Kona Konnections

Back on Home Soil Again!

2010-02-20T13:03:00.000-08:00

Good-bye to Kona and YWAM and hello to Camrose again!
We left Kona a week ago Friday, saying our good-byes at an Olympic Opening Ceremony party (the only TV on campus), and at a frequent evening spot, McDonald's. Then we loaded up into a big van, and left for the airport amidst lots of hugs and waving good-bye. Hard to believe we were already leaving. The 6 six weeks seemed to fly by, at least from our end. We were kept constantly busy......down time was minimal!
It is hard to put into words all that we experienced.....it is so mulit-faceted. The volunteer work itself, the place where we lived, the worship experiences, the people we met and lived with, the places we visited on our own, and with the whole group, the Big Island landscapes, the ocean, hula worship dancing (!), learning more about ourselves, and growing closer to the Lord through it all. Early on I gave up trying to keep a daily journal, and just wrote on my calendar like I do at home. It's hard to keep up that pace and then write it all down! Of course, my camera is sort of like my journal so I won't forget too much!

It is good to be back and will be good to be at Messiah tomorrow to worship and connect with friends and my KidFEST (S.S.) family. When I worship in Kona (either outside at the church on the ocean, or in the oldest church in Hawaii), I think of everyone worshipping back in Camrose and I can get teary. Then when I am at Messiah again, I get teary thinking of everyone back in Kona! I am so blessed to have these special places and friends in my life. Like most of you do too.
The amazing, overwhelming thing is that wherever I am, I know that we are still worshipping the same God. What a tie! It keeps us close.

The Christmas decorations still need to be put away here, so I better get at it. Also my suitcase unpacking. It will take longer to unpack all the feelings and experiences.

I still would love to add some pictures to our blog, but first I will need to download them on to my computer. May God's grace and love surround you, wherever you are worshipping tomorrow, and as you seek Him out in your life each day.

Thanks for your prayers and support! (Lavona Broen called from Arizona yesterday and it was so good to hear from her. They left Kona just as we came and will be back to Camrose by the end of March.)

Much love and prayers,
Marlys

Last Day of Work - Unbelievable!

2010-02-10T11:15:00.000-08:00

Our 6 weeks have just flown by! We have met amazing people, both Mission Builders and students and staff. The hardest part is the goodbyes. We are packing up our room, and tomorrow we will be renting the convertible and going around to a few last places.
God has been faithful to us here and we hear many stories of God's goodness. I think we need to do more of that at home, share our stories and what we are learning daily as we seek to grow closer to God.
Thanks to my KidFEST family who sent me a delightful card and picture! We are looking forward to being home again and seeing you all! Even in the snow!
Blessings on you for your prayers and encouragement!
It is time to get off to work now again!
Love and aloha from the Big Island!
Love, Marlys

Sunday Morning at Mokuaikaua Church

2010-02-01T14:14:00.000-08:00

The past 2 Sundays, Kahu (Pastor) Derek has been preaching on Phil. 2:1-4, which has been very good. Yesterday he reminded us that we are the apple of God's eye, and have our security in Him, and our encouragement, no matter what we are doing. D.L. Moody said, "Be humble, or you will stumble." Good thoughts for working and serving here, or wherever God has placed us.
We attended the more traditional service. The choir sang (sometimes in Hawaiian!), and we sang an old song I hadn't sung for a long time.....
O we thank you for your kindness
O we thank you for your love
We have been in heavenly places, felt blessings from above.
We've been sharing all the good things the family can afford.
Let's just turn our hearts toward heaven and praise the Lord.

It just seemed to fit exactly what we are doing and have been experiencing with 70 other Mission Builders, at work, etc. Yesterday we went to Mile 88 beach. Last year there was lots of nice sand. This year almost nothing, just rocks and lava, and the beach got smaller the longer we were there! High, strong waves!! Beautiful! I went in and enjoyed them early in the afternoon, but decided to stay on the rocks later on! We got a lot of sun! Then last night we got a huge downpour. Inside our buildings it feels just like I am at camp!
The day before I was snorkelling with some others. That has got to be my favorite thing to do.....swim with the fish and the turtles. They are amazing! I just have to remember to keep breathing evenly and relax!
We have 2 weeks left. The time has gone by so fast.
I was thinking so much about home on the weekend with Breakforth happening. I pray that everyone who went came home renewed and more in love with Jesus.
Must get back to cleaning rooms!
Blessings and prayers, Marlys

Lunchtime at Campus

2010-01-28T14:29:00.000-08:00

Hello everyone,
I have only a few moments and then must get back to my housekeeping job. Lunch was wonderful. It is very hot here today. We had some rain late afternoon yesterday, the first since we came. But it has made it very humid.
This morning one of our leaders told about her life at our 6:00 devotions. Quite a story. She used Psalm 23, which I had read just 10 minutes before back in my room.
Also while cleaning today, a lady told me what she had heard from a young girl in the kitchen today about her trip across USA with a team from here. They were doing work with young girls who are tricked into prostitution. It was quite the mission.
So much goes on from this place to many places around the world. Stories are endless.
Now I must go.
Blessings to you all.
Love in Jesus, Marlys

Exhausted after the Weekend!

2010-01-25T14:11:00.000-08:00

Hi, friends and family!
Life on the island on the weekends is very busy! I cannot believe how the view around every corner is amazing and different. We had the convertible again and never put the top up once on Sat., even in the dark. The air was so warm and the stars and moon beautiful up above.
But on Sunday up near the volcano it got pretty cold. And we did see snow on the mountain top!
But back down near the ocean it was gorgeous and we swam in a lave heated pool!
We have now travelled down the Kona coast 3 times in the dark to get home. Adrian just puts the little car on cruise and it takes us home! We have seen 2 accidents. The roads are busy, but well paved and marked for the dark.

Today I took a few moments to visit the kindergarten class on campus. Our next door neighbor, Donna, who usually teaches Gr. 12 math in MB., is teaching there! So the kids were having center time and then had to clean up when the little bell was rung. Then they gathered in a circle for prayer time and I listened to them offer up their thanks and petitions! It was precious.

We went to the oldest church in Hawaii on Sunday....a wonderful praise team and pastor......Kaku Derek! He spoke on Phil. 2:1-4. Our morning devos' last week were on Phil. 4. Did you know that another way of to talk about hearing from God through his word is to call it "text messaging"??! I like that.

I must be back to work now.....cleaning rooms with 5 other ladies, all older than me! The place is quite busy with guests coming and going often, including speakers for the different "schools" that are being held. Each school has a different focus and is called a DTS (Discipleship Training School). Three months of classes here, and then 3 months of outreach somewhere in the world.
We now have over 60 Mission Builders, a bunch from Penn. just arrived on the weekend. It 's a bit difficult to focus on new faces at 6:00 in the morning in the dark! So I will meet them later.

Sorry about our pics. We have tried a number of times but it doesn't seem to be working for us. They say they have loaded but we don't see any pics. We will try again.
On the weekend we probably took about 1000, just of the big waves and some surfers!
Love to you all. Thanks for your prayers. Even though we are far away, you are on our hearts and in our prayers too. How are Herta and Ben doing?
Love and aloha, Marlys

Early Morning Devotions

2010-01-20T11:14:00.000-08:00

Mission Builders meet at 6:15 each morning by the flags in the dark for devotions, 54 of us! Nancy, our leader, has been leading us through Phil. 4....worry about nothing, pray about everything, be joyful in all circumstances.....good things to ponder and take to heart as we start our days, no matter where we may be.
So now I am off to my housekeeping job, working with a number of women, all older than me now!
Thanks for your prayers for all of us here. I am working with Melody Brager too and enjoy her very much. We are laundry partners!
Blessings on your days and work back home.
Love and my prayers for you,
Marlys

Second Week in Kona

2010-01-17T22:22:00.000-08:00

Working and playing at Kona and area. So much to see, hear, smell, taste and do....photos should show kitchen duty, GO centre housekeeping, plaza of flags on campus, our sack lunch at King's Mansion( restoration of the original YWAM base), Korean mission builders at the beach, Adrian being hoisted up, us at Livingstone Church this Sunday, Hawaiian kids dancing with sticks at their version of a Jaywalkers event, coffee farm.

Hope Herta and Ben travelled safely home and can update you some. Missing them and Broens. There are 25o more students here and this weekend two dozen plus Mission Builders came , including Dave and Melody Brager. So life should continue to be busy and fun.

This morning's sermon talked about Abraham and leaving a legacy of faith.

cruising for Christ

2010-01-11T21:23:00.001-08:00

Rented a car and did a loop of the Big Island, including volcano viewing, botanical gardens, black sands and church service at Christ Lutheran Church in Hilo. We were worshipping at the same time at the Messiah late service. One member there knew and had worked with Blacklocks and Pinnos in Papua New Guinea.

Cruising for Christ

2010-01-11T19:28:00.000-08:00

Sunday on the Big Island

2010-01-10T23:40:00.000-08:00

We just got back from a 2 day trip around the island! In a gold convertible. Pictures to follow. We took thousands!
Today we thought of you all as we attended church at exactly the same time as those of you attending Messiah.....us at 8:00, you at 11:00. Beautiful church! Same lessons, the Baptism of Jesus. And met someone who worked in Papua New Guinea with Ray and Norma and Lorene and Erhard!! Small world!
We have had a marvelous weekend, up to the volcano, through rain forests, through ranch country, and overlooking incredible gorges. Plus shopping at a discount fabric store. Slept at a hotel right on the ocean and heard waves and lovely birds all night.....windows wide open. Well, that may be tough to hear, but we've heard that you have had some warmer weather too.
More later. Have to be up at 5:00 for work.....hard at it for another week. We are all doing well. Herta and I work well together cleaning toilets! The rest do maintenance, kitchen duty, and free thrift store. YWAM has some great workers in this Messiah bunch!
Blessings to you all. We think of you lots.
Aloha, from Marlys for all of us

next photos

2010-01-03T23:51:00.000-08:00

2010-01-03T23:18:00.000-08:00

Since our departure, we have celebrated a new set of great grandparents as Macy Leigh Piro was born at 4:40 a.m. the day of our departure.

Then we celebrated New Year's Eve in Vancouver after a rather interesting and rocky tour of the Pacific and back to Vancouver for an emergency landing and overnite stay! (Pic of group in front of hotel lobby Christmas tree, Adrian with New Year's hat)

Upon arrival in Honolulu, Marlys lei'd Adrian at the airport for his birthday, just before we departed for Kona. There we were met and taken to our living quarters for the next six weeks. The Broens and Heises hosted a beautiful breakfast for our first morning here.

We did go to the beach , attended our first church service (group photo by the driftwood is next to the church), got our orientation and spent a lovely aft'n just casing out the markets(photo of lunch at Bubba Gump's).

While our living accommodations are spartan, they are comfortable and include many various four legged friends (geckos, roaches, and other insects and mongooses)

The flowers and trees are beautiful, the bird songs are varied and most enjoyable, and the ocean view and sounds are exhilarating.

Vivianne is already collecting lots of ocean treasures!

Tomorrow we will begin our work assignments. We will all be orientated on kitchen duty until the student body arrives on Thurs.

I really hope that Joyce will no longer lead us astray in the markets!

MIssion builders in action

2010-01-03T23:03:00.000-08:00

2010-01-03T22:47:00.000-08:00

Aloha from Kona.....finally!

2010-01-01T22:06:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! Finally made it, actually on time at this end, but it has been an adventure to get here. Instead of enjoying Honolulu fireworks last night,we partied at Moxie's in Vancouver. Long story but we're here after having to return to Vancouver because of a tire blowout on take-off and make an emergency landing. Lots of praying and a smooth landing.We have a plane full of friends. More story later!
Lots of love,Us 4. Have seen the Broens and Heises' and someothers I had metbefore.
So much fun!

Time to Go - Praying all goes well!

2009-12-29T17:43:00.000-08:00

Less than 2 days to go and we are off to Honolulu and Kona! With added security measures these last few days and many delays, we are praying that all goes well. Broens and Heises are awaiting our arrival! So it is last minute packing, and all the details that come with leaving, and saying good-byes. Busy last few days.
Christmas has been good for us all with family and friends around! Kids, grandkids, cousins.....
Pastor Kenn said on Sunday that "pleasure is for the body, but joy is for the soul". So we pray that this experience brings us and those that we will meet, much JOY! We go to serve and pray we can be open to whatever comes to us.
Melody and David Brager are home in Camrose after spending 3 months volunteering at Haggai Institute in Maui. They will also join us at Kona on Jan. 15, spending another 3 months there! They have been YWAM volunteers a number of times! So we look forward to their arrival too.
Please keep us in your prayers that our travelling will go smoothly, and that we will settle quickly into our new homes and assignments.

One Week to Go!!

2009-12-23T19:19:00.000-08:00

One week from tonight Bergquists, Vivianne Grue and myself should be almost set to fly!! We leave early on Dec. 31, fly to Honolulu to get in on the Waikiki New Years fireworks, and then fly to Kona the next afternoon!
We are excited to meet up with the other Messiah, Camrose couples, the Broens and Heises for that first weekend! Broens leave Jan. 4, but Heises are there until Jan. 15.
Here in Camrose the snow has been piling up these last few days! Today we had beautiful sun so things looked really nice!
But I am looking forward to wearing my flipflops and not having to tie up my boots every time I go out. And where did I set my mittens this time????
More news when we get there, and hopefully some pictures too!
But for the next week, we look forward to celebrating the birth of our Savior King, at church services and with our families, and in our homes and hearts.
A Blessed and Merry Christmas to you all! May God's love incarnate reach deep into your hearts!
Love from Marlys

Christmastime in Hawaii!

2009-12-18T17:29:00.000-08:00

From Lavona and Ordean in Kona for Christmas.....
Dec. 9 "Things are going good here....the count for lunch today was 485. Tomorrow I get a day off to take in a class of my choice. Ordean is so into his project he wants to keep working. He has redone 3 bathrooms and replaced a lot of plumbing. Ben Heise from Camrose has been assigned to work with him this week. Kitchen is best for me. I start at 5 am, suits me fine as it is cooler. Off at 1:30 pm. Cooler probably isn't what any of you are thinking.
Lots of fun Christmas events coming up, including Christmas Eve at the church we will attend the rest of the time here.....oldest church built in 1867. A real lively service with lots of music and a good speaker.
We got to hear the founder of this place (Loren Cunningham) speak. He is amazing, still going strong at 73. Just got back from Asia where the church is really growing. What's wrong with Canada?"

Dec. 12 - " We are sunburnt and tired tonight....went to a remote bay, snorkeled and Ordean swam with the turtles...really big.
What is so good about being here with the group is we are getting into places we wouldn't even know about, we earn our keep but the weekends are awesome.
This weekend we are taking in all the Christmas programs at church and at the university. We went out for supper to an outdoor restaurant upstairs where we could sit and watch the Christmas parade, in our shorts or course.
I had a free day this week to sit in on a class. It is really something to be around all these different races. Most of the students leave this week (on mission trips), so there are many changes in work places.

Dec. 17 - "We are having a totally green Christmas with lots of color added. I stood and admired a huge tulip tree loaded with red flowers.....pretty much the Christmas colors. Seeing the lights in also very Christmas like. However the warm weather and the kids all trucking to the beach kind of changes that feeling.
We are leaving this weekend to do some site seeing with another couple, then have to work right through Christmas. We will have one more weekend after that to go to the beach, then the rest of the Camrose group arrive the last 3 days we have here. (Jan. 1-3)
We are back in Phoenix on the 5th....looking forward to that. We have enjoyed our stay here....Ordean has made great strides with a lot of projects. I have been in the kitchen the last 2 weeks. We are both there for the Christmas days.
We will miss friends and family a lot. We wish you all a Special Blessing this year during this time of reflecting on why we really have Christmas. No matter where we are Jesus love never changes. Our love to each of you at this time."

Lavona and Ordean's 1st week!

2009-11-28T12:10:00.000-08:00

Lavona and Ordean arrived Fri. Nov. 20 at Kona. They reported that they have a great room, went to a coffee plantation on Sat. and a beach. That was the first weekend. Then on to the work! Ordean is working in construction, renovating a bathroom. Lavona is cleaning rooms and laundering bedding and towels for guests. Both worked Thursday & Friday in the kitchen, to prepare Thanksgiving dinner for 900 people, and to give regular staff some holiday time off.
They are finding it very warm! They joined the students for their weekly Monday morning worship time and enjoyed that!
Ben and Herta Heise, from Messiah, will be joining them in 6 days, on Friday, Dec. 4!

Where is Kona, Hawaii??

2009-11-17T11:04:00.000-08:00

I have been asked this a lot! Hawaii (the state) consists of a number of islands. Hawaii (the island) is the biggest of these islands, hence called The Big Island. If you say you are "in Hawaii" you could be on any of the islands. If you say you are "on Hawaii", you are on the Big Island! Kona is on the west coast of this island, the drier side. It is sometimes referred to a Kailua-Kona.

What surprised me when I saw it the first time was the black lava everywhere, especially visible from the highway when travelling north of Kona (where the airport is), spewn years ago from the volcanic mountains in the center of the island.

A very windy highway takes you south of Kona, and then over to the east side which is rainforest, and much rainier than Kona. Here is the city of Hilo. Travelling north of Hilo you go through many gulches, deep ravines! Eventually the road turns west again, on the north part of the island, and you come to the Parker Ranch, the biggest ranch in the USA! Then only 20 minutes from Waimea, you are back on the beach on the west coast!

It is a fascinating island! Nothing like I ever expected when I thought of Hawaii!! Wind turbines, cows grazing, bamboo in the rainforest, lava tubes, roads too snowy to drive on, black sand beaches, quick warm showers and torrents that make driving nigh impossible, hot pools warmed by active flowing lava streams, palm trees of all kinds, lazy honus (turtles), surfers and spinner dolphins that distract you from Sunday's sermon (because I sit outside!), and the "end of the world" (a cliff to jump off of into the waves way below.....I never did it, but a lady older than me did!).

So that's a glimpse of Kona and the Big Island! If you leave Edmonton at 6:00 am, you can be there by early afternoon (Kona time)!

2009-11-08T15:21:00.000-08:00

Broens arrival

2009-11-08T14:23:00.000-08:00

We are driving to Arizona, leaving Sunday. Then we fly to Kona Nov. 20,looking forward to a great time. Thanks to Marlys for setting this all up for us . Lavona and Ordean.

Messiah members off to Kona, Hawaii as Mission Builders!

2009-11-07T08:39:00.001-08:00

In the next few months a number of Messiah members will be heading to Kona, Hawaii to serve as Mission Builders with Youth With a Mission (YWAM) at the University of the Nations! Much prayer has gone into the considerations and planning for this adventure for each of us!

We are -
Ordean and Lavona Broen - Nov. 20 - Jan. 4
Ben and Herta Heise - Dec. 4 - Feb.
Joyce and Adrian Bergquist - Dec. 31 - Feb. 12
Vivianne Grue - Dec. 31 - Feb. 12
Marlys Sorenson - Dec. 31 - Feb 12
Melody and David Brager - Jan. 15 - March

At this point all arrangements have been made and we are starting to pack! We will not know exactly what our job assignments will be until we get there, but they could include maintenance, construction, yard work, kitchen duties, "hotel" type laundry and room cleaning, working in a free thrift store etc. These jobs are done on the university campus, or at Hale Ole (House of Light) which is the dorm complex where we will be living.
We look forward to meeting students and other workers from all over the world!
Please pray for us as we serve, that we will manage the time change, the early working hours, full working days, the heat! Of course, after work we can sleep, shop or hit the beach! It gets dark at 6:00 pm., but at least it will still be warm.
We will try to keep you posted, and hopefully send pictures too.

Blessings, from Marlys