///International
///Hawaii
NEIGHBOR ISLANDS
STN SERVES THE NEIGHBOURS
Surfing The Nations takes annual trips to Kauai, Molokai, Lanai, Maui, and Hawaii (the Big Island). We take teams of 10 to 25 people to serve neighboring island communities through modeling the lifestyle of surfers giving back. Based on Oahu we see not only the needs on this island but our neighboring islands as well.
Surfing The Nations ran its 1st annual Freedom Skate Contest in Molokai in February of 2009, promoting the message of a drug and alcohol free youth. The Freedom Skate Contest is a positive event that brings the community together, pushes the sport of skating, and creates an organized event that the youth can compete in.
Staff and interns get to experience Hawaii and its cultural roots while serving and meeting the needs of our Hawaiian Ohana. We are surfers giving back!
HOW WE DO IT
- ∞ Beach and highway clean ups
- ∞ Community service projects
- ∞ Promoting a drug and alcohol free lifestyle
- ∞ Building and Construction
- ∞ Molokai Freedom Skate Contest
- ∞ Volunteer at Kalaupapa Leper Colony
- ∞ Speak at Middle and Highschool surf clubs
REAL STORIES
NICOLE KITCHEN
When we were in Mokoka'i we got to hike down into Kalaupapa. It was over two miles of hiking down the side of a cliff into the old leopard colony. There is a small village down there where a few of the patients with Hansen's disease live.
We were able to volunteer and help them out with some of gardening. We replanted plants, and fixed up the green house and did some yard work too. We fought some spiders and bugs and thorns but we made it out alive. It was an awesome opportunity to use our hands to help them out. Not only was it fun to get our hands dirty, but the view down at Kalaupapa was amazing.
SUZANNE JOY ARTLEY
Working hard and playing hard is what we do on our inter-island outreaches.
The Maui/Lanai trip was my first inter-island excursion with STN and it definately won't be my last. Maui was simply beautiful and the laid-back cruising style was refreshing. I can't really say that we did a lot of laying-back though.
On this trip we helped clean a widows house, went surfing, beach bbq with new homeless friends, went surfing, helped restore an ancient hawaiian stone wall on the beach, went swimming, explored the Road to Hana, jumped off waterfalls, found the Seven sacred pools, went swimming in the moonlight, joined a hippie drum circle, went offroading near cliffs at dark, met kids and youth, made a bonfire on the beach, and went surfing. On Lanai, we realized how strange and beautiful it is to know almost everyone on the island. We explored the island, helped build a church, watched a movie on the beach, and lived with no shower.
It's hard to summarize the entirety of such an amazing trip. I recommend anyone who is thinking about joining, to Go! don't miss Maui or Lanai. I give it a thumb's up!
The Adventure Awaits.
STEVEN BUTWELL
I served on Molokai' during the March 2009 outreach as a Surfing the Nations staff member. Admittedly, every moment was an adventure. The true blessing came when I was able to share Christ with troubled young teenagers local to the island.
Kalaupappa, the skate contest, and being able to serve Molokai Baptist Church and Calvary Chapel Molokai in various ways were all just added bonuses. The real fruit comes from sharing with others, the change Christ Jesus has done personally in our own hearts. In addition painting the front and side of a building with my fellow Sri Lankan brother, Andy Lister. The most memorable moment came when I ripped my crotch out in front of the congregation presenting a live action play. This was life altering. Go to Molokai, but wear jean shorts. I am Steven Butwell, this is my story.
