BASIC Action Ohana Group

I just wanted to write a few things about the KCC Christmas Day caroling activity.
Mark Gallagher, the principal of Kaimuki Christian School, was very adept at directing the 25 + volunteers who showed up at church that day in terms of labeling the donated gifts by age/gender groups. We also shared a bit before we left for the Salvation Army facility. Many people, like myself, were first-time participants. (Ann was there, also Danny and his wife Carmen, Pastor Cal, Michael, etc.) After we reached the facility on 22nd Avenue, we sat among the mothers there and sang Christmas carols together. After each song, Mark asked if anyone wanted to share any thoughts. A few of them had been homeless over the past months, so they expressed their thanks for being in a safe and cheerful environment.

In addition there were a few family members visiting that day. One man said that he had been so worried over the past year about his daughter because he and his wife did not know where she was and she had not been in contact with them. A KCC participant who I don’t know well shared that she too had been in a drug rehab program in the recent past and expressed her hope that the moms living there would benefit from the counseling there.

I hope we can do some other kind of service activity in the near future at that place, maybe in the evening. There are a total of 36 moms staying there, 24 in the intensive drug rehab program. All of them have babies or toddlers living with them. Well, that is all I wanted to say for now.

Wow, starting a new job is stressful. I can’t believe what I have to learn; those things that the job entails, people’s names and personalities, projects that needs to be completed. But let me tell ya, starting a new job near Christmas, well, that’s just a bit insane. And Christmas, it just came sprinting into my life.

Christmas, tis the season to be, but it wasn’t for me. I wasn’t ready for it. I barely got gifts wrapped and passed out. To top it all, I got really sick Christmas Eve. I just spent it sleeping.

So, I almost missed Christmas. But thankfully, I woke feeling better. I had a chance to talk with some friends and eat with my Mom. God may or may not have had a hand in making me feel better today. I just want to thank Him for letting me know that it was never too late to enjoy Christmas.

So with the hours waning on this Christmas day, I wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas.

Here is another Christmas project by Ming:

The Saint Nick Project is an exercise in love. We are called to love our neighbors and in this particular exercise, we do so by making care packages and delivering them to the homeless. The care packages are assembled in the week prior to delivery, an on Christmas Eve, like St. Nick, we deliver them to our recipients late at night!

Although this is a “Christian” project, we welcome any and all. All we ask is that participants respect one another. If any problems arise, please let Ming or Matt know about it.
We believe we are doing what’s right, to bring hope and warmth to our recipients who often have little of both. However, in the end, we believe that our participants will be the ones who benefit the most. Our intent is to help our volunteers to develop the eyes and heart of Jesus…meaning we become more aware of those in need and we do something about it. This is not about placating our guilt, but rather, to help shape a lifestyle of helping others.

I was talking today with Mark Gallagher, the Kaimuki Christian School principal. Over the past many years, he had been organizing a Christmas Day caroling activity, visiting the Salvation Army facilities on 22nd Avenue near the Kaimuki Avenue intersection. He mentioned that it would be nice to revive this activity.

In the past, people would gather around 10 am on Christmas Day at church and then go over to 22nd Avenue. In preparation, people wrapped simple gifts for the toddlers whose moms are at the facilities. As I mentioned earlier, there are 2 groups of women there; 12 are in the beginning drug rehab program and must stay all the time there. There is a second group of 12 women with kids who have finished rehab and are in a transitional stage on the way to independent living. So, this group is free to go outside within rules. I will be contacting the Salvation Army chaplain to get a clear idea of what we can do. I’ll try to keep it simple…

I’m enclosing information on the number of children and moms that reside at the Salvation Army Kaimuki facilities.

There are 24 moms in the beginning rehab program, which means they must be there all the time.

There are 12 moms in the transitional program, which means they can go outside based on certain rules.

Some moms have more than 1 child.

If you can’t join us on Christmas Day for caroling at the Salvation Army facility, (we plan to meet at church around 10 am to sort the gifts), please feel free to bring a present to church ahead of time. We will have a box placed for that activity by the worship center soon.

Mahalo!!

AGE             BOY  	GIRL  	SUBTOTAL

Unborn 	        5 	4 	9
0 - 5 months 	8 	4 	12
6 - 12 months 	4 	4 	8
1 - 3 years 	5 	7 	12

Total children 	22 	19 	41

MOMS 	                	36

Hi…

It has been a while since this blog has been published. Since the last post, there has been some changes in my life, and I let the blog slip into oblivion. So, without further ado, I’d like to begin to revive this blog. I plan on changing the look of this blog as well as the content. I will comment further about my thoughts and desires for this blog, but suffice it to say at this moment that this blog will be more of a journal of the journey about the friendships being developed in this Ohana. Here, I want to put down the success and failures of trying to live the Kingdom life that God has so wondrously given us, together.

So, for the handful of you faithful readers out there, thanks for coming along this journey and guiding me with your wisdom. I look forward to living the Kingdom life with you.