Is It Really The End Of October?!?

The Camp Lokahi Day Camp went really well! We had 26 kids turn up for the day. Uncle Tom shared on being God's MASTER PEICE, which says a lot about our WORTH! Our next camp is a 4 day camp in March! See the photos below to see how much FUN the kids had! 

                                             

The "Oreo" lunch time challenge: Lick the frosting on a halved Oreo, stick in on your face and see who can get it to there mouth the fasted without touching it or dropping it! HILARIOUS TO WATCH!

                                            

                            

The "Whip Cream" lunch time challenge:  Who can find the hidden skittle in the plate full of whip cream first?

One of the 4 after lunch activities: Archery!

                            

BASH GAME!  Which team is fastest!?!

And the best part of the day... the WATER SLIDE!

Our leaders where in the mainland for 2 weeks this month for a conference, so we where left to "hold down the fort" with a BIG list of things to do. It looked like so much: Weed all gardens, clean the big house, keep coconuts and fronds picked up, etc etc.  Two Saturdays ago, we had 30 students from the YWAM base in Kona come up to assist us in all the duties for the weekend. It's amazing what 30 pair of hands can accomplish in one weekend. What would have taken us weeks and weeks, took all of us working together, only 2 days! Everything is tidy, clean, and organized! It feels so good! 

This past Friday we went with the Youth Group to a worship event in Kona. It was exciting to think back to our days in Youth Group and realize how events like these really did help shape us into the people we are today! I can't wait to see where God takes these kids... what His plans and purposes are for them! 

Pregnancy Center

I just received my training manual on Sunday for the Pregnancy Center! I've only begun reading, but have already been shocked to realize the statistic on teen pregnancy.

~State Department of Health 2001 statistics showed 34 percent of high school students and 12 percent of middle school students have had sex.


~Hawaii had the 12th highest pregnancy rate in the nation among 15- to 19-year-olds, according to the Alan Guttmacher Institute, U.S. Teenage Pregnancy Statistics, 2000.


~"Each day in Hawaii, four girls under the age of 18 will learn they are pregnant," said Dr. Rio Banner.


As I study and prepare for ministry in this area, I've been praying for love and a completely non- judgmental attitude as I meet with these girls. They have a tough choice a head of them... and I hope I can help by giving them HOPE! 

What's coming up in November?

November 9th- 15th, we have a Christian hip hop group called S.O.G Crew, who have worked with famous groups such as Black Eyed Peas, coming from the mainland! We've arranged several concerts for them. They will doing a concert in Kona, Hilo, and here in Kohala! We've even found a way to get them into the schools here to share with the kids and advertise their concert!!! Check them out at: www.sogcrew.com . We'll let you know how it goes! 

Jenna is going to be doing a local outreach using her passion: PHOTOGRAPHY! I'm going to do Christmas card photos for local families! Im really looking forward to this!! Its an awesome way to get to know more of the local families and bless them at the same time! 

Speaking of photography, just yesterday, Jenna got the opportunity to become one of the on call photographers for the local newspaper; Kohala Mountain News!! This position is fully voluntary, but really great for experience as well getting more involved in the community! 

MORE PROVISIONS!!

This month we've received 3 more commitments equalling $1,300 towards our vehicle! We are now at $2,300!!! Thank you to everyone who has given! We are really getting closer!!!  Get in touch with us if you would like to help us get even closer! :) 

              Until November... Be Truly Thankful! 

Dear Friends! Sorry for the late update this month! Things just got ahead of us...

So much has happened since we last updated you, so bear with me... this might be a bit long!

Our friends from New Zealand are now here! They have settled in quite well and we share a house just fine! Soon after we arrived, we went on a long weekend camping trip to the most beautiful beach on the island, a beach called Makalawena! It was a time of refreshment and fellowship! Jay even caught an octopus when he went spear fishing!!!

We did an interesting "Team Bonding" challenge! We did a 10 day body cleanse based on the book of Daniel in the Bible. It was very intense! Lots of fasting and many different "drinks" we had to down... including a nice glass of sea water from 3000 ft deep at 6am every morning... hence the sunrise photo! We are never up that early! All I can say is, when we broke our fast... we where NEVER so happy to EAT! After 10 days, Jay lost 20 lbs... and Jenna lost 12lbs!! You just feel SO good after that cleanse!

Ministry? Tons!

- We got to help out some fellow ministry do a fund raiser in Kona at the Queen Lele 'okalani canoe races! It was 2 days of sweaty, hot service! :)

- Jay has also been apart of the weekly Youth Group here. There are normally between 5-10 kids that come ranging from 9-13 years old!

- Last week Sunday, Jay and I had the whole service at Church to share about our travels around the world... and to make what we learned applicable to the church body! It was really an awesome time... Jay is such a great speaker!

- Jenna is going to be starting to volunteer at the local Pregnancy Center to help young, unwed mothers know their options and have someone to talk to. Teenage pregnancy is HUGE here in Hawaii, especially here in North Kohala. I am very excited to be involved in this!

- We are both going to be getting involved in a new program at the schools called "The Dream Center". It's a very exciting program where the parents come and get involved in what the kids are learning at school. So, the parents will have classes that teach them life skills such as Xcel, Word, etc that will get them better jobs and so on. All the while, the kids will be learning trades such as photography, videography, dance, etc that will enrich there lives and give them better opportunities as they grow up and move on. A 5 year grant has just been release from the state, but we are unsure when the program will actually be under way! We will keep you updated!

- Lastly, we are strongly praying about going to a conference in New Zealand in January called Call 2 All: Next Generation! It's all about getting equipped to raise up the next generation as world changers and lovers of God! We are so hoping the Lord allows us to go and provides the provisions for us to get there since this is an issue that is so pressed upon our hearts for this community and beyond!

We have some MAJOR Praise Reports this month!!!!!

- We have been fund raising for a vehicle, as we've mentioned in previous updates. We are believing for $5,000 to get a reliable form of transportation. Just this past week we received a gift of $1,000 towards our goal! THANK YOU LORD! We are on our way... and believe that the rest will come in His way, in His time! If you would like to be involved in this need of ours, please contact us!

- Last month, We shared with you the breakdown of our budget we needed each month. Well, since then, we have gotten provision for all of our "food fund" each month!!! This is a HUGE blessing... and a weight off of our shoulders! God is GOOD!

- Jay has been getting about 2 shifts at the Luau each month, which has also helped us be able to provide for some of our expenses! God has his ways... and we are slowly uncovering them as we continue to trust in His promises!

~~Please keep us in your prayers~~

- We are doing a FREE day camp for the youth of the community on October 5th! Its just a small preview of the huge part of our ministry here: Camp Lokahi! Usually, we see about 50- 60 kids come for the day! Pray for inspiration... and LOVE for these kids! That we would know how to touch them where they are at...

I know I said I would put up a "Get to the know the staff" page, but have yet to complete that! I will get to work on it as soon as I can... and get it published soon! I cant wait for you to meet them! :)

Until then- "Be Strong and Courageous, Do not be afraid!"

Home is where the Heart is!

Makapala, Hawaii: Home Sweet Home

We have been back in Hawaii for almost 2 weeks now and we're happy to be HOME! Our whole first week here was spend with endless hours in our new home; cleaning and painting... and cleaning and painting! Whew! It took us a whole week to get everything move-in ready, but now we are all moved in! Both Jay and I caught a nasty cold since we've been here and have been trying to kick that at the same time! One day, I cleaned for 12 hours straight!!! No joke! I definitely paid for it the next day though... OUCH!

We have already been getting to work here on the base helping to clean, fix, and upkeep the property for when groups come up (which is at least one group a week!). We will be having some friends from New Zealand join us as staff here at the end of the month, which is so exciting! Our staff will then be 3 young couples... oh, what God could do!!! Once we are complete as a staff, we will start strategizing about all the different ideas and opportunities that we have to serve here in the community as well as in the world! As we learn more about the specific details that come up, we will keep everyone informed so you can stand with us in prayer as well as in faith for our "living provisions"!  

Jay and I have committed ourselves to Island Breeze here in Makapala for a minimum of 2 years! This is an exciting commitment for us, since we are already rooted into this community!  We have been given a house to live in here on base, which we will share with the couple, Josh and Whakaawa, from New Zealand! 

Like before, we are full-time volunteers with Island Breeze Ministries, which is a branch of Youth With A Mission (YWAM). We are responsible to raise enough support for us to live and fulfill our commitments here, by asking our friends, families, and churches to prayerfully back us. We would like to share our budget with you so you can see where all of YOUR support is going!!

Housing- $375

Food- $375

Transportation- insurance, gas, etc (once we get a vehicle)- $250

Entertainment- $100

Clothes, Toiletries, Housewares, etc- $200

Communication (phones, internet, etc)- $100

Travel & Emergency fund- $200

= $1,600 per month

Currently, we have $625 committed monthly support! Thank you!! We couldn't be here without your love and support. As you can see though, we still need to raise $975 more per month to be able to fulfill our financial needs and commitments while we serve voluntarily. Jay will be applying again with the Luau to hopefully be able to meet some of these obligations ourselves. We know, however, that WE CAN'T DO THIS ALONE!!  God has come through in so many HUGE ways as well as little ways! We know that when he calls you somewhere, he provides a way for you there too. We also believe that God has called us to lean into our brothers and sisters in Christ in our efforts to obey His leading in our lives!

If you are unable to commit something monthly- even something small, we are also in need of several "staple" items as we fit our home for living in! Please know that anything you can give- big or small- REALLY DOES MAKE A DIFFERENCE!

 That's all for this update... in our next update we will share more about what opportunities we will be taking advantage of in the upcoming months, as well as more in-depth look at what Island Breeze Ministries is all about. We would also like to to add a "get to know our fellow staff" section so you can know who we are serving alongside!

         Until next time-- Be BLESSED... Be at PEACE!

                 Jay and Jenna Vega

P.O. Box 1137

Kapaau HI 96755

850-686-7080

808-889-5082

imnhawaii@gmail.com

skype- jenna.vega

Onward and Upward!

URGENT UPDATE!

 

We are moving back to HAWAII! We leave Florida THIS SUNDAY- July 19th! We will be spending 1 week in Seattle before making it back to the Big Island. Jay will be spending some much needed time with his Dad, who lives in the Seattle area, while I will be meeting my 4 best girlfriends from my DTS for a little 5 year reunion in Canada!

We will be back in Hawaii on July 26th! I'm not going to bore you with all the details now... but the important part is that we will be living in Makapala and working with Island Breeze Ministries there! So, yes, we are officially BACK IN MISSIONS with YWAM! We are so excited for this next step and are sure that God has some special things for us there! Once we arrive, get settled, and pound out all the details, we'll share more!

Thanks to everyone; Family, friends, and supporters... for sticking with us during the last 7 months we spent here in Florida! It was a totally refreshing , challenging, and learning experience! We are seeing more and more every day WHY God brought us home for the time he did! Now, we are ready to GO again!

Drop us a line or two when you get a chance... we feel so out of the loop!

 

With Love,  The Vegas

p.s- Our biggest prayer need right now is for a CAR when we get back to Hawaii! Please believe with us for His provision...

Making Florida "HOME"...

 We sold our little Mazda back in Hawaii so that we could purchase another car here. While the new "owner" was awaiting the title in the mail so that we could make the sale final, the clutch went out! Impeccable timing, right? Well, we had already promised to purchase a car from a guy here, so for a moment there we where in quite a crisis. To make a long story short, the lady still purchased the Mazda, after we paid to put a new clutch in that car... so, then we where $800 short for our new car here. Luckily, we have sweet brothers that lend us money in times of disaster! lol. So, now, 3 weeks later, we have fixed up our little find: a 99 Mercury cougar! It's so cute! We got it for such a great deal! $2,000!!!!! Can you believe it!?!?! We are so blessed... and having a vehicle as really made "Making Florida Home" a lot more enjoyable!

       We just wanted to share our little victory with you... Hope all is well on your side of the world... which ever side that is! :)

                 Love Jenna and Jay

p.s- HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all our mother's out there! We appreciate all you do...

                                   

   

Yes... It's true.

Just last month we decided after much prayer and consideration to STAY HERE IN FLORIDA!!

 My mother has been so gracious as to let us rent a room here for a good price. Our plan is to stay here and work on school application and financial aid for Jay's Comic Book school in New Jersey as well as save up some money during this time to pay off debt that we incurred during our time in missions.

I have been working for 1 month now at a place called MatchMaker International. It is not my dream career, by far, but it works for now. I am still searching for something more "ME" and considering other things in the area of further education!

Jay is still searching for work. It's a tough thing these days, as we all know... but we still have hope to hear back from one of the many applications he has turned in as we keep our ears open for other opportunities. It's nice that he has the time to work on his portfolio for school. It has to be in by July, as the school year starts in September.

Luckily, we sold our car in Kona this last weekend, so we hope to buy a car here within the next few weeks! My mom has been so kind to lend us her car while we've been here, but we obviously don't want to be a burden.

We are finding our way in this new adventure called "normal life"! It's been an interesting journey re-training ourselves to think outside of one 50lb bag each! lol

We hope to keep updating you; our friends, our family, and our supporters as we continue on this new, exciting, and scary journey! Lots of love and hope for this new year! We love you all... each and every one of you!

Jay-- always letting me practice on him!

Olivia- Jay's cousin came to visit us for her Spring Break! We took her to see New Orleans! Great atmosphere!

For Jakob's Birthday, we went to ride Go Carts! Soooo Fun!

Putt-Putt- an all time family favorite!

Christmas, A new Year, and a Cruise to the Bahamas

First of all, I am so sorry it took us until now to get this up here. So much has been going on and we haven't really had much "important" stuff to update you with, but I guess, I will update you with the "important" stuff that we DO have first:

  Jay and I are still really trying to figure out where we feel we are suppose to be in this new season of our life. It has proven to be more complicated than we thought it would have been. We have been praying a lot and doing what we felt God tell us to do during this time: "Just watch and listen"

  The good news is, we have narrowed our opportunities down to 2 or 3 instead of the 9 or 10 that it once was! PLEASE continue to stand with is in prayer as we make these choices that affect our future so strongly. We want to be in His will, and we know we don't need an audible voice from above to give us his leading... He has given us a brain and a heart!

  In the meantime, we have tried to get some part -time jobs to help out with bills here and get some sort of a savings going for us, but we've had no luck so far around here. I guess this economic situation we kept hearing about while we where overseas really IS bigger than we thought while we weren't apart of it.

NOW, the fun stuff! We had an AWESOME time getting to be home... with my family, for Christmas and the New Year after 4 years!!!! It's funny because everything has changed since I was home for the holidays last! Weird!  Christmas treats where just like i remember them, however!!!

My Birthday was Wednesday of this week (January 21st) and I got the best gift EVER! My sister-in-law lives in the Bahamas right now while she goes to Med School, so my brothers took Jay and I on a cruise down to visit her last weekend! It was only for the weekend, but getting to spend some intensive quality time with 3 of the best men in my life and my only sister-in-law was epic and totally unforgettable! We have talked about going on and "older sibling" vacation forever and now I was close enough... long enough to actually give time for it to happen!!!! : )

Funny enough now that we, "the missionaries" are home for a bit, my Dad is actually going out on a missions trip. He left yesterday actually, on his way to Haiti to building churches etc, in the mountains. This is actually his tenth time he has gone, I think, since I was a kid! I guess missions work is just in our blood!

Photographically, I have still been trying to stay practiced! Yesterday, I took Jay and my younger siblings out to the Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola. We also stopped at Fort Barrancas and I got to take some great shots of my brother and sister there!  Photography just brings me to live! I get so excited while I'm taking pictures...just ask Jay!!!!

Thank you for hanging in with us and being patient as we go through this season of trying to figure out who, what, when, where, why!  We love you all... and know that no matter what, you will always be apart of our future!