Bonding Hike Down Cali street

So because we have so many interns here we half to split up a lot of the times. Yesterday team "A" stayed home because we did the surf outreach last week. So while we were waiting to be told what to do team "B" was playing with the kids we had last week. At first we were supposed to leave at 1.. than it was 1:30.. than 1:50 - who knows what took the leaders so long but it's a typical STN situation that man o man am I having to get used to quickly ;) So we all loaded up in the back of the truck and headed down the street for a "hike".

 

We had no idea where we were going but we knew we were going to have fun. I'm sure the other intern group is just as legit but our is so amazing! We got there and started on our trek, right away it was a bare foot adventure because it was so muddy and the vegetation on the ground was so soft it would be dumb not to.

The hike was pretty much down hill the entire time and I was laughing and chat'n so much I didn't realize the way home would be a climb - ha! Well anyways we got to the water finally but not before finding strawberry guava's.

 

Hawaii is pretty cool with out much fruit just grows wild here. We ate so many of them (but you gotta be careful how much you eat.... don't wanna need a bathroom in the middle of the woods). We jumped in the water and it was so warm...and I mean warm.

Me - Sanna - Andy 

Ellen - Me- Sanna - Andy - Johnson! After the swim swim... :)

 Me - Sanna - Ellen - and Colie (It's actually Nicolle but we have 4 of them so she got colie)

We swam around, climbed for ever over rocks and we were all still barefoot - oh it hurt so bad. It was pretty funny though people would hit a rock wrong and you couldn't help it but totally plunge over. We swam. Jumped off bluffs, found more guava trees -- but this time they were a little larger and more yellow (like real guavas). Frida was so afraid of things in the water .. so pretending I was a fish next to her was my entertainment for the day because she flipped out every time. Wes was so afraid of .. oh I can't remember the name of the disease but it's a flesh eating virus that once you get it - you're basically toast and I guess it's found in the water we were swimming in. But I mean come on get over it and jump in. He eventually did and sorta forgot about the little cut he had on his pinky. We kept going down the river forever, it just kept going and going and going and when we would get to a swimming hole we would be stoked because our feet were so sore from tripping on the rocks. We finally decided to head back up the trail and back home. I feel as if I'm not doing this hike justice but man was it epic. I love bonding times, times of laughter, memories, and just straight up fun.

Finally up the hill! Oh how this girl makes me happy! Another one of my swedes!

 Wes.. happy he didn't get the flesh eating virus ;)

Riding home Hawaiin style - loaded in the back of the truck!

Once I got home it was time for some necessary surgery on Zach's foot!  It was painful to perform and more painful to know how much pain I was inflicting on him... watch out for sea urchins!   

Yes that is a shirt in his mouth to muffle the screams.

After I was done with all of that lovely foot stuff. Ellen and Emelie and I decided to once again have a bonding time together. Man oh man do I love those girls. We just sat on the bed together and chatted and chatted and chatted. It baffles me how the Lord has brought us together from totally different sides of the world to be in Hawaii at the same time. PTL for these two girls! I wish we were all just staying at STN for a heck of a lot longer than 3 months!

Feeding The Hungry

This was the sunrise this morning.... PTL!

First off I just wish I had images to go along with this post.. but I don't. But next week I shall (I hope) so just hold on to your seat because the images will fully blow you away. First off today was a lot like any other work day.. wake, pray, read, class, prayer. But than what was next was something I can't fully relay. We did our Feeding The Hungry outreach and today was on property (some days we are off in town). We unloaded so much food, created basically a mini grocery store and at the end of the line there was a donation spot where they could take clothes, frames, blankets, nick nacks from every room and household need. It was so insane in regards to how many people came out to this event, it's so hard to see all of the hurt just sitting right in front of you. We have this system where they sign in and get a number and you are called in by number so there is no pushing or fighting.. or lets say it's put to a minimum. So one we were ready to rumble we were split in teams and put to work. I was put on the prayer team. It was so hard to do this but it was a challenge I knew the Lord was providing for a reason. My job was to walk into the crowd and ask if I could pray for them before they received their food. Some people said no (which is totally fine) but most said yes. I just would jump right in and life them up in prayer. I had no idea their hurt, their burdens... I had no idea their home life, their families, if they had kids... I simply just prayed for them to realize how loved they are and how honestly treasured they are by their Father. It was so hard to know they were hurting but not to know what that hurt was. It's crazy to be totally fine with giving, giving, giving and for some of these people to absolutely not care at all if you were their or not. Some people are so thankful yet some are so beyond rude. But through it all it's amazing the attitude God can inflict if you continue to love on them. Feeding The Hungry is an even that goes on for hours, just putting people into lines to make sure their food is ready and that they only take what we can afford to give to everyone. But for some reason the 30+ boxes of plums went unseen and half way through Cindy (the head honcho) and I started bagging plums and pretty much forcing people to take bags and bags along with them. It was a good time to start to get to know her a little more and I look forward to really getting to know her.. and next time without sifting through rotten fruit :) After Feeding The Hungry I was interviewed for some project about my time here at STN and Feeding The Hungry in specific. It was actually pretty cool to sit down and relay my heart before I had time to really ponder my thoughts to the questions. All in all man oh man was the first Feeding The Hungry an epic experience... and all in all was Feeding The Hungry a humbling 5 hours.

After our outreach it was off to Costco for a new camera (mine broke...UHG) and a salad.. I haven't had salad since I got here. Than with all of the extra plums we got stuck with we made plum pie! YUM and the Swedes made some other dessert.. called chocolate balls -- so good (not with the plums). Than we all turned to some good ol fashion Loaded Questions and CatchPhrase.

 

So this image isn't that great... it's with my new camera and I'm still trying to figure out the settings This was half of the room. Andy (Ausi), Sanna (Swede), Malin (Swede), Emily (not a Swede),  Riayn (Cali), Emelie (my dear sweet Emily - Swede), and Linda (Swede).

Just the two of us!

Okay so yes there has been some blogging delay but life here has been sorta nutty. But let me tell you about one of the best relaxing days to date. So Monday we had off because of "working" at the competition and Renee and I decided we wanted to head off to a little coffee shop for some much need time off campus away from everyone. Sometimes you just need that. So we got on the bus at 8 am and were on our way. I'm not kidding you I was like a kid in the candy store. 

I was so giddy that we were in a coffee shop, a real coffee shop. It had been 10 days! It was a cute little place and the girl working was from Saint Helens - nuts huh! We sat at the shop and just ignored eachother and co-existed... which was just so needed. Uhg I can't get over it. Than after the coffee fix we headed out to do some swimming. I went to Foodland to get some snacks and goggles and we thought it was going to be a good idea to buy $2 goggles.. not a good idea! We went to Sharks Cove and well our eyes were full of water within one plunge.. so we decided to cut our losses and head over to another beach.

 

We got there and just relaxed, swam, played, slept, sun bathed, swam some more and than before we knew it -- it was 5pm. We jumped over to a shop and bought some board shorts and than it was off to Storto's for THE sandwich.

 

It was so good just to be with one other person .. and well it wasn't so bad it was Renee ;) We ended up running into Nikki and it was her birthday so it was pretty fun to see her and her new hair die job. It was a humorous day because half of the interns went on an adventure of a lifetime and half of us went on our MIA missions to get away. Even Nikki on her birthday decided to fly solo the whole day.  Than it was back to property and for some good ol deep conversations with Emelie. I am so thankful for this girl. She is only 18 years old and she brings so much to the conversions. Not saying 18 is oh so young but it's like we are completely the same age. She prayed over me in Swedish at one point and I can't explain to you how amazing that was. It pretty much brought tears to my eyes just hearing her heart, not knowing at all what she was saying but it was so beautiful and full of love. Oh my dear Emelie you are such an amazing woman of God. We ended up talking in the hall for over 4 hours. Just talking and we finally forced ourselves to go to be and when we woke in the morning we both confessed we couldn't sleep and we should have just kept talking.

Oh and a side note on our street action last night. Their was a crazy gnarly fight outside our building.. like 20 some girls fighting and yelling.. cops showing up.. the whole shabang! It is so heart breaking to live in a place like this and it doesn't break my heart because of my own comfort. It breaks my heart knowing their is so much hurt just within a stones throw from my bed, let alone this whole town. 

Weekends are so needed.

It is so nice to have a weekend where we are given the freedom to just go. It is so needed and refreshing to be on a different spot on the island. And yesterday was just that with a few twists of frustration. First off it was church time and post church it was a dash to the bus, the wrong bus -- which we realized one a few minutes later -- than it was wait for the right bus, load the bus, and sit. Like I said it is such a blessing to be able to go other places but it is so tough because non of us are mobile with a car. So it makes relying on the bus the only way. I knew that this ride would be long but I had no idea it would be this long. We (Zach and I) sat on the bus for over two hours. Are you kidding me? Two hours! Uhg. It oh so tested my patience.. first the wrong bus and now a two hour ride. God was just humbling me with every bus stop, every "interesting" fellow that set next to me, every moment I was uncomfortable because I had use the restroom within 10min of getting on. Though the bus ride was so long we were on the circle island bus that goes along the coast the whole way and how breathtaking it was. God is so creative, hands down so creative.  We went from the middle of the island to the east side... so we got to see all of the north shore and most of the east side :) Once we made it to our destination, which we warned by people on the bus. Once you get their cross the street -- you don't want to be hanging out on that corner. I was interested in what I had gotten myself into but hey it can't be worse than the neighborhood I live in. We got off the bus and all I could think was what was everyone talking about... come to my part of the island ... than tell me I am not safe on this little rural coconut stand corner. Any ways I called up Dennis and said were here come get us! He came and picked us up and took us to his house.

What a view I tell ya, what a view. He showed us his shaping room, the board he was glassing for me, gave us some bananas he had just chopped down, fed us some lunch and than we were on our way to the water. We went to a place pretty close to Waikiki but farther down the beach so it wasn't so crowded. It was super fun. I for some reason had a funk day in the water but who cares it was Hawaii. My favorite part of the whole day was during the paddle back in. The place we were surfing was pretty far out and you had to paddle for a long time and on the way back (I'm talking 15-20 min) I just prayed. It was so relaxing, so amazing, so absolutely needed. There I was in Hawaii, just got done surfing, praying to my Father all while playing in the ocean... could you get any better than that? nope! Dennis than took us out for some Korean food (interesting but good) and took us all the way back home. He dropped us off and me off with a board that I can use until mine is ready. It was a good day to get away from campus and just be. Dennis has a little niece and the whole time she was attached to me and she kept saying..auntie.. auntie.. auntie.. it was so cute. That's custom here for anyone older than you - you say auntie or uncle - but I just can't get over how cute it is. Well that was my day off.

Toes to the Nose Surf Comp.

Today we headed off to Honolulu to help out at a surf competition. It was hands down an epic day. We were off to the beach at 6 am.. well we were supposed to be.. we may or may not have been late. Ha. I got launched on the food crew, which was great due to the fact we only had two jobs -- breakfast and lunch (easy!). So it was an array of fun adventures throughout the day. We hit up coffee and even some yogurt land (Joel you would have LOVED this place!). So back to our "job". We were there to represent STN and sell shirts and just simply help out / support this competition. We sorta cheated the system and went over to the SurfTech tent and "demo'd" a board so we could get a tad surfing in. Me and Janelle (canada) and Zach (cali) headed out for some fun surf at Waikiki. So honestly what we did was deliver food, surf, play in the sun, get some good smoothies, and walk around :)

Streets of Waikiki!

 Michaela... and Zach in the background

Just having fun with the fish eye camera.

Showing Michaela an epic little jig.

Me - Ellen - and Zach.. I LOVE THIS! and bellow is Linda, Emily, Janelle, Zach and Me!

 

 

 Ha I love this sign. I wanted to take it for my own.. .but ehh oh well I'll be there soon!

I got to have an epic talk with a fellow STN'er about life. It is so great when God blesses you with a moment like that. Our stories are so similar, our heart are in the same place and our hurt still haunts us and to have someone to really talk to about it and in away help each other -- so good. It was a good day of "work". Than it was off to Surfer's Church. We jetted quickly over to church and had an epic talk. We had a guy come in and basically just rock our world with living life. Due to it being 9/11 it was a crazy inspirational talk. On the way back from church we sat in the back of the truck and just gazed at the stars and sang worship songs at the TOP of our lungs -- it was epic. So we are now back at home and keep your eyes out for some good photos.

Prayer walk + wall washing + skate ministry + bEaCh

Again keep your eyes out for new pics because oh my Lord we got some amazing ones today. Today we started off with our small groups. My small group is made up of the best girls I could ever want to be held accountable with. The group is so solid and I'm so stoked to continue growing, challenging, living, and loving along side these beautiful woman. Than we headed out for a prayer walk around town. My group went around and prayed for different apartments that are hurting for love, we prayed for the drug corners, the prostitutes, the transvestites and the hurt in the families. We prayed for each corner as we walked it, each home as we passed it and each hurting family as we saw them. We prayed for a property that Tom (the main man here) wants to purchase for STN and the growing Ohana of STN. We just walked and prayed out loud for the love to be felt within this dark place. Than the skate ministry team headed out to the park. I'm not sure how I got on that due to the fact I don't skate but it was fun. I just gave kids stickers and talked to as many kids that would talk back. It was so hot their and I mean HOT. But it's such an amazing ministry the boys really look up to the STN boys that skate. We have one kid that used to tour with Boarders For Christ and they really look up to him. It's so cool to see God move in the most unlikely places... like a skate park. Once we got back from the skate ministry we headed into "service time" -- this is a nice way to say .. clean this place up. Today we scrubbed the walls of our halls and swept to make it look oh so clean. After service time it has already reached 3:00 and we were let off early. Off the beach we go. We waited so long for the bus and if God wasn't trying to teach me a lesson of patience I don't know what he was doing. For one I couldn't go surf and two I waited an hour in the blistering sun on the side of a gnarly street for the bus. UHG. But it was all worth it. We got to the beach and jumped right into the ocean. I am such a water girl and I knew it before but man alive it is a must in my life. OCEAN! So there we were...Kyle, Mimmi and I. We met up with a bunch of girls on the beach and just enjoyed God's creation.

The sunset was epic and we took loads of images. ( these are just the first of them....) We also had a fun time with the turtles and eating more of those amazing fig palms :) Than back on the bus and some good ol fashion fun with more interns. And now it is night time and tomorrow the "Toes on the Nose Long-board Competition" -- I wish we got to surf in it but no just work.

Work crew day

Yesterday started like any other day - quiet time and off to "the bar" downstairs. But this morning instead of prayer and class we had a whole new spin on things it was so great. We walked in silently and were greeted with woman in Burcas. We placed our feet in a basin to be washed by their hands and than we placed our hands in a basin to be blessed in the name of God. Than we were ushered to a "country". My country I was put into was Egypt. We sat on the floor in prayer. Praying for the country in a whole. Than one of the Burca woman came to sit next to me. She stared and stared at me and it was so sad to know the bondage they feel. Totally hidden from the world, felt to be made invisible both physically and emotionally. No one can see their garments, their hair, their facial expressions - nothing. We were than told stories of the woman in bondage. We were brought to a place we had never faced. We were told about the female circumcisions and the life of a "wife" so easily replaced. We sat for an hour or so in prayer for the woman, the families, the love of Christ to be spread and the courage and endurance of those who love the Lord to be strong, we sat and prayed. It was an amazing blessing to be put in this country for I got to pray for the hearts and lives of those I will soon meet. I got to pray for the hearts of those on the trip with me I will soon take. I got to sit and pray for the Lord to work in the hearts of those I will see in just a few months. It was such a humbling and amazing time.

After our prayer we heard some news that one of our Bangladesh missionaries found a lump in her breast. This hit home to a lot of the staff that know her very well. She had committed 2 yrs to Bangladesh but just this last week found this scare. The blessing is that her Mom so happens to be visiting her right now, what a God timing moment. The amazing thing is that she feels very led to finish out this month (because our STN team is there right now with her). She feels like she made a commitment to the Lord and she would do nothing less than honor him and those around her. She has spoken with the doctors and they don't feel like this month would do any harm to stay. She will return to Oahu than back to the east coast for testing. I invite you to pray with all of us for her health and courage. I pray that God works a miracle within her and this scare is simply that and nothing more serious.

Another prayer that would be greatly appreciated is for the health of all of us + Mikayla. Mikayla is one of my roommates who has been very ill for the last 24 hours. Please pray for God to heal her and for God to keep the rest of us healthy as we all share a very small room together.  Also before I got here one of the interns had an accident with a angry wave and her ear is totally messed up. Pray for her quick healing and for the questions to be answered in regard to what is actually wrong. I'm not certain on all the details but her balance and hearing are way off. As well as for Ellen, another intern. She has a visa issue and may have to return to Sweden early and not finish out her internship. Ellen, if not allowed, will leave a month early from the US.

The rest of the day (after our amazing prayer time) went to projects on property. Half of the interns went to our "Feeding the Hungry" outreach and half of us stayed to work. I scrubbed a gnarly bathroom for an hour. Yes Mom they made me scrub a bathroom -- out of all people I GOT THE JOB. Eww. And Mom remember when you made me wash our bathroom shower curtains.. you can put those in the wash.. you sneak -- you always made me wash them by hand! Anyways I cleaned for 6 hours around the property. I was on my feet all day and from the two days of paddle boarding, soccer and scrubbing -- I seriously feel like I got hit by a bus. I am so sore all over.

With that update -- I leave you until tomorrow. Much love and I miss you all. Thank you for the continuous prayers!