Hawaii Day 5 Bonus

Hawaii Day 5. I'm up at 5am reading through Luke 8 and challenged about how well I'm 'hearing' as Jesus says this is all important and I will 'have' or 'not have' according to my response to his words. I'm keen to have another go at Waimea and the surf is meant to 'only' be 15'-20'.

Eric fishes out an old 9'4" of Occy's saying Occy didn't want to know about it, and I'm wondering if I should either! Jogging in the dark round to Waimea I realize it still offshore, perfect and way smaller, like the day of the warmup. This time there's not 60 out, there's...None?! Mmmmm is there something going on I should know about? I'm praying about the sense of this. I spot one guy stretching. We jump together and he gets washed back in.

Now I'm alone. Well, not really as I arrive to find Jeremy from Maroubra out there alone (oh yes ok technically Jesus was out there too but that doesn't count in my frame of mind). A familiar "G'day mate" and he tells me he's been out the last two afternoons! We get a few waves - his large, mine small and feeling comfortable.

A dark line approaches on the horizon and we all start paddling for the channel. The stand up paddle guy (yes even out Waimea!) next to me is paddling for his life as I am, and a sun drenched blue walled 20' wave bears down on us with one guy taking the drop. We make the shoulder, I've never been that close to such a big wave. Paddle into a few big shoulders and happy to take off on what feels like a two storey building watching others bottom turning on 30' of face.

Walking back I bump into Andrew, a pro photographer who I met at check-in at Sydney and took his excess luggage. Later I discover he is also a Christian and one of Abe's best contacts! We head to west side which is only 6-8' sets and surf Makaha. I'm amazed at the tent shanty town that has grown up here since I was last there in 1999, must have been a community of over 200 tents and shacks of homeless people.

Great to get to know Abe and Lize some more. We visit the Surfing the Nations mission base, incredible to see a full time surf ministry training school. As amazing as it is I just don't have vision for this and challenge myself about being more intentional about empowering our global network of volunteers.

Eating Mexican food after a long surf is one of life's sweet pleasures. We visit Eric's factory and talk some more. Check in at Pipe event where it is stormy and unrideable. Great to see the instant recognition the surfers give to Abe. Last night we were up late talking about how to do mission more effectively on this international crossroads of surfing.

Hawaii Day 6. Abe picks me up at 5am, say goodbye to Scotty, all full of bedhair. Final debrief with Abe in the car and easily on the flight. I'm catching up on emails, writing reports and this BD Blog to you. It's been an action packed 5 days and my last trip of the year.

Overall I've done 36 flights to 12 nations and been with all our key leadership. Thanks to those who pray and support and those who believe in this mission. See you soon. BD