So what has been going on here in
Hawaii? A lot!
First off, I am so excited because I am
going to be getting certified as a doula! I am so excited because
this opens a whole new door in ministering to the community. The
amount of teen pregnancy's here are through the roof. The Pregnancy
center here in Kona is welcoming us with open arms. I will get to
walk along side women for nine months, counseling and developing deep
relationship with them. I am so excited about the ministry
opportunities this is going to open up. Also, with the heart the Lord
has given me for human trafficking I feel like this is just another
step up in preparation for what He has called me to long term.
On Wednesday's we go out and minister
to the community. This past Wednesday we went to the local market and
bought pineapples and mango's. Then we started walking around to all
of the businesses and offering them to the shop owners and
employee's. This was by far my favorite outreach time we have had
with the local community. It opened doors in a whole new way,
starting conversations with people and in some cases we were even
invited back to the shop. It never ceases to amazing me how just
little acts of kindness can take down peoples defenses.
I have to admit, my first week or two
here I kept wondering, “what have I gotten myself into?” but the
more time that goes by the more I fall in love with this place and
with the people here. I've heard that when you start praying for
people and places, your heart turns toward them. I've definitely
begun to see that in my own life, between praying for this community
and going out and serving them I've begun to love it.
About two weeks ago I had the live
stream from the prayer room in Kansas City on and the phrase,
“freedom comes in laying down our rights.” was sung. Over the
next few days it kept running through my mind and I kept singing it,
“yes, Jesus! freedom comes in laying down my rights, I lay me down
God!” Then I was in the prayer room here in Kona praying for the
community and thinking about how I didn't want to walk downtown
because it was so hot. I didn't feel like talking to strangers, who seemed like they didn't want to talk to me either. So I'm sitting there
telling the Lord how much I don't want to do community outreach,
when He brings this phrase to mind. “Okay, Lord okay.” With an
attitude I started to sing that phrase, “ freedom comes in laying
down my rights, I lay me down...” over and over, about the tenth
time through I realized He wasn't talking about me this time. Through
this simple phrase He was opening my eyes to the fact that freedom comes to others
when we are willing to lay down our lives, our rights. The days where I don't
feel like praying for an unsaved people group in the prayer room that I don't know
anything about, “ freedom comes in laying down my rights”, on the
days where I don't want to talk to that stranger I feel like I'm
being drawn to, “ freedom comes in laying down my rights”, when I
don't feel like walking in the heat to go love on the community,
“freedom comes in laying down my rights”. Through our willingness
to lay down what we want to do, and doing what the Lord leads us to, people can receive freedom.
Also, some exciting news! The Lord has
provided a new apartment for me and a couple friends. The rent is a
lot cheaper and the living space is way nicer. We are moving in
August 24th, and I can't wait. Everything is falling in
place so smoothly, We will be nice and settled and ready to hit the
ground running when all of the students get here. I have three weeks
of Leadership training left, and then we will start calling students
and making sure they are ready to come and praying with them. They
will arrive in Kona September 24th.
Also, I have finally gotten my missions
account up and running. Which means I have the tax deductible option
now. The way that you can access this is going to uofnkona.edu
clicking on support/fees and then type my name into the search and
you can donate and send my support that way. You will receive a
receipt with your donation on it for tax deduction purposes.
