This is my first attempt at blogging, so I'm still quite elementary about the site, and all the features and options. As I learn more, you will see a difference in the appearance. For now, I appreciate your forgiveness for anything that you think could have been better or "prettier" or fancier. Right now, I just want to test this out to see how things will go, and there are many of you who have been wanting to hear about my life here, and really don't mind how it "looks".

The photo shows the Flags of the Nations that encircle the fountain here at the YWAM base in Kona. The background photo on my blog (with those gorgeous yellow hibiscus) is the front view of school, with those many stairs that lead up to most of the classes and residences. As a side note, one of my early morning routines is to take 45 minutes and walk from my room down the hill, down the stairs and then back up the stairs, up the hill. I do that circuit 3 times. It's a great way to start the day. How early is early? Well, the birds start singing around 5:15 or so and I am usually laying awake waiting for them to start (that means the sun is rising). It is so easy to get out of bed when you know the sun is shining and that it will be 27 degrees!

I share a room with 4 other ladies: 3 Koreans and 1 South African. We haven't had a chance to do a group picture yet (we are kept VERY busy here). But, I have posted a photo of our name tags at the door (it's a start!). "Eunice" is one of the Korean's; however they often will choose an "English" name to make it easier for us to say.

We have another roommate, and although we are not supposed to have any "men" in our rooms, we have decided "Rango" is a "he". He stays up in the loft with Stephnie and me and keeps the bugs to a minimum for us. We love him already!

When I mention "loft" you probably think of something exotic; however this is how close Stephnie and I have to sleep, and the only other thing there is room for is a dresser near the foot of our beds. The rest of the unit consists of one set of bunk beds and two other single beds. We share a bathroom (and have already settled into a respectful morning ritual that works) and have a little kitchenette, and one plastic picnic table with 4 plastic chairs. We also have a couple of desks. If I were to guess, the entire room (not including the loft) is probably 30x18 feet.

Back & Front View of My Residence

I have been trying to learn some Korean as there are many Korean's here on campus, and it's nice to be able to say please, thank you, good morning, etc. Ok (pronounced Oak) - one of my roommates - took English in school, but hasn't used it for over 40 years, so we thought she couldn't speak it at all. She is here to be a nanny for her daughter's children while her daughter and husband take a class and she seemed so very isolated from the rest of us. I was feeling a little sad about not being able to communicate with her, so I had a brainwave one evening. I typed a note to her on my laptop and used the google translator to convert it to Korean, and voila! (oops, mixing up my languages) took the laptop to her for her to read what I said. She was so very touched by it that she has made an effort to use English when she can (and of course I use some of my new Korean).

하나님이 좋으 시네요!

We eat all of our meals outside, and it is cafeteria style. Many know about my food allergies, and I have chosen to eat what I can and not ask for special treatment. This is not a resort, and there are many mouths, cultures, food preferences, and allergies. Everyone is a volunteer here, and I want to humbly accept whatever we are provided.

There is such a feeling of peace and contentment on the base. There are 39 countries represented during this quarter and we are all here for the same purpose, it seems.... To know God and to make Him known. There were a couple of Hawaiian welcome ceremonies during the first few days, which was a special treat for those who had never been to Hawaii before. It's important to be familiar with the "host" culture.

We go off-campus to church on Sundays, and many of the churches send shuttle buses, so there is a selection. I have gone to Living Stones Church (there's irony in that for those of us from Red Deer, knowing that I am on a "Crossroads" DTS) and intend on trying some of the others over the next few weeks. We worship together as a community in the Ohana Court (an open air auditorium; Ohana means family) twice a week - it's uplifting to be with each other.

Monday through Friday is class, which runs from 8:00-2:45 (with lunch at noon). From 3:00-5:00 all students must go to their work assignments. Then we have supper. Most evenings are for homework and reflection, except Thursday night we meet as a community. Weekends are for cleaning our rooms, laundry, doing our homework, reflection, prayer, etc. There is a lot of homework and reading, and I find that other than my walks in the morning, I don't have much spare time. I'm sure that as time progresses there will be a bit more of a routine, but now it is all pretty new.

There are 22 students in my class; we are in a room that is just big enough for us, with a wall of doors that we can open up so that the entire back end of the class room is open to the outside (nice!). The first week I have already felt challenged, but have had such growth! Our leaders, Bob & Carolyn Hopkins, have been doing this for many years and are wonderful teachers. Our guest speaker, Andy Byrd, was there Thursday and Friday. He is a young man on FIRE for Christ! I want to follow him around and listen to him all day; he is so passionate and relates in a way that makes sense. He said that 3 months in YWAM DTS is like 7 years of regular church learning. But 2 days with him felt like 2 years of learning to me!

Our class verse for this quarter is John 15:16b: I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit.......fruit that will last. For those of you familiar with my story, the fact that the word "go" is in this scripture is extremely meaningful.

It looks like our Outreach will be in Asia. I will keep you posted once all has been confirmed. However, sometimes things change. One of the teams from here was to leave for Asia a week ago, but their passports were lost in transit to the Embassy during their Entry Visa application process. They have all had to contact their own embassies to get new passports, and there are over 30 of them on the team. Disappointing to them to be sure, but they have bonded together to make the most of it.

I think I will end here with a photograph of the view from the top of those steps I mentioned. Thanks for your prayers for me! Please know that I am praying for YOU!

PS: I've wondered what you will want to know about, and each will have different questions. So, if you post your questions, I will try to answer them on my next entry. I will probably only post once a week, probably on the weekend, and we are 4 hours behind Alberta time, so having a look after Sunday would give you the best results.