Along the Way

Aloha to the internet world.

This is sure an intense experience out here. This is going to be a year that really is going to change a lifetime. I'm stoked to see what else God has planned for this year... I pray I don't get shot though. haha Happy Day.

The experiences, the books, the lessons, the relationships, time with God...There is so much that contributes to this being a life changing experience. All the ideas I once had on life, ministry, Christianity/religion, relationships, sacrifice, love, God, discipleship, surfing, commitment...(it keeps going and will continue) all these ideas have been challenged and my ideas on so many of them have changed.

What is ministry, who does ministry, why do people minister, Do we have to minister? What's with this Christian thing? That title has been tarnished so much, and yes I have contributed to this "tarnishing." What is a Christian? A Hypocrite? A deceiver? Who is a Christian? What is sacrifice? Do we really understand sacrifice? What about those people that give up everything they have to live on the streets and build relationships with the homeless? Is THAT sacrifice, why sacrifice? What is love? mmMMmmm Who is God? What is God? Is there a God? If there is a God What are we doing about it? What does God have to do with everything? Where does surfing Fit in all this? Why am I asking that question after the "God questions"? Where does God fit into all this? Where does God fit into life(look at previous paragraph for dehydrated version of life)?...

These are just some of the questions going through my mind and the more I keep asking them the more questions I get and the more specific they get. Don't get me wrong I am not just getting questions from more questions with no answers but the answers lead to the more defining questions in those areas. (That is a confusing line, I'll leave it because maybe someone will make sense of it and see that I really AM a GeNiUs...hahaha Just kidding...but seriously ;]...).

So, back on track, Rev Hi is good. God is still weeding me out and it is very humbling. I pray it never stops.

I have so many stories that I could tell you all and I will do my best to tell them to you a little at a time as they keep building up. hahaha I think it's funny because When I say "you all," at this moment, it's Rob... Hey Rob! Haha Happy Day. I have soo many stories just from Saturday 18. Hmm Ok so here is a concise version of saturday:

Our team has finally chosen our communities and Mark and I are the only ones at Wai'anae. Saturday was door to door day. So we went door to door to courtyard to car to bus stop and introduced ourselves to people. You can imagine how awkward that was for the people but we weren't too comfortable with it either. At one apartment complex we talked to this group of teens and twenty year olds. I felt like I was in City Heights again, but these guys first asked if we were "with the feds" and undercover cops... I see why they asked because you don't see too many white guys in white shirts (I don' t know why i wore that shirt but we really stood out) going around with smiles. They warned us about this guy who was shot earlier in the week across the street and looked at our reactions. I responded with "Wow, Bummer, thanks for the warning." We said our goodbyes and walked away with the heat of their eyes on our backs and, maybe in ignorance, I say Faith in God's protection, headed across the street to meet the guys over there. We met some cool people, had doors slammed in our faces, people threatening us with shoes (well threatening Mark, he grabbed onto a screen door to knock so it wouldn't open and the owner thought we were trying to get in), but then we also met people excited to meet us and even crying saying "praise the Lord" (I still don't know why that lady was saying that). It was an interesting experience that we will continue every saturday. I love it

That is just the day time, Saturday nights we do our homeless/houseless outreach and God is working in those streets. I don't know if I have made any impact there (my impact may not be great but at anything it is there) but I know those people out there have made an impact on me. Their stories are so intense. That word does not give the experience justice. I think The people have ministered to me more than I feel I have ministered to them. It's amazing how God uses people the way He does.

I am sick again and praying God heals me. I have been sick twice since I got here and I think it's more from lack of sleep than anything else. I need to work on that. Thank you all for your prayers.

If any of you have prayer requests send me a comment. My comments are hidden so only I can see them so I would love to pray for you all. Rev Hi would love to pray for you all and any of your requests. If you want comments to be shown tell me in a second comment box (Shoots I know that is just a lot of work...Happy Day).

I am closing my facebook and maybe my myspace soon, so yah. Love, Peace and Fat Mans Grease

Aloha