As part of our Discipleship Training School with Youth With a Mission, we served on outreach from March 20th until May 20th 2021 on Kona, the Big Island of Hawaii.
COVID-19 Relief
Hope DIA-mend Ministries, partnering with the Boys and Girls club needed help facilitating COVID-19 relief in Oceanview. Every day their staff and volunteers would drive 4 hours round trip to pick up meals in Kona, and bring them back to Oceanside to distribute them. Every day they distributed over 400 meals to needy people and families who have been effected by the COVID-19 pandemic and its effects on the local economy. Visit Hope DIA-mend’s website
Dress With Dignity
As part of our outreach to Oceanview and the community effected by Covid-19, we used some of our budget on traditional Hawaiian dresses for the young ladies at this church. I’ll never get tired of the look on this little girls face when she was told she looks pretty in her new dress. We also had “Action Bibles” for the young men. These are fun bibles in comic book form.
Nature is not primarily functional. It is primarily beautiful. Stop for a moment and let that sink in. We’re so used to evaluating everything (and everyone) by their usefulness that this thought will take a minute or two to begin to dawn on us. Nature is not primarily functional. It is primarily beautiful. Which is to say, beauty is in and of itself a great and glorious good, something we need in large and daily doses.
― Stasi Eldredge, Captivating: Unveiling the Mystery of a Woman’
Kona Kids Outreach
The Kona Kids Outreach was a huge part of our Outreach phase. This ministry reaches out to the marginalized youth on the Big Island of Hawaii. Marshallese refugees, local Hawaiians and other at-risk youth enjoy their after school program where they can receive tutoring and discipleship. This was the most enjoyable part of our outreach for me. I got to tutor the same young man every week. His name was David and he had a passion for discovering and science. We got to read through several science books and perform some experiments that helped him understand the Solar System. This is David in the picture below. Visit the Kona Kids Outreach website
Foster Care Relief Program
The University of the Nations hosted a weekly foster care relief program on Saturdays. Our team stepped in and served every Saturday with worship, teaching and fun activities. We were blessed to have several teachers in our group who lead us with weekly curriculum. We lead fun songs and arts and crafts activities. Unfortunately we do not have any pictures about this ministry because of HIPPA laws that protect the privacy of foster children and their families. So, here is a picture of our Mother’s Day craft that we did with the kids.
Reaching the Lost
This Island has grabbed many men and women with the seductive power of drugs and alcohol. Unlike Portland, the homeless community here is quite comfortable. The weather is mostly agreeable, and the social services offer everything they need. But, some of their lives are still miserable, locked in addiction and cycles of destruction. A man named John Reed lead us into the community that he has been discipling. He has a simple approach to the simple gospel. Make some peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and spend time listening and sharing with those in need.
Serving the Campus
COVID-19 was hard for everyone, including the University of the Nations Campus. They were short staffed and overworked in many areas, but one in particular was highlighted to us and we stepped in. The cafeteria serves anywhere from 100 to 1,400 people per meal depending on the campus population, and they needed help. Some of us stepped in administratively, others cooked, some did prep work and some cleaned up!
