I recently heard from a guy who works for a local pest control company that back in the day, the Ward-Kakaako area use to be one big marshland. Then investors and developers suddenly came in and built over it. However, this guy said that even though Kakaako has all these new high-rises, shops, and restaurants, it’s still sitting on soil that’s got all types of marsh like creatures running around in it. So whenever a new building goes up, everything scatters all over the place.
This got me thinking about the area God has placed our church, and not just that we’re sitting on a marsh. But although Kakaako is the new pride and joy of Honolulu, and it’s got artsy shops and several hipster foodie spots to choose from. Right in the midst of all of this are some spiritually dark and horrid things occurring each day. Things like human trafficking, coercion, abuse, and people in bondage.
Kakaako is no doubt the up and coming place, but it’s still got its shady spots too. This is one of the reasons why we’re launching a new ministry called Kukuilani that’s focused on sharing the love of Jesus Christ with women working in the sex industry in the area. The name Kukuilani means “heavenly light” (thanks Leah Siania for your research). Kukuilani captures the vision of this ministry in bringing the light of Christ into the dark places of the community God has placed us.
This is an exciting ministry, but it’s also a spiritually heavy undertaking. God can deliver these women without our help, but he’d rather bless us by empowering us to be part of his restoration on earth and see these lives transformed before our eyes. So we need you to be praying for this ministry: pray for the strip clubs and massage parlors in Kakaako and HNL, for the volunteer’s protection and well-being, and for these women to be reborn by Christ and to be rescued from this dark industry.
Also, please be praying for our covenant member, Julianne Stewart as she’ll be pioneering much of the ground work and training volunteers. And, be praying how God wants you to play a part in Kukuilani. Here’s a few ways to get involved:
- Prayer warriors — Pray pray pray!
- Outreach volunteers — developing relationships with women in the clubs and massage parlors
- Cooks — to prepare home-cooked meals for outreach volunteers to bring to women
- Disciple makers — who will eat lunch together, read Scripture, give rides to doctor appointments, go grocery shopping, help obtaining social security cards and birth certificates, teaching life and vocational skills, etc.
- Hosts — Safe houses (temporary or long-term) for those who decide to leave the industry
- Donors — Donate financially to Harbor’s Compassion Fund
Lastly, for more information on Kukuilani save these two dates on your calendar:
- Informational Meeting: Sunday, November 3rd (during second service downstairs in the Lanai area)
- Training Workshop: Saturday, November 16th from 9am-12pm (first floor classrooms)