EASTER SUNDAY IN HILO, HI.

Jesus is Risen

I THINK THIS IS THE CATHOLIC CHURCH THAT WAS MOVED FROM KALAPANA BEACH
BY A HARD WORKING TEAM OF LOCAL PEOPLE
THERE WAS A RACE ON TO GET THE CHURCH OUT
BEFORE THE ROAD WAS CLOSED BY LAVA FLOW

We experienced an Easter Sunday we will never forget.

We worshipped with local people at the Gospel of Alpha and Omega Church, Hilo.

OUR ANGEL LADY WEARING THE LEI JOHN GAVE HER
LATER SHE RETURNED IT TO HIM
BECAUSE IT WAS HIS WEDDING ANNIVERSARY OR BIRTHDAY OR SOMETHING

We were up early enough to have no excuse for leaving in time to find The Church I hoped to go to. Our Angel Lady from yesterday said her church service was 10 am and the church was right behind the Island Candy Factory. It was a simple matter to put the factory address in the GPS and give ourselves enough time to drive around the block until we found the church. John was agreed to take me. 

It took two turns around the block to fund the church and drive in to park. There were only a handful of cars and the church was a sweet, small, village-like church. I can't believe I have no photo of the outside.

John delighted me by coming into church with me. The numbers were small with people randomly wandering in. It was like a lovely family gathering. The service was kind of formal, as formal as anything can be in Hawaii. There was a liturgical teaching, hymns and songs Hawaiian style and short preaching with a personal story of God's healing, an evangelical message and opportunity to come to God. I knew some of the hymns but some of the verses were pure Hawaiian. We sang Anne Murray's hymn - He walks with me (In the Garden)

And He walks with me
And He talks with me
And He tells me I am His own
And the joy we share as we tarry there

None other has ever known 

It is hard to imagine anything more beautiful than singing this old hymn in a tiny Hawaiian Church with Hawaiian musicians. 

Our Angel Lady took us under her wing and took it for granted we were staying for lunch. And what a lunch. Pot luck with home grown roast pork, chicken, turkey, smokey thick slices of ham, rice, salads and many delicious cakes. All this was washed down with sweet iced tea. I am still eating modestly but I did have a bite of each of several cakes. We talked with folk and discovered that this congregation was indeed mostly related to one another. Another surprise was discovering these were not the simple, poorly educated people they appeared to be at first glance. Never make assumptions! 

PASTOR JANSON PAKELE (RED SHIRT), AND HIS WIFE 

The unassuming pastor had left a thriving business in Honolulu to come to Big Island and become Bishop of this group of Hawaiian churches with a mission to the Philippines where they have another 14 churches. John spent some time talking with another man who turned out to be a neurological surgeon from Honolulu who comes to Big Island regularly to work. 

The children had coloured Easter eggs and instead of baskets pretty spring coloured gift bags. We stayed until everyone was leaving, partly because our car was blocked in by the late comers. 

OUR COMPACT WHITE CAR IS HIDING BEHIND THESE LOVELY BEASTS

We popped into Walmart to buy a chilly bag. We need one for the cold food when we empty the fridge. Tomorrow we leave our lovely cottage and drive to Captain Cook, about 2 -3 hours but we intend to take most of the day.