Feeding the Hungry

Feeding The Hungry

Registration table

Every Thursday, the Feeding The Hungry staff of STN (read Wahiawa: Exit 8 if you haven't yet!) and volunteers head to to Kalihi for one of the  largest and most diverse distribution on the islands.  According the FTH information page (http://surfingthenations.com/fth/) 1/5 Hawaii residents suffer from hunger.   The day we volunteered, over 500 individuals took food back to their families, feeding over 2000 people.  Working the registration table with my friends Sarah and Jessi, we got a chance to engage with each individual.  Located right outside of Chinatown, a majority of the people where of Asian decent ... many with broken English, some who could not speak it all.  However, a smile is the universal language!
 

A VERY small portion of the donated food

Who put me in charge?!

While we were working the table, members of the team were busy unloading the three food trucks, setting up the lines, and 'talking story' with the locals.  The food was all donated by the Aloha Food Bank, and varies each week between 2-5 trucks.  Once registration was closed and the food put it, it was time to get to business.  Through the chaos, someone thought it was a good idea of giving me the bullhorn to announce what group would be going next.  After the last group was called, I got a chance to work the line for a little bit, as well.  It was a long and exhausting day, but so rewarding!  Not only did we get a chance to build relationships with the locals, but we were helping to provide them with the most basic of needs.  I'm not going to sugarcoat things and say the day was perfect and everyone was grateful.  Because this wasn't the case.  It was disheartening to see those who took advantage of the system.  There were greedy hands, pushing and shoving in line, and even some bitter words.  But the looks of appreciation, encouraging words, smiles, laughs and genuine thank-yous made it all worthwhile.

Distribution Line

Exhausted after a hard day, yet fulfilling, day!

Wahiawa: Exit 8

On January 8th, I jumped onto a plane with 14 members of my church.  Destination: Wahiawa, HI.  I know what you're thinking.  Fabulous vacation choice - escaping the Midwestern winter and chilly weather to spend 10 days in paradise.  But it wasn't a vacation.  And where we stayed was not paradise.  (Don't get me wrong ... we did get a chance to visit the ocean, and it truly is beautiful!)  We got an opportunity to work with an AMAZING humanitarian organization called Surfing the Nations.  They focus their time on building leaders, feeding and providing necessities to the homeless and less privileged, and building confidence in children who live in less than desirable circumstances.  They offer internships and leadership programs.  They teach others how to love unselfishly and put their faith in God.  I was so inspired just being in their presence.  Love was everywhere and was expressed without embaressment.  And not just by the staff and interns of STN, but also by the locals.  We learned to 'talk story' and truly get to know someone.  Often times we find it easy to 'help others' simply by giving of material items or money.  And sometimes this is exactly what they need.  But most times, people just want somebody to listen, to build relationships.  To let them know that they truly matter, and that what's on the inside is the most important.

Ohai Street

 Surfing the Nations is located in Wahiawa, HI on the island of Oahu.  Oahu has the lowest income of all the islands and Wahiawa is one of the poorest and most dangerous areas.  To get from Honolulu to the beautiful North Shore, you drive right past this city.  But most people, especially tourists, do not realize the city even exists.  That's because walls and hills were built up around it to hide the 'ugliness'.  STN is located on Ohai street, which was once know to be the most dangerous streets - where drugs were sold, women raped, and people were murdered.  There was a time when people wouldn't even walk on the side of the road where STN is located because it was occupied by Strip clubs, Adult novelty stores, and prostitutes.  Here's a link to a news feed about STN and the changes that are taking place. http://www.khon2.com/mediacenter/local.aspx?videoid=3534984

What was once a strip club (just changed in the past year) is now being used as a meeting room for STN and is the location of Surfers Church, a church service that provides a free meal and is open to the public on Saturday nights

 It was amazing to hear the impact STN has had in this location.  STN has purchased four storefronts - one which was the novelty store, and the other the strip club.  Surfer's Coffee Bar has opened and provides a safe haven for people of all backgrounds to put up their feet, enjoy some AMAZING coffee drinks and smoothies, and listen to bands or participate in open mic night.  Other businesses, such as a phone accessory store and a restaurant specializing in gourmet hot dogs and Hawaiian shaved ice have moved in.  We were honored by getting to know owners of The Dawgs and found encouragement in their stories.  One of the best moments was right before we left for home, and we got to pray over their new business with them.  Although there is still a lot of work to be done, change has been making a huge impact in the community of Wahiawa.

Surfers Coffee Bar - Open Mic night

 I have so much more to share about this trip, but will do so in some other posts:)  For more information about what we did on the mission trip, check out our blog http://www.rivermission2013.blogspot.com/.  If you are interested in learning more about Surfing the Nations, check out their webpage at surfingthenations.com.  They are also on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/surfingthenations?fref=ts and https://www.facebook.com/surferscoffeebar?fref=ts.

The Beginning.

PS: love. BIG. 

Over the years, this has increasingly become my life mission statement.  In a world where the media seems to concentrate more on the 'bad' than the 'good' and social standards set high and sometimes unrealistic expectations, it is easy for us to lose focus on the reason for our being.  And that is simply to love.  To love yourself.  To love others.  We often times get so focused on demands and expectations and worrying about tomorrow, that we lose sight of the blessings of today and the good in the world. 

This blog has been in the works for years.  Having a passion for helping others as well as for finding ways to improve myself, I wanted to create an outlet where I am able to encourage and educate others to help them live their lives to the fullest. I strongly believe this is accomplished through building relationships and community, by truly loving yourself, and giving back.  Through this blog, I hope to accomplish the following:

• Share my life and relationships with you
• Create awareness of various social issues and the organizations which exist to improve these
• Share tools for self-improvement and relationship building
• Write about whatever else sounds like a good idea!

I look forward to sharing this adventure with you and encourage your feedback.  If there is ever a topic or cause you would like to know more about, please let me know.  And a big thanks to Elizabeth Craig who helped me to brainstorm a name for this blog:)