Immersion Retreat - October 31

Traveled today from Kauai to Oahu to meet with the leadership at New Hope Fellowship in Honolulu, by far the church that I am most stoked about getting to visit. This morning, we had time to kill before we could check into our hotel, so we went to Pearl Harbor. It was a deeply sad place. The USS Arizona is the centerpiece of the memorial. It was bombed that morning of December 7, 1941 and sank in nine minutes after being hit, killing 1173 of its crew members, 900 of which are still underwater in the Arizona. It is a stark reminder of the sacrifice required for freedom. Freedom isn't free...socially, politically, or spiritually.

"You were bought with a price."

The USS Arizona Memorial in the harbor. To get there, you get on a naval ship from the main building.

The foundation for gun turret three, rusty and sticking out of the water.

A shrine listing all the names of the sailors and marines who were killed aboard the Arizona.

The USS Missouri, the last battleship the US decommissioned after the Gulf War, stationed now in Pearl Harbor as a museum/learning exhibit.


This trip has been a great experience. I've been blogging about the travel aspects, but the spiritual ramifications of the research, learning and community experiences are by far the most intense things of this trip. I'm really thankful to be a part of it.

I really miss my family though. Tomorrow, we spend most of the day with New Hope and then we catch the red eye home! I can't wait to see my wife and kids.

Not wanting to end this post on a totally somber depressing note, here's a picture of Tim's foot.