Home, walking through a sun-kissed field, I stumble upon them
in spontaneous concert, quiet husks swaying in the breeze.
They whisper lyrics to each other
One blushed moptop leaning into the next.
The silky fibers mingle like the sweaty strands of longhaired boys
An almost silent song.
The brush of bodies sweeps me up and carries me along.
I am happy as sun and breeze breathe hot air on my neck
To match their rhythm
To join their windswept dance.
This picture encapsulates what the missions trip is all about for me.
And, the real reason we go to Hana...The People
Raised in the Green Mountains of Vermont it is not unusual to see black and white Holsteins dotting the hillsides. In Maui the scenery is a bit different and to me it is a strange site to see the cattle lining the land overlooking the water. Birds frequently gather around the cattle.
The road to Hana is an experience in and of itself. After a 17-hour flight I will be taking this 2-hour plus amusement park ride down the road that encompasses 620 hairpin curves through tropical rainforest. In daylight the scenery is beautiful. At night the trip is nauseating! Though only 68-miles the curves and bridges that loop back on themselves at 90 degree angles, makes it seem like the longest journey of your life.
There are flowers of all sorts in Hana.
These candy-colored trees are among the many gorgeous spectacles along the Hana Road.
This is the cross overlooking Hana, a memorial to Paul Fagan who founded the Hana Maui Hotel. To those of us on the mission's trip, you can imagine it is a spectacular symbol of why we are there.
At the top of the hill in back of the Travaasa Resort, formerly the Hotel Hana, is a cross honoring Paul Fagan, founder of the Hotel Hana. Fagan played an important role in the growth of Hana, introducing cattle ranching as well as the hotel. The cross is a memorial to him and while we are in Hana we often have devotions at the cross. This is a view of Hana Bay taken from the cross. We typically hold services at Helene Hall down near the bay.
We work hard at community service while in Hana, but at least once a day we typically have the privilege of visiting Hamoa Beach, one of the most beautiful beaches in the world and enjoy the sun and the waves.