Happy Thanksgiving!

Good morning everyone, and Happy Thanksgiving! It is a big day here in the States!
Mission Builders, like myself, work all day in the kitchen so that staff and students can have the day off. My shift is from 9:45 - 3:00. Others were in the kitchen at 5:15!
Yesterday in the kitchen they were roasting 64 big turkeys (the birds, not us, although sometimes in there it feels like we are being roasted too. Uffda....shouldn't complain about the heat when back home it is -28, but.....)

Today I am thankful for an abundance of things, first of all, Jesus, who died for me, and loves me! And who loves all of you too and wants the best for all of us.
I am also thankful for.....
my wonderful family and friends
my church back home
KidFEST families and teachers
doves cooing outside my window
new friends that I have made here
friends that I am seeing again
finding friends that know my friends, (connections all over the place!)
underwater wonders that I can see while snorkelling
the ocean view out the window where I work and live
plumerias and hibiscus everywhere I look
the beautiful sunset and lightning storm we experienced a week ago up the biggest
mountain in the world, Mauna Kea
my Hawaiian friend, Jolee who lent me her convertible so I could get to hula worship
last Monday night at a church aways away
Macdonalds just 2 minutes away, where I will probably get my breakfast this morning
since I chose not to go to the base to eat
singing Christmas carols while we cut up veggies etc. in the kitchen
waving my flags at our Mission Builder worship time on Tues. evenings
group trips to WalMart on Wed. nights
sun and surf
quiet moments to read (rare but much needed)
an invitation from 2 young gals to join them for smoothies yesterday at lunch down
by the water

.....the list is endless!! So off I go to help serve well over a thousand people for Thanksgiving dinner today! I AM blessed to have 2 Thanksgivings! God is so good and so very faithful to his children, whether they be in Canada, Norway, Korea, US (Hawaii, etc.) Germany, Switzerland, etc.

Fifth Day Here!

It seems like I never left....except all the Mission Builder faces are different, and many staff here too. But I am getting to know people, and again, they are all wonderful.
Today I have.....cut up meat with young German girls, and a young man from Alaska, and some others, while singing "Winter Wonderland".
I have danced with them while they chopped meat!
I have been to the beach and floated on a boogie board while watching all the tourists from the cruise ship line up to get back on for their dining supper.
I have vacuumed termites in the free thrift store (called the Boutique) where I am working in the afternoon.
I have listened, at 6:15 in the morning, to a woman from Ontario give her testimony. Actually she and her husband and daughter were here in Nov. 2008 when I was here so a few faces were familiar when I arrived.
I am watching the sun lower in the sky while I blog....beautiful oranges and pinks.
I listened to rain falling in the night, heavy rain!
I have met people here to help with the 50th Anniv. of YWAM the end of the month.
And now I am meeting some new friends to go out for supper to a place called "Oceans".
God is faithful to me and has helped me to feel his presence here, and in those I meet. I want to grow closer to Him.
Blessings to you all. I am thinking of you, especially those at home at Messiah who are able to go to the Skye Family concert tonight from PEI! Fiddling and dancing and singing.....sounds great....and the gospel shared.
Until next time, Aloha!

On the Countdown!

Two nights from tonight, I will be settled into my dorm room in Kona, with my 2 new roommates! Seems hard to believe. I got a call from the coordinator on Monday, and when I asked, he told me that I will be working at the GO center again ( a hotel for guests and guest speakers) and that I am also on the YWAM's 50th Anniv. Project crew! Not sure what that means but it sounds exciting!
I have most of my Children's Ministry work at church in order for when I am away, including the Christmas program.
I am also "almost" packed!
Kara will take me to the airport on Friday morning.
Next weekend, Jesse will be in Paris (with a couple of Edmonton friends he has made at the Univ. of Oslo), Len will be visiting Amy and Jeremiah in Toronto, I will be in Hawaii, and Kara will be in charge at home! Quite the travellers!
A couple of weeks ago I found a verse that I have decided to take as my personal verse for my time in Kona, Psalm 138:8 "The Lord will perfect that which concerns me. Your mercy, O Lord, endures forever."
Hopefully I will be able to find a few minutes on a free computer on campus to add some more blogs off and on!
I'll miss everyone and will be praying for you, at home, at Messiah, those I hold dear in so many places.
Blessings, Marlys

Gail and Phil's 50th birthday party!

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