10 reasons to come to hawaii

10. Visit beautiful waterfalls and swim in clear crisp mountain pools

9. Step onto black, white, and/or green sand beaches and wiggle your toes in the sand

8. Partake in the Hilo farmers market, it feels like you've stepped into another country. Fresh fruits and veggies, and other things that I can't begin to describe...some very interesting food out there

7. Look at an active volcano, beautiful at sunset

6. See some beautiful underwater territory, multicolor fish and coral.

5. See honus (turtles) everywhere you go, aw the life of a turtle

4. Experience true aloha from many of the peoples. A lot of cultures represented in Hawaii

3. Read a book in the island breezes, and in Nov-March watch for some whales

2. Go through mountain passes, and experience chilling weather (30-40 degrees) near the volcano. When there's snow, one can go snowboarding

1. Visit Kelsey and David who are missing their family and friends but absolutely love the opportunity to live here on the beautiful Big Island that God created!

Kelsey update:
Whew, where do I begin. I'm still working for my same client, although the job is becoming a bit exhausting. I'm putting in about 34 hours of work at this agency, and then many hours of volunteer work for the church. At the end of the day/week, I'm pooped! But David and I believe that this is the season to work, and work hard. Thursday and Friday afternoons I've begun 2 different Bible studies. Right now only 1-2 girls are attending, but I believe if more are to come God will lay it on their hearts to come. If not, I'm enjoying getting to know these girl's hearts and passions.

Fundraising seems to be our lives at the moment. Because David has so much on his plate, and learning to be an administrator as well as Pastor, I decided to take over the fundraising efforts. In our efforts we are trying to raise 10,000 dollars in the month of May. Any donation, group fundraising effort, and individual fundraising effort will be calculated. If our student can raise 10,000 in the month of May, 1000 dollars will be thrown into the pot that will be for a special surprise once they are in Colorado. Also, David has agreed to the fate of his hair (color, style, cut). If they can reach the goal, the student will take the first Sunday in June to give David a total makeover which he will keep up until the trip. For Haley's wedding, we do need David looking somewhat presentable. I'm not sure she'll want a clown showing up in her family wedding pictures. What a memory!

We are moving into a house in July. We are moving out of our apartments at the end of May, housesitting and Colorado for June, and come back and move in July. And get this, we are moving into the old youth pastor's old house. This house apparently has a youth ministry annointing or something. We have this house until December, and after that, who knows?

David update:
David is being stretched in many ways. His gifting and passion is studying and teaching God's Word, but he is realizing that youth ministry requires event planning and administrative skills. He is developing those very quickly at a forced rate.

We are both excited for the vision this summer. Our hope is that is won't be so programatic, but relational and intentional, meeting the students where they are at and going from there.

We are working on putting into place guidelines (rules) that are biblically based and can be a standard keeping student's behavior accountable. Please pray for David as he puts this together.

Well, I wish I could say something humorous. We seem to be burning the midnight oil, and I'm wiped out. Thankfully in July, I should be working with a new client in a school setting, more down my alley. David, is praying for more leaders. He seems to be wearing many different hats as the youth pastor, and we are praying for more people who have a heart for youth ministry to step in and use their gifting and calling to impact the live's of these Hilo students.

More to add later...

Exhausted,
Kelsey (and David)

Pics of Green Sands and South Point

green sand...what?

Aloha friends and family,
I'm asking for 30 seconds of your time. If you are busy like us, you don't have time to read paragraphs of rambling, so I'm going to do all of us a favor, I'm going to condense the past week into a few major points...Ready...set...go! (enjoy:)

-This past Monday, David and I took our Sabbath and explored a GREEN sand beach, yes yes, you read it right, a green sand beach. The green is from a semi-precious gem called olivite (I think, I may have totally butchered the name, but you get the point:))

-David and I are also healing from some incredibly painful sunburns. While hiking to the green sand beach, we forgot our sunscreen (which is a necessity for us white haole folk, we envy those who tan), and we are currently suffering the consequences

-We have the opportunity to move into a house in July...(*jumping up and down in glee*) The house is available until December, but at least we know we have a place until the end of the year

- David, especially, has had some incredible opportunities in the past 24 hours to share the truth of Jesus Christ with 2 different individuals. We ask that you join us in prayer that they would discover the truth and understand it through a real and first hand way!

-Congrats to my dad who has a chapter published in Dr. Dobson's new book Bringing up Girls! Next time your in a bookstore check it out and email him at walis3@msn.com to tell him congrats!

Dates on the Calendar:

-David's birday is May 13...if you can please send him a short note telling him a huge Happy Birthday (send the note to: 1044 Komohana St Hilo, HI 96720)

-2 Bethel interns come May 10

-The Hawaii teens head out to Colorado June 15 (If anyone can help with leading or transportation please email David at david.poole09@gmail.com)

-My very amazing friend from HS, Kelsey Travis, is getting married Jan 1 2011!! Congrats Kels and Kyle!

Well that's all for now folks!

Love,
David and Kelsey

Easter Time

Just wanted to give you all, friends, family and complete strangers who just happened on this site, an update on David and I and our life in Hilo. I continue to thank God for allowing us to live in Hilo, have a roof over our heads and food to eat, jobs, and new friends and church family here. We are blessed. But, I won’t lie, I do get the occasional homesickness. I miss my family…Brother at school (I miss our coffee dates), parentals, Grandmas, Aunts and Uncles and especially my cousin, who I am missing all the wedding planning…soon enough though Haley, soon enough… I miss my Bethel friends, especially my girls (HS girls too). But it’s cool to see God doing different things in each of our lives. Laura just left for Columbia to start a new job, Rach getting married in June, Britt in Africa, Beth getting married in July, Dani a teacher, Danni an RA, Emily in DC, Ali in ministry with hubby, Jenna moving doing a dream of hers…and so much more! Then I look at some of my HS girl friends. Meg and hubby in Spain, Kels getting married in Jan and moving to Ireland. Britt G traveling all across the country doing crazy mountain things with hubby, and more. Wow, God is good and is using us in incredible ways. That I’m so thankful for that.

Well, things are going well here in Hilo. We are thinking we are going to move out of the apt at the end of May…hurray! We’ll be housesitting for half of June and then off to Colorado…so hopefully we won’t be having to pay for Rent that month which would be a huge blessing! Be praying things open up for a housing option for July at least through December.

David and I had a super busy 2 weeks before Easter. Easter the students did a fabulous job presenting the gospel through drama, song, and signing. We are so proud of them and grateful to one of our leaders for all her hard work. Life has kinda settled down for a while. We are working on fundraising, team building, and details of the Colorado trip while still running Mana Akua Thursday nights and Fuel on Sunday mornings. We also have been trying to do more Bible Study and mentoring with the students (David with the boys and I with the girls).
I feel like I’m on pause in my job. Still praying things will open up with Bethel and unsure about this coming Fall. Lord will reveal it in due time.

Well for those who are getting nice weather on the mainland, it is your turn to point and mock. We have been getting a LOT of rain here in Hilo. David and I are looking to go to the other side of the island or the top of the volcano and do some Hiking and see some sunshine…we are sure missing the sun! We are looking to hike an old rainforest, and also to a green sand beach…how fun is that!

Also, quick story from Easter. We had a Baptism sunrise service at 6:00 AM Sunday AM. As we were singing
“Praise God to whom all blessing flow
Praise Him all creatures here below”…
We saw a mom and baby whale, not even 50 yds off shore breach (come out of the water) over and over again. So appropriate because, they too, were praising God I believe. So us and the whales were praising God for his faithfulness in fulfilling His love and promise to humanity!
David, Pastor Daniel, and the fathers baptized 4 kids on Sunday. A little girl, a 5th grader, a 6th grader and a 7th grader. Continue to pray that these kids lives will be transformed by the love of work of the Holy Spirit!

Well that’s all for now folks
Love you all,
Kelsey

Please send us any response from any of our blogs to
Kelsey.poole09@yahoo.com
David.poole09@gmail.com

The past week...

j

Palm Sunday: Enter...Jesus

These pictures are taken by 2 of our students...I wish we could take these kind of pictures but we are so grateful for all the pics taken by our students

Can you believe it is Palm Sunday? Easter or Resurrection Sunday more appropriately named is a week away. It is so easy to be swept away into our own business, and let another Resurrection Sunday pass. Instead I pray that you allow this week to be a launching point that radically changes your life. You may already know Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, make sure He's Lord over your life. You may already know Him as Lord, make sure you know Him as Savior. You can't have one without the other. Even those who know Christ and having been walking with Him, can still die to things about themselves and know Him in a more deep and intimate way.

Our students at SONLIFE have been working hard at dramas, signing, hulas that all point to Jesus Christ being Savior. We pray that the Holy Spirit solidifies the Lordship in all of our lives as well.

Well David and I had a great time with my Grandma. We were able to show her little bits of our lives in Hilo. My folks left yesterday all nice and toasted. We keep trying to convince them to move out here. But believe it or not, as of now, they do not have another trip planned yet...that could change in the matter of seconds.

Yesterday we had a huge Garage Sale/Car Wash and raised almost $1200. We of course need a lot more trying to send almost 20 people, however, God is providing in some incredible ways and we are so thankful for the parents who are helping plan large group fundraising opportunities.

This week should be a little less busy (I always think that, and it never is the case). I'm trying to get over a head cold...yuck! I think this is the first time I have been really sick in our marriage, and I have an amazing husband who has been waiting on me hand and foot which I am so thankful for and I think has led to my speedy recovery. David and I are going to help take care of our friend's mother/mother in law (for Art). Art and Donna are celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary and we have the privilege of being with Mamacita while they are gone, we are looking forward to that. After they get back we move to another house where we will be chilling with some of our youth students while their parents are in Oahu. Not babysitting (because they are old enough to take care of themselves) but what a wonderful opportunity to spend some time together with 2 of our students.

We are very blessed! We pray you are too!

Let us know what God has been doing in your life

kelsey.poole09@yahoo.com

david.poole09@gmail.com

David and Kelsey

busy busy

Aloha friends and family,
Gosh, it's been a while since I last gave you all the update. Let's just say it has been pretty busy here on the Big Island.
A few weekends ago we had a group of Bethel students come and stay with us. They were coming to recruit/be counselors for a Missionary church camp in Oahu. It was so good to see familiar faces, and even meet a new freshmen. I love when people from different backgrounds and different majors unite to 1)recruit for Bethel but 2) most importantly devote an entire week to share Jesus Christ to teens from all over the islands! I pray their efforts were fruitful.

David then launched into his own spring break activities with our hmc teens. We started off with a pi retreat on March 14...I'll let you figure that one out (answer is below). He, along with some parents and leaders, took the kids to the beach on Kona side, while I sadly had to work, *sigh*. What was great about the retreat was that we had about 4 new faces show up, we love meeting new teens! David then had beach Olympics at Bayfront Tuesday. My husband came home nice and toasty after two days from being in the sun. Wednesday we had a family movie night at the dollar theatre where we watched the Blindside. If you have not seen this movie, it is a MUST SEE! What an excellent movie. David and I looked at each other and said, "We want to have hearts/compassion/sacrifice like that family".

My parents and Grandma are currently here visiting. We realized after them, we don't have anyone visiting until our Bethel interns in May. So if you are longing for that vacation with sunshine, white sand beaches, and surf...well Hilo may not be for you (that is Kona side). But if you are longing for beautiful ocean, black sand beaches, and awesome fellowship...well we'd love for you to come visit!

Prayer requests!
-Strength especially in my job (it requires a lot of time and energy)
-Communication and Direction for HMC youth
-A house to live in/ not an apartment one that allows us to have our teens over and allows us to have a pet
-A Bethel semester abroad opportunity starting Jan 2011 (maybe?)
-More youth leaders/worship leader for the youth group
-God reveals himself in a real way to us, and to our youth

Love you all!
Email us
David and Kelsey