During the week of August 14-19, both Chris Bruno and Deacon Dawson visited Fr. Jason Hill and our sister church on Maui - Kingsfield Anglican. The goal of the trip was to pray, listen, and see what ways we can partner with Kingsfield to best minister the Gospel to the people of Maui after this terrible fire.
It was an eye opening trip. Lahaina is virtually an ash heap. As I was told, they will spend another month looking for human remains, then allow residents to go in and collect what remnants of items they can find, then they have to bulldoze and scrape the soil down to a clean level. That will all take 4-6 months. The soil and water is toxic because appliances, motor oil, paint, and air conditioners have all been incinerated into the ground. No one will be doing any construction for 6 months - 1 year at the quickest.
Shelters are emptying out. Displaced folks are: 1) In shelters if they were previously homeless or undocumented immigrants without access to FEMA aid. Lots of folks in Lahaina fit this bill, and they have it rough. 2) Living in hotel rooms paid by FEMA for the next year. 3) Shacking up with friends/family on Maui or elsewhere while they find a new rental home 4) Piling into the surviving homes in Lahaina. I heard stories of up to 40 people sleeping in one house just so they can be close to their people. This is not unexpected in rural Hawaii. Ohana is super thick and no one wants to leave or be alone. Many folks will live like this until they rebuild. Sad and also admirable and a recipe for domestic violence. All that to say, the shelters are not where most ministry will take place, because they won’t be around for that long.
Nearly every large parking lot on Maui has been co-opted for emergency supply distribution. You just walk up and take what you need, no questions asked. I saw many 6 foot high pallets of canned goods and diapers. This will sustain folks for a few weeks, but there was very little traffic in most of these areas. There is a glut of dry goods and way too many volunteers standing around without anything to do. They will clear out in the next week or so. I imagine it will all slow down rather quickly, that's already been the pattern.
We met with a group called Reach Global who consults with churches to do disaster response, and they were incredibly insightful and wise. They encouraged us not to focus on physical needs only - FEMA and Red Cross are way better at that. Instead, churches should play to their strengths: spiritual, social, emotional needs. And especially over the long term, after the temporary volunteers leave, this will be crucial. The strategy recommended to us, and what we plan to do, is to pursue relationships with key Lahaina folks we know who will be integral in the rebuild. One is a woman named Annie who is temporarily living with a Kingsfield parishioner. She's a Christian counselor in Lahaina already doing therapy counseling for survivors. Another is a guy named Kimo Clark who owns a construction company. Look him up on social media and GoFundMe. Bona fide hero. Kimo and his employees saved hundreds of homes and dozens of people by using construction water sprayers to clear paths in the flames for folks to drive out. I heard multiple of my longtime Maui contacts verify Kimo's story.
For now, we are holding off on any projects or trips for relief. I felt like I was getting in the way of the first responders, though they were very polite and kind to us and I was able to pray with several of them. We will pursue relationships with Annie, Kimo, and other Mauians and be ready to act when the rebuilding starts, or as they communicate needs that they see. Our instinct is to act now (that's why I went so soon!). But it's much more strategic to be a long-term presence and work through individual people we know. The day will come when our hands can be set to the plough, so we prepare with prayer and fasting to respond to that call.
Please keep praying daily. I heard harrowing stories of children calcified in their parents’ arms…Pompei-level stuff. Schools were shut the day of fire because of power outage and they think most casualties are children and elderly who were at home and unable to run. Many people drowned trying to swim away from flames in toxic water. It's a 9-11 status disaster with a possible thousand deaths once the count is complete. Pray for emotional healing for those that lost or witnessed death. Pray for a return to normal life. Pray for economic dollars to flow into Maui to provide new jobs. Pray for quick and robust insurance settlements. Pray for hearts that are softened to the hope of the Gospel. Pray for opportunities and relationships through the people of Kingsfield. Pray for Sabbath rest and Solomonic wisdom at Kingsfield as they are ambassadors for Christ to their neighbors
Despite all the very real tragedy, God is still on the throne, and he isn't surprised by any of this. He has a plan and a way to bring His Kingdom through it, but it is tough to swallow. As a Kingsfield parishioner put it, “everyone on Maui is about 30 seconds away from crying at all times.” We believe and proclaim that God will deliver us, even if we can’t see it right now.