Sunday: Church, Magic Sands Beach, Ali"i Walk, Hawaiian Concert, Dinner at Billy's



Sunday the 17^th of October was our second Sunday to worship. Our first was at the Kona Beach Chapel for tourists; our thought was that we’d visit a different church each Sunday, that is, until today. Carol and I went to church sans the Canadians, they all were too tired to go to church, that includes a worship leader, as well as a just retired pastor; the precious things were undone by the Saturday Island tour. They all worshiped at the Golden Arches, while Carol and attended the most wonderful church.

 Its name is Mokuaikaua Church, and it was the first Christian church established on the Hawaiian Islands, the building was built in 1837 out of lava rocks, beautiful local woods adorned the inside. The service was great, the worship was outstanding as the six women and five man choir stood on the steps in front of the congregations, making it very alive and personal, Pastor Derick was a young guy in his thirties and also was great. The members were a beautiful blend of the cultures and ages. It was just a hundred yards off the beach, the breezes and aromas of the Plumeria trees wafted in together through the old wooden doors, crashing in a crescendo with the music, making it a tidal wave of spirit and sound.

After the service Carol and I both said, “This is our spiritual home while we’re here in Kona.”

 It felt like family.

It smelled like heaven.

It was soft and easy.

We went next door to the tiny Kope Lani Coffee Shop, sitting outside on the equally tine patio (lanai), under its powerful Banyan tree,  splitting breakfast and drinking 100% Kona coffee as we gazed lazily at the blue, blue bay and ski of Kailua Bay.

The anchored boats were much like us.

The Canadiannes of the Canadians would show up again beyond the Golden Arches, this time in the ocean. Not only do they miss church willy-nilly, but these people didn’t know how to get out of the way of a big wave, well, actually, a lot of big waves; they constantly kept attempting to jump over them despite my repeated pleadings to dive under the waves, they’d laugh and giggle as they’d get washer machined under the pounding waves, they lost hats and senses equally. Despite their blunders at the Arches and under the waves, they had a great day. We have all become fast friends, so much so, that we spent the rest of the day running around laughing like a bunch of school chums.

We ended the day walking down Ali”I drive blocked off farmers’ market type of vendor fair. We stopped for an outdoor Hawaiian concert with dancers on the grounds of the Queens Palace, and then we headed off to Billy’s on the Ocean for a great, fun, long dinner.

Suddenly we all looked at our watches and a collective resolve came over us like a wave, we all have to get up at 5:00 A.M. and start another tough week of service, it was funny to see everyone’s faces, the same joy hung on them much like when the Canadians came up coughing and laughing from being pounded by the waves, work at YWAM is just like the ocean’s waves, big, fast, tumbling, disorienting, but joyful, you didn’t want to be any place else. It’s 8:56 and Buckwheat is in bed, the blog has to be posted, spell check is under the sheets with Carol, I’ll have to “Chanceum Man,” which is local Hawaiian pigeon talk for “I will have to leave the spelling to chance.”

Aloha Nui Loa, and feed my fish, they be looking scrawny.



The Mission Building gang doing the wave for Carol, can you find Waldo?

Magic Sands Beach, 8 miles from Hale Ola (House of Light) which is our Mission Builders compound. This was a day out for our team, great waves, great beach, great views, great time.

 


This is a gaggle of Canadians at Magic Sands Beach

 


This is a Samoan local and a Haole (white man, Ron the Canadian) playing beach volleyball at Magic Sands.




This is a real local Hawaiian playing music for any and all to hear, pretty good.




This is the really soft sand at Magic Sands, great place for the day of rest and body surfing.