“People who do not live for vacations”

From the Pastor’s Desk (295)

The two weeks of my ministry in Maui are now coming to an end. I will leave Maui very late Tuesday night and arrive in Houston early Wednesday afternoon.

The ministry I have been doing here over the past 11 days has been very similar to what I did last year. Last year, I led and preached a 20–25 minute message during the early morning prayer service at 6 AM from Tuesday to Saturday. I also led and preached during their Wednesday evening services at 7 PM. On Sundays, I preached three messages—once in English and twice in Korean. In addition, I gave several lectures on Living Life Bible Study on two Saturdays for the English-speaking members. Beyond all this, I met with church members and shared table fellowship at least twice, if not three times, each day. And when I had some free time in between, I went hiking. I rarely had the chance to go to the beach and simply lie down. It was a very full schedule, but I thoroughly enjoyed ministering to the church members as well as taking in the beauty of the mountains and the ocean God created for us.

Now, what do you do when you experience something joyful and amazing? You tell others about it and try to help them experience the same thing. And that’s exactly what I did this year.

When I was asked to come and serve the church again in Maui for two weeks this year, and I realized that I needed to do so to fulfill the promise I had made to God, I began to share this with you and invite you to come with me if you would like to serve the church and enjoy Maui.

One retired deacon couple from the KSC joined us for the first week, and then David and Susanne Lim, along with Daniel and Rachel Lim, joined us for the middle and latter part of my trip. I had all of them take turns sharing their testimonies during Wednesday and Sunday worship services, teaching a three-hour abbreviated version of the Experiencing God Life Bible Study, visiting house churches, and spending time with the members to get to know them and minister to them. They also joined the early morning prayer when they could and worshiped and prayed fervently. Since both the Lims already knew some of the church members through the House Church Seminar for Lay Leaders, they also took the initiative to meet with them for fellowship. It was a beautiful sight to behold.

All of them did some sightseeing, but I could sense that it was not their main focus. They were happy to be in Maui, spending time with Lynette and me, and they also felt privileged to know and serve the church members who have become very dear to us.

One Friday morning, David and Susanne took us to a lavender garden called Alii Kula Lavender. It wasn’t anything fancy or exotic, but it was a very calm and peaceful place. We walked, lay down on the grass, talked, and shared our lives with each other for a few hours. All of us were happy doing these simple things because it was so refreshing and life-giving.

We all came to Maui not for exotic excursions, fancy food, or luxury hotels, but to be with each other and serve Christ’s church, which is doing house church ministry. And our hearts are full.

Not all vacations need to be like this. But it’s good for me to know that there are people who would use their money and vacation days to come to Maui to be with their pastor couple and serve and build up a local church together.

We have all been blessed because we gave and served. I hope some of you will experience this kind of vacation in the future.

Your pastor,

Eric