I Once Was Blind, But Now I See.

I didn’t post anything for Tuesday because it was uneventful, and I wasn’t going to post anything today, because it also was uneventful. What I mean by this is, that nothing but work took place today, we all, I’m sure, have grown weary of my writing about how tough my days at work have been, you can whine only so much. So, I decided not to post any more about work unless it was unique.

Today wasn't.

Tonight was.

I have seen Kona in the daytime, every corner of Kona in the day time. It’s tired, old, beat up, and worn out. The trees, sea, sea wall, flowers, mountains and Bays are spectacular, but the beaches are few and tiny, not much to speak of really, unless you have a car and can reach the really beautiful, large beaches along the northern coast, way up towards the fancy hotels, the really big ones that have been planted on the lava flow coast.

But for the first time in almost five weeks we were out at night in down town Kona, wow!

Ruth and Ed, Ron and Sharon, Marie and Lester, Maryls, and Sharon from Seattle (the others are from Canada), and Buck and I walked down to the end of Ali’i Drive, to Oceans restaurant. The place was filled with other Mission Builders, in fact, they’d been coming to Oceans for weeks, we just heard about yesterday.

I soon found out why all the Mission Builders and YWAMers were here on a Wednesday night.

From 6:00 P.M. to 10:00 P.M. every Wednesday, everything on the menu is ½ off.

This is of course missionary gold. Or, like Buck and I like to say, Canadian worthy.

The seating was outside, other Mission Builders were at other tables, the view of the quaint looking building, palm trees, flowers, traffic and ocean was perfect. The night couldn’t have been better, but it soon got to be a lot better.

The occurrence for this better?

Our night walk back up Ali’i Drive.

The tired, sad, beat up, scruffy, homeless strewn, ugly duckling Kona Town turned into the beautiful swan. It struggled to its feet and proclaimed "I'm still beautiful and a wonder to behold."

I was shocked at how I hadn’t ventured out at night down here by the sea, as we walked among the perfectly set hotel, business and street lights, as well as Bubba Gumps Ocean light forcing its will on the  crashing waves. Tiki torches sprinkled along the grassy areas, as people sauntered lazily along the small street, cars seemed to be going somewhere, but not too fast, and all the while music wafted through the picture post card weather, seemly, just for us.

Dark hid the bad.

The lights sparkled like alluring Christmas decorations, saying “Something special is over here.”

The night had tell-tell signs that something special was going to make an appearance, you know something is up from all the freshly showered bodies, combed hair, clean, special clothes, as well as hints of various perfumes and colognes, all of it straining at anticipation.

Walking slowly, going into the shops and inhaling this different Kona, was special. It felt like Hawaii should feel, like a vacation feels, this in fact was the first time in five weeks that I felt like I was on a vacation in a Polynesian paradise.

Food at Oceans was excellent.

Half price was priceless.

The ambiance was like it had been ordered.

The beauty of Kona came out in all it’s splendor, the streets were filled with YWAMers and tourists, locals were motoring by like proud parents watching visitors being breath-stricken at the sight of their beautiful child. People were waving across the street, others delighted in seeing their friends enjoy the tropics, and each other. Aloha was in the air.

When people wished us a nice visit, I found myself resentful, “We are not visitors, we live here, we are like you, Kamahinas.”

As we made it up the hill to Hale Ola, YWAM Mission Building youth, like Salmon, came streaming down river, their night was just starting. "Where you going?" I ask. They reply "Going to see the lights and jump off the pier."

They're young, of course their going to stay up and see the lights, that's what young people do, we tired, old, beat up people, see only the night light in our bathrooms.

I love these specail kids, they are an International Glee Club, they too fill Kona with a special Aloha. I'm going to miss them terribly, but not tonight.

Tomorrow Buck and I get a vehicle for three days. We are going to paint this place red, baby, and this time I’m staying up to see the lights.

Wow, I once was blind, but now I see...beautiful Kona by the sea.