Justice Turns TWO!

It seems to us that Justice became a toddler pretty quickly.  Since we've moved to Hawaii, Justice's vocabulary has expanded ten fold, her movements are more steady and pronounced, and her independent self-will has emerged in full force.  Her rapid development has left us bewildered, frustrated, and laughing all at the same time.  She is testing her boundaries and yet still wanting to be close to mama and daddy.  She is at times disobedient, but wants to cuddle after being sent away to "get happy."  She laughs often and cries occasionally.  She bumps her head everyday and skins her knee almost as often.  She wants to kiss all of daddy's scrapes and bruises and wants to listen to the baby growing inside mama.  She is filled with wonder at the small things and has reached a new level of imaginative play.  In short, she's now a two year old.

And we couldn't feel more blessed!  Justice has brought us such joy.  There are times when I think that I couldn't possibly have more love to give to another child, because Justice has stolen it all.  I love the way she declares to the world every morning from her crib, "I'm Awake!"  I love that books are still a favorite thing.  I love the way her eyes get big when she gets to take a big kid shower.  I love those moments right before bed when she sits next to me for story time.  I love those quiet nights when she's sleeping peacefully (don't all parents?).  I love the way she tries to mimic the way I walk, the words I say, or the faces I make.  I love the little quarks that are hers: walking to the bathroom to cough, the strut of a walk that belongs uniquely to her, and how she won't sleep unless we sing the Happy Song.  I love that she kisses both my cheeks before bedtime.  She has grown so much in two years, and we are grateful parents.  We are proud, overwhelmed at times, and filled with love.

The Tale of Joy and a Job

I've been asked a few times recently about the status of working at the local elementary school.  I wish I had progress to share, but instead I just have news. I talked with the principal this week, who explained that my substitute application (which begins with an interview at a local school) has now been sent to the district office, and from there is sent to the Honolulu office. I turned in my paperwork over a month ago, and I have no way of knowing where in this process my paperwork sits.  Though she assured me this timeline is normal, I'm not resting assured.  In the same conversation we spoke (again) about volunteering, and I am willfully hopeful to start this coming week.  Though I cannot wrap my brain around the slow, somewhat lethargic, response to a VOLUNTEER with experience and a degree eagerly waiting to be put to work, this also raises other questions about our life.

What does this mean for me (Joy) working for pay?  Most likely, it means I won't be working this school year.  I'm 8 weeks from my due date, and then I'll have a new baby to take all my sleep away love on. I will gladly volunteer the time I have, and sincerely hope to help some struggling students this year, but the level of consistency I can offer over the next 6 months is seriously lacking.

Can't I just try another school?  Yes, I can.  I can try a private school.  However, we see our role as missionary pastors largely as connecting with the community.  Eric can do this in several ways, through committees and fellowship meals and meetings and working at a local coffee shop, etc. My biggest resource to offer is through education.  I'm passionate about kids having the opportunity to learn, and so many children are first/second generation immigrants.  They need the language support, and that's where the majority of my training is.  These kids are in the public school.  I DON'T think I'll work in a public school forever.  I DO think there are other, more creative ways to assist students and their families.  I just think this is a good place to start, to meet people working in the (education) trenches on daily basis, and to asses the need a little closer.

Will we make it on Eric's income?  Well, no.  But will we make it on Eric's income + financial support from generous donors?  YES!  To be perfectly honest, the cost of living difference still has us a bit shocked.  Nearly everything is more expensive here.  We can say with confidence we are frugal spenders and we are saving where we can.  One decision that will help us this first year is we've decided to make our "transitional housing" into permanent housing. More accurately, the church has offered us our "transitional" housing space to rent for one year.  This is not what we planned on, nor what we hoped for, but we are peaceful in our decision to stay.  As we near our baby's due date, I am particularly happy to know where we will live when the babe enters our world and excited to do what we can to make this place home.

How are we feeling about the change in projected finances?  Some days we get a bit worried.  Most days we carry on as normal.  Every day we trust God's leading.  We know we are here on purpose, and not by accident.  Currently, we are not in jeopardy of running out of money (don't worry, Mom!), but this might be a different story next June.  We are grateful for those who have supported us during this first year, which affords us the time to think through our fundraising efforts for year 2 and 3.  Right now we're doing fine, actively budgeting for the future, and eagerly expecting baby #2.

Miloli'i Video

Eric took a few short video clips of another KCN mission zone a few weeks back.  This is Miloli'i.  Kona Coast Naz has been visiting Miloli'i once a month to pray for the community.  Eric took these videos so I could get a glimpse of this community.  But we decided to compile them and post here as a SHOUT OUT to another Missionary-Pastor family who will call Miloli'i (and neighboring community Ocean View) home in just 2 weeks!!  The Boyarski's arrive in Hawaii in LESS THAN 2 weeks! You can read their story and learn more about our team by visiting their blog here.  Enjoy!

Celebrating Eric

Last week was Eric's birthday, and we had a fun few days celebrating!  Eric got snorkel gear for his birthday, so we borrowed a second set and the two of us went snorkeling.  We weren't out long, but we had a great time together, snorkeled at a fabulous location (Honaunau Bay, "Two Step"), and Justice enjoyed playing with a friend while we were away.  So thankful for generous friends!


On Eric's actual birthday we had dinner with the Fasani's, and they surprised Eric with a birthday pumpkin, poster, and homemade ice cream! Good friends, good food, good times.

And the next day, Eric and I turned our regular date-night into a birthday celebration dinner, again thoroughly enjoying our time with just the two of us.

We are grateful for the friends we have made and the love they have showed us, making this a special birthday for all.  I took some time to reflect with Eric on the past year of life.  We've certainly had some adventures and I never would have imagined a year ago we'd be celebrating life in Hawaii.  But I'm so glad we are.  Here's to another year of adventure, fun, deeper love, stronger trust, and following God's guidance in our lives.  Oh, and probably a lot less sleep...

A Video Blog!

This is the church building, Kona Coast Nazarene.  Enjoy! 

Week in Pictures

Trying coconut water

Eric preaching at KCN for the first time. 

The finished pumpkin!

Trying on new swim attire.  Many thanks to Justice's Sunday School class at Nashville First Church of the Naz!!

Soap Making

Honey Oatmeal Soap.... curing. 

"Daddy! Sit on my lap!" 

Pumpkin Day

Pumpkin Night

Youth 3 on 3 tournament.  Eric and Justice enjoyed the morning in the community. 

Video Blog #3

We know there's a buzz in the background, you might want to turn your volume down a little before you begin watching.  Once again, we're amateurs.  We promise the videos will get better (in quality) the more we practice making them.  

The Revival will Come from the Margins

A friend of mine asked me last week, "Is the church obsolete?"  It's a loaded question for sure, and one that probably needs a little nuance and context, but it's a question worth engaging.  My answer to said question was one of perspective.  We are currently living in a moment in which the church no longer dictates the social, political, or moral leanings of society.  The story of Jesus as found in scripture is no longer normative for many of our neighbors.  As such, many from the centers of power, the people of influence, the academic machine, and the economic systems have longed judged the church as obsolete, even antiquated.  Who needs a concept of Christian salvation when the nation state and corporations have already saved us?  That's one perspective.

Then there's the perspective of those on the periphery of society, the oppressed, the poor, the forgotten, those people and people groups who have been marginalized by the power brokers of our time.  Historically, revival begins on the margins, from grass-roots engagement with the deep social needs in a community.  Charles Finney, John Wesley, and our own Nazarene founders, like Phineas Bresee, all patterned their revival movements around the concept that social consciousness, communal justice, and individual holiness are intertwined.  Indeed there is no view of the Kingdom that allows a gospel devoid of changed social relationships.

When one testifies to a changed life, the forgiveness of sin, and inward renewal of the Spirit toward Christ likeness, we call it conversion. When a group of people have devoted themselves to each other, their neighbors, and their community in love, allowing God to give new ways of living and seeing together that transforms our daily existence, we call it revival. Often times, the prompting of change occurs in a deep experience or interaction with marginalized people. When we read through scripture God continues to point toward the possibility of Spirit lead renewal through people otherwise forgotten by history: slaves, fishermen, zealots, Gentiles, and women. Out of these groups, we have movements of political and social liberation, new economic relationships, human dignity afforded to those culturally on the outskirts, hospitality extended to strangers, and forgiveness granted to enemies. For the church to embody these practices to our neighbors with the faith gifted to us by The Lord, revival would not be far off. In fact, for those in desperate need of belonging, forgiveness, honesty, social inclusion, economic equality, and purposeful work, the church is anything but obsolete.

One of Kona Coast Nazarene's core values states, "We are a Revival People."  In other words, we expect God to do something new, to change our vision, to transform our pattern of living, and as a result use this church to transform our neighbors and neighborhoods into demonstrations of the Kingdom.  One direction we're heading within my own mission zone (N. Kona), are working with the most recent and fastest growing immigrant populations: Marshallese, Micronesians, Hispanic, and Samoan people groups.  A revival church places itself alongside these communities and people on the periphery.  A missionary church inhabits the borders built to exclude.  As missionary-pastors we are working to blend into this social milieu and, while there, begin to define the gifts and needs of the communities and identify local leaders for training, discipleship, and ministry.  For us, it is not out of the realm of possibility to see a church plant within each of these communities, lead by a local leader, and supported by the staff of Kona Coast Naz.