed the significance of Satomi's conversion.
On December the 23rd, 1991, Daniel is awakened by the Lord instructing him to volunteer at the "Key Music Bible House." He does so and walks there in the morning. While there Daniel helps out in different jobs at the store.	On December the 23rd, 1991, Satomi visits her mother's cousin, Mrs. Taguchi, in Reedley and takes a walk with Donna, Mrs. Taguchi's daughter, to a Christian book store, called "Key Music Bible House."
Later on December the 23rd, 1991, Daniel is standing by the cash register when Satomi walks through the door. The Lord tells him, "This is the one you prayed about." Daniel is surprised that she asks him, "where are the MEN'S Bible study books?" But the Lord tells Daniel again that this is indeed the one he prayed about. Satomi takes the book she finds up to him and he introduces himself to her.	Later on December the 23rd, 1991, Satomi walks through the door of the Bible house and asks Daniel, where are the Bible Studies for men (for her cousin)?" Daniel shows her the place where the men's Bible study books are and she finds one on the book of Romans. She takes the book up to the cashier and he introduces himself to her and then she pays for the study and leaves.
Later that day, The Lord tells Daniel that his job is finished and to leave the Bible house. He does and the Lord instructs him to walk West down the street, then at the next block to turn and head South and then the next block to head West again down the next block. The Lord leads Daniel right to Satomi. He walked right up to where she was seated at a park bench and greeted Satomi. Satomi then asked, "Did I forget something at the Bible house?" Daniel replied, "Yes you did, you forgot me..." She was rather taken by the quick commit and agrees to speak further with him.
January 1992 Daniel starts attending Kings River Community Collage ( Reedley Collage), to be a teacher.
March 15th, 1992 After attending a number of Bible study groups together, Daniel asks Satomi to marry him. She says, "yes" and then travels back to Japan to see her family and to fill out the proper paperwork for a fiancé visa.
Daniel and Satomi court through long calls and long letters. Daniel moves to an apartment on Springfield Avenue and finds a job in Reedley.
November 6th, 1992 Satomi moves to the United States and becomes Daniel's bride on the 9th of Nov.
Spring of 1993 Daniel and Satomi begin attending a Bible study at the Hillcrest tree farm. Daniel and Satomi begin attending church at the Reedley Mennonite Brethren.
May 23rd 1993 Daniel is involved in an auto accident, when he is struck by a 73' yellow Ford station wagon on his bicycle, while the car was traveling around 55 mph on Reed Ave at Adams Ave. Daniel's knee makes contact with the bumper, causing his hip and lower back to slide into the front of the engine compartment and push the radiator into the engine block, then he slides back on the hood, with his shoulder punching through the windshield and his head leaving a "V" shaped dent in the roof of the Ford. He is then thrown 65 feet by the impact and the Ford is totaled. Daniel is air lifted to VMC, a hospital in Fresno, Ca. Later Daniel says that he had a near death experience, while laying on Reed Ave, at the time when the EMTs were working with him. He says that he remembers floating over his body and leaving it behind to go into a tunnel, where there was much light at the end. He says that God told him that it is appointed unto man once to die and that this was not his time. So God sent Daniel back into his body and he remembers the sensation of intense pain the instant he returned to his body. Later that night... The doctors are surprised that Daniel has no broken bones and appears to have no brain injures, even though he did not have an helmet on during the accident. Then they release him.
Summer of 1993 Daniel meets a man named Phillip McNatt, while Daniel was riding his bicycle to Fresno to pay for his medical bills. Phillip offers Daniel a lift in his truck and then soon Phillip offers Daniel a job at the Hotel Burgess, he accepts and soon Satomi is working there too. Phillip becomes a very good friend to us and we love and miss him greatly. Satomi also began working at San Sei Japanese restaurant in Reedley.
Spring 1994 Daniel and Satomi continue to work at Hotel Burgess after the lose of Phillip.
Summer of 1994 Daniel and Satomi travel to Japan for the entire summer.
Fall of 1996 Daniel begins attending collage at Fresno State University.
Spring of 1997 We meet Donald J. and Junko Cleave, who become our close friends.
Summer of 1997 Daniel and Satomi travel to Japan for the entire summer.
Fall of 1998 Daniel and Satomi begin attending at the Good Shepherd Episcopal (Anglican) Church, while still attending the Mennonite Brethren Church (different service times on Sunday).
Summer of 1999 Daniel and Satomi travel to Japan for the entire summer. We went to Satomi's brother's wedding.
Spring of 2000 Daniel and Satomi move to Kingsburg, Ca, after living in the same apartment for 8 years.
Late Spring of 2000 Daniel graduates from Fresno State University and begins working at Sierra Valley Collage.
Late summer of 2000 Daniel leaves Sierra Valley Collage and begins teaching for ROP at Reedley High School.
Fall of 2000 Daniel leaves ROP at Reedley High School and begins teaching computer repair classes for Reedley Adult and Selma Adult Schools. Satomi becomes pregnant with their first son, Shalom Noah and leaves San Sei Japanese Restaurant to stay home.
Spring 2001 Daniel and Satomi are confirmed in the Good Shepherd Episcopal (Anglican) Church.
April 14th, 2001 Shalom Noah Miyahara Berry is born.
Fall of 2001 Daniel and Satomi move to a little apartment in Reedley, Ca.
March of 2002 Daniel and Satomi bought their home in Reedley.
Summer of 2003 Satomi and Shalom went to Japan to visit family there, while Daniel worked in summer school.
November of 2003 God lead Daniel and Satomi to the Sequoia Bible Fellowship Conservative Mennonite Church in Squaw Valley.
July 22, 2004 Charis Obadiah Miyahara Berry was born. He was 10 weeks premature and weighed only 3 pounds and 12 ounces.
Summer of 2005 The whole family visits the relations in Japan.
Spring of 2006 Daniel begins making gospel signs that will finally end up being over 106 signs that go through every book of the Bible and change every week. Other Gospel signs are made too, which are then placed at different locations.
July 23, 2007 Hezekiah Paul Miyahara Berry was born in our home.

Trip to Japan, Summer 2009!

Sweet hour of prayer, sweet hour of prayer, that calls me from a world of care, and bids me at my Father's throne,
Make all my wants and wishes known! In seasons of distress and grief, My soul has often found relief,
And oft escaped the tempter's snare, by thy return, sweet hour of prayer.