Breakfast starts at 7 am with the crew. Conversations around the breakfast table consist of topics ranging from funny and interesting to sometimes gross and debatable. The common thread with all of these: everyone is welcome to participate.
Laughter can be heard throughout the campus when punchlines are given and people find a common bond.
It’s the comfort of knowing that regardless of nationality, tribe, culture and family, everyone has a place at Ships.
For the long term volunteer staff, living in a mostly transient community can get tiring with the constant hellos and goodbyes, but in the midst of it is people coming together to learn about God and grow in Him.
As breakfast wraps up, then the tasks of the day are about to begin. We, as a community, share fun facts and jokes to start the day off right. Often times, those things are humorous, other times, interesting.
When the day officially starts, everyone scatters to their designated roles. Our campus has various jobs: housing, hospitality, maintenance, communications, IT, training, administration, and the like. Just to name a few. Each task is important and each has its own set of challenges.
When we have morning break and lunch, it’s a great time to reconnect with our fellow volunteers and enjoy good food.
One thing that is truly amazing is that throughout our days, when a personal crisis arises, the community gathers and walks with us through our troubles. There’s a sense of knowing that we are a team, a crew. We are made up of all different kinds of people: young, old, single, married, and families.
Our diversity is not bound by just one place, it stretches far beyond what the eye can see.
When you sit down with anyone who is a part of our Ships community, you’ll be intrigued to hear how they arrived at our campus. No two stories are the same and each person’s journey is a testimony to who God is.
Some of the crew have made a commitment to volunteer for an extended period of time, some will join us only for a season. Some will work in their giftings, while others are figuring out what theirs is. Joining Ships can be a turning point in people’s lives.
Just imagine waking up everyday and knowing that what you are doing that day has an impact in the lives of those around you and those abroad.
If YWAM’s Mission is, “To know God and make Him known,” than what better place to be doing that than at YWAM Ships Kona? Living here gives you the opportunity to learn, grow, and serve. Not to mention the added bonus of living with people from many different cultures and walks of life.
Every 3 months a new batch of students arrive at Ships that are willing go deeper with God. The Ships crew make it a point to pour into their lives and to help facilitate the growth that God has for them.
Hawaii is a beautiful place, filled with beaches, palm trees, waterfalls, and volcanoes. There’s peace here. It’s a great mix of finding a place to relax as well as enjoying the beauty around you.
As a long term volunteer staff member, there’s an opportunity to connect with the culture and people. The mission field is wherever God places you. Living here long term can mean making a difference in this community.
We know that we can’t do this alone, nor would we want to.
Won’t you join us? Come for a season, stay for awhile.
By Jaime Gomez
Port YWAM Kona Communications Staff
Interested in knowing more? Contact us. We’d love to chat!
[ess_grid alias=”bottom-blog-grid-stories”]
More posts:
May 8, 2021
Following God’s lead (Goodbye Ships)
How do I say goodbye to a family that I’ve...Read More
March 26, 2021
God Speaks in the Most Unusual Places
I was in awe for most of the session. Apart...Read More
March 20, 2021
The Icebreaker
It was the YWAM Liberty’s first outreach in Bougainville, an...Read More