Peace Winds joins in a day of prayer — supporting community helping community approach to long term recovery
By Wayne Nissly, CEO Peace Winds America
Saturday, September 1st, a statewide vigil, Kīpuni Aloha no Maui (embrace beloved Maui), was held to bring healing to Maui following the devastating fires. Respected kῡpuna and Hawaiian cultural practitioners called out the importance for the community to grieve and lament for those who have perished, as well as those who may have lost all their possessions in the fire.
It will take a while for the community to regroup and before the people can rebuild in a safe environment. But what I witnessed three weeks after almost total destruction of homes and community, was a sign of real beauty. I visited Honokowah Beach Park on Maui’s West side, a drop-in site for the almost 10,000 displaced residents of the Lahaina wildfire.
They call it Honokowai Pu’uhonua and today it was open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Volunteers organized clothing, served up hot food and offered childcare and tutoring. Starlink internet was provided in a booth. Another offered a space for fun….a place where kids could be kids with toys, and a bounce house! Another booth offered medical services, with Walgreens pharmacists.
It was really beautiful to see a community in lament come together and radiate a sense of love and ʻohana (for one’s extended family). Everyone was giving from what they have, acting as a community hub, providing an opportunity to connect and to share in stories of others.
