Fires from LA to Hawaii

UofN fire 2012 .

Video from: YWAM LA, October 12, 2008

I can't give much detail about the fire here at the Kona Campus but I can say that it brings back a lot of memories from the YWAM LA fires in 2008, just the thougths of wondering which way the wind is coming from, if people and houses are ok, or if it was going to hit the base but mainly made me remember just how God spared our little LA base.

I remember being woken up at 4am being told "Hey girls, sorry to wake you but we are being evacuated in 10mins and can only pack on bag". This is the same time I realized how superficial I could be, I packed my WHOLE wardrobe, hair straightner, blowdryer and makeup, somehow forgetting my camera and cellphone!

We were all headed to Denny's at 4am and feeling uneasy wondering if our school and our home would still be there when we got back. We could see the fire move close to the base as we looked out the Denny's window... I remember just being told to pray, and from 4am till 6am thats what we all did... Finally a group of us went outside and started sing and worship God even in the midst of the unknown, and it was during that time that we really saw God's hand over our community, the winds begun to change and the fire went back up the foothills.

This time we were fortunite that it was far away, things didn't spread down the hill and that there was no need to be evacuated. I guess watching and listening to everyone's reaction to the Kona fire today reminded me of how good God was back in 2008 and spared that community, but also reminded me that God is still good and He again spared another home to me here in Hawaii.

  University of the Nations Kona February 8, 2012

Whales and Dolphins and Sharks, Oh My!

After a full week of being sick, I was debating going out on the paddleboard again, but figured that I should go out since Jeremiah week would suck out any chance of fun out of my life.

Last week we were sooo blessed to be paddleboarding with 200 dolphins, so I couldn't see how this week would be any better, but I still love the ocean and it brings me a little sense of home; resting on paddleboards while soaking up the sun feels like summer in Muskoka.

Next thing you know i'm paddleboarding through (what I thought) pollution, and was feeling pretty disgusted, later to find out that it was whale blood (placenta), which freaked me out even more with the possibly of attracting sharks. (I should mention a few weeks back we were above above a tiger shark, luckily I didn't know this until after our fun day was over)
So of course we paddled out out of the placenta that was scattered all over the ocean, next thing you know Kiamana (a local friend) saw a whale WAYYY far out, so were all getting excited to see a whale, but when we looked closer to us we saw a bunch of fins... Not being able to make it out for sure, Kiamana told us to "go to shore, wait... stick together.... bang on your boards, don't bang on them, and if you seem anything... don't scream" than he told us to come quick because they were dolphins!! So I paddled my hardest to see these dolphins and all of a sudden this MASSIVE thing emerges from the water right behind Kiamana and back under and directly below him letting us view his full size, only to hear Kiamana say "Guy's I think there's a whale here!" hahaha He was waching the dolphins escorting the whale at the front to even notice the humpback whale was OUT OF WATER behind him!
Needless to say that was the weirdest, scariest, craziest experience I have had! to know that you are only on a paddleboard in the middle of the ocean surrounded by animals that are a billion times bigger than you, kind of puts into perspective just how amazing God's creations really are.

Later on that day we were able to go whale watching on a boat, and that really made me feel at home with the waves rock you back and forth while you hear the sound of the waves hitting the side of the boat, is always a comforting feeling to me. I am so truly blessed to be studying Gods word and gaining a greater foundation for my own life, and experiencing God's beauty out here in Hawaii.

One man's generosity

I've grown up with such an amazing loving family, with parents who would do anything to see their children happy but what I experienced today from a complete stranger was so overwhelming and one of the biggest blessings I have encountered in my life!

I've been trying soooo hard not to spend money and make sure that it all goes to my schooling (tuition) and even buying myself $2.00 nail polish from my birthday money was hard to do... So when I first heard that someone wanted to take a few people for paddle boarding lessons the answer was already a no. (Normally paddle boarding costs $20/hr) I'd probably have to rent the board... Later I found out it was free, and the group that went saw dolphins! I was slightly bummed I had turned it down, but super stoked that he was willing to take another group of us out the next day!

Honestly today was one of the best days i've had in Hawaii so far, went paddle boarding, ate lunch (picnic style) while watching for whales, saw a humpback whale jump out of the water completely airborn, went to a small coffee farm over looking the ocean, eating fresh picked fruits and smelling beautiful flowers, given; Kona coffee beans, chocolate cover macadamia nuts, Kona water and vitamin water and to end the day with pizza! I couldn't have asked for a more perfect day... The overwhelming part of it all was this whole day was FREE!

I still can't believe it but after paddleboarding and he wanted to take us out I immediately became skeptical and my thoughts were "is this really happening?" and "what's the catch?". Kaimana's generocity today was so overwhelming and really challenged me to look at my own life. Here is a man who doesn't have a relationship with Creator God but who is way more generous and kind hearted than most christians I met.

I love how God can send non Christian into the life of struggling bible student missionary to not only bless me with such an amazing day with amazing memories but to also show me how Christians should look to those around us. Maybe a little humbling to realize that we as the body of Christ are being outshown by non Christians.