I don’t really know how to condense three months into one concise post, so please bear with me. Regardless of length, I hope my passion for this mission comes through in my words. The people who selflessly serve Christ through Kokua Crew inspire me, and I want to share that mission with you.
God Was In The Planning
Moving to Hawaii and volunteering for Kokua Crew at The University of the Nations (YWAM) was nothing short of a miracle in my life. In February 2021 I was entering my second month of unemployment after separating from the Federal Government. With an unprecedented amount of time on my hands, you could say I felt a lack of purpose, and I attempted to fill that with trivial distractions and unhealthy habits.
At this point my “plan” was to take the rest of the year and travel. I wasn’t sure what that vision would manifest into, but I was applying to a variety of opportunities that would allow me to get around cheaply.
Ultimately, I knew I wanted a trip that incorporated a focus on God. I felt I had been living my life apart from Christ and had become complacent in my relationship. There was a distinct lack of church attendance (this was partly due to COVID), I had zero drive to spend time in the Word, and an incorporation of prayer in my daily life was nonexistent. I couldn't have told you when I last spent time with the Lord let alone where my Bible was stored.
This desire to get back in touch with God led me to applying for Torchbearers Bible School in Romania. I made it as far as submitting my first deposit before COVID and the State Department shut me down. The whole mess left me without a next-step a month before my fly out date.
If you know me well, you know I hate not having a plan and this situation was leaving me high and dry. As it so happened, I had briefly looked at a volunteer opportunity in Hawaii when I was in high school, and it came to mind again as I was facing this new three month gap.
The dates matched almost to the day with what would have been my time in Romania.
While waiting to hear back, an opportunity arose for some stateside travel during those same dates. I was wrestling with what I wanted to do while weighing opinions from friends and family (probably too many opinions). I began telling myself it would be too much to handle only five days after moving out of DC, I was dealing with anxiety and depression, and it was a better financial move to get a job while I figured out a next step. When I finally heard back from Kokua Crew about an interview, I felt set on not going. It just made more sense.
“I’m Not Going to Hawaii”
I was visiting some friends for a weekend in Richmond, VA, and my interview with Ann Sophie (Ann So), a Kokua Crew staffers, was the afternoon of my last day in town. The entire day leading up to the call I just wanted to get it over with so I could tell them it wasn’t going to work. Maybe I would volunteer in the future, but definitely not now. I was sad, a bit conflicted, but felt confident in my decision.
At 4PM EST I pulled into a mall parking lot and called Ann So. She exuded a spirit of kindness, and I couldn’t help but hear the passion she had in her voice when she talked about Kokua Crew and explained her mission. The whole experience sounded amazing. I would likely look into it in the future, but again, there was no way I was going to Hawaii!
We began to wrap the call. I was saying thank you, I would continue to think about it, and goodbye when Ann So asked if we could pray together quickly.
I didn’t tell her at the time, but I put the phone on mute and cried throughout her prayer. She didn’t know how broken I felt or how much the battle raging in my head was pulling me apart mentally and physically. Truly only God could have given her the words to say in that prayer in order to lift all the pressures I had been feeling to make the perfect decision. Her petition was God wrapping His arms around me confirming what I already knew I wanted to do. Until that moment I hadn’t been able to shake the worldly pressures that said going to Hawaii didn’t make sense.
At that moment, I knew God wanted me to go - even if it didn’t make sense.
“It’s Only Three Months”
Arrival and departure day collide for new and old Kokua Crew volunteers. While I was just arriving, pale and confused, the old crew was saying their goodbyes after living, working, and fellowshipping together for the three months prior. This was the scene I drove up to at Hale Ola, the housing complex compiled of eight buildings that we, the volunteers, would be living in. The moment was overwhelming with people saying hello and offering me food while just a few steps away others were hugging each other and crying as they said their goodbyes.
Two young men, now friends of mine, picked me up from the airport. They were from the last crew and were both staying on for some amount of time during my three month stay. Obviously, this was a hard day for them. Their friends who had become like family were leaving, and we, the new crew, were not only filling their shoes at work, we were now taking over “their” old rooms and sleeping in “their” beds. My welcome reflected these emotions, and when I finally had a moment alone in my new room I told myself that it was only three months. I could do anything for three months.
I felt like I was supposed to be there, but at that moment everything in me was wondering what I had signed up for.
“We all ended up on this Island for a reason”
Clearly, it got better. The rest of my crew arrived, we got moved into our rooms, and we began exploring and getting to know one another.
The first girl’s small group on the first Wednesday, we were still early enough into our stay that it was necessary to reintroduce ourselves. Each girl said hello and explained why she had chosen to volunteer.
“I was supposed to be on a mission trip, but it fell through and a friend suggested I look into Kokua Crew.”
“I came last year to volunteer, but was sent home at the beginning of COVID. It worked out perfectly to come back now.”
“I was supposed to be in Bible school, but couldn’t get into the country because of COVID. The dates matched perfectly to come here instead.”
The story similarities were shocking. Either due to COVID or God’s direction we had all found our way to Hawaii.
That same night I pulled Ann So aside. I told her I had gone into our interview the month prior set on turning Kokua Crew down if they had offered me a spot. I told her I wouldn’t be there if she hadn’t taken the time to pray with me at the end of the call. She smiled and said, “You know, I don’t pray with everyone on those calls. Sometimes I just feel led, and I think this was one of those times. God is good.”
God was clearly in the middle of bringing together this group of strangers, and this evening set a tone of intentionality that flooded into the next three months.
“We are Ohana”
Kokua Crew is unique in that you don’t live on the YWAM campus with the students and staff. Instead, we lived a mile down the road at Hale Ola, which in Hawaiian roughly means "a home that fosters life, health, and well-being." And it did just that through the efforts of the staff and the commitment of the volunteers.
Our schedule and the expectations we were asked to respect were consistent throughout our three months. Be where you were supposed to be when you were supposed to be there. Serve the campus and one another well. Remember that everything we did was ultimately for God’s glory.
On work days, vans drove us from Hale Ola to the base at 6:15am, with the exception of Monday and Friday when we had devotions at 5:45am on campus. We also worshipped with the students and base staff every Monday morning and night. Though optional, these Monday Ministry Nights became a highlight for many of us. The environment was on fire for Christ as we were welcomed to worship in whatever way felt comfortable, whether that be charismatically or conservatively. I saw God work miracles, hearts softened, and lives washed clean for Christ. It was truly a beautiful gift to worship our Savior with brothers and sisters, eyes lifted high and knees bent in surrender, every week.
Tuesday evening was reserved for a mandatory “family gathering.” This was really the only time during the week that we were all in the same place at the same time outside of work hours. These two hours were dedicated to time in worship, listening to guest speakers, and fellowship.
On Wednesdays a girl’s and guy’s night was offered by the staff. We would either stay at home or go on small outings around the island. I can’t speak for the guys group, but I saw these times foster deep relationships amongst the girls. We were able to support and meet one another where we were in a more private and intimate setting.
One of the most prominent blessings I saw from these ladies, apart from spiritual growth and community, was the level of hype they brought to our home. I can confidently say I have never met a group of women more unconditionally supportive. I could have just woken up from a nap wearing sweats and a baggy t-shirt, hair in a messy bun, but the moment I stepped outside I’d hear a girl yell something like, “Where are you going looking that good?” “I just woke up. I'm getting water…?” (insert awkward laughter). "Nah, you look great. Keep smiling." Or you may have decided to dress up some, maybe a little makeup and something other than beach or work clothes, and you’d hear a yell, “We’re going out! You look too good to stay home!” We learned fairly quickly the hazard of leaving the house was someone having something uplifting to say - whether about your appearance or just a word of encouragement. These girls were special.
Saturdays were for the boys! family trips with John, Mary and Guy, or Nelson and Anne So (staff). We visited volcanoes, explored lava tubes and waterfalls in Hilo, relaxed on beaches, or trekked through the jungle on overnight camping trip to Pololu Valley. The best part was that these trips only cost us $5 to $10. I know, crazy!
We had Sundays to ourselves, but transportation was provided to a few churches in the area. This was a great chance to engage with the local church communities outside of our YWAM bubble. I loved that while many of us chose different churches, we were still able to all seamlessly come back together at different times for worship. This to me was an incredible demonstration of the Body of Christ. It emphasized the truth that Christ is not a religion He is a relationship.
Day in and day out Kokua Crew serves a campus that serves the Nations. We worked hard, and we played hard. We cooked, cleaned, napped, painted, butted heads, prayed, worshiped, pushed each other, and served TOGETHER. Everything was done in community.
Did we have conflict? Yes. Were feelings hurt? Unfortunately. Did we see and experience tears? Yup. Was there ever anger or frustration? Of course. Those are all valid emotions part of the human experience, BUT we did our best to not live in those emotions. We had honest conversations, open dialogue, and ultimately worked at loving one another like Christ loves us. This wasn’t always easy, but keeping Christ at the center turned a group of strangers from all over the globe into a family humbly serving. It wasn’t always perfect, but it was beautiful because this is what Christ was talking about when He taught about the Church Body working together for His glory. This community, this Body of Christ in Hawaii, became Ohana, and I wouldn’t give that up for anything.
Kokua Crew impacted my life in ways I can’t even try to explain on this platform. All I can say is that Kona, Hawaii and the people who made it home will always hold a special place in my heart. There are a few specific experiences I want to dig into a little deeper than in this (longer than expected) overview, and those will hopefully be coming soon.:)
Until then, I wanted to provide information below about how you can get involved with Kokua Crew. Take a look!
Can you Go? Yes, and it’s completely free!
Does Kokua Crew interest you or do you simply have a heart to serve? Here is a basic breakdown of requirements you need to meet and what you can expect from your time volunteering!
Requirements:
Be between the ages of 18-75
Have a minimum level of English proficiency
Be in good health
Have a heart to serve in any capacity
What’s Provided:
Free room and board (Getting to Kona is up to you)
Monday night ministry night (Optional, but a must!)
Wednesday night Small group
Thursday night Ohana court meeting (This was canceled due to COVID during my stay)
Friday night ministry night (This was canceled due to COVID during my stay)
Every weekend staff will plan and offer affordable group trips to explore the Big Island
What’s Expected from You During Your Stay:
Monday and Friday morning Devotionals at 6am
Monday Morning Worship at 8am (1hr praise and worship) with the entire YWAM campus
Tuesday Night Family Meeting starting at 6pm which includes international campus speakers
Thursday Night Ohana Meeting at 6pm which includes international guest speakers (This was canceled due to COVID during my stay)
A commitment of 7 weeks or 3 months, with specific arrival and departure dates, where you will serve in any of these departments while on campus:
- Kitchen (all volunteers serve here at least part of their stay)
- Housekeeping
- Grounds
- Maintenance
- Foundation School
- Korean Foundation School
- Preschool
- Learning Centre
- Boutique (Thrift Shop)
- Mailroom
- Banyan Tree Café (BTC)
If you have any other questions about my personal experience with Kokua Crew, please feel free to reach out or for more information and/or to apply to join the Kokua Crew mission visit the official website at: https://ywamkona.org/ministries/kokua-crew/
Best,
Hannah Elise
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