Back in Hawaii

It's been about a week since we left the Middle East and I think I finally recovered from the jet-lag.  The 12 hour time difference was intense.  And although it feels good to be back home spending the holidays relaxing and being with family, somehow I miss being there and wish that I were still in places like Alexandria or Tel Aviv.  I think it's the people that I miss the most.


Well it's back to the normal run of things, as soon as the holidays are over of course.  Christmas was great, went to see STOMP with the family.  New Year's should be great, a lot of my friends from high school are back in town.  Surfing is great, I am getting the tan that I lost in the Middle East back.

Happy birthday Jesus.
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Middle East pictures

As promised, pictures from my recent adventures in Egypt, Jordan, and Israel.  

 

Check them out on my Flickr page.  It's good to be back home.
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From the Holy City to Sin City

I arrived into Jerusalem on Sunday.  Crossing the borders really put the Middle East conflict into perspective.  There were many checkpoints and heavy security, but everything went fine and I got into Jerusalem in one piece.

Living in the old city in buildings that were hundreds of years old was amazing.  The Via Dolorosa was across the street from our hostel with the Church of the High Sepulcher around the corner.  Even the Dome on the Mount was a stones throw away. Venturing to the Mount of Olives, Jericho, the Dead Sea, and even Bethlehem. These places make the entire Bible come alive.

Visiting Jerusalem is one of those things that people spend their entire lives trying to do.  One of those pilgrimages on the bucket list, and now I can check it off mine.  The holinesss of the city is awe inspiring.

Then a 2 hour drive away we just arrived to Tel Aviv, Sin City.  Here the spirituality of the city is completely opposite.  Where Muslims, Jews, and Christians all pray and observe the holy sanctity of their religions in Jerusalem, here in Tel Aviv there is no such observance.  Drinking, drugs, and sex is as common as an other western party city, maybe even more. 

We will be here in Tel Aviv for 4 days then our trip will be over.  It’s nice to end this trip with surfing and surf outreaches, after all we are Surfing the Nations.  God is blessing us with great waves from a storm that is just passing overhead.  So we will be spending the next days surfing freezing cold water in windy waves with the local Israelis.  Awesome

Crossing Borders - Middle East part 3

Only 2 days and everything was awesome, despite the rough start we encountered at the seaport in Aqaba. After 9 hours of driving on a bus from Alexandria, waiting 12 hours at the seaport in Newiba, 2 hours on a ferry , we had to wait 6 more hours to secure a bus ride from Aqaba to Amman. 

We found a bus driver and secured a ride to Amman for 75 denari (120 USD).  However after all of our bags were packed up and we were seated in the bus the driver tried to change the deal on us.  We waited and tried to be paitent as if it might change his mind on the deal.  But we just unpacked and were forced to find another bus driver.  I was completely frustrated and angry with the first bus driver because of his shady dealings.  75 denari was completely reasonable if not over priced.  I was angry because he was only trying to take advantage of us as tourist.  But then I remembered: "you have heard it love your neighbors and hate your enemies.  But I tell you love your enemies and pray for those who peresecute you."  Funny how simple things like this can teach you huge life lessons!

36 hours later and after 2 long bus rides and a ferry ride across the Red Sea I have arrived from Alexandria into Amman, Jordan.  Although my time here in Jordan was short I was able to teach skateboarding and balloon animal art.  The Roman ruins made a perfect backdrop for skateboarding, and Petra was a perfect place to reach out to the local Bedouin kids.  So much was done in so little time.  Everything here was awesome (even our bus driver in Aqaba). 

If you are ever in Amman, look up the Cliff Hostel.  It is simply the best hostel.  I am typing on their personal computer as the WiFi is down.  Talk about hospitality.

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Middle East part 2 - Alexandria

This was probably the most extensive section of our surf outreach in the Middle East. We hooked up with Egypt’s first surfer, Teymour (Tim) Adham, who also put us up in his family’s hotel.  The lodging was far superior to the hostel we stayed at in Cairo.  If you are in Alexandria, I highly recommend staying at Adham Compound Hotel.

I spent the first couple of days fixing boards.  Needed board repairs for the donation boards and boards that were already here and had been surfed way to hard.  While I was staying up late fixing boards, I was able to realize how much the surf club here in Egypt was in need of support. 

As a group we surfed with the older surfers and taught the groms some basic techniques.  I realized while hanging out with the Bedouin surfers here, that its not about surfing here.  It never really is about surfing and catching waves.  Its all about the people you are with and the relationships you create through surfing. 

Joe Mattera met up with our group in Cairo and through his experiences with Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) he helped put on our 2^nd annual Aloha surf camp and contest. 

Tim took us around Alexandria and showed us the library, some citadels, the markets.  We also spent time in the Sahara Desert.  In addition to being the first surfer in Egypt and owning his family hotel, Tim is a safari guide and probably the best in Egypt.  His resume reads like an encyclopedia.  He has taken expeditions coast to coast and border to border.  He has led National Geographic and Discovery Channel expeditions.  So naturally he wanted to take us out to the desert.  We spent time with his team in the desert surfing the sand dunes, actually sandboarding.

Everything here is awesome and I am completely exhausted going into the second half of our Middle East trip.  Next up 14 hours of bus rides, train rides, a ferry ride around the Sinai Peninsula, and more bus rides into Jordan.

Sorry no pictures yet

Cairo first 5 days

Sorry but quick updates due to the time constraints here on the internet

The following are messages from the other side of the world. 

Arrived in Cairo Friday at 2 in the morning.  The experience of the city was enough to confirm that I was in another country.  Traffic, crazy streets, old buildings.

Quick weekly overview:

Saturday was spent roaming the streets and meeting the people

Sunday we went to Garbage City and the Ministry of Charity orphanage, then walked up the hill to the St Simon’s Monastery  

Monday we went to the Cairo Museum and spent the second half of the day with more roaming of the streets and meeting people.

Today we just came back from the Pyramids at Giza, and hung out with the people at Giza.  Camels are dirty and smelly, but awesome!!!

More details to come with pictures – when we get back to Hawaii

Stay tuned for more updates

The 10/40 Window

"The 10/40 window is located from 10 degrees to 40 degrees north of the equator.  It includes North Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia.  There are 65 nations in this window and we believe 45 are surfable.  A goal of Surfing the Nations is to create a new awareness of this region and present a strong challenge to this generation of surfers to GO!  Surfers are awakening and seeing that this is truly a hidden window of opportunity.  Yes, there's great sacrifice and cost to pay but the rewards will be great...We believe surfing is one of God's creative tools to capture the heart's of this generation for the purpose of changing lives.  Can a small group of committed surfers help change the world?  Yes!"   - Surfing the Nations Newsletter, Sept 2005

With Surfing the Nations targeting every surfable nation (a nation with its boundaries on an ocean) in this generation, we will be traveling to the Middle East.  Egypt, Jordan, and Israel.  Yes there is no surf in Jordan, but there are deserts of sand dunes for sandboarding.  And yes there is awesome surf in Egypt and Israel.

And now we are off for the Middle East.  We won't be seeing the Hawaiian islands until Dec 22.  We will miss you, but are excited to see you soon.

Feeding the Hungry

One in five Hawaii residents suffers from hunger.  

As surfer's giving back, we provide Oahu's largest and most dependable food distributions. Once a week we work with the Food Bank of Hawaii to distribute food to families in Kalihi.  Families who otherwise might not have the ability to provide food for their children.

This week we were blessed with an abundant amount of food.  I've been with Feeding the Hungry for 2 months and yesterday greeted us with the most food.  The people were glad for it.

 

There are regulars I have gotten to know just by talking with on a weekly basis.  Families that I can get to know.  There are some amazing stories of people struggling to earn money to bring their family to Hawaii.  One gentleman by the name of "Tino" told me he has been working for years providing money to his wife and kids in the Philippines.  The food he receives at our distributions are a blessing.

Amazing things are happening in Hawaii, and to be apart of it is simply eye-opening.  You can be apart of this change.  Check out Feeding the Hungry

Wahiawa + Music + Neon colors = Great times

 

Follow the music and neon colors on Halloween Eve night and you might have stumbled across a raging party.  And by party I mean a group of really, really cool people hanging out.  And by raging I mean bumping music and lots of dancing.

Our high school ministry, Ignite, hosted our first outreach event on Friday night.  An art show with music and plenty of neon colors.  Kids followed the music and came in off the streets.  Where one might only find drugs, drinking, and strip clubs on a Friday night, Surfing the Nations was a positive environment for these kids.  

Eukarezt was there.  A local christian artist, displayed his talents and inspired the kids with his graffiti-art.

I love event planning.  Putting on art shows or music shows is a passion I have.  I love organizing things like this.  Especially when the event is catered to kids as cool as them.  Being able to have fun in a alcohol/drug free environment.  Having fun without caring what others think of you.  Showing others that you can be cool and have fun without alcohol or drugs.  What a way to live.  What a way to reach out to the younger generations.  

Keep your eyes and ears peeled for future events.  I have a feeling that this won't be the last and our Wahiawa bar will be the place to be on a Friday night or Saturday night on this side of the island.  Just a thought.

Passion in action

Haleiwa Beach Park played host to a very unique church this past Sunday.  Once a Month Church is held on the last Sunday of every month and caters to the house-less of Hawaii.  Buses were rolling in full of families from the Waianae coast and North Shore of Oahu.  As a part of Surfing the Nations, I took part as a volunteer for the church service, probably one of the most humbling experiences of my life.

Once a Month Church provides a church service for people who are not always accepted in other conventional churches.  There are free raffle prizes including food, bags of rice, toiletries and other necessities.  And of course lunch is provided.  

One of the most unique parts of Once a Month Church is the offering/tithe portion of the service.  At most churches when the offering is passed around, people place money inside.  As Once a Month Church caters to the house-less of Hawaii, instead of asking them to place money in the offering everyone receives an offering from the church.  


As I finish up my second month here at Surfing the Nations, I am truly grateful for everything that God has done in my life.  To be able to see His work in action here at Haleiwa was amazing.

Menehune beach bum boogie

With the Maui/Lanai team and Bangladesh team back home, we are all resting and planning for the next outreach. Surfing Middle East. The next international outreach is planned for Egypt, Jordan, and Israel. I am really excited for what is being planned for the trip. We will be holding the 2nd annual Aloha Surf Classic in Alexandria, Egypt, our biggest outreach of the trip. There will also be sandboarding lessons in the Jordanian desert and more surfing on the Mediterranean coast of Israel. As we near the trip dates we are continuing to fund-raise and plan more outreaches.

Meanwhile on the North Shore, we took part in the Menehune Surf Contest. We helped put on the event as the clean-up crew and beach clean-up coordinators. The entire event was successful, even though the waves were small. All of the kids had a blast. There were kids as young as 5 years old surfing the waves. It was awesome to help out with a surf contest, as it was my first time attending a surf contest. What also made my day was meeting and talking with Jack Johnson. Great day.

Shout out to my Lanai peeps

This trip has been one of God's work. I have been busy from day one. Now wrapping up Lanai, I see how much God has moved on these islands. It is amazing to be apart of everything. When we arrived to Lanai, it was full of projects and work. We were responsible for construction that would hopefully bring a church closer to completion. King's Chapel Lanai is a new church that holds its services out of the Lanai high school cafeteria. During construction, I felt like Jesus as a carpenter. It was hard work, but completely worth it. It was so fulfilling to see the fruits of our labor.

We also helped out with their beach ministry during their monthly movie night. The movie was awesome, Ratatouille. It was awesome watching a movie under a full moon. Seeing how much a church with a heart for God can accomplish. As simple as it was, and as meager as it may have seemed, God was present and even the visitors enjoyed the entire night.

Seeing how much happened was amazing. Seeing the works in people's lives. The children here were awesome. They had that child-like faith and spiritual maturity people often strive for. They all were an inspiration to me. The love they had in their hearts. It was refreshing to see this love in people, families, children, churches, and an entire island.

"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Luke 12:34

Maui journal entry

A journal entry of the events on our third day in Maui...


26 September 2009

"Woke up. Surfing day. Today we will surf Lahaina.

"Ate breakfast at 7:30. They made oatmeal with fresh lilikoi. The lilikoi we picked yesterday was fresh. I ate leftover pizza from the high school youth group meeting last night. 2 cheese pizzas. Coffee was delicious.

"After breakfast did my devotional. God put Luke 9:62 on my heart. "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God." He is continually stressing this call of missions on my life. I need to follow Him 100%. Turn from the past. Prayer was good. Asked for waves to surf.

"We loaded up the cars with the boards. All 10 boards. Drove to Lahaina. Had to stop a couple of times to fix the board straps. Got to Lahaina. Weather was beautiful. Surf was nice. We had 2 hours to surf. Jumped in the water. Got pummeled on the inside. Figured out the break. Got pummeled again. Caught a couple fun sets. some of the Swedes caught some nice waves.

"Came in for lunch. Ate under a large banyan tree. Had our bible study with some Hawaiian music playing in the background. Left to get some iced coffee. Coffee was very good. Put the boards back on the car. Drove back to Kihei. Put the boards away. Picked up Ellin. She stayed back cause she was sick. Prayed for her.

"Left for Paia. Drove on the sugar cane road. The air smelt really bad. Got to Paia. The town was really cool. Went to look at some waves at Hookipa, Maui's big wave spot. Waves were pretty big. I wouldn't have went out. The water was too cold and the current was too strong.

"Met a cool kid Hanalei. He hung out with us. We ate dinner at Paia town. We went around town to sticker slap Surfing the Nations stickers. Ate a spanikopita from Mana Market, a cool health food store. Ate my food with the girls at a crepe restaurant.

"Met a lady Gloria. We took her home to Kihei. Looked like she needed some love. Hung out at home. Funny how this seems like home now. Played guitar. Played drums. Drank warm spiced cider. Thank you Kat. Watched TV. Fell asleep. God was awesome all day. God is awesome always. Awesome day."

Surfing, Hiking, Thunderbirds, and God

This past weekend was filled with catching up with some needed time off and fun. Work here at STN is not intense work, nothing compared to a grueling day at the office, however it still takes a toll on me physically.

So we decided to adventure to Stairway to Heaven. Woke up at 3:30am and drove out to Haiku. Waking up early was worth it as we were treated with a beautiful sunrise. 90 minutes up, 60 minutes down and by 8:00am we were about ready to take a long nap. God is so awesome. The beauty in this world, the sunrises He paints every morning, the flowers He creates and how He places them in the highest mountain tops. Just being able to take it all in and enjoy it. Upplev den vackra naturen.


Sunday was an experience in itself. I spent most of the mid-day with the family. With the AAF Thunderbirds in town we were treated with a spectacle of aerial acrobatics and modern engineering. The capabilities of the pilots and the stunts that they were able to preform were amazing. I was in awe.

Then, midway through the aerial show, the funniest thing occurred. I was watching two of the solo pilots maneuver through the air climbing vertically at speeds beyond that of sound, then two sparrows flew in front of my face. The grace and intensity of their flight. The beauty and ferocity all in an animal weighing in no more than 100 grams. It was as if God was watching me amazed at technology created by man then all of a sudden was like, "you think that's amazing, then check this out! I made this with the snap of my finger. It can not only fly and dive at the same intensity of your F-16's, it can think for itself and only needs a few seeds to fuel itself." At that moment I was instantly humbled in awe of His awesomeness.

God is so great.

Surfing Bangladesh?

At the moment, I am not on my way to Bangladesh. A couple of things had not panned out as planned and as a result the Surfing Bangladesh team is leaving on the 18th without me. For good or for bad. It may not seem fair, how things turn out. I pictured everything turning out much differently. As I sit here, while the team prepares to go to Bangladesh, I'm only feeling like I am being left behind. There should have been something that I could have done more so that I could go. Why am I not going?

I took a look back at Ezekiel, "the Lord will judge you according to your own deeds." The people of Israel felt as if God had deserted and forsaken them. Every one of them felt like they were being judged unfairly. Yet God is always just. I need to trust that everything happens for a reason. That there is always a reason. I need to be thankful for everything that is in my life now.

Plan A: International visas go through as planned, and all of my flights are paid in full by the 18th. I set foot on a flight to Bangladesh. Return to Hawaii on October 22nd.

Plan B: International visas do not get approved. I remain in Hawaii working with Surfing the Nations. Fly to Maui on the inter-island outreach trip. Help to rebuild a church

Either way check out the video gum for my boat. It is a great documentary on the video circuit about the work that Surfing the Nations is doing in Bangladesh. This movie will be premiering in a number of film festivals and should be available to the public next year.

First work day

After a nice weekend off...back to work

In the Waianae coast there are numerous shelters for children and programs for at-risk-kids. STN has partnered up with one such organization. Teaching children to surf. Utilizing their innate talents and teaching them life skills at the same time. It's amazing to see the opportunities that are available to children these days, and it's even more amazing to be a part of it.

I don't remember how hard it was to learn how to surf. But teaching it brought it all back. The uncertainty of the water, the power of the waves, the endurance needed to paddle at every moment. It was so amazing to be able to impart some sort of wisdom, the little wisdom I have on surfing. It was even more amazing to see the looks on their faces after catching a wave. The utter joy surfing can to a person.

I look forward to heading back next week to continue our excellent surfing lessons, and I promise to bring better teaching skills.

Busy weekend

Moving in, meeting people, cooking food, learning Swedish, fixing surfboards, killing roaches...phew. This first weekend was busy (an understatement of the century). Moving in to the Ohai St apartments was an experience in itself. Surfing the Nations now resides in the heart of Wahiawa on one of the most dangerous streets in Oahu and now owns one of the oldest bars in Oahu.
Right off the bat, we were setting up for Uncle Tom's 60th birthday party. Tom Bauer, the co-founder of Surfing the Nations, is quite possibly the most down-to-earth man I have ever met. And putting together his surprise 60th birthday party was awesome.
Starting Tuesday, I begin serving with Feeding the Hungry. Feeding the Hungry is a great charity that provides the largest regular food distribution service on the island. It feels so great to be a part of something awesome.
Pictures and details to come.
Happy 60th Uncle Tom!!!

Two years earlier...

Somehow I found myself flying with a planeload of surfers, surfers on a mission. Our mission was Bali. Coincidentally this trip was to be the 10th anniversary of the first Surfing Bali trip. It would also end up being the largest mission with over 100 surfers moving through the streets of Kuta Beach. All in all Surfing Bali 2007 would turn out to be flat out awesome.


I did not know what to expect. Had I known the sunsets at Nusa Lembongan would have been half as beautiful, I might have took more pictures. Had I known the people would have been so genuine and caring, I might have taken more time to learn their language. Had I known that God would have touched so many lives, I might have prayed more.


But I didn't know this ahead of time. I found all of this out as soon as I stepped foot off of the plane. What lay ahead of me was only an adventure waiting to be discovered. The friends I have made from places I never thought I would have visited will never be forgotten. I can only imagine what is in store for me in the adventures to come, where I might end up, and who I might meet. Only He knows.

Bali ended up being life-changing experience with the promise of more to come. Where will He lead me next?

Skydiving is for idiots, who jumps out of a perfectly good plane for fun?

I now sit at the threshold of a new chapter in my life. One that promises great adventure and life-changing experiences. Still I find myself nervous, anxious, and a little hesitant. I think it's the first step or the leap of faith that one dreads.

Imagine skydiving. The hardest part is not the falling thousands of feet at terminal velocity, its the first step. The initial leap of faith, hoping that the the parachute was packed properly and that you land at the designated destination, is the hardest part. After taking that first step, everything just happens as a consequence of the initial leap of faith. Like a chain reaction, you don't have to concern yourself with falling, gravity takes care of that for you. Pulling the rip-cord is nearly instinctual. The parachute opens on command with minimal effort. Landing just happens because the ground is always beneath your feet. The only thing that required a bit of confidence was jumping out of the plane.

The leap of faith. Knowing that He has a plan and a purpose for everything that I do in my life. Understanding that I have little control over the future. Trusting that He will always provide and would not let me fall.

This journey began several years earlier in Indonesia with a voice in my heart calling me to this lifestyle. This leap of faith that finds me jumping out of my plane, a comfortable lifestyle, and lead me to the far reaches of the world.

Next stop Bangladesh...