The Love of the 'Aina

For the second year in a row, I shamelessly solicited trick-or-treaters to come to our door. For those of you not familiar with the practice, it means verbally asking the parents to send their children over. We don't live in the trick-or-treating neighborhood so I take matters into my own hands. We had five tonight and they each got a huge handful of bite sized chocolate candies in their respective bags. They looked surprised at the amount of candy but they didn't realize how thrilled I was! It took everything in me not to dump the whole bowl in those bags.

So I'm having a lot of fun and I'm really enjoying teaching. The children's enthusiasm is contagious. It's fun to watch them grow academically, socially, spiritually, and personally!

Living on Kauai can carry lots of vacation-like images in people's heads, but unless you work for the tourist industry, life here is a lot like life anywhere else. A lot of my enjoyment comes from my ministry and time with my Sisters. It is very beautiful though and I love the people here!

Last weekend, I even got to spend time with some of our "cousins," the Sisters of St. Francis. They live on Oahu and they are delightful! I only wish I had more time to spend with them. I was there for a teaching seminar, so I didn't have time to sight-see, but I did drive by the Iolani Palace, which was very special for me. I said a prayer of thanksgiving that traffic was moving at a snail's pace so I could glance up at it every now and then. Knowing the history of that structure, I was simultaneously taken in by its beauty and the sadness of the loss of a great dynasty. No matter where life takes me, the love of the islands will never leave me. 

Speaking of that, please keep the people who live on the Big Island (Hawai'i) in your prayers as they deal with the lava flow. It has already destroyed a cemetery and we don't know what else could happen. Two people were arrested for getting too close to the lava flow, but for the most part people are staying far away from it. Hopefully this will all come to an end soon!