For the past couple of weeks I have been staying fairly active.  Getting around to school work every once in a great while.  (Ok just about everyday, maybe just not as much as I need to be doing.)  For the last two weekends I have gone on some really great hikes here on the island.  The first one we did was the Stairway to Heaven hike (Haiku Stairs).  This hike was relatively challenging, although not unbearable and the view from the top at sunrise was a testament to God’s creation.  The trail we took for this was essentially a giant staircase built originally during World War II by the United States Navy.  They led to a secret radar station on top of a 2800 foot cliff, our destination.  So we got our stairmaster workout in, passed a few no trespassing signs and were on our way, a good day. 

The second hike we (I keep referring to we as my friend Whil, his plumber; our guide, and a few others) took was to Ka’au Crater.  This was another worthwhile hike that included waterfalls, a big crater, and some delicious fruit.  As we hiked to the very back of the long Palolo valley we had to climb several waterfalls which were beautiful, and then got to enjoy eating some strawberry-guavas from wild trees.  Now the strawberry guava is a little red guava that tastes like strawberry.  If you buy juice that is “strawberry guava” chances are it is actually just this one fruit…the strawberry-guava.  Quite good eatin. 

I have also made it to the beach a few times in the past weeks, which has been nice.  There was an off-season swell here on the south shore this week, in fact yesterday so I headed down to the beach to body-board it up.  The waves were breaking in clean lines, making great long rides. 

On a more somber note, and a note that I ask you would please pray for if you happen to see this.  Today a girl in my dorm committed suicide, this is the second resident this year from my tower to take their own life.  This time it was not necessarily a good friend but it was definitely someone who I saw basically every day and talked to on numerous occasions.  She was good friends with several other people on my floor which makes the whole atmosphere up here on floor 11 kind of quiet.  I pray for her family that they can find comfort in God as refuge from their pain.  I pray for her friends here, especially those that were responsible for finding her, that they can maybe find answers for their confusion and hurt.  I pray for my tower right now that any spirit of darkness or depression would be lifted in Jesus’ name. 

One more note…if you come across this on Google…I have no idea why they have my site listed as potentially harmful, I have requested a re-evaluation from them but to no avail yet. God Bless!   Peace.

One night I was convinced by a couple of guys on my floor to go to the university show at Kennedy Theatre here on campus.  It really wasn’t that hard to convince me as I do enjoy a good show when I get the chance to see one, but I was feeling pretty lousy sick so it was not just a given.  Anyway, the show was A (Balinese) Tempest, and I must say it was quite exceptional in entertainment value (greater than the $5 I paid to get in), and in quality of production.  It was the basic story of The Tempest with a few original quirks and scripting, but done in Balinese shadow puppet throughout.  This was an experience a little like being at a cinematic show, but live.  And there was much distinct Balinesian rythm and percussion to accompany the whole thing.  Overall a good experience.

As an update for my thinking, and God’s plans for my summer as of now.  I don’t know whether I will be accepted on the Japan Summer Projects yet, but I am contemplating which project I should go on…the one that leaves in May and gets back in July, or the one that leaves in June and ends in August.  I don’t think God is particularly calling me to one or the other right now, so is it ok to just go with preference?  Which is? I don’t know.  So maybe a little more about Japan.  Japan is an open country religion-wise, and as such going in on missions does not require the same precautions as maybe some neighboring South-East Asian coutries would require.  Which is kind of why it is a surprise to hear some of the statistics coming out of Japan.  It is common thought that only 1% of the population is Christ following believers.  This number is astounding to me for a couple reasons.  First, it shows that God is needed desperately in this country, there is a spiritual cloud over the county (which might also have something to do with the highest suicide rate of young adults in the world).  While this is a sad thing to acknowledge, it is also very exciting because I think, and I know that it is high time for God to have a spiritual outpouring and revolution in this country.  I believe that God can and does do great works in the world today, and I truly believe that God will indeed do great things in Japan.  I am overwhelmed with the excitement of potentially doing God’s work in Japan and spreading Jesus’ love to its’ people.  With this in mind I ask for your prayers about the application process and acceptance to the trip if that is where God wants me to be this summer, if that is where He will use me most effectively.  Also that I can continue growth in self-control and spiritual maturity as I prepare my heart for bringing the Gospel to Japan. 

As mentioned I was kept from the beach for a couple weeks, but this weekend I was not going to let that happen again.  On saturday Dan, Kat, Wayne and I headed out to Makapu’u beach on the east side of the island.  It was fantastic.  The sun was shining and the swells were coming in big.  In fact scary big at times.  Especially for me who was trying to body board without fins (as I don’t own any), I got chased by a couple big waves that I couldn’t catch up to and ended up having them break on me pretty good.  Sending me tumbling like a ragdoll, trying to relax and wait for it to be clear to surface.  Of course surfacing only faced me with another break that would wash me out again.  So a little tumbling, a lot of sun, a few good rides, overall a good day at the beach, beautiful Makapu’u. 

So I guess that is about it for what has been going on…hmm and now that I look at the time I realize that there is one more thing.  It is now my birthday…Hazaa!  I am now 19, nothing really happens when you turn 19, except I am realizing that in one more years time I will no longer be a teenager, I will be the same age as when my brother got married, I will have lived for a good blessed two decades on this planet of God’s creation. But that is not for another year, I’ve still got this one left before all that happens, I’d better make the most of it! 

Today there was a candle vigil held in the Hale Aloha courtyard (freshman dorm towers common) for a student who did not return to UH for the new semester.  People here learned that this student whom lived on the 6th floor in my tower took his own life a few days ago.  While I did not know this young man personally, I do remember seeing him around a good amount last semester.  No, I was not close to him, but I still feel the sadness; the shock that is effecting many here.  It is a startling event that reminds me that death is impartial, and can come at any time for anyone.    Making it all the more important to be reaching out trying to spread God’s light onto the campus.  Had one of us Christians on campus reached out and talked to this kid last semester, maybe things would be different, maybe not.  Possibly some inspiration to promote change, and get some of God’s work done on the UH campus this semester. 

On a completely different note, my brother’s band just came out with a CD, check them out at www.myspace.com/saunisbigjump .  Give them a listen, buy a CD, it is delicious.

I have already been to the beach once since I’ve been back, and I plan on going again tomorrow due to the holiday and lack of class.  I love the beach, and I love the ocean, they are very relaxing and yield a great amount fun times.  If my family is reading this…the water seemed to be slightly cooler than it was in Cancun…but it is still nice.  Maybe it was the fun of being with family that made the water feel warmer. 

Alright so now onto summer.  I am pumped right now about the prospect of going on a summer project with Campus Crusade for Christ.  Since the time I felt God was telling me to come to Hawaii about a year ago, I have similarly felt in the back of my mind that I am being drawn to Japan.  At the beginning of the school year I learned that there would be a summer project to Tokyo based out of Hawaii this summer.  My first thoughts were “Wow, that would be absolutely amazing, but I can’t do that, I want to be home and be with my family and friends.”  And while I still love my family and friends God recently lifted those anxieties from me and it is my belief after about 3 months of prayer that God is calling me to apply for this project.  I will not know if I am accepted on this project for about a month, and if I am not accepted I’m sure God will use me where ever it is I end up for the summer. 

Oh, and one more thing, my brother Daryl just put out a CD with his band Sauni’s Big Jump.  They have put together a solid album with deep and entertaining lyrics and talented musical abilities.  So check them out at www.myspace.com/saunisbigjump .  They are soon to have a new dedicated site of their own so check them out, give them a listen…buy their CD if you like the music. 

After Tuesday’s exams, I dilegently began preparing my speech for my presentation in Wednesday’s speech class.  An informative speech on spinal cord injuries, one of my favorite subjects for speeches.  Unfortunately, I got a little excited during my speech and gave an abounding amount of information I hadn’t intended to give, which made my speech a little too long.  A minute and half too long, or 6 points too long.  Yeah I lost 6 points for being too thorough.  Lame. 

I had some other midterms a few weeks ago, but they were cake, I got the high score in my class on both of them.  And I plan on doing it again when the next round comes in another two weeks.  And with my friend, and main hitting partner for tennis going to China for two weeks with his graduate program, I will have much more time on my hands to study. 

On another note, I think I might also start taking Aikido classes, there is a dojo here that has rather reasonable prices, and some form of martial arts has been something I have wanted to do for a long time.  So why not now in this time of learning that is college.  There are a few others on my floor who are most likely going to start taking classes as well, so we can have the most fit and most kick-ass floor around.  Yeah, thats right the honors floor, people won’t mess with us.  (I have been lifting and running regularly with a few of these kids as well.  So we are going to be in decent shape at least, although my last statement might have been a little flagrant in it’s boast.  I mean we are also all the nerds of the freshman class.)

Alright, I think I am going on a “man-date” sushi night, I must go.  I’ve also discovered that fresh sushi is absolutely amazing, and surprisingly doesn’t taste like fish at all.  Delicious!

As you can all probably assume, it gets pretty warm here, especially in the sun, and the humidity is also quite notable.  As I am sitting here cooling off from playing, I am just sweating more, because it is still rather warm in my room.  Every day I sweat walking to class, every night I sweat as I sleep on top of my sheets, and every time I get out of the shower, I just start sweating.  And my whole body sweats, everything…sweats.  Pretty awesome.  Really, it is not much of a complaint, as it is part of the reason I came here, the weather.  Although, it is slightly less bearable now that my fan broke. 

Any way, to the real disappointment, as I was playing tennis with my friend Jeff I happened to attempt an overhead.  And to my great dismay the racquet slipped out of my hand and straight into the court.  Sigh, two major crack points in the frame equals one wasted tennis racquet.  I think I might cry.  Oh well, I guess it is just a material item, but still it is a $200 item ($150 when I bought it) and I really did enjoy using it as I play tennis basically every day. 

So now I am left with a choice as to whether I should purchase a new racquet or just survive with the one real usable racquet I have left.  Maybe God is telling me, no more tennis, just learn to surf. 

When I go to the beach, most of the time it has just been down to Waikiki, or some form of it.  Like this weekend, I attended a Campus Crusade barbecue at Ft. Derussy Beach Park.  It was good, lots of food, lots of ocean, lots of frisbee, and lots of cool people.  But the other weekend, I decided to enjoy my Labor Day by checking out a beach one of my friends recommended to me.  An seemingly innocent “Sandy Beach”.  I took the Bus down the coastline, past Hanauma Bay (one of the best snorkeling places in the islands) till I came to the beach.  I knew I would instantly love it, as the waves at this beach were big, bigger than I had ever seen in my life.  There were a lot of people in the water boogie boarding and body-surfing and it looked like a lot of fun.  The thing about Sandy Beach is it has a shorebreak, quite a severe one, and there were warning signs everywhere.  But I figured I would try my luck body-surfing anyway.  It was fun, and I only hit my head a few times as I got smashed into the beach. 

Now, today, I found out that Sandy Beach is in fact the #1 beach in the nation for neck/back injuries.  Hmm…I suppose I should probably be a little more careful next time.  Although next time I go, I’m hoping to have my own boogie board, which will probably promote more recklessness on my part.  But, I assure you, after a good tossing, I will become much more reserved.

I am a first year student, and I am taking 16 credits this semester, all of which are going into core and general education classes.  All except one, the best one.  My advanced tennis class.  I love tennis, everything about the game.  It is truly a masterful sport and life activity.  So when I realized I could play tennis…and get credit for it, I was in.  My other classes are English, Speech, Anthropology: Culture and Humanity, Intro to Religion, and Microeconomics.  All dandies.  I imagine I will learn much this semester, not just through my classes, but also through the experience of being on my own, in a relatively different culture.

The town of my residence throughout my childhood, Loveland, Colorado was a great place to grow up, but it was a little lacking in diversity.  Looking around my classes it did not take me long to see that each one was more ethnically, and racially diverse than my entire high school was.  In Hawaii, and more specifically here at the University there is a mix of basically every ethnic, racial, and cultural background.  I would say the majority of students here are Asian, and Pacific Islander (Filipino), and I find that most are a mix of many of these backgrounds.  With roots coming from all around the Pacific rim, and beyond.

 I am enjoying myself immensely thus far, and have no real complaints (Maybe the dorm life, it gets a little crazy at times).  And I am starting to know more and more people and get plugged in.  Tomorrow evening I plan on attending a Campus Crusade meeting, I’m hoping I can meet some good Christian friends, so I can get a deeper, friend (social) and support network rolling. 

Well it is just past midnight now, and I only intended to write for a few minutes as I was just making a trial run post.  Hey that reminds me of this trying run I took the other day.  There just so happens to be a downhill mountain bike park across the street from my dorm
(Why must I live with this irony.  More on that in a later post.).  So I decided to run up one of these trails.  I was soon lost in a network of rocky trails slewn with elevated singletrack ramps and all, and was zoning out enjoying the Hawaiian evening.  A mistake on my part to let my attention wander from the path at my feet.  Of course, when my foot hit that rock, all my attention was right back on the trail, and then I was on the trail, laid out, and bleeding mightily from my knee.  A good sized gash, a swollen knee, and a lot of dirt, that is the price I paid for running on this trail.  So goes, I plan on doing it again as soon as my knee is heeled…