ReBuild Project Update 1
Howzit everyone,
This is Pastor Jared with our first update regarding our ReBuild Project.
On August 15, 2026, Lala hit the Big Island with hurricane force winds and rain. Although most of the the impact was felt on the southside of the island, in communities like Na’alehu and Pahala, we felt the effects from the storm, up north, here in Kohala as well. Parts of the roof to the parsonage (where my family and I live) and the garage/storage unit were torn off. Without the roof, rain came in and flooded the parsonage causing major damage and making it unsafe to live in. As such my family and I needed to move out of the parsonage and are living at our friend’s house temporarily for a few months. On September 5, we wrote something to share about our situation and need.
Since then, we have been overwhelmed with the care and generosity shown by family and friends along with other churches in the Hawaii District of the Assembly of God. So far, we’ve raised $9867 through the Zeffy fundraiser page.
We’ve also received $13,036.29 through our church giving app, ear-marked for the parsonage repair/ReBuild project, which gives us a total of $22,903.29.
Other church leaders and pastors have reached out and pledged to give some funds as well, so those funds are on their way. We are so thankful.
As we began repairs to the parsonage, we have found more areas which need to be addressed. Coming into the project, we had it in our minds to repair the roof, the ceiling in three rooms, fix the drywall in 1 bedroom, redo the bathroom, and make necessary electrical upgrades. After beginning the project we found that the floor joist along the whole Pololu side of the house needs to be replaced. The whole floor in the bathroom was rotting and needed to be torn out and replaced. We found that the walls along the Pololu side of the house need to be framed correctly. So, along with everything else we were thinking about, this is where we are at this point. We are not sure what the total amount will add up to but we are currently trying to raise $200,000 for the whole project.
At the beginning of this, I felt like I was lost in the woods and I had no idea which way was out. But as I was holding the ladder in the storm on August 15 (while some guys from the church and community came out to secure our damaged roof to prevent anymore material from flying away,) 9-year old Keola Akima said to me, “Uncle, I still like come church tomorrow.” I replied, “Why you wanna come church tomorrow? We have no electricity. What we gonna do?” And he said, “Well, I still like learn about God.” That hit me so hard. And I said, “You know what? I still like learn about God, too!” So, as we’ve trusted God, as we have followed Him step by step, I believe He is making a way. We’re not out of the woods yet, not by a long shot. But I believe and trust that we’re moving in the right direction.
If you would like to give to the project, you can give on either our Zeffy page or on our church website. But before you go, I just wanted to say that when you give, you’re not just giving to a building project, you’re giving to stuff like this…
Baptisms, missions trips, Easter Egg Rushes, Family Fun Nights...
Hearts healed, lives changed, souls saved...
When you give, you're giving to this good work.
To God be the glory.
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