O how I love this place and these people. I don’t think I can ever say that enough and it truly express how I feel.  I just long for this place to come to know the Lord and that He loves them. There are so many lost people here and it is such a dark place at times. With that I have learned that I should have the same heart for the lost back home. They need to hear the Gospel just as much. I should long for them to come to know the Lord just like I long for the people here to come to know Him. The good news that I know should be exploding out of me because it is that great and they need to hear it. I have also learned a lot about what a church truly is. It is not a building but the people that fill that building. I think I have come to realize that more here than any other time in my life. So I hope when I picture the church in the future I do not see just a building but all the believers that make up the church. The church is not just the people that I know in my own personal church but many people across the world that make up the body of Christ. I can’t believe I have been here a month already and only have a month left. I have learned so much and hope I continue to learn more.

Where to start well, the day of my last blog was the first day of the bible study. We had fifteen people here counting the peoples family and I. Although I have been here twice before and knew that the mainland and Hawaii were different I am continuously learning how different they are. The food, the culture and the lifestyle are only a few of the differences. Relationships are really an important part of ministry here. You really have to build relationships with people be have an influence in their life. As I learn about how to have relationships here I have also come to realize the importance of my relationship with the Lord. This may sound weird but I don’t think that I truly understood how much I love the Lord. I mean the last couple of times I have been here I have learned a lot about God and His characteristics and His love for me and these people here. I mean I have really had to rely on Him though this trip. I am starting to realize how much He is there for me and never leaves me, that through Him I can do all things. I know we say these things when we worship but I think now I can mean them more than ever and how true they are in my life. Now to talk about some of the new experiences one being trying something called mana pua which was not my favorite. I think the color of the meat freaked me out the most. It was dough on the outside and red beef on the inside it was interesting. It has also been such a blessing to live with the Peoples and be a part of their lives. I can’t believe next week will be a month that I have been here. I hope a continue to learn new things and have new experiences.

Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress. Psalms 107:28 As I was reading through Psalms this verse couldn’t have come to me at a better time. I was really sick my first couple days here and I found myself crying out to the Lord asking Him to help me because I could not do this on my own. I had gotten to hand out a couple shave ice as they call them here and did a back yard bible camp then I got really sick. I was running a fever and everything I never run fever so it was not the best way to start the summer. Now that I have been here for a little while I have learned a lot and finally got settled in. While I have been here I think that I have truly discovered the importance of having a quiet time. I find myself longing for that time in the morning like I never have before, just knowing that I need the Lord throughout my day to make it. While I am here Michelle and I are going to try to memorize the book of Colossians, which I am super excited about. I know that I need to get more of the word into my heart so this is a great way to start. Tonight is our first bible study, we don’t know what to expect but it is in the Lord’s hands. I just pray that He shows up and shows off.