3rd Week in Hilo

What a week it's been! It rained a lot the first part of the week, but the last half has been beautiful. The photo above is from a nearby picnic area. Hilo area at its best!

I preached my first sermon at the Church of the Holy Cross.

I ended the sermon with a story about a teacher, and found out there are quite a few teacher-types in the congregation. (I got extra points for that!) Then we participated after the service in the Mardi Gras-type lunch and activities for the congregation. Tom Olcott, senior pastor, is a magician, and performed some fun magic tricks. It was fun to watch the childrens' faces. We all made masks and tried our gift of ventriloquism -- not so hot! Then each of the tables participated in some Minute-To-Win-It type games. We told them that Guy Fieri, host of that TV show, lives just a couple of miles from our Santa Rosa house. (Not sure they were all that impressed!)

On the last day Kristen and Jason were both here, they wanted to be outside in the sun. We tried to have a bbq in one of the parks Sunday afternoon, but it was raining off and on. John tried to get the bbq lit, but it was just too soggy. So we sat with our wine and snacks looking out at the ocean. Then we started seeing blow spouts. Then whales--right in front of us -- 5-6 of them--breaching! It was worth sitting on wet benches! Came home and cooked our delicious fresh ahi, with mud pie for dessert. (My kids favorite!)

Jason left early Monday morning. It was still raining most of the day, so no sun tanning for Kristen's last day here. Instead we went to the Lyman Museum, which included a tour of the original home of some of the first missionaries. Interesting.

John and I went up to Volcano National Park late one afternoon, hoping to see the eruption.

Unfortunately, the only way to see it is from the air. We stayed until dark to see the glow in the crater near the museum -- created by the hot lava below and steam above. But it wasn't very impressive that night, and we were cold, so didn't stay long.

The excitement of the week was the tsunami alert. We had been to a lovely dinner meeting Thursday evening, and soon after we got home, got a call warning us about the alert, but assuring us we were high enough we didn't have to evacuate. Five hours before the tsunami was to hit they started sounding the sirens. There's no way anyone could miss them--they are loud! It's so interesting to have so many hours of advance warning. Not like the instant havoc of an earthquake. People went out to get supplies, gas, etc. We collected water in whatever container we could find; washed clothes; boiled some eggs; e-mailed friends that we were okay. We had no idea if we would have electricty, water, or phone service afterwards. The news kept saying, "Prepare for the worst; hope for the best." Hawaii was lucky -- we got "the best." Very little damage. We drove to the waterfront the next day and could hardly tell anything had happened.
The concern, of course, is with the Japanese people. Many of the people at the Church of the Holy Cross are Japanese, so the concern is heightened. We keep them in our hearts and prayers.

On Sat. John and I took a picnic to another park area north of us, and walked through a beautiful rain forest. I had no idea there were so many varieties of palm trees. Gorgeous plants.

Sat evening we went to a Vine & Jazz event at the Imiloa Astronomy Center on the University of Hawaii -- just across from our house. The music was great. Several different wines (the best was a cab from Chateau St. Jean in Santa Rosa area!), and great food. A fun evening.

And, oh, yes...I have worked some! I still call it ministry-lite, although next week the senior minister will be on the mainland, so it's up to me to take care of the church!

FYI -- Hawaii does not go on Daylight Savings Time, so we are now 3 hours behind California time.