08/19/2023
On Aug.8, 2023 our beloved Lahaina town in Maui was destroyed and burnt to the ground. Wati and I are safe. We live on a neighbor island. But the death toll is over 100 and it’s reported that there are still over 1,000 people missing. Many of them were the elderly and little children who were home from school while many of their parents had to be at work. My heart is utterly devastated when I think of all the unimaginable suffering and fear that the children faced in their final moments. This pain is compounded knowing that this could have been prevented and so many lives could have been saved. We have loud sirens in Hawaii to warn people of danger (including wildfires). Those in charge, choose not to use them for reasons that don’t make any sense. The sirens were silent and many who perished received NO WARNING. This reality is so painful! The overwhelming grief and trauma is very real. For us personally, Lahaina is much more than a beautiful costal town with rich culture and deep history. It’s my wife’s hometown. It’s a place that holds all of her childhood memories. The community that raised and nourished her and where much of our family and friends live. Including our Lahaina church which miraculously survived and still stands while everything around it burnt to the ground! We are so thankful that our immediate families lives have been spared. But the trauma of losing their homes, every earthly possession, their whole town, and losing so many friends and neighbors is unbearable. It will be a long road to healing and recovery. Not only for the families in Lahaina, but all of Maui and the rest of Hawai’i. Thank you to all those who reached out to us with love, prayers, and encouragement. The people of Maui need our help more than ever before! There are many legitimate charities where you can give. If you personally know someone affected by the fire, it may be better to give directly to them. Our Lahaina SDA church and Hawaii Conference is another place where you can donate. We have also set up a “Maui Fire Relief Fund” through our Hawaii-based, non-profit Revelation of Hope ministry, to help the Maui families that we know, who have lost so much. You can give your tax deductible donation here: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?Z3JncnB0=&hosted_button_id=THP3LJQHV3XRA. Or go to RevelationOfHopeMinistries.com. Mahalo nui for all your love and support as we try to make sense of this nightmare and help as many people as we can who are suffering everyday with the reality and memory of this tragedy. Lord, please bring healing and comfort to us all and especially the beloved people of Maui.
