Today Was Our Day Off from Work:

Once a month every Mission Builder has a day off, it's not really a day off though, becasue they say you have to attend a DTS, which is mandatory for all Mission Builders.

A DTS stands for Discipleship Training Seminar, each student goes through DTS for twelve weeks, we are asked to join one in the middle of their schooling, so we are somewhat out of context. They had three we could choose from, COMPASSION, JUSTICE, or CROSSROADS which is for 26 yrs. and up.

We consulted the Hopkins, who are over all teachers brought into YWAM, to where they recommend us to go to get the most out of, and they suggested there was one we should stay away from, then she suggested that we attend one she suggested, but sit on the outside in case it didn’t fit us she said. She was very sweet and had a discerning spirit. She suggested that if it doesn’t fit then slip out and have a nice day.

We attended Compassion, and at first we sat outside because it had already started, there are often people sitting outside because of the weather or for other reasons, we didn’t want to cause a scene, due the fact thatthere weren’t enough chairs for us. So, with our friend Brenda, we sat outside until we felt we could move our chairs inside, and not bother the speaker or kids, as well as getting out of the hot sun.

The speaker was in his late 50s or 60s, and started off by saying he didn’t know where this was going to go today (not a comforting idea). So, he winged it for an hour and a half suggesting that everyone in the tent needed cleansing from some kind of abuse of one kind, or another.

He then had open mic time, allowing the kids to come up and vent or share their abuses. About six kids came up to share some type of hurt from a coach, a dad, or a teacher.

After about two hours the teacher told everyone to take a break, so Buck and I did.

We walked back home and tried to catch the dollar trolley to Target, Target was a really big "to do" thing for Buckwheat, and Target is a long ways away. Sane people would wait for the trolley, but we missed our trolley due to our taking too much time to walk back home from the base.

So, Buckwheat suggested that since we had all day, we should walk to Target, but on the way we should split a mid-morning brunch/lunch at “Bun in the Sun.” We split her new favorite sandwich at her new favorite eating place.

Then we trekked up to Target, a mighty walk in the mighty hot sun. I had no hat, hoping that sunscreen would get us through the next five hours of walking. I think it did.

We went over to Ross, which was across the street from Target,then back to Target, then over to the Kona International Market Place, which was a total surprise to find on a side street along our way. This was all Hawaiian stuff, clothes, some of the most beautiful wood carvings I’ve ever seen, made into Dolphins, Turtles, Whales, all very large pieces that would dominate a room; some were going to have class tops for living room tables. I wished I had throw away money, I would have thrown some to them, everything was so beautiful.

We then walked a different way home, down a steep street to Kuakini Blvd. down to Ali’i by the sea.

We sat on some steps in the shade and shared a Shave Ice as we watched the ocean waves crest over the sea wall and crash over the side walk and on to the street. Splitting a Shave Ice is dicey, sense the ice melts and sides are hard to delineate, one half Cherry for Buckwheat, and one half Root Beer for me. I cheated some Cherry over to my side when Buck was startled by the waves and the leaf blower.

We walked home and took a nap.

We arose and sat outside our building and read and kibitz with people. Sense we were visible some girls came up to Buck and asked for a hair cut (she’s famous for her free haircuts here).

Tabea, a German little gal we both really love, asked Buck for a trim, and she brought me some special German Carmel Coffee, delicious.

Buck cut, I put down Hemingway, which is becoming easy to do, and I ate my Lunchable. She was still cutting hair, and I came here to blog.

It’s Tuesday night and our mandatory Mission Building Meeting is about to start. Its 6:00 PM.

The meeting just ended, its 8:29 PM, and Buck just walked in and told me two more people came up to her after the meeting to ask for haircuts (free of course), apparently all things done on the base are to be free, its a missionary thing, even if these people aren't missionaries, they are cheap like missionaries. Never the less, Buckwheat is in seventh or eighth heaven. She loves to serve, help, talk and be the big shot.

Over here in Kona, Buckwheat is in high demand, and I'm invisible. Its a good thing I have this blog thing.

HEY, IS ANYONE CLEANING THE FISH TANK WHILE I'M GONE, LOOK AT HOW DARK THE WATER HAS GOTTEN. FEED AND CLEAN THE FISH AND THEIR HOUSE.