Saying Goodbye

Well, it's hard to believe it's all over. I flew home early on May 19th to surprise my sister for her 12th birthday, and now I'm just at home enjoying the 110+ degree weather and desert cactus scenery! The experience I had this Spring in Kauai was amazing - I wouldn't trade it. I learned so much about God, myself, and life...and the people I met will always hold a special place in my heart.

I just want to thank everyone who invested in me for this season! It was one of the most spectacular experiences I've ever had, and I will never forget it. I hope to someday go back and visit Kauai again.

This will probably be the last post in this blog, but if you want to follow my regular blog from here on out here's the link:

http://isaiah-43-desert-streams.blogspot.com/

So Much to Do, So Little Time

So I've got 5 days left on island, all my homework is completed except final exams, and I've still got some adventures I need to have before leaving! Last week I made a list of things I would still like to see and do, and as time passes I don't think I'll be able to get it all done, but it's fun to try! 

ADVENTURE LIST

1. Go Scuba-diving 

2. Helicopter ride 

3. Jump off Shipwrecks

4. Go to Poipu

5. Hike Waterfalls

6. Sleep in a tree

7. Go surfing!

8. Feed Sharks

5/8 I went surfing for the first time and that was fun - glad I got to check that off the list, even if it was at the almost-end of my trip! I caught three waves on my stomach, two of which I pearled on...got a good smack on the jaw by my board, but it was still a good adventure! Forgot to put sunscreen on my back though and got a huge sunburn, but I'm hoping it will turn into a nice tan in a day or so! 

5/9

Had a blast at Tunnels beach with my Hanai family! Another check off the list! Got to go snorkeling and saw a variety of fish, a huge turtle, and a monk seal! Also got to meet Bethany Hamilton on the way out - she was coming in to surf! 

5/10

No adventures today, just cooking, dance practice (for the talent show), grading papers, and Discipleship class! Wrapping things up is bittersweet. Going to start going through my stuff soon to decide what I'm taking home and what I'm going to leave here. 

Thankful for a job mowing lawns to make some last-minute money to fly home on. 

5/11

Had a small adventure today! One of the guys shot a chicken today and I watched two of the girls skin it, gut it, and cut out the meat. We went back to Ahukini Pier at night to feed the sharks....but unfortunately we didn't see any! :o( Technically I could check it off the list since we tried to feed the sharks, but I would like to actually see the sharks so I'll keep hoping! We need to catch and kill a boar. 

5/12

SUPER BUMMED OUT! I was going to go SCUBA DIVING this morning but I got this huge lip sore/infection and didn't want to have the regulator rubbing against it and stuff. It's so nasty. I'M SO SAD! That was pretty much my last chance to go scuba diving this semester....

5/13

Still have this disgusting lip sore, and there's more bad news! I was going to go on a helicopter ride over the whole island this afternoon but the helicopter is down for maintenance! What in the world is happening to the end of my trip? *sigh* Oh well, I've got quite a few chuck tracks left to do, so I guess I will just do school....

Contemplating all the things I've learned and getting ready for the fact that I have to leave this place. 

Getting excited for summer. 

Ready to see my family again!

GOD IS AWESOME

Yep, I'm still here

So I've been living in a tent for 90 days now....pretty crazy. It's funny, too, because I'm starting feel like I don't want to live in a house anymore after this. Sure, it gets pretty loud when it rains, and if the wind blows hard enough sometimes my tent-flap will slap me in the face in the middle of the night (I like to keep my window unzipped), but all in all it's really a rather nice place to dwell! Well, except for the mold too. That's not good. But minus the mold - living in a tent off the land is really quite a profitable experience. Not only does it make you appreciate the things you once took for granted, but it also shows you that you don't really need a lot of the things you once valued, and you start to value different things instead.

The gentle breeze rustling through the grass and trees. 
Crickets serenading in the night. 
The sun slowly creeping over the horizon every morning. 


I'm learning to see the world in a way I had never really thought to before, and it's been such a great experience. The people here are great too. My two tent-mates are a blessing, and the relationships I've formed with fellow students, church members, and even the random meetings of people in town have touched my life in an unexplainable way.

My relationship with God has also been put through some times of testing while here, but it's only served to deepen my love and commitment, and for that I am and will forever be grateful. I'm also excited to share that I was able to be baptized in the ocean yesterday morning, as a symbol of my re-commitment to Christ and the act of regeneration that has already taken place in my heart! I was baptized as a child, but it was at a point in my life where I didn't really understand its significance, and it happened before I really entered into an active relationship with God. Now that I've been able to have a true relationship with God for several years now, and having been able to finally claim victory in some areas that I was living in defeat, I wanted to be baptized to show outwardly the renewal of commitment that has taken place inwardly in my heart. I can't even begin to describe how much I cherish being able to have that opportunity, and I know this memory will serve as a reminder to me for when things get tough again in the future.

"I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith, the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself up for me." - Galatians 2:20

Videos

I just realized that I haven't shared any videos on here! I've been putting them up on Facebook, but for anyone who doesn't have a facebook and keeps up with my blog, here's a link to some of the adventures I've talked about:

Hoopi Falls: 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JruRM6M23xE&feature=g-upl&context=G2b46d74AUAAAAAAAFAA


Hanalei Bay: 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnXhGkNw-Fc&feature=g-upl&context=G220f520AUAAAAAAAEAA


The Deluge: 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcRdBblPBCs&feature=g-upl&context=G278d131AUAAAAAAADAA


Package from Home: 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PixYx1g66hA&feature=channel&list=UL


Macnut Conquered!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PnFENhsH4f8


Ahukini Pier: 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2mF4rfpJb44


Secrets Beach: 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDrr_7jLTEs&feature=channel&list=UL

I'm sure there will be more to come! I've got just a little over a month left on this beautiful island - lots of time to have more adventures!

Blessed Cont.

DAY FIFTY-FOUR

Went with some of the girls to go see "The Hunger Games" today after play practice! We had to wait in line for an hour but it was well worth it! I just love spending time with these ladies and thank God for them and what a blessing they have been to me in my life! 

DAY FIFTY-FIVE

Package from home! A huge thank you to everyone who helped fill it up! This was a tremendous blessing for me and made my whole week! It was like Christmas and my birthday and a party all in one box! I love you!

DAY SIXTY-THREE

Spring Break officially started yesterday, so I have a whole week absolutely free! Sunday night I got to spend at a friend's house watching movies and eating yummy food, and now I'm at another house of this sweet couple from church! I've been able to catch up on laundry, postcards, blogging, relaxing, and homework. Plus there is a cool gecko in their bathroom that I'm trying to befriend, but he keeps running away. Oh well. Suffice to say I am feeling tremendously BLESSED right now. God is good, life is an adventure. I'm thankful. 

A delicious macnut that I climbed a tree to pick, hammered repeatedly with a hammer, and then got to enjoy tremendously

Blessed

I'm not exactly sure what I want to write about in this blog post, so I'm just going to start off by saying that I am blessed! A new month has arrived and with it I have already experienced so many joys and blessings from God that I scarcely know what to do with it all. The love, acceptance, growth, and challenges I am experiencing here are just mind-blowing. I love how God works, and I don't regret deciding to follow Him.  He's the best thing that's ever happened to me, and my prayer is that for anyone who has not yet experienced what it means to enter into a real relationship with Him (not religion), that they will soon discover the amazing truth and freedom of being saved by grace, through faith. There's nothing else like it.
To recap the last two weeks: Again, all I can think of is the word BLESSINGS!

DAY FORTY-FIVE (Friday)

The camp had been vacated for the night and it ended up just being me and Mary left! Everyone else signed up to go to a prayer retreat for the weekend, but thankfully I decided to stay back and it ended up being one of the most restful, quiet and enriching experiences I'd had in awhile. Thank you Jesus! 

DAY FORTY-SIX 

So blessed to be able to spend the day with my Hanai family. We went up to Lumahai beach for the afternoon and it was beautiful! I am awed and inspired by God's beautiful creation, and blessed beyond measure by the loving friendships He has given me with more of His people. We all share a common bond, and it's so cool

DAY FORTY-SEVEN/FORTY-EIGHT

Play practice continues and things are finally starting to come together. It's hard sometimes, but daily I am reminded of what a privilege it is to know Christ, and I know this play is just another opportunity to share His love with others! Whenever I am tempted to have a bad attitude or let discouragement take over, I need only think of the numerous blessings God has poured out upon my life....and suddenly, things don't seem so hard anymore. 

DAY FIFTY-THREE (Saturday)

The whole college made a trip to Polihale this weekend and it was a blast! I'm definitely adding this place to my top favorite spots on the earth list. Sleeping in the sand under the stars was so peaceful, and waking up to the sounds of rolling waves was so amazing! 

Nature's Shower

And the rain rain rain came down down down......

DAY THIRTY-FOUR

(MONDAY) 

Today was one of those bad days turned good. The rain has been pouring down relentlessly for the last few days, turning roads into rivers and fields into lakes. For Kings class this morning we all sat huddled in a wet little circle while our teacher had to shout to be heard above the rain. The conditions are far from ideal right now, but we are pressing onward. 

In fact, today's motto soon became: "When life gives you rain, play in it!" We decided that instead of lamenting over the fact that all our possessions were getting damp and it would be impossible to stay dry ourselves, we would go out and enjoy the water and mud. It was one of the most fun things I've done in a long time! 

DAY THIRTY-FIVE

Meals and classes are canceled for today. Families from the church have been giving us refuge from the storm, and it's been such a blessed time of fellowship and just being able to stay dry! I've been staying with the Chastain family - they are so much fun and have just shown me so much kindness and hospitality. 

DAY THIRTY-SIX

Weather is still looking a bit sketchy, but classes are resuming and God is faithful. 

DAY THIRTY-NINE

It was raining a lot yesterday so I was able to return to the Chastain house and enjoy some more fellowship and dryness! If anything, the bad weather has actually been a blessing because it's allowed me to not only get more homework done, but also be able to build some great relationships with the people who are sheltering me from the elements. I feel so incredibly blessed, and I have awesome news: The Chastain family has decided to officially hanai me! This means I'll be their adopted daughter for the semester! I am so stoked! Jesus is so awesome. 

Mara, my Hanai Sister!

The rain made a beautiful waterfall for us all to enjoy!

DAY FOURTY

Tonight I got to go to the KEO homeless shelter in Lihue with some of the other students in our Christian service class, and I don't even know where to begin! Basically tonight changed my life. It's so cool how God works out things so perfectly. Here I was, just expecting to take a meal to some less-fortunate people and visit with them, and then WHAM - God hits me with a blessing and lets me meet Karen. 

Karen is a 60-year old black woman from Kansas City Missouri. Tonight she shared with me the story of how Jesus changed her life. Her words were filled with such passion and confidence...I felt like I was falling in love with Jesus for the first time all over again! I never want to forget how she relayed, in detail, the people that God placed in her life before she became a Christian who showed her what it looked like to be changed by God, and how God has been so faithful to see her through life's hardships after she placed her faith and trust in Him as her savior. All that she shared was a direct answer to prayer for me. It's funny, I left expecting to minister and ended up being ministered to! 

I am so thankful for Karen. I thank the Lord for her story of God's power and God's hope that truly changes lives. I know it changed mine. 

DAY FOURTY-ONE

The sun is out today! Still a few light showers, but praise the Lord that we can see the sun!