Los Angelas and Hawaii:
A God-thing, by Johannes Wagner
We are privileged that the world ticket that we have takes us through some countries/places that wasn’t originally part of the set ministry countries: USA, Los Angeles was one of these.
We had this great “intermission” period of two days in LA to just observe and off course this is the ultimate grounds for a CHALLENGE (adventure race)...
We stayed in this really cool backpacker’s hotel, called “Adventurer” that has so much free stuff: Free breakfast, dinner, internet, airport shuttle service etc. When I found the place in research while preparing for the journey, I e-mailed the front desk with a request for a quotation different than what is fixed on the website. He replied that the rate is $19.00 p.p. without tax (because everything in USA is charged without tax). I mailed him again and asked what the rate is with tax and he replied: $17.10... Doesn’t make sense huh? Of course this was no common mistake; it was our King making provision for us to be able to fit a nice place to stay into our budget! This is what we ended up paying instead of $23.00 p.p. That saved us app. $6 p.p. for two nights! Praise the Lord!
The one full day we had in LA, we used for a Challenge. The team was very suspect of this, but we were still able to surprise them somewhat as suppose to what exactly it entailed. We divided them into 3 groups of 3 and me and Marisa being the 4th group. This was the same groups that they would be doing LUKE10, of course they didn’t know that at the time. Here are some of the things they had to do...
& nbsp;
It started with eating an onion, raw garlic and egg between the 3 of them. One (white) egg was supposed to be decorated as a 4th member of the team and needed to tell a truly South African joke to a local Californian... This team member was part of the whole Challenge. We sent them to Hollywood, which is a suburb of LA to find “Rippley’s believe it or not”, find some stars on the paving of the “walk of fame”, take pictures of the Hollywood mountain etc. Me and Marisa also part took in the Challenge and saw the “museum of the Guinness world records” and the “Hollywood wax museum”.
From there they had to swim at the Venice beach, take pictures at the Santa Monica pier, and do something interesting in Beverly Hills. All these places are quite far from each other!
One part of the Challenge was a Take 5 pop-quiz:
Let’s see if you know some of the answers...
· How many presidents have governed USA? Who was the 1st and who was the 24th?
· How many states are currently in America? Which state was the first? What’s the correlation between the USA flag and states?
· Are the next 3 statements true or false:
# It costs more to buy a new car today in the USA than it cost Christopher Columbus to equip and undertake 3 voyages to the new world.
# The USA has never lost a war in which mules were used
# Only two people – John Hancock and Charles Thomson – signed the Declaration of Independence on July 4 in 1776. Most of the rest signed on August 2, but the last signature wasn’t added until 5 years later.
The clock stopped at the Griffith’s observatory on a mountain overlooking all of LA. This was such a beautiful display of the HUGE city; the lights went as far as you could see... The observatory is also a place where they display in the most amazing ways, the galaxy. Now, if you enjoyed Louise Giglio’s “indescribable”, this place would blow your mind. We only got back at the backpackers after 12pm to be leaving again to the airport at 5am.
A little tired we flew to the island of Ohao, one of the islands of Hawaii and probably the most popular one. The focus here was to debrief our journey up to this point, for we have just crossed the halfway mark and then... LUKE10.
Arriving in Honolulu International, we were stranded, because it was Wednesday and on Wednesdays and Thursdays there is no camping in Hawaii. We naturally wanted to camp, because we couldn’t afford even a hostel – the cheapest one being over $30. 3 pioneers went on an expedition to first of all get the permits needed to camp at two different locations in Honolulu, for there is City parks in which one is allowed to camp on weekends and State parks in which one can camp all night, only not on Wednesdays and Thursdays. The third category of camping was private campsites – this being our foreland for the first two nights...
After a few hours we had the permits for the rest of our time and were on our way back to the airport to figure out how to get to the NORTH SHORE, where the private campsite was situated. We met a lady, Joanne on the local public bus, who, just by chance travelled on this bus, because she actually had a car. We were quickly experiencing that God is teaching us from the beginning of our LUKE10 country, that He is able to provide and WILL provide, because not long into our simple conversation with Joanne, she invited us to camp at her humble house being not far from the private camp site where we were supposed to go, also by the sea! This saved us $160! And it allowed us to take a shuttle bus to her house. Joanne turned out to be a Christian and teaching at a Christian primary school. We are so grateful for her generosity.
The next day she took us to the private camp site and we stayed there for the last day of 2009, 31 December! Most of the team decided not to go to the famous Waikiki beach for new year fireworks and such; we wanted a family feeling. 3 of us went out to the nearest town, Haleiwa to buy food for our last supper celebration of the year. A lady, Joyce picked us up alongside the road, for it was about 8miles (+/- 14km) to Haleiwa from the camp site. She also found us on our way back after grocery shopping for nice tenderized meat to prepare a traditional South African braai (barbeque)!
But before returning I quickly sent an email from a wifi coffee shop while Jakes and Zania tried to find petrol for our MSR stove. They asked a bus driver about taxi’s going from Turtle bay where there is also some fireworks at night and when the bus driver told them the price and they responded by saying it was a little expensive, the only guy on the bus, overhearing the conversation, followed them and gave them $12! Now the interesting thing is that we overspent on our food budget for the braai, by $11!
God has now provided for us in the 3 main categories of travel:
FOOD, TRAVEL and ACCOMODATION!
New year’s day we travelled to the EAST SIDE of the island where we were about to stay for 2 nights. On our way to the bus station, we divided into our small groups, to hitch a ride to there, because again it was 8miles (+/- 14km). Another lady, Laurie picked me and Marisa up and took us to the town of Mililano. We had a great half an hour with her talking about our Hawaiian journey up to thus far. From Mililano we took the bus that took us to the City beach park, Bellows.
We spent the following day going through our journals and reflecting on the past 44 days that God has taught us and walked with us. At the night of the 3rd of January we made a bond fire and discussed LUKE10 – what it is, what it isn’t, what our Lord wants to do with us (how He wanted to use us). Now you can go and read LUKE10 yourself. For me it was emphasized that Jesus sent out 72 disciples to places WHERE HE HIMSELF WAS ABOUT TO GO...
The next morning then, it started! For 4 days and 4 nights the small teams were on their own, with no personal money or plan in particular.
Every group has a VERY special and unique testimony of how God led them, used them and taught them, but because it is my blog/testimony I’ll just briefly share on me and Marisa’s experience.
We only knew that we should go to church the Sunday morning it started. We went to the “Assembly of God” in Waimanola, the town closest to Bellows beach park. There we met awesome followers of Jesus and people that love Him dearly. Without being able to share with the congregation exactly who we are and what we are doing, one lady gave us $20 for lunch. Now I have to admit, after just having breakfast I was kind of nervous not having anything for lunch, haha and God surprised me!
We bought some bread and jelly (jam), because wanting to be good stewards and save some money for later; we didn’t go all out and spend the whole $20. Silly us! I now know better about this situation. God was giving us $20 for lunch, not for the 4days! I had such a closed mentality about God’s provision, so little faith. God was about to do something even bigger provision wise...
After church we went back to the camp site, took a nap and then decided to go jog. We went the opposite direction of the town to find an Air force base which we didn’t know of prior to this. This is a base with some 50 or so cabins, where Air force military personnel would come to rest or reside for holiday. In the base we found a place, by the “wishy washy“ with power-outlets and we decided to return later to charge our laptops and phones.
That night at the wishy washy, we met her... A lady that will as long as I live be in my heart:
Miss Julie Golden... She is about my mother’s age, and her first question to us was if we could catch the wireless. We started talking and after finding out about our 80 Days journey and really showing such sincere curiosity and interest, she responded to our story by offering us food, which we gladly accepted. She went to her cabin and brought us back some hot dogs and snacks, of which I am still eating as I am writing this, hehe.
While waiting for her clothes being washed we engaged in further conversation which led to her offering us a ride back to the camp site where our tents were still pitched. We again accepted the generosity. Throughout the conversation she also invited us to an outdoor show the Tuesday night. When we were in the car at our camp site, she kept asking if there is anything she can help us with... I asked her if we can maybe leave our big bags with her until we meet her Tuesday for the show, which led to her inviting us for breakfast the following morning.
That night, while looking at the starry host me and Marisa could not but respond to the King of Kings in absolute adoration and appreciation for the amazing, divine appointment that He sent us. We sang songs and prayed about what we needed to do next.
The next morning I went jogging again. Upon returning, Julie was already there and the police too... Haha, the police came just before her to tell us we should pack up our tents, for camping there was only allowed for weekends and it was Monday morning. Julie came to our rescue – just in time we could pack up and go with her. That morning we met another sweetheart, Jana!
Jana is Julie’s daughter, 24 years old and the last of 3 daughters. Though the other 2 daughters are perfectly healthy, Jana was born as a special child. Through the laughing and breakfast, we were invited to spend the day and the night with Julie and Jana. That day, the Monday, we went to Hanauma bay, a very beautiful place, where Julie treated us to a snorkeling experience.
After that we hiked hill where the lighthouse is and saw one the most beautiful panoramic views of the ocean and the East part of the Island. The evening we went to play mini golf in the Air force base and that such fun for Jana.
Julie and Jana are from Atlanta, Georgia in the US of A. They were on a two week holiday in Hawaii, a place they lived for 3 years in the 80’s and where Jana was actually born. Julie’s husband is a pilot and used to fly for the military, and that’s why they can stay at the Air force military base cabin. He, Julie’s husband now flies for Delta Airline. He is back in Atlanta and they came to Hawaii, and with purpose...
We spent the night with them. The next morning I was certain that this was where we were supposed to be. We had a nice farmer’s breakfast and headed out to see Hawaii. Julie showed us a great part of the coast. I had a desire to see Laurie again, the lady that picked us up when going to Bellows the first day, so we called her up and arranged a coffee date for the afternoon. We were so happy to see her; it felt like old friends meeting... We had a great conversation and were able to pray for her health which had undergone a challenge since a week prior to our meeting her. She had gone in for some tests the day before our coffee date and is awaiting results. We believe she is healed.
That night we went to see the show called “Tops in Blue, to dream”. This is actually just for the military, performed on the Hickam Air force base, next to Pearl Harbour, the Marine base of the US Army. It is an amazing musical performed for the 56th year, running, obviously each year with a fresh cast and script touring to over 20 countries with this performance.
We spent the night again and had our last day together... Up to this point we really got to know each other in a special and intimate friendship. We decided to go swimming with Jana. We went to the Air force military hotel pool, Ka Hone, or something like that and swam having a good time. Me and Marisa also got to climb Diamond head where you can see the whole of Honolulu and the ocean so blue. On the way back we stopped for the second time at the “Nuuanu Pali” lookout point with the most amazing scenery, even on the way.
The last night we didn’t sleep, we visited until about 2am with Julie and when she went to bed I finished my Guatemala letter. Then at about 4am Julie waked up again and then it came down to the highlight of our time together for me...
We were able to minister to her. Earlier in our stay there, one morning in solitude, I received a beautiful scripture for her and shared that with her. We gave Jana a scarf just as a gift, my Pathfinder T-shirt to Julie as a memento and the best gift of all, a Bible. We had been listening to Julie opening her heart and sharing her life with us and that were the time to respond to her opening up, by sowing Truth into her heart – that God is in control of her life, knows her and wants her to know Him. We closed our thanksgiving time in prayer for her and Jana.
I believe God’s reality is going to overwhelm the Golden family in such a way that they cannot deny His love, but respond to it in awe. He is more real than any hardship or difficulties we may encounter. And like LUKE10 says, Jesus Himself will go to them, dwell with them and invite them to walk with Him, because we were sent to them and they gladly RECEIVED us with generosity and kindness.
After that Julie and Jana took us to the Airport where we saw the team again for the first time in 4 days. It was a long 4 days to be away from each other, for all of us. We missed each other and with great excitement about what God did in/through each team separately, we flew out to Narita, Tokyo, Japan where we now are and from where I am writing this testimony.
So what happened in my heart during LUKE10 was plenty a thing.
To sum it all up, is that I came to know God as my Savior first, and then I grew in my relationship with Him to experience Him as Provider. But what I want to get at is to serve Him as LORD.
The word LORD in the Bible, in Greek is “kurios” (koo'-ree-os). From κῦρος kuros (supremacy); and means supreme in authority, that is, (as noun) controller; by implication Mr. (as a respectful title): - God, Lord, master, Sir.
This is not something that we can “make happen” – it happens when we SuBmiT and SurRendeR!
When we do this, the most amazing, supernatural (spiritual) thing happens... He actually gives us a NEW heart (feelings, the will and even the intellect; likewise for the centre of anything), a NEW spirit (life, character) and even above these He gives us HIS Spirit (please see Ezekiel 36, especially verse 25-27).
So for me, personally, hypothetically speaking – I am learning how to, not push open gates, or even open gates, which might not be locked (that means it is not completely out God’s will), but rather to WAIT on Him to open gates (that is in His timing and perfect will/way) and then just to walk through... I am pretty much like a sheep, waiting on the Shepherd to lead the way. For a long time since I met the Lord, I have MADE things happen, even IN and FOR the Kingdom. God has granted me grace in this and walked with me, but now I want to start walking with Him.. .
I don’t want to strive anymore (i.e. rely on personal ambition and discipline to inspire me and keep me going) – I just surrender.
Another example about what I am trying to say, is swimming: When you swim for distance or in deep water, you need to be “relaxed” in a sense and not swim to “hard” or else you grow tired too quickly. When you understand this, you can actually swim for much longer. People don’t really drown because they can’t swim, they drown because they get over anxious and go into panic, then they squirm (if that is the right word in English?) and grow too tired to swim, then drown... If you think about snorkelling; just by breathing you stay afloat... So technically, or biologically you should be able to float when you turn on your back and breathe...
I don’t know if you understand what I’m getting at?
God has given me peace of mind to not strive (be over anxious, panic) anymore, but wait on Him to show me even my immediate future, where I should go and what I should do. So the result is that I am not in worry about what I still need for CPx or any future mission: if it’s God’s will, it’s God’s bill.
May this testimony reside in your heart and may you make some part of it, if not all of it, your own.
Soli deo Gloria (To God be the Glory)
Johannes
Comments
Hey hey greetings from Latvians who you met in bus to Santa Monica. we would like to see those videos what you took with us. Hope you are safe and having blessed time..
Great Blog, Johannes. You are an excellent writer! Trying to follow the whole group through all the blogs. Keep up the good work and stay safe. Gods continued blessings as you continue to be a living example of His love and word.