Friday night & Sat. in Kona

What a wonderful experience we had last night as we observed the Call of the Nations with the flags from each nation that is represented at this university.    Prayers over all the nations and flags everywhere.   God was truly present.  

On a fun note they had a luau and special acting, singing and interpretive dance from students of their local culture. Very fun and interesting, especially 2 little girls from Korea, probably 3 or 4 years old and they brought down the house. They did very well on their dance and were so cute.

Today we wandered around our side of the island and went 25 miles to the north to explore new beaches. What a variety from very white sands to black lava beaches. Saw several wild goat, not the bighorn variety, but looked like regular farm goats that have been raised in the wild. They are very hard to see as they are as black as the lava rocks, but once you see them they are obvious.

Tomorrow we will go back to the Hawaiian church and after services we will stay and help with their beach clean up and hot dog lunch.

Monday back to the work....oh well, we are blessed to be able to be here and help.

Ken and Peggy

Missionary Dan spoke

WOW.... what an incredible evening,  we heard Missionary Dan Bauman speak on his life in
Afghanistan.    He was there for many years and has a real LOVE for the Muslims people.

While there he was in prison 3 times,  beaten,  put in solitary confinement and hungry.
Each time he "felt" the presence of GOD, even at times that he was really scared.   He knew
that h would loose his life but he was ready..... BUT GOD  was not thru with him yet.   Once
while he was in prison his mother's prayer was:   God do not release him until you are thru with
him and he has done all you have for him to do.    What a prayer !!!!!   He said he was sure thankful
there were "others" praying besides his mom...... haha   but not funny at the same time.    Later I
spoke to her and told her I could NOT imagine a mother praying that kind of prayer.  She told me
it was not a prayer of her own but truly led by the Holy Spirit !!!!   Amen to that !! 

After he was beaten by a guard,  God spoke to Dan and asked him to shake the guys hand and
ask him to be his friend.   Of course the guard knew better and would not shake hands or be his
friend !!!!   BUT  GOD.....  Dan asked  3 times and finally the guard looked around and saw no
one was looking so he reached out, shook his hand and called him friend, then asked Dan if
there was anything Dan would like...... Dan said YES,  I would like a bigger cell,  so within
hours they moved Dan into a regular cell and he NEVER saw the guard again!     Could I
shake the hand of someone who just beat me and ask them to be my friend????  Only God
knows that !   What love..... CHRIST like Love for humanity !!

Sure was challenging to us all not just the young people.

There are  70 Mission Builders here now and we are stuffed !!!!  We are EVERYWHERE and so
are the 600 "NEW" students !!!  I've never seen such a campus filled with CHRISTIAN people
of all ages !!!!!   Mostly young adults/ teens !!!  God's heart must be OVERJOYED and smiling
at Kona, Hawaii now !!!   Just think after their 3 months then they are all sent out on an
outreach all over the world.

Ken and I are adjusting somewhat to the heat, early hours and long days !!!   PTL
We are both finding FAVOR with our supervisors as only GOD can do !!!!  PTL  for this !

Here is a sample of what I read today:
    T   talk positive about ea. other
    E   Encourage one another in word/deed
    M   Marvel at God's faithfulness to ea. other
     P   Pursue God's dream and what HIS heart is for
     L   Love like CHRIST
     E   Embolden our Faith

Love from Kona University of the nations!
Peggy     :)
      

A weekend in Kona

Well, it is Sunday night 5:27pm Kona time, (10:27pm Texas time) and we are wrapping up our weekend here.

Yesterday we attempted to ride the local trolley to a nice area to snorkel, I mean attempted by we missed it. We were used to seeing an open air old time trolley to pick us up but they slipped in a big enclosed van on us and we didn't realize it until it went by.  No problem, we decided to walk until we got about a half mile down the road and asked "How much further?" The answer was 3 miles (uphill) and I said, "NO WAY". Then Peggy decided since all the young Mission Builders (And pretty, I might add) hitchhike to the beaches, she would give that a try. Everyone she tried to give the "Pick us up thumb", just shook their heads and laughed. I told her I wouldn't even stop and pick us up if I was driving by. So we decided to walk back to the pier which is not too far from our apartment and snorkel there. It is very pretty and calm there with nice sandy beaches and nice grass to lay on.

So we get there, and get in the water and WOW, it is cold to say the least. Peggy is not that much for water, much less cold water so she stayed in a short time and then got out. It really wasn't that bad if you stayed in because the sun was very hot. We didn't try snorkeling, we just swam around and saw the fish and watched people.

We then left this area, caught the CORRECT trolley, and headed back to our original destination. It is a snorkel paradise, very shallow but rocky and protected by a wall of lava on the sea side. We saw sea turtles up close as we waded out on the lava and they just swim right up to you with no problems. The water here is shallow enough to stand, but they ask that you not stand due to the coral reef on the bottom.  We were about to rent some snorkel gear until a lady and her husband came up holding their arms. They told us they both had been bitten by the fish while snorkeling and had some pretty bad teeth marks where the fish had bitten them. Well, that was enough to keep Peggy out of the water because if ANYONE will get bit by a fish in the middle of the ocean, it would be her. We decided to come back later while we are here after we explore a bit more of the island.
 We found out from the local reef expert who was giving information on the reef, that there is one type of fish that will actually attack and bite you if you are too close to their nests while they are nesting. I asked him how will you know if you are too close? He said, "They will bite you!", that is how you know.

Sunday morning, we had a ride to a Hawaiian church about 20 minutes from here that we had planned to visit last weekend but didn't make it. Let me tell you, it was an awesome experience. We found out that this church is probably the second church built on the island and goes way back in Hawaiian history. I wish I could relate the entire story of Christianity in Hawaii but I would leave something out. It all started when a young man named Henry who was the son of a Hawaiian King became an orphan and ended up on a sailing ship back to Connecticut and became a Christian. He had a great desire to return to the Island and teach about Christ, but died before he could return. However, due to his desire, some of the first missionaries came  back to Hawaii, and I have found out that Hawaii has a long history of Christianity here. Pictures below are of the church and Henry's grave. He died in Connecticut, but years later they brought his bones back for burial.

The church service was very much like we grew up in. Open windows, kids everywhere in the sanctuary, open prayer request and testimonies and good preaching. It was so sweet. They had us come forward as first time visitors and the little girls did a Hawaiian Welcome dance, and they really poured their hearts into it. After church, they have a traditional Hawaiian meal and it was delicious. They even had seaweed for us to eat, I guess from the Oriental background. Next week, we are invited back (and told to bring our swim suits) because after church everyone is going down to the beach for hot dogs and clean-up on the shores. They are teaching the kids how to "Give Back" and not always "Take" from the community.

After returning home, we went to a local market and Peggy bought a "Dragon" fruit and something that looks like a strawberry porcupine, and some apple bananas. Wish us luck as we have no idea what we are eating, but we will let you know.

Getting ready to start our week number 3, so pray for our strength as we trudge these hills and steps.
I must say, it is getting easier for me. We lose some Mission Builders tomorrow, but we are getting 15 new ones on Wednesday.

Ken and Peggy

                                            Hawaiian Church

                                          Henry's grave

                                            Worship time, choir and music by children

                                         Our Hawaiian Welcome dance

                                          View from the church

                                         Hawaiian food, very good

                                          Trumpet tree

 

Hawaiian dragon fruit, unknown, apple bananas

 

 

Sat. Sept. 21 2013

Good Morning to All:

      It is Saturday morning in Kona, Hawaii and we slept in today as 4:30 am ea day calls for
some LONG days !   But we are BLESSED !      We plan to ride the trolley today around the
Island again and stop at one of the beaches that everyone is talking about.... so we will see,
even though neither one of us are "beach" people.

The little lights all over the campus that I talked about earlier,  I am SLOWLY getting them
one by one.   This week as I worked,  I had so "many" people on campus (especially the mother
of the small children here )  stop to Thank me for fixing them.  Truly made me glad that is was
worth doing.

This wk. has truly taken a toll on a lot of people here, that is YWAMer's .   So many people
with sore throats, ear aces, headache's, and one of our sweet lady friends had to go home last
night due to some heat exhaustion and other health problems.    So pray for the staff on campus
as this Thursday we will have   the 600 new students come.   Even  2 of our leaders have been
sick !    I know GOD is able to stop this sickness and satan would delight in disrupting this university
but he will NOT win this !!

There are no meals from Friday evening till Monday AM so if you could only see the process they
have here of sending all those meals home with everyone...... it is amazing how they do it!
I'm really impressed with that !   Something we have both noticed here :

                             We do NOT hear complaining of any kind from ANY of the students,
                              staff or YWAM'ers ever about "anything" !!!!  Just unreal for this
                               many kids  (people all ages) to not have something to complain about !!
Everyone is truly  just     THANKFUL !!

GOD Bless your wk-end with HIS LOVE!

Peggy     Ken

                                   Morning devotions, 3 days a week

                                          Three new Mission Builders, Australia and Spain

                                         Yoko and Joyce, our peers and Joyce had to leave, very ill

Hump day on the Island, PTL

Isn't it kind of funny, you work most of your life and can't wait for the week-end. Well, here we are in retirement days and we still can't wait for the week end.  Busy, busy, busy....

I am spending all my time repairing small pagoda lamps that are all over the campus. They stand about 12" off the ground and they all carry an invisible sign that says "Knock me over", or so it seems.
Most of them are plastic and have metal conduit screwed to a small steel plate and are secured in a concrete pad with anchors. Between the plastic breaking, the anchors pulled out, and the plates rusting off, I have a job as long as I want, or till Jesus comes. "Even so Lord Jesus come quickly"...is my prayer. I do have a van I am driving so that makes it a lot easier on these old bones.

Peggy is doing a fantastic job as receptionist, as I knew she would and her supervisors know it also.
I guess we are doing to good a job as they would like for me to stay a LONG time and said they would make arrangments for housing for us. Don't know if that will happen or not.

We got our new apartment mates. Joan and Paula arrived 2 days ago from Spain and what an awesome couple. One week newly-weds came straight to YWAM to work. They both have a calling to street gangs and when they leave here, they will go to Chicago to start a mission to gangs and gang families. He is a member of a secular band that toured Africa at the request of the Spain government but we are to bloom wherever we are planted and the band members are all Christians.

Last night was dessert night at the King's Mansion (King Jesus) and is an wonderful place. Dessert was great and everyone had a blast. These young kids have some "Unusual" talents and they were showcased last night at talent time. Pictures posted below.

Well that's all for now...

Ken and Peggy

Sept. 15th 2013

Hello from Kona:

     Made it thru the wk. and ready for the next.   God is so GOOD..... Friday my supervisor handed
me the keys to a work van and told me that they were mine to use while here.  This sure made
Peggy  :)  since there are so MANY  stairs and hills and I will be all over the campus doing work!
So we are both Praising the Lord !!!      Peggy said "good-byee"  to her friend Anna that trained her
and now she will be on her "own" a few days learning as much as she can with some help.  

Friday and Saturday  afternoons and evenings  it has poured down rain.   Today while in town
and on the trolley it started again.   The trolley is "open" to outside so we got really wet Fri. pm
and it got really cool then too.  

Saturday we went with group on a van with Mission Builder leader to see a volcano area and
it was truly interesting.   Temperatures were HOT,  warm,  cool, and really cool in small areas
and so that was sure different.      The young people  jumped off a cliff into the water and it was
hard for Peggy to watch as she thought it was dangerous.   They of course had a lot of FUN.

God's beauty was truly all around us Saturday.   We will post a few pictures of some things we
saw, including the kids.

Next two weeks are what is called "transition" weeks with the kids being gone to their mission
trips and will not be on campus so we will not have a lot to post especially pictures.   BUT the
WORK will go ON !!!     The maintenance and hotel will go on since those are two BUSY areas.


Hope you enjoy some of the pictures.

God Bless,
Ken     Peggy

                                        At a park in Hilo, Hi

                                            Having lunch in the part

                                         Crazy kids climbing a huge banyan tree

                                            Water for drinking at the volcano

                                          Steam venting from the volcano

                                          Pretty flowers on the pathway

 The scripture "Narrow is the pathway and few who find it.." came to my mind when I saw this!

                                        Pretty birds at the southern most bakery in the US

 Cliff jumping at the southern most point in the US, kids had a blast, old folks watched

                                          Sunset at South Point

Our fearless leader,,bad influence on the kids, haha

Another day in Paradise, I think

Had our weekly morning meeting where we say good-byes to those leaving. It is always exciting to hear where people came from and what they take back from this experience.
Almost everyone relates how God really did amazing things in their lives while here and some express that going home means school, work and even have no homes to go back to.
Amazing who God calls to YWAM and Mission Builders.

I finished my electrical work today and helped assemble bunk beds for the 600 plus young people coming in 2 weeks. Also did some painting, which I really don't like, but whatever is needed.

 It really gets hectic around here (everyone says) because with no students here, there will be limited evening meals. That's ok, because Mission Builders step in and pick up the slack by working earlier hours, and getting off earlier. Don't think this will affect me or Peggy since I have a skilled trade and she is now the only person in reception. She was so worried she couldn't do it but I knew she could.
Her supervisor has noticed how she sees things that need to change (and points it out) and they are already implementing some of her suggestions. She is also the "Official" mother for all the young Mission Builders at the request of her supervisor who noticed right away how she cares for all these young people away from families.

Last night was our weekly Mission Builders "Family" night which was a time of praise and worship and sharing. It was truly a blessed evening hearing these young people from 14 nations praying in their languages for their countries and the problems of being Christians in some of these countries. We have it so good in America and we squander our opportunities right and left that other countries don't enjoy. Then we had a delicious apple/walnut cake made by our Brazilian friend who lives in our building. Next week we are having a "Formal" (wear your best shorts and sandals) dessert night at a really nice place overlooking the ocean. Hope to post some good pictures.

                                     Our sunrise devotions, what an awesome sight

 Flags at half staff for 9-11

 Our sweet apartment kids who left today

                                        Mission Builders going home

Our young couple who shared the 2nd floor with us have left to return home, although they have no home and are newly weds. They left us little notes in the freezer and gifts on our door, so sweet and so funny at the same time. You would have to see all the little toy army men around our apartment to realize how much fun it is to be here.

Tonight is our weekly Wal-Mart run for all Mission Builders and then on Saturday we are all going to see the volcanoes and the Volcano National Park. They are so good here to run mini tours for all the Mission Builders at prices hundreds of dollars below the commercial tours. We are blessed.

Peggy and I got approved to be van drivers so now we will help with rotations on driving the vans. It sure helps the 2 staff people who are here since vans have to run many times for work and meals all through the day as well as airport shuttles for incoming and departing workers.

Well, I will close for now. I will share what I told Peggy today. If you want to work, work, work just volunteer for Mission Builders. If you want to play, play, play take a vacation...whew!!


Aloha,
Ken and Peggy