YYZ to KOA

12 hours till destiny

The infinitely beautiful hawaihey

For exactly 12 hours straight I could hear the audible sound of my heartbeat. I'm pretty sure that everyone at one point in their life lets worry and stress consume their very being to the point that they can't function properly. Or maybe I'm completely wrong. Maybe it's just me who lets worry get the better of myself, but I don't think it is.

For 12 hours as I flew over the land and the sea all I could think about was the challenges that would come once my feet were firmly planted in the sands of Kona, Hawaii. What was I afraid of exactly? Being on my own for the first time? Meeting tons of new people? The emotional and physical demands that come with being a missionary (yes even one based in Hawaii)? I could go on but I think you might get the picture. I've always loved and embraced change with open arms so I couldn't put a finger on why exactly Hawaii seemed to scare me so much, especially since I'd spent 6 weeks there this summer.

I have now been living in Hawaii for just shy of 2 weeks and I apologize for not writing this update sooner. I swear to you that I will try to update weekly -- that is if my life produces events interesting enough to blog about.

I love this girl. Kaitlyn is a gem from Oregon.

Despite my fears, people have been incredibly friendly as I try and figure out what my role is going to be in this community. It's a tad bit overwhelming having a ton of new faces to remember but I am extremely thankful that almost every face I meet has a warm smile across it.

I am currently living with 7 other girls which to some might seem like a challenge. We have one bathroom but it hasn't seemed to be a problem yet. They are all really nice and I can't wait to spend the next 3 months with them.

There are around 40 people who are in the Leadership Track with me. In the short time we have known each other I can see small signs that we are becoming a family. A couple nights ago we had a dessert night together and I realized that I find just as much joy chomping on a slice of cake as I do talking to the lovely people I have met here in Kona.

I work at the farm 3 days a week for a total of 9 hours. If you didn't know, I don't have the biggest tolerance for animals. Yesterday my friend Kayla and I spent literally 40 minutes trying to get an egg from under a chicken. I think it's safe to say that all hope of me being an animal lover kind of disappeared with the chicken feed that the hens attacked me for.

My girl Kayla (Canadian girls love Star Wars)

There have been so many moments this week that I so wish that any of you who are reading this could have joined me in. I want you to feel what I am feeling right now because this is what true happiness feels like. This little pocket of radical lovers all after the same thing, in what I consider paradise, brings me so much joy and has taught me so much about living life to the fullest. But it's not just the place or the people but the very fact that I am alive and breathing and am so blessed to be doing what I am doing that gets me excited to wake up every morning. 

I believe with all my heart that there are just some things that you are meant to do and coming back here for a more prolonged trip is one of them. I'd be foolish to think that this next 9 months is going to be perfect because it's not, but I really feel like God wants me here, so I know without  a doubt that in the end everything is going to work out. 

- Abby

My new family: The Leadership Track

"So I close my eyes to old ends and open my heart to new beginnings"

-Nick Frederickson

Song of the Week: Bite Down - Bastille vs Haim