Vacation, Art Show and Surf Camp
In the beginning of October Junia’s parents, Urs and Scarlett, came to visit us for three weeks. It was exciting for Junia to have her parents visit us. In the first week they were there we enjoyed getting to show them the place that changed both our lives and that has had such a major influence in who we are and what we do today. It was also nice for them to see the outreaches and day to day work we do at STN. After the first week we took the two weeks of vacation that we get each year and showed them Oahu and Maui. Visiting Maui in the second week, the place where we fell in love, was exciting to say the least and it was relaxing to get away from the hustle and bustle of Oahu. Even being on Oahu for the last week of Urs and Scarlett’s visit was still rejuvenating. We found joy in sharing all our favourite spots around Oahu with them and getting to just spend time with them after being away for so long. When they left at the end of October it was not a hard goodbye as we knew we would see them again for Christmas in Switzerland.
From left: Lisa (Junia's cousin), Scarlett, Urs, Junia and Isak
Urs after windsurfing in Maui
At the beginning of fall Internship Junia and I both got asked to lead a connect group. Connect groups are small groups of interns that meet every week to study the Bible and support each other as they go through Internship together. As connect group leaders we also meet with the guys (or girls for Junia) in our connect groups to prepare them for sharing their testimonies and to help them with anything they might be processing during Internship. Internship is focused on building character and they often have teachers that speak on challenging subjects. Junia and I spent a lot of time with our connect groups, and with the interns in them individually, helping them process what they were learning. This meant that we spent a lot of our off time with the interns but it was completely worth it for us as we are both passionate about seeing young people grow in their character and relationship with God. Leading connect groups was a highlight of the fall semester for both Junia and me.
Junia and her connect group
Every fall STN has a two day art show called Surf Art & The Surfer that exhibits surf related art from artists around Oahu. They also have live music in Surfers Coffee (their café) by some of the best musicians on Oahu, delicious food vendors, and even live modelling in The Vintage (their boutique). This is always an all-hands-on-deck event at STN and we got to be involved in it by helping arrange the art in the art gallery, creating schedules and photographing the event.
Romantic atmosphere at Surf Art & The Surfer
Junia admiring the art
On the same weekend we also had the two day Freedom Surf Camp (our bi-annual surf camp), where Junia was a group leader for the land activities and I was a surf coach. The Freedom Surf Camp is focused on teaching kids how to surf and instilling our motto of ‘surfers giving back’ in them. This is by far my favourite event that we do at STN. It was the second time I had been a surf coach and it always brings me joy when I get to share the stoke of surfing with others.
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21st of November 2018