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