Page 6 - MidWeek Windward - July 20, 2022

6 JULY 20, 2022
Windward Church, School Receive Improvements Through Volunteer Effort
FROM PAGE 1
Praying Pelican Missions does this by planning mis- sion trips for members of churches all over the map who want to volunteer their time to help like-minded in- stitutions in need.
“Praying Pelican Mis- sions was established in 2003 through a partnership with a church in Minnesota and Belize,” explains Hil- debrandt. “The pastor in Belize asked if the group in Minnesota could bring addi- tional teams to serve other pastors in their ministry — Praying Pelican Missions began organically spreading from there. We now serve in 37 locations across the globe.”
The church also requested to share the goodwill by having the volunteers help out its neighboring school, Hakipuʻu Academy.
Other institutions bene- fited from Praying Pelican Missions, too. Some places that were touched by helping hands include LIFE Chris- tian Church and Wai‘anae United Methodist Church. According to Hildebrandt, the two teams of volunteers have already left the state, but the organization is plan- ning more mission trips.
Hawai‘i is now one of those spots. Recently, members of Living Gospel Church, which is based in Indiana, and Kenilworth Union Church in Illinois, flew with the organization to volunteer at various church- es on the island, like Parker United Methodist Church.
“Parker United Method- ist Church wanted the team to invest in ministries they cared for as well, so they asked to spend time and in- vest people in doing what- ever the academy needed,” states Hildebrandt.
(Above left, below left and above) Members of Praying Pelican Missions clean, organize and paint at Parker United Methodist Church and Hakipu’u Academy in Windward O‘ahu. PHOTOS COURTESY CARISSA HILDEBRANDT
presents
Sponsored by
y
Connecting Quality Job Seekers with
Potential Employers
Wednesday, August 3, 2022
Neal Blaisdell Center Exhibition Hall
9
9
a
a.m
m. t
t
o
o
2
2
p
p.m
m.
J
J
J
O
O
O
B
B
B
S
S
S
E
E
E
E
E
E
K
K
K
E
E
E
R
R
R
S
S
S
E
E
E
M
M
M
P
P
PL
L
L
O
O
O
Y
Y
YE
E
E
R
R
R
S
S
S
Pre-Register now at
HawaiiCareerExpo.com
Dress for success and show your printed resume for
Free General Admission!
Reserve your booth now at
HawaiiCareerExpo.com/ booth
Space is Limited!
For more information and to reserve a booth, contact Denise Ching (808) 529-4796 dching@staradvertiser.com
A team of volunteers tire- lessly cleaned, organized and painted Parker United Methodist Church’s thrift store — the shop did not get a deep clean or new coat of paint in about 40 years.
The church’s prayer was granted, as volunteers did cleaning, organizing and landscaping projects for Hakipuʻu Academy. The group also repainted the school’s office building.
“We have a team coming to work in the Wai‘anae area in the fall and are already excited to have teams back on the island next spring and summer,” explains Hil- debrandt.
“It has been such an in- credible time connecting with locals,” notes Hildeb- randt. “We have been loved and encouraged every step of the way. We’ve been tak- en on hikes, brought food and included in so many things. It has been such a blessing.”
The volunteers undoubt- edly left a positive impact on paradise, but the island and its people made an im- pression on them as well.
For more info, email carissa@ppm.org or call 918- 500-2341.
Powered by
2022