Completed Roof

Pastor John emailed that the two local church congregations came together on Saturday after we left.  Twenty  volunteers showed up at the church to work.  Several of the volunteers were not part of the workers when our team was there or members of either congregation. Together, they complete the roof  including the ridge cap. 

Workers for the Harvest

Matthew 9:35-38   Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease and sickness.  When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.  Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few.  Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”

The Wahiawa Church of the Nazarene asked God to send workers.  After about 10 months of planning, the team arrived.  Now, all too soon, our team’s work is over but we pray that the church has an abundant harvest and that their harvest continues for the pastor’s family, the people of the church, and the community.

 

God's Love In Action

Sunday afternoon we served a meal and gave clothing to the homeless in the Wahiawa city park.  The woman in the picture with the aqua shirt had had one leg amputated.  She and her dog are homeless.  She gets around with a very worn wheel chair.  Can you image being homeless and unable to walk?

 

Another woman told me that her father brought her and her mother to Hawaii when he was transferred here on a military assignment.  When he went to his next assignment, he abandoned the two of them.  They had no way to return to the mainland.  Another man needed a pair of size 10 shoes.  We only had size 9 1/2.  He tried the shoes on and they fit.  I told him that God made the shoes fit.

He looked baffled and replied, “I used to wear size 9 1/2.”

 

I sat with another man as we ate.  He said, I always say a prayer before I eat.”  Then he folded his hands like a small child and began to pray.  His brother, who ate lunch with us, said that he goes to three Celebrate Recovery sessions and two church services each week to enable his sobriety.

Jesus told us to care for those in poverty.  When we care for their physical needs, they may see Christ’s love for them through our concern.

Difference for Eternity

The team completed 3/4 of the roof by the time they had to stop work on Saturday evening.  They spent many hours tied in harnesses standing on a thirty-degree slope in the hot sun.  Rusted corrugated steel roofing had to be removed and lowered to the ground.  Heavy 3’ by 23’ sheets of green metal roofing had to be winched to the second story roof then moved and screwed into place.  The roof had to be enclosed quickly enough that no rain damaged the ceiling of the church.  The roofers’ bodies screamed for relief after just a few minutes.  Can you imagine how they felt after several days?  They had sunburned necks, damaged knuckles, blisters, and sore backs.

“If the roof was the only thing that was going to happen this week, we failed.  It is not.  We are here to make a difference for eternity.” ―Pastor John Miller―

The apostle Paul moved from place to place preaching and teaching.  He never stayed long enough to complete a church.  He committed the newly started churches to God and moved on to a new city.  When he left Corinth, he told the congregation that knowing Christ crucified was above all things.  Through Christ’s crucifixion, we are made right with God for eternity.

1 Corinthians 2:2   For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.  

Live as an Example of Christ

I intended to post more about other ministries during our trip but Saturday was extremely busy.  Instead, I want to make a comparison to Patches who I featured in yesterday’s blog.

How many people wear a Sunday morning behavior that is like Patches’ innocent face but as soon as they step outside the church, they jerk out of that “constraining behavior” and run to the paths of sin?  The Bible tells us to be an example of Christ to those we meet. Pastor Brian challenges us to live out the Christian life all the time.

Christ was evident in our team this week.  I saw our members joyfully carrying out each task of our mission, love with deep compassion, and act upon promptings of the Spirit.  I did not see or hear any “Patches religion.” My prayer is that God continues to use each team member for His glory and gives us an abundant Christian life.

1 John 3:17-18   If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.

Meet Patches

 

You are seeing the innocent face of a runaway.  Jeda and I tried to take Patches for a badly needed walk, and he took us for a run.  Four steps out of the house he pulled a Houdini and left me holding an empty leash.  Around the oversized city block, he sped past other dogs, along side of a busy street during rush hour traffic and back to the church.

 

Another way to help out on a mission trip is to walk the dog, that is if the dog wants to walk.

Second Trip

I went back for my second trip to the egg farm yesterday.  This time I planned before I went.  I took a van load of woman and little Jeda with me.  I bought four more flats of eggs and they gave Jeda a "baby egg."

 

The interior of the building is neater and cleaner than the grounds.

  However, the egg conveyor in the picture above is probably 100 years old. 

 

 

Ministry

Our days here have been filled with the church roof, housework, childcare, Bible school, and cooking.  God blended our team, so we came equipped to minister to needs that we were not aware of before our arrival.  It is evident that God cares about the obvious visible needs and has compassion for the heart needs.  This blog entry is intended to allow you as readers to see us in action in our many diverse roles.

 

Oh, the joy of a chocolate chip bar after a hard morning's work!

Out of Decay

Wednesday when I was gathering food supplies, Carla Miller, the pastor’s wife took me to the neighborhood egg farm.  The entrance sign says that the farm started early in the last century.  As we drove through the farm, decay was everywhere.  Collapsed buildings, trash piles, and fallen trees littered the landscape.  Swarms of flies and the smell of excrement filled the air.  The hand-written sign on the side of the safest looking building said, “Farm Fresh Eggs for Sale.”  The question in my mind was, how can there be anything fresh surrounded by this rubble?  as we stepped through the doorway beside the sign a small woman smiled and ask how she could help us.  I found myself unprepared buy.  But, true to Carla’s word, I was invested in the adventure and had not considered how many eggs I needed.  Other customers were waiting.  Finally, I ran four breakfasts times 12 people and guessed five dozen eggs.  Then the clerk made me make another decision.  Did I want flats or cartons?  Carla came to my rescue.  We took flats.  I wanted to look around and enjoy the adventure.  I have to go back again because I did not I did not buy enough eggs.  I am delighted.

That day Carla and I drove through the farm twice once to buy and once for the escapade.

A three foot high toilet?  That is what the sign says.

 

More of the Wahiawa Church of the Nazarene Story

Wednesday night when The Crossing Church team arrived, the Wahiawa Church of the Nazarene had a welcoming potluck.  We provided barbecued chicken and watermelon, and they carried in the rest of the food.  Everything was delicious and colorful.  They had a worship service after the potluck, so it was around 2:00 AM Denver time before we went to bed. Thursday morning, breakfast was ready at 6:30 AM Hawaii time.  We had a short night.

Wednesday evening meal

Working with the children

Women’s sleeping accommodations

God gave a rainbow at the end of the first day.

Breakfast on the patio