First Full Day in Hawaii

Today was our first full day in Hawaii. We got a good night's sleep but most of us woke up very early due to the 5 hour time change. We were still jet lagged but ready to help make a difference here at WCC. We started the day with devotions and breakfast. Jon Minard shared from God's Word and from his personal testimony and life story to give us inspiration for the day ahead. 

For the first part of the morning we worked at assessing the multiple projects we will be tackling over the next two weeks. The list of projects includes pouring a handicap ramp at the parsonage, installing some electrical work and lighting, removing and installing windows, setting up and organizing a new tool room. There is also more painting to do, a patio between the house and church to clear and convert into a meeting and recreational space, as well as some other renovations inside and outside of the parsonage on the list. We will also be building a mobile food/coffee trailer that can be set up to serve people in need around the area as well as be used to sell food and coffee at various events as a source of income for the ministry.  I'm sure I'm missing some things and the list will likely grow. As anyone who has followed the NCO teams over the years knows, we are eager to get to work and have every intention of crossing all these items and more off the "to do" list during our stay.

After working with Pastor John on the "to do" list this morning we headed out to get a whirlwind orientation tour of the island of Oahu with Pastor John and Pastor Marissa as our guides. We drove around a good chunk of the island to see the beautiful scenery and get a feel for life on the island. While this is an awe inspiring island with lots of natural beauty and amazing and diverse people, it is also a place of abject physical, financial and spiritual poverty and need.

For example, at the end of this beautiful beach below, there are homeless people living among the trees. The beach restrooms and the outdoor beach showers supply some of the basic needs for these people living here. This is just one of countless homeless living spaces scattered all over the island. With a very high cost of living, including high housing costs, even people with relatively well paying jobs find it hard to find housing they can afford.

And some cases seem even worse. This man below was sleeping right beside one of the many beach parking lots along the north shore, right across the street from food vendors and a shopping center. 

 After our tour around the island we headed back to WCC and took inventory of the work supplies we have and the items we need to purchase. We rehearsed the list of projects to be tackled and came up with an order of operation and a plan of attack. Tomorrow (Friday) morning, with the jet lag mostly out of our system and a clear picture of the work we have to do, we will hit the ground running.