Today was "Kite Day" at Lanai Elementary School. Brooke texted Kelsey and I with an impromptu invitation to attend, so we walked over to the school at noon not knowing what to expect.
Oh, how I wish I'd had a camera! Since I didn't, I'll try to paint a picture with my words. Bear with me....
Lanai High & Elementary School is situated just off one of the main roads in Lanai City. It has two narrow administration buildings with their broad sides facing the street, and behind them are five similar buildings perpendicular to the street. The buildings are organized by ages, with the kindergarteners at the south end, and the seniors at the north end of campus. All the other grades fall somewhere in between. As we approached the school, the high schoolers were between classes. It is my opinion that passing periods do something sinister to high school students. Normally happy and friendly kids that I see every day will suddenly look at me as though I'm from Mars when they pass me in the hall. Is it an unwritten rule that you have to be surly and detached if you're a high school student? Or maybe it's truly a sign that I'm beginning to look more like the "adult" than the "student". Yikes!
Anyways, after passing some kids who looked like they'd rather be punched in the gut than waved at by an "adult", we made our way towards the elementary classrooms. This side of campus was deserted, which should have been a clue as to what I was about to witness. As we walked the winding footpaths across the grass towards to soccer field, I caught a glimpse of some children posing for a picture near the baseball dugout. We walked toward them, and as we turned the corner, I was amazed by what I saw: Kids everywhere! The entire elementary school was on the soccer field, along with teachers, administrators, parents, and younger siblings. Lanai is a small school, but man did they ever fill up that field! The official kite-flying had not begun yet, so the kids were lined up (and I used that term loosely--such was their energy and excitement) on the edge of the field, awaiting the whistle to blow. And finally, when it seemed like they were about to collectively burst from excitement, it did.
Every child had a kite. Some were store-bought, with brightly colored pictures of ponies and dragons and unicorns. Some were ornate and expertly designed for aerodynamics--probably built with lots of help from mom and dad. But most were kid-made with sticks, straws, newspaper or printer paper, and more glue than I can probably fathom. Some ingenious kids had attached their kites to fishing lines, and used their fishing poles to control its movements.
Chaos reigned on the soccer field. Kids were everywhere. Some were running around wildly, trailing an unfortunate kite on the ground. Some were getting help from dad. Some were unconcerned with the trivialities of kite flying, and were using their kites for more creative purposes. I'll let you imagination run on that one. At one point I decided it was no longer safe to walk out on the field. I thought I might get clotheslined by a wayward fishing line. Eek!
The most beautiful thing about kite day was the way it brought families together. As I chatted with families, complimented kids' kite-making abilities, and looked on with administrators, I noticed just how many children had both mom and dad present for this event. Dads undoubtedly took the day off work to be there, and moms towed their younger children to school just to support their child. What a wonderful way to spend an afternoon! And what a lesson in family dynamics--but that's another story.
All in all, kite day was a success. Isn't it unfortunate that in our culture, we now have to have a planned event to fly a kite? And even, in some families, a planned event to sped time together at all. I never see people flying kites anymore. If only Mary Poppins were here to inspire families to fly kites together. Maybe she was on to something.....
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Friday, March 19, 2010
kaunolu
This weekend, Brooke's friend from Waco is visiting. Like any good hosts, we have taken it upon ourselves to make sure she has a fantastic time on Lanai. Very self-sacrificing of us, I know. Brooke swapped out Bubs for a Jeep, and we went off-roading yesterday afternoon and today. I have to tell you about the place we visited this afternoon, because it is my new favorite spot on Lanai. I would live there if I could.
After a steep decent down a treacherous road this afternoon, we arrived at Kaunolu.
Kaunolu is a summer fishing village built and used by King Kamehameha I, and the ruins of buildings are all over the hillsides and beach. After reading the warning signs about steep climbs, we descended onto the beach, and took in the majestic mountain cliffs, sweeping waves, and tidepools. The picture on the right is what I first saw when we climbed down to the beach. It was beautiful and deserted. We could have been the only visitors this week, for all I know, and it's an amazing feeling to be somewhere so utterly isolated and breathtaking. Like you're glimpsing a secret place meant only for God's eyes. Feeling nimble, we hopped around on the rocks for a while, and eventually decided to climb up the opposite slope of the canyon.
The view that greeted us from atop the rocks was by far the most awe-inspiring I have seen on Lanai. And I thought this island couldn't get more beautiful. Ha! We hiked over to a place called "Kahekili's Leap".
It's a place where the rocks give way to a platform 70 feet above the ocean. I ventured (hesitantly) to the edge of the cliff, only to look out over a sweeping scene of Lanai coastline--complete with aqua blue waters, a remote rock grotto, and cliffs 100's of feet high. As I sat with my legs dangling over the side, I thought about Kamheameha's warriors who had jumped from this very ledge to prove their loyalty, and lost their lives in the process. What a test of courage! I could have sat there forever. But we had other
sights to see.
We hiked over to a point overlooking the tidepools, with powerful waves yawning back-and-forth over the rocks.
Just beyond the point, one of the girls spotted two humpback whales lazily making their way across the water, with tails flipping through the air. I was stuck by God's creativity, which I can't even fully comprehend.
Today was just what I needed--a reminder of God's greatness and my human smallness. I feel blessed to be on Lanai, no matter what has gone on in the past few weeks. I know that God is at work here, and I can't wait to see what he will do next!
After a steep decent down a treacherous road this afternoon, we arrived at Kaunolu.
Kaunolu is a summer fishing village built and used by King Kamehameha I, and the ruins of buildings are all over the hillsides and beach. After reading the warning signs about steep climbs, we descended onto the beach, and took in the majestic mountain cliffs, sweeping waves, and tidepools. The picture on the right is what I first saw when we climbed down to the beach. It was beautiful and deserted. We could have been the only visitors this week, for all I know, and it's an amazing feeling to be somewhere so utterly isolated and breathtaking. Like you're glimpsing a secret place meant only for God's eyes. Feeling nimble, we hopped around on the rocks for a while, and eventually decided to climb up the opposite slope of the canyon. The view that greeted us from atop the rocks was by far the most awe-inspiring I have seen on Lanai. And I thought this island couldn't get more beautiful. Ha! We hiked over to a place called "Kahekili's Leap".
It's a place where the rocks give way to a platform 70 feet above the ocean. I ventured (hesitantly) to the edge of the cliff, only to look out over a sweeping scene of Lanai coastline--complete with aqua blue waters, a remote rock grotto, and cliffs 100's of feet high. As I sat with my legs dangling over the side, I thought about Kamheameha's warriors who had jumped from this very ledge to prove their loyalty, and lost their lives in the process. What a test of courage! I could have sat there forever. But we had other sights to see.
We hiked over to a point overlooking the tidepools, with powerful waves yawning back-and-forth over the rocks.
Just beyond the point, one of the girls spotted two humpback whales lazily making their way across the water, with tails flipping through the air. I was stuck by God's creativity, which I can't even fully comprehend.
Today was just what I needed--a reminder of God's greatness and my human smallness. I feel blessed to be on Lanai, no matter what has gone on in the past few weeks. I know that God is at work here, and I can't wait to see what he will do next!
Monday, March 15, 2010
roller coasters
Have you ever felt like your life is a roller coaster? Like sometimes all you can do is hold on and hope for the best? I have felt that way in the past, and God has always brought me through the scary parts. This past week I've felt more of the loops and curves of an amusement park ride than ever before in my life. I'm always positive in this blog, for several reasons: 1) I'm a truly optimistic person 2) I've had so many wonderful experiences here that I want to share and 3) The lighthearted adventures make for the best reading. But today, I'm going to be totally real. 100% honest about all I've been dealing with this week--the good, the bad, and the funny. It's more for myself than anyone else, because I need to keep processing what all has happened.
Here's a list of things that have happened in the last week(for better or worse). I'll start with my last post:
Sunday: Went cliff jumping. It was an exhilarating, unforgettable experience.
Tuesday: I was driving to church, and felt a cockroach crawl across my toes in the car. I looked down, and had a minor heart attack as I watched it skitter around the floor mat. Soooo disgusting! It was all I could do just to put the car in park. I jumped out of the car and caused a huge scene while directing puzzled drivers around me. After shaking out the mats and applying bug spray, I think we have it under control. But I never did find the offending bug.
Wednesday: Met a guy and girl that live here on Lanai, and played games at their house.
Thursday: Woke up to the news that the girl I had just met committed suicide overnight. Yes, suicide. To say Thursday was a horrible and emotional day would be an understatement. Probably one of the hardest days of my life. I'd write more about it, but I don't have the energy or the words.
Friday: Still dealing with the reality of suicide, I got up early to take a weekend trip with Brooke, Kelsey, and my supervisors. Set foot on four islands in one day. Took the ferry from Lanai to Maui, took a plane from Maui to Oahu, and took another plane from Oahu to the Big Island (Hilo).
Saturday: While shopping at the Hilo farmers market, we heard a woman crying for help a few feet from us. We rushed to assist her as she supported a man slumped over in a chair. He looked as though he was having a heart attack. Lots of scary physical symptoms that I won't go into, but it was very serious. At one point, I thought he was dead in the chair. We called 911 and helped as he was loaded on to the ambulance, but my gut tells me he didn't make it. I don't even know what to say about that either.
Sunday: Visited Volcano national park and saw an active volcano crater with its vents and smoke plumes. We walked through a lava-formed cave, visited a glassblowing studio, and tasted vino at a winery.
Monday: Got up early to catch a direct flight to Maui, and took the ferry home to Lanai.
I'm still a bit numb from the twists and turns of last week. I'm trying to hear God's voice in all this, because I know He's there and He has a plan for me--as much as he had a plan for the girl who died or the man in the farmer's market. Seeing the plan is the hard part right now. If life is a roller coaster, then I'm holding on for dear life! I'm trusting in God's voice, even though I can't always hear it. And I'm taking one day at a time.
Here's a list of things that have happened in the last week(for better or worse). I'll start with my last post:
Sunday: Went cliff jumping. It was an exhilarating, unforgettable experience.
Tuesday: I was driving to church, and felt a cockroach crawl across my toes in the car. I looked down, and had a minor heart attack as I watched it skitter around the floor mat. Soooo disgusting! It was all I could do just to put the car in park. I jumped out of the car and caused a huge scene while directing puzzled drivers around me. After shaking out the mats and applying bug spray, I think we have it under control. But I never did find the offending bug.
Wednesday: Met a guy and girl that live here on Lanai, and played games at their house.
Thursday: Woke up to the news that the girl I had just met committed suicide overnight. Yes, suicide. To say Thursday was a horrible and emotional day would be an understatement. Probably one of the hardest days of my life. I'd write more about it, but I don't have the energy or the words.
Friday: Still dealing with the reality of suicide, I got up early to take a weekend trip with Brooke, Kelsey, and my supervisors. Set foot on four islands in one day. Took the ferry from Lanai to Maui, took a plane from Maui to Oahu, and took another plane from Oahu to the Big Island (Hilo).
Saturday: While shopping at the Hilo farmers market, we heard a woman crying for help a few feet from us. We rushed to assist her as she supported a man slumped over in a chair. He looked as though he was having a heart attack. Lots of scary physical symptoms that I won't go into, but it was very serious. At one point, I thought he was dead in the chair. We called 911 and helped as he was loaded on to the ambulance, but my gut tells me he didn't make it. I don't even know what to say about that either.
Sunday: Visited Volcano national park and saw an active volcano crater with its vents and smoke plumes. We walked through a lava-formed cave, visited a glassblowing studio, and tasted vino at a winery.
Monday: Got up early to catch a direct flight to Maui, and took the ferry home to Lanai.
I'm still a bit numb from the twists and turns of last week. I'm trying to hear God's voice in all this, because I know He's there and He has a plan for me--as much as he had a plan for the girl who died or the man in the farmer's market. Seeing the plan is the hard part right now. If life is a roller coaster, then I'm holding on for dear life! I'm trusting in God's voice, even though I can't always hear it. And I'm taking one day at a time.
Monday, March 8, 2010
carpe diem
If you'll notice, the time stamp on this post is pretty early. It's 6:50am right now, and I'm sitting at my kitchen table with a giant cup of coffee typing away because I couldn't sleep last night. I'm hoping that blogging about it will settle my mind down, and maybe I'll stop thinking about it so much. So here goes...
For those that know me well, you probably know that I'm a cautious adventurer. I love to experience new & slightly risky things, but only if I'm sure it's safe because someone else does it first. An example would be moving to a new state. I wanted to move to Texas, but only when I knew I had a school to attend and a place to live. Or hiking. I love exploring, but if there's a chance I'll walk through a spider web, I'll never blaze the trail. I'll go second. I'm super wimpy (& pretty selfish!), I know. I admit it. But my overdeveloped practicality is probably why I've never broken a bone or been to the ER thus far, and that is OK with me.
So, yesterday I went cliff diving. Yes, ME. Yesterday, a friend here on Lanai was telling me how they had jumped of Warrior's Leap, which is an 70 ft. high ancient diving spot where King Kamehameha used to make his warriors leap to prove their loyalty and strength. People have died there. I was so impressed that my friend had jumped, so I asked if there were other diving spots on the island that were a little lower. I'm not quite up for 70 feet. The answer was that yes, there were lower spots, and let's go do it. So I went.
After driving to the small boat harbor and taking the jeep off-road about 1/4 mile, we arrived at a cliff overlooking the ocean. As I peered over the edge, I noticed the water was so clear that I could see the bottom, even from 35 feet up. My friend offered to jump first, and I was happy to watch as he went flipping through the air and landed, with a giant splash, in the water below. I watched him climb out and follow the natural curve of the rock back up to where I was standing. Just like that. In less than 3 minutes he was back, and I was up. Eeek! The picture below is the closest I could find to where I jumped. No, I didn't go off a cliff quite that high, but it is right around the corner from this spot.
I decided that I'd jump, but only if my friend went with me. It took me a few attempts to actually jump. I tried counting the three, but never got past two. Then my friend offered to just pull me in with him, so I wouldn't know when it was coming. But I knew I had to make the decision to jump, otherwise I wouldn't have conquered the cliff. As I worked up my courage, I looked out to sea and saw a pod of dolphins leaping out of the water in the distance. Call it a sign, or call it inspiration, but I grabbed my friend's hand, counted to three, and launched myself off the cliff.
For a few split seconds, I was free falling toward the endless blue ocean--arms and legs flailing, hair whipping my face--before I hit the water with a force that almost took my suit off! Thankfully I caught it before it escaped, and I high-fived my friend with a grin as I reveled in my new-found courage. I laid back in treading water and enjoyed the moment. My heart was beating out of my chest, and I think I gained a small insight into the mind of an adrenaline junkie. What a rush!
Climbing out of the water was a little more difficult than I expected with the waves throwing me up against the rock, but I managed to clamber out and my friend led the way up the cliff to where our clothes were sitting on the ledge. I had conquered the cliff, and my fear, and maybe emerged a little bit closer to the person I want to be. One that isn't afraid to take the leap.
For those that know me well, you probably know that I'm a cautious adventurer. I love to experience new & slightly risky things, but only if I'm sure it's safe because someone else does it first. An example would be moving to a new state. I wanted to move to Texas, but only when I knew I had a school to attend and a place to live. Or hiking. I love exploring, but if there's a chance I'll walk through a spider web, I'll never blaze the trail. I'll go second. I'm super wimpy (& pretty selfish!), I know. I admit it. But my overdeveloped practicality is probably why I've never broken a bone or been to the ER thus far, and that is OK with me.
So, yesterday I went cliff diving. Yes, ME. Yesterday, a friend here on Lanai was telling me how they had jumped of Warrior's Leap, which is an 70 ft. high ancient diving spot where King Kamehameha used to make his warriors leap to prove their loyalty and strength. People have died there. I was so impressed that my friend had jumped, so I asked if there were other diving spots on the island that were a little lower. I'm not quite up for 70 feet. The answer was that yes, there were lower spots, and let's go do it. So I went.
After driving to the small boat harbor and taking the jeep off-road about 1/4 mile, we arrived at a cliff overlooking the ocean. As I peered over the edge, I noticed the water was so clear that I could see the bottom, even from 35 feet up. My friend offered to jump first, and I was happy to watch as he went flipping through the air and landed, with a giant splash, in the water below. I watched him climb out and follow the natural curve of the rock back up to where I was standing. Just like that. In less than 3 minutes he was back, and I was up. Eeek! The picture below is the closest I could find to where I jumped. No, I didn't go off a cliff quite that high, but it is right around the corner from this spot.
I decided that I'd jump, but only if my friend went with me. It took me a few attempts to actually jump. I tried counting the three, but never got past two. Then my friend offered to just pull me in with him, so I wouldn't know when it was coming. But I knew I had to make the decision to jump, otherwise I wouldn't have conquered the cliff. As I worked up my courage, I looked out to sea and saw a pod of dolphins leaping out of the water in the distance. Call it a sign, or call it inspiration, but I grabbed my friend's hand, counted to three, and launched myself off the cliff.
For a few split seconds, I was free falling toward the endless blue ocean--arms and legs flailing, hair whipping my face--before I hit the water with a force that almost took my suit off! Thankfully I caught it before it escaped, and I high-fived my friend with a grin as I reveled in my new-found courage. I laid back in treading water and enjoyed the moment. My heart was beating out of my chest, and I think I gained a small insight into the mind of an adrenaline junkie. What a rush!
Climbing out of the water was a little more difficult than I expected with the waves throwing me up against the rock, but I managed to clamber out and my friend led the way up the cliff to where our clothes were sitting on the ledge. I had conquered the cliff, and my fear, and maybe emerged a little bit closer to the person I want to be. One that isn't afraid to take the leap.
Friday, March 5, 2010
hike day
Today was our last Furlough Friday of internship. I can't believe we're having our first "last" event yet, but it came and went today with gusto. This morning Brooke, Kelsey, and I were up early and at church by 7:45am to get breakfast ready for the kids.
We only had seven kids today, which was kind of a nice break, since we'd been having between 15 & 20 during the last two furlough days. We'd been planning a hike day for the last few weeks, but an unwelcome guest arrived with the kids at 8--rain! Hmmm. What to do...
In a fit of last-minute inspiration, I called the kids up to the sanctuary and read them "Miss Nelson has a Field Day", one of my favorite books as a kid. As the story ended, the kids found books that they wanted to read, and took turns reading to the group. It was precious to see the older kids help the kindergartners read, and watch as the little ones sat entranced by their older friends' voices.
Well, that took up all of about 45 minutes. So we popped in a DVD of "The Incredibles" and watched until the kids got antsy. By 10:15, the rain had cleared, so we loaded the kids up in four different vehicles and took off for the trail-head. Before hiking, we came up with the rules as a group. Some suggestions from the kids: 1) no stepping in mud 2) no leaving the group 3)No touching things in the environment. Gotta love it when kids come up with rules!
We hiked down a narrow trail which led into a forest. The trees were tall, shady and covered in moss, and the forest floor was blanketed in fallen leaves. It looked like something you'd find in Virginia or Colorado, but certainly not Hawaii. It was beautiful nonetheless. Our hike was uneventful--which is a good thing when you're in charge of several kids--and we learned several things along the way. My favorite moment of the hike was when I stopped with some of the boys to let the rest of the group catch up. As we waited, they wandered over to a tree with a name carved deeply into it. One of the kids came running to me exclaiming "auntie! auntie! someone carved on the environment!" Too cute, too cute. Here are a few pictures of the hike....
At the trail-head before our hike
One of the most energetic (and intelligent!) kids I've ever met. She's so fun!
Some of my favorite boys. Love 'em!
We made it back to the cars and headed back to church for grilled cheese sandwiches around noon. Then we walked to the tennis court for our tennis lessons, came back and watched the Incredibles, and were done at 2. Quite the full day, and always one to remember!
We only had seven kids today, which was kind of a nice break, since we'd been having between 15 & 20 during the last two furlough days. We'd been planning a hike day for the last few weeks, but an unwelcome guest arrived with the kids at 8--rain! Hmmm. What to do...
In a fit of last-minute inspiration, I called the kids up to the sanctuary and read them "Miss Nelson has a Field Day", one of my favorite books as a kid. As the story ended, the kids found books that they wanted to read, and took turns reading to the group. It was precious to see the older kids help the kindergartners read, and watch as the little ones sat entranced by their older friends' voices.
Well, that took up all of about 45 minutes. So we popped in a DVD of "The Incredibles" and watched until the kids got antsy. By 10:15, the rain had cleared, so we loaded the kids up in four different vehicles and took off for the trail-head. Before hiking, we came up with the rules as a group. Some suggestions from the kids: 1) no stepping in mud 2) no leaving the group 3)No touching things in the environment. Gotta love it when kids come up with rules!
We hiked down a narrow trail which led into a forest. The trees were tall, shady and covered in moss, and the forest floor was blanketed in fallen leaves. It looked like something you'd find in Virginia or Colorado, but certainly not Hawaii. It was beautiful nonetheless. Our hike was uneventful--which is a good thing when you're in charge of several kids--and we learned several things along the way. My favorite moment of the hike was when I stopped with some of the boys to let the rest of the group catch up. As we waited, they wandered over to a tree with a name carved deeply into it. One of the kids came running to me exclaiming "auntie! auntie! someone carved on the environment!" Too cute, too cute. Here are a few pictures of the hike....
At the trail-head before our hike
One of the most energetic (and intelligent!) kids I've ever met. She's so fun!
Some of my favorite boys. Love 'em!
We made it back to the cars and headed back to church for grilled cheese sandwiches around noon. Then we walked to the tennis court for our tennis lessons, came back and watched the Incredibles, and were done at 2. Quite the full day, and always one to remember!
Thursday, March 4, 2010
aloha kakahiaka--good morning!
Hi all! You may have noticed some changes in my blog layout. I'm slowly discovering you can customize these things, so bear with me as I experiment. I don't have much time, since I have class in about 10 minutes, but I wanted to show you what I woke up to this morning.....
God is good. He constantly reminds me of his promises for his people, and in the most creative ways! Have a great day, and Ke Akua Ho'omaika'i Oe! Look it up. ;)
God is good. He constantly reminds me of his promises for his people, and in the most creative ways! Have a great day, and Ke Akua Ho'omaika'i Oe! Look it up. ;)
Monday, March 1, 2010
surf's up. waaaay up!
Last weekend was quite an exciting one for the state of Hawaii and the entire Pacific Rim. In case you haven't heard, there was a gigantic (magnitude 8.8) earthquake in Chile on Friday night, triggering tsunami warnings for anyone lucky enough to live on the Pacific Ocean.
Brooke, Kelsey, and I had taken to ferry to Maui Friday morning with the intention of coming back to Lanai on Saturday night. We wanted to use our time to "recharge" and explore more of Maui's sights and towns. So explore we did! We spent Friday journeying through "upcountry", which is Maui-speak for towns on the side of the volcano (Haleakala). We went to Makawao and marveled at the glassblowing studio operated by some local artists. The glass was exquisite, and I was tempted to buy several pieces. Unfortunately, glass doesn't hold up well in luggage, so I was content to watch in amazement as the artisans expertly and patiently shaped the molted glass into beautiful works of art.
We had heard from a few different people that there is a lavender farm upcountry that's too good to miss.
It was about a 20-minute drive from Makawao, so we headed to the farm on limited directions. Once we got there, we looked around the gift shop, which was full of lavender products (everything from lavender shampoo to lavendar chocolate to lavender coffee!). The gift shop closed soon after we arrived, but the friendly ladies inside encouraged us to look around the grounds for as long as we wanted. With their blessing, we set off to enjoy the flowers and herbs planted all over the place. I never realized how many types of lavender exist, but I enjoyed pulling off a few leaves here and there as a sample.
After our lavender farm adventures, we set off to the mall to get a much-needed pedicure. And let me tell you--it was the best money I've spent on Maui yet. Thank goodness for pedicures. And that's all I'll say about that. We went to see a movie (Valentine's Day. Don't waste your money.) And headed for home. As we were leaving the theater, though, the radio in the car mentioned something about an earthquake in Chile and a possible tsunami. I wasn't too worried at that point. Nothing was official and I was tired, so I guess I couldn't process it at the time.
We were staying with a family that had connections to LBC. They are the sweetest couple! They are about my parents' ages and have three daughters about the same ages as Brooke, Kelsey, and I. We enjoyed chatting with them and were so appreciative of their hospitality. As I was laying in bed that night, I was listening to a stream that runs through their backyard, and I remember thinking how peaceful I felt. Ha. Well all that was about to change.
Kelsey and Brooke woke me up at 4:45am. Their family in Texas and Minnesota had been frantically calling and texting them since 3:30 with news of the tsunami warning spreading like wildfire. They told me, in the gentlest way possible, that they wanted to let me sleep but then they heard it would hit California too and they decided to wake me up. I'm so glad they did. I immediately got on the phone with my parents and both grandmothers, assuring them that I was safe on high ground. We went down to watch the news with the family we stayed with, because now the whole house was awake. The sirens started blaring at 6am, and we watched the news as experts predicted the worst and people on low ground frantically evacuated to higher areas.
It is the strangest feeling knowing something bad is coming and being absolutely powerless to do anything about it.
We went for a walk and watched people driving up the road with their pets and their bedding and their photographs in their cars, and I wondered what it would be like to leave not knowing if you'd see your home again. But, again, we could do nothing but wait and watch. We had an amazing breakfast of french toast and sausage (which felt a little like our last meal), and walked uphill to a lookout point at 11am. With the first wave scheduled to hit Hilo at 11:05 and Maui at 11:20, we had no idea what to expect. I took this picture, thinking that I might have to refer to it as the "before" shot. I had the uncomfortable feeling of wanting to see something and praying hard that there was nothing to see at the same time. People were parked all over the road watching and wating as the first surge came in, bubbling into the harbor like a frothing monster. The surge went in and out quickly, alternately exposing the reef and rocks, and causing waves to break inside the breakwater.
After two hours of waiting with baited breath, we realized it was over. It was exhilarating to go back to the house realizing that no one was hurt and nothing was damaged. After much-needed naps and showers, we went out to dinner and resumed normal life. We came back on the 3:15 ferry on Sunday, thankful that there was even a harbor left for us to depart from.
Thanks so much to all who prayed for us and the people of these islands. God heard our pleas and answered in an amazing way!
Brooke, Kelsey, and I had taken to ferry to Maui Friday morning with the intention of coming back to Lanai on Saturday night. We wanted to use our time to "recharge" and explore more of Maui's sights and towns. So explore we did! We spent Friday journeying through "upcountry", which is Maui-speak for towns on the side of the volcano (Haleakala). We went to Makawao and marveled at the glassblowing studio operated by some local artists. The glass was exquisite, and I was tempted to buy several pieces. Unfortunately, glass doesn't hold up well in luggage, so I was content to watch in amazement as the artisans expertly and patiently shaped the molted glass into beautiful works of art.
We had heard from a few different people that there is a lavender farm upcountry that's too good to miss.
It was about a 20-minute drive from Makawao, so we headed to the farm on limited directions. Once we got there, we looked around the gift shop, which was full of lavender products (everything from lavender shampoo to lavendar chocolate to lavender coffee!). The gift shop closed soon after we arrived, but the friendly ladies inside encouraged us to look around the grounds for as long as we wanted. With their blessing, we set off to enjoy the flowers and herbs planted all over the place. I never realized how many types of lavender exist, but I enjoyed pulling off a few leaves here and there as a sample. After our lavender farm adventures, we set off to the mall to get a much-needed pedicure. And let me tell you--it was the best money I've spent on Maui yet. Thank goodness for pedicures. And that's all I'll say about that. We went to see a movie (Valentine's Day. Don't waste your money.) And headed for home. As we were leaving the theater, though, the radio in the car mentioned something about an earthquake in Chile and a possible tsunami. I wasn't too worried at that point. Nothing was official and I was tired, so I guess I couldn't process it at the time.
We were staying with a family that had connections to LBC. They are the sweetest couple! They are about my parents' ages and have three daughters about the same ages as Brooke, Kelsey, and I. We enjoyed chatting with them and were so appreciative of their hospitality. As I was laying in bed that night, I was listening to a stream that runs through their backyard, and I remember thinking how peaceful I felt. Ha. Well all that was about to change.
Kelsey and Brooke woke me up at 4:45am. Their family in Texas and Minnesota had been frantically calling and texting them since 3:30 with news of the tsunami warning spreading like wildfire. They told me, in the gentlest way possible, that they wanted to let me sleep but then they heard it would hit California too and they decided to wake me up. I'm so glad they did. I immediately got on the phone with my parents and both grandmothers, assuring them that I was safe on high ground. We went down to watch the news with the family we stayed with, because now the whole house was awake. The sirens started blaring at 6am, and we watched the news as experts predicted the worst and people on low ground frantically evacuated to higher areas.
It is the strangest feeling knowing something bad is coming and being absolutely powerless to do anything about it.
We went for a walk and watched people driving up the road with their pets and their bedding and their photographs in their cars, and I wondered what it would be like to leave not knowing if you'd see your home again. But, again, we could do nothing but wait and watch. We had an amazing breakfast of french toast and sausage (which felt a little like our last meal), and walked uphill to a lookout point at 11am. With the first wave scheduled to hit Hilo at 11:05 and Maui at 11:20, we had no idea what to expect. I took this picture, thinking that I might have to refer to it as the "before" shot. I had the uncomfortable feeling of wanting to see something and praying hard that there was nothing to see at the same time. People were parked all over the road watching and wating as the first surge came in, bubbling into the harbor like a frothing monster. The surge went in and out quickly, alternately exposing the reef and rocks, and causing waves to break inside the breakwater. After two hours of waiting with baited breath, we realized it was over. It was exhilarating to go back to the house realizing that no one was hurt and nothing was damaged. After much-needed naps and showers, we went out to dinner and resumed normal life. We came back on the 3:15 ferry on Sunday, thankful that there was even a harbor left for us to depart from.
Thanks so much to all who prayed for us and the people of these islands. God heard our pleas and answered in an amazing way!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
