Moloka'i and Honolulu outreaches

On Moloka’i there is a peninsula that is cut off from the rest of the island. It is surrounded by ocean and 2,000 ft high cliffs. To King Kamehameha V this was the perfect place to isolate those affected by the outburst of Hansen’s disease (leprosy) in 1865. The first patients were dumped off the side of the boat and would swim to shore. This place is called Kalaupapa and I got to make the 2 mile hike down to see this “colony”. (The first picture above is looking down at the peninsula from the starting point of the hike, the second is of looking at what we just hiked down)
At first I was like I don’t know, I feel like this is going against the Global Studies handbook. I would be going to a human zoo. But actually, it was a God given gift to me to be able to go. Its amazing how we got the opportunity to go. Christy (one of the leaders) saw park reservation instead of preservation and so she called the number and left a message. The guy was so confused when he got a message about 10 people visiting Moloka’i, but called back anyways. They talked and he informed Christy on how we could do some volunteer work down there if we wanted, instead of paying the fees for a tour.
We left at 8 in the morning and got to the bottom at about 9 and were ready to start our volunteering. We were assigned to working in a patient’s garden, Paul Harada who passed away two months earlier and painting a picnic area. Working in the garden was amazing. Paul loved working in his garden. He grew poinsettias so he could give them away to the other patients around Christmas. The National Park Preservation people aren’t sure what they want to do with the garden-I think they might keep it nice so that it can be one of the exhibitions of the park. But as I sat there pulling weeds out of the extremely dry land I couldn’t help but think of Paul looking down on us and smiling. (first picture is what i was looking at as i pulled weeds, the second picture is of the ground around paul's garage-it was full of little trinkets and things everywhere. it looked like an eye spy picture. I think i would have gotten a long well with him, i don't think he threw anything away)

We took a lunch break by the dock and got to jump into the water and go for a little swim which was quite nice. Then we went to the other side of the peninsula to paint. Below are the pictures of that side. The first one is the end of the drive to the pincnic area, and the second one is a look out to where the people were first kicked out of the boats and had to swim to shore and climb up to land. It was such a privelage and blessing to be able to paint the picnic area because we got to drive across the peninsula and see more of the land. We passed Father Damien's church and grave where his hand is burried (weird. i know). We got to see where the people burned sacrifices to the gods, where some people were burried and many churches. This place was the most beautiful place I have ever been. It has a heartbreaking history but yet is full of life. Everything is so simple. It hasn’t been invaded by tourists. Looking to the high cliffs to the ocean is the most beautiful view. Even the hour hike up 2,000 feet was beautiful.

As for the rest of my time in Moloka’i; I think I painted almost everyday. I painted the skate park, at Kalaupapa, and one of the rooms in the church we were staying. Since we are Surfing the Nations, we went to the beach a few of the days we were there. I don’t surf, but I loved being at the beach because it is such a great place to have my quiet times.
Moloka’i was like a vacation for me. Even though we were working a lot, it was all relaxed working. Didn’t have to deal with Filipino and Korean Aunties trying to cheat the system and get twice as much food as they are supposed to get from “Feeding the Hungry”. Didn’t have to sort through salvage food at the Food Bank, or do yard work around the house. It was a good time to learn more about God from the people I was around.








Now I am back in Honolulu on the Feeding the Hungry team which I hate and love. I think it is the hardest team. I don’t get to go to the beach and chill at UH like I did on College Team. I do get to give out loads of food in Kalihi every Thursday. Sometimes we go to Barber’s Point and give out food too. For our outreaches we go to the community that lives under the highway. There’s a neighborhood down there. People living in tents or tarps made into houses. We hand out bags of food and invite people to our other events and of course we pray for them.

















1. a couple getting married at Once a Month Church in North Shore
2. Vasiliy and Galina, a couple from Ukraine who have left everything to follow the Holy Spirit's leading. I met them at Feeding the Hungry
3. Freddie praying for someone before they get food at FtH
4. Willa and Atti-a grandma and her grandson who are from the Marshall Islands and come get food on thursdays
5. Do you want oreos or nutter butters?
6. Waikiki Outreach-we have a bbq at Waikiki every wednesday for the homeless.


Thank you to all you who pray for me. God is making me into a new person. Its kinda weird. I’m too lazy to read through this again, so you can get over the mistakes.

oh and i can't take credit for all the photos. the one at the skate park and 3,5,6 aren't mine. I think they're james's.