Love God Love People

Please join us for 10 days of prayer and fasting.  One last piece of the puzzle remains to be placed before we can begin our mission assignment in Hawai’i; we need God to sell our house in Richland Center.

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Today we received a text informing us that a few of our prayer partners were going to begin a 10 day fruit, vegetable and water fast beginning Monday, September 23rd and ending Wednesday, Oct. 2nd.

Our hearts were so encouraged by this demonstration of their commitment to us and to God’s work that is awaiting us in Hawai’i!

We would like to offer all of our prayer partners an opportunity to participate in praying and fasting in whatever way God leads over the next 10 days.

Please feel free to post any prayers, encouraging insights or scripture on our web page.

We are confident that God will be faithful in this just as He has proven faithful beyond what our minds could conceive throughout this entire journey.

On Mission Together,

T and J

 

 

Many of you have asked for more of Makayla’s story, her journey with and healing from epilepsy.  It is difficult to condense 3.5 years into one post, but we will try.

First, I would like to share a blog that I posted roughly 3 months after her initial diagnosis. This was after the first few months of begging God to heal her.  We had Pastor pray for her at the altar.  We had friends lay hands on her and anoint her for healing.  Of course we were wanting an immediate healing, not a progressive healing.

Questions, Anger and Peace

I have been dealing with a lot lately and trying to figure things out; I still do not have all the answers!

For many, Christmas brought joy and happiness.  For me, it brought pain, sorrow, and anger.  As we were about to open presents Christmas morning, my husband and I witnessed one of our children having a seizure.  It was the first time we had seen it, but found out later that this was not her first.  Needless to say, our happiness and even some of our joy had disappeared. 

As the day continued, we witnessed roughly 6 more seizures – Not an easy task as a parent.  Each time my heart broke.  I hid my tears as I comforted my little girl.  I reassured her as I questioned the exact same things she feared.  I encouraged her that God was with her while I wondered, “Where are you, God?”  I reminded her of His faithfulness, His comfort, His love as I prayed in anger and in tears.  I questioned Him- “After all we have done for you, why?  Why us?  Why her?  Did we do something to deserve this?  Are you trying to teach us something?  What did we do wrong?  How can you be so cruel?” 

I tried to give myself the same answers I had given others in the past when they were having to endure difficulties.  Those answers were not enough.  I didn’t want to hear them.  They did not make me feel better; in fact, they made me feel worse. 

Fortunately, we have a big, powerful, and loving God.  He can take our anger.  He hears and listens. 

“Hear my prayer, O Lord; let my cry for help come to you. Do not hide your face from me when I am in distress. Turn your ear to me; when I call, answer me quickly. Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble and he saved them from their distress” – Psalm 102:1-2, Psalms 107:13

What????  Again-

Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble and he saved them from their distress” -Psalms 107:13

He saved them from their distress.  He didn’t necessarily take away their problems, but he took away the distress.  Likewise, my daughter has yet to be healed of her epilepsy, but he has taken away my distress.  He has given me peace and joy – a peace that he is in control and a joy that he loves us no matter what!  Furthermore, we cannot control God with our actions.  Our goodness does not control his actions.  Our sufferings do not always mean that God is displeased with us.  We live in an imperfect world.  We are fortunate to have a loving God who walks bedside us, especially when we are faced with things that we cannot handle on our own!  He gives us a peace that surpasses all understanding!  He gives us hope!  He is our Father!

 

—-End of blog 2010——–

After her first EEG, they were able to pinpoint the area of the brain where they were occurring and discern the best medicine.  The meds worked wonderfully for us.  She has remained seizure free since.  However, roughly a year and half of being on Trileptol, she began to have some red flags (small peaks in her EEG and auras with no seizure).  So after another EEG it was confirmed that the medicine was still preventing the seizures, but that the potential seizures were changing, possibly worsening and causing the auras to return.  They changed her medicine to the all -encompassing Keppra.

This was our only medicine change we had to endure.  By endure, I mean living through the increased mood changes and tantrums of anger.  It wasn’t horrible, but it wasn’t our little girl.  However, it successfully stopped the auras and underlying seizure activity.  In fact, last year (2012) she had her first normal/stable EEG while on this med.  No red flags!

Fast forward to this May- Makayla had her annual appointment with her neurologist.  He felt that with her success on meds, normal EEGs and having been seizure free for 3 years, it was time to try taking her off the meds and see where we were at.  What?  Are you kidding me?  We were planning on moving to the mission field in just a few months.  This was something that weighed heavily on our minds as we prayed and searched for a place that would still offer medical help.  In fact, one of our “contingencies” for God was that her epilepsy had to continue to be controlled or we wouldn’t go.  (I know, who throws contingencies at God?  Who do we think we are?)

Well, he answered with more than we asked.  He truly does know how to love us better than we know how to love our children.  He completely healed her.  We took her off her meds, and her EEG was normal and stable.  Praise God!

Christmas morning, 2009, our daughter suffered her first epileptic seizure.

Despite her condition being well-controlled with medication, this was still one of our biggest sources of concern in following God’s leading into full-time missions work.  What if her seizures worsened?  What if the medicine ceased to be effective?  What if she needed medical care?

But now…

To God be the Glory!  Our daughter has been healed of her epilepsy!

Throughout this entire journey, God has proven his faithfulness and love over and over.

– The Boyarskis,
…learning to close our eyes and move our feet.

Many of you have heard us describe Milolii and many of you have seen our pictures.  It is indeed a truly unique village that takes pride in being the “Last Fishing Village in Hawaii Nei”.

 

Unfortunately, many only hear the statistics of poverty, crime and delinquency which paint a very bleak picture.  Amidst these alarming statistical numbers is a community striving to create a different future for themselves and their children.  This hope for the future can be tangibly seen in their newly established charter school, Kua o ka La’s Hipu’u o Miloli’i- a school that we hope to become a part of through volunteering and tutoring.

Carolyn Lucas-Zenk’s article in West Hawaii Today does a wonderful job describing the Hipu’u o Miloli’i-

For as long as Kaimi Kaupiko can remember, the Milolii community has talked about establishing a school. Kaupiko recalled the optimism residents felt more than a decade ago when Hawaii’s first 25 charter schools were authorized and the Legislature later amended the law to allow start-up charters.

Miloli’i Residents saw a charter school, publicly funded, but privately operated, as an answer for their beloved Hawaiian fishing village. It could offer an alternative to the traditional education and possibly more resources for children who spend three hours or more commuting from the isolated rural South Kona community to the closest public school. A charter could also help preserve the traditions and lifestyles that have sustained families for generations. However, the vision never reached fruition, and Kaupiko, then a teen at the time, couldn’t help.

After graduating from University of Hawaii at Manoa two years ago, Kaupiko returned to Milolii to start the discussion again. A group of residents formed Milolii Community Hui, determined to create Milolii Hawaiian Cultural Charter School. They envisioned a charter that perpetuated Hawaiian cultural values and language; strengthen family systems and the community; utilized modern technology; and met or exceeded academic standards of the state Department of Education.

Kaupiko said the state Charter School Review Panel last year denied the hui’s application, citing its inability to secure a facility and an unrealistic budget.  That “crushing decision” spurred him to seek guidance, leading him to Susie Osborne, director of Kua o ka La Public Charter School. She and her staff offered the hui more than support; they gave the hui an immediate outlet.

Kua o ka La’s Hipuu Program offered their blended instruction, combining online curriculum with face-to-face gatherings, community-based projects, and Hawaiian language and culture education. Kua o ka La issues students a tablet with academic software. No tuition is required, but Internet access is. Roughly 50 percent of the lessons, mainly in core subjects like math, science, history, language arts and English, are delivered online. Kaupiko said nearly 70 students are participating in Hipuu, and Milolii is the biggest site.

Daily opportunities for academic mentoring and support are available online, as well as at the charter’s Hilo, Puna, Hamakua, Naalehu and Milolii sites. These places have a paid teacher and volunteers available for students needing help and to provide additional lessons. Sites also allow students to socialize, Kaupu said.

Two full-time, accredited online teachers from Hilo take turns working at the Milolii site weekly to monitor student progress, grade work and respond by email, phone or Skype. If assignments are overdue or students are struggling, Kaupu makes home visits.

Sixteen hours of parental involvement annually is required for Hipuu, which aims to bind learning, students and families into a supportive network of communities, Osborne said. Besides teachers, the model relies upon “learning coaches,” who provide valuable lessons away from the computer.

Students and their families love Hipuu o Milolii, though no school building, cafeteria or gym exist. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday, they stay home or meet at Milolii Beach Park pavilion, completing lessons for their grade level online at their own pace. On Tuesday and Thursday, they do hands-on projects, go on field trips or participate in electives, such as physical education, Hawaiian language and arts. A paid, part-time temporary teacher, Leivallyn Kaupu, as well as a handful of volunteers, support them.

“Today the kids of Milolii have a choice, a choice to choose the education that they want and they have the opportunity to decide the content of their education and the future of their destiny,” said Kaupiko, a volunteer and school board member. “This virtual academy allowed these kids’ inquisitiveness and desire to direct their learning. It’s also promoting the fundamental importance of kuleana.”

 

 

 

MILOLII MAY DAY CELEBRATION

VIDEO OF MILOLII MAY DAY 

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=124038611129974

THE FIRE KNIFE FOR MILOLII MAY DAY

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=124035097796992

 

Dear friends, family and partners in mission,

These past few months have been a whirlwind of excitement.  With much of our traveling behind us, we still have a few more places to visit.  So many of you have invited us to share, and we regret that we can’t make it to all.  It has been such a blessing to visit many of your churches to share Mission: Kona Coast.  We have enjoyed the fellowship and worship.  More so, we have been encouraged by God’s movement and revival within each church family.  You are seeking Him and following where He is leading.  God is speaking and you are listening.  He has big plans for both Hawaii and Wisconsin!

For many, this past week was the Wisconsin District Assembly; it was like a family reunion to us.  We were able to see so many of you again as well as meet some of you for the first time.  Worshiping all together was such a blessing.  And the NMI Convention left us speechless.  Words cannot express how truly grateful we are for your love and support.  We were and still are overwhelmed by your passion, by your countless prayers and by your generous support.  You have shown us that we are not alone in this mission, but surrounded by a family who will be there through the thick and thin.  You have demonstrated to us what it means to genuinely love one another.

In moving forward in God’s revival along the Kona Coast, one thing still stands as an obstacle: our house.  In order to take our next steps, we need to sell.  Please continue to pray with us and for a house showing we have this weekend to some potential buyers.  We pray that this is the buyer!

Lastly, many of you have joined us as financial partners for Mission: Kona Coast.  With our time of departure drawing near, now is the time for those pledges to be sent.  You may

1) Give securely online at Boyarski.missionsplace.com

Follow the “Click Here to Support Us”.  This will take you to the secure Nazarene Mission Corps’ donation page.  You will be given the easy option of a one-time gift or automatic monthly/yearly deductions as well as designating your Nazarene church for missions giving.  This option allows for a maximum 2 year automatic deduction which can be renewed at that time.

*To help clarify, if you are giving monthly, you will need to choose the option of 24 months.  Towards the end of these 24 months, you will be notified of the option to renew your commitment.

Or

2) Send checks to our sending agency. Individual and general church checks should be made out to: General Treasurer, Church of the Nazarene. Please send the check to Global Treasury Services Church of the Nazarene P.O. Box 843116 Kansas City, MO 64184-3116.  Include Jesse &Tiffany Boyarski/MissionCorps/Hawaii on the memo line of your check in order for the funds to go to the appropriate area of the world where we will be serving.

 

In closing, we will continue to keep you updated as prayers are answered and God’s story continues.  Always feel free to comment or contact us.  Your feedback and encouragement is one of the many ways that God gives us strength and confidence.

In Christ’s Love,

Jesse, Tiffany and kids (Makayla, Ethan, Ashlyn, and Ellie)

*A shout out to Pastor Luke – Thanks for the Ukelele!  Already using it!

 

Karen Mitten, our Wisconsint District NMI President for the last 14(?) years and the “mom who adopted us as her kids”.

 

 

 

Our 2013-2014 NMI Council

 

Presenting Mission: Kona Coast at Wisconsin District Assembly (Please no comments on my pose…this is why Jesse does most of the presenting)  😉

Photos takeny by Pastor James Leston of Tomah.

2 months and counting!!!!  We have 3 more weeks of traveling Wisconsin presenting Mission: Kona Coast and then a month to enjoy our friends, family and local church family.  August will come with a mix of emotions -excitement, anticipation as well as sadness and fear.  It will also be filled with emptying our house, giving away our belongings and shipping the few remaining things.

Even though this journey has just begun, God has been doing amazing things.  We have seen the excitement and revival of God’s mission increase and spread.  His Church is ready and willing to obediently follow His leading.  He has provided everything, even those things that we hadn’t realized we would need.  Financially, we have hit our halfway mark! Our car is sold to a dear friend who didn’t even want to test drive it.  God has been raising up leaders to continue the ministries we will no longer be doing.  AND we even have a home for our dog of 12 years.

We do, however, have one last obstacle to make our move to Hawaii in September possible: we need to SELL OUR HOUSE.  Please join us in prayer for our house to sell with a quick and smooth closing.

Now, with our update complete, we wanted to take a moment to talk about our “call” into missions as a Missionary Pastor in Hawaii.  Jesse stated it best in his letter to Kona Coast Nazarene (KCN):

There is no single moment of awakening that we could point to and say, “Our journey begins here!”  Our “calling” could better be described as an evolution of faith, a series of transformations over the years that have brought us ever closer to the heart of God, a shift from the self-saving focus of evangelical, consumerist Christianity to the compassion-driven, kingdom revealing life that Christ himself demonstrated in everything he said and did.  And, with that in mind, we began asking ourselves, “So what is our response?  How do we truly live like Christ and model that life for our children and everyone we meet?”  Through prayer, scripture, close friendships, scriptural messages, and some challenging books, God slowly revealed the answer to this question…

Transformation 1 – Transforming Love

What had been missing in our relationship with God?  The answer – Love.  Not love for Him.  Of course we loved God; He had saved us!  But did we love others as He loved them? As much as we loved ourselves?  Yes and no.  We definitely served those who were already in His family.  Over the years we served as Caravan Directors and teen mentors and continue to serve as worship leaders, Sunday school teachers and small group leaders.  But what about those outside the walls of our Church?  The answer was a crushing, No!  All of these years as “strong” Christians, and we were missing almost half of the puzzle.  Something had to change.

Transformation 2 – Transforming Kingdom (On Earth as it is in Heaven)

What had been missing in our obedience?  Accept Christ as your savior, live a “clean” life and you’re on your way to heaven, right?  But, is our hope only for heaven?  What about this day?  Throughout scripture we began to see more and more frequently how Christ brought salvation into people’s lives by breaking the stranglehold that this world had on them and replacing it with the life of His coming kingdom.  Healing!  Redemption!  Transformation!  Freedom!  These were not just things for the life to come.  They were meant for this day, for this life!

Transformation 3 – Transforming Focus (Not just in the doors, but in the Family)

Just get them in the doors and wait for the magic to happen.  But wait, why aren’t they staying?  Isn’t our music good enough?  Didn’t we offer the right programs?  Weren’t our pastor’s messages compelling enough?  Interestingly, we find Christ introducing himself to people primarily outside of the temple courts.  Where else would you expect to find those most in need of a “physician?”    He changed our focus from filling pews on Sunday mornings to reaching out and filling lives with His life, hope, peace and grace each and every day, not just Sundays.

These three transformations have served to shape our response to living like Christ; missional living.  Making disciples and revealing the Kingdom of God in every capacity of life.  Missional living doesn’t require moving to some far off place to share Christ with others.  Over the past few years God has given our family plenty of opportunities to reveal His kingdom through acts of love and compassion to people who would never dream of setting foot in a church – homeless families who need to make a fresh start; individuals suffering from disabilities that make it difficult for them to interact in a society that shuns them; children and adults suffering abuse and neglect; neighbors who just don’t know there is a greater hope than what can be found in their material trappings.  This has been our mission field.

But God has made one thing abundantly clear during our time in rural Richland Center.  He has created some people to be firmly planted in one place for most of their lives and he has designed others to be uprooted.  Couple that with a passion for cultural and linguistic diversity that has been born in us through travel at home and abroad, as well as foreign and domestic inner-city missions, and you have the makings of a missionary family.

With the completion of the Nazarene Mission Corps training and the approved status of Nazarene missionaries, where was God leading this mechanical engineer, his English teaching wife turned homeschool mom and their four Children?  Saipan? Okinawa? Thailand? Europe?  All of these would have been suitable destinations.  But, there was a place where our journey seemed sovereignly aligned with the vision of a congregation who was seeking missionary pastor families to partner with them in reaching beyond their walls to share Christ with a diverse community of unbelievers: Kona Coast Nazarene.

…so with that we began taking steps forward as God guided us and here we are…just a couple of months away from hopping a plane and eager to love God and love the people of Hawaii.

 

18Den Jesus go near dem an say, “God wen give me all da power, so now I in charge a everyting all ova da world an inside da sky. 19So you guys, go all ova da world an teach all da diffren peopos, so dey can learn bout me an come my guys. Baptize dem, an dey goin come tight wit my Fadda, an me his Boy, an God’s Good an Spesho Spirit. 20Teach um how fo do everyting dat I wen tell you guys fo do. An you know wat? I goin stick wit you guys all da way, till da world goin pau.”  (Great Commision – Hawaiian Pidgin)

 

What is Mission: Kona Coast? 

The heart and vision of KCN (Kona Coast Nazarene) is to become a unified missional presence on the Kona Coast of the Big island of Hawaii, from Ocean View to North Kohala.   This vision is missional in that they are committed in fulfilling God’s mission – to establish God’s kingdom and to redeem all of creation.

 

How is KCN fulfilling this mission?

KCN is sending out missionaries to build the kingdom presence.  They are equipping disciples and being the Good News.  Instead of adding a wing onto their building, they are pouring their resources into commissioning local missionaries to communities and neighborhoods that are broken.  Social ills are being tackled with prayer, fasting, fellowship, and entrepreneurship to fulfill local needs and services.  Holistic community development projects are preparing the local residents with trade skills and life skills to find employment AND be healthy.

This holistic and complete evangelism addresses healing for daily problems; caring for personal, mental and physical needs; involvement with the intimate experiences of friends and neighbors and other real life challenges in the community.  Matters relating to personal finances, marriage and family, sex, academics, physical fitness, nutrition, employment, addictions, and human rights are addressed.  Whatever the cry may be, the Good News offers salvation, transformation, healing and liberation.

 

 

Sunday (6/23/13) KCN sent a prayer team to walk through Milolii (our mission zone) – praying for breakthroughs, health, revival, and reconciliation, and spiritual vitality.

It is crunch time!  3 months and we will be saying goodbye to our family and friends, flying to the middle of the Pacific Ocean, and joining Mission: Kona Coast.  At times it seems overwhelming – our fears and doubts begin to surface.  However, it is at these times that God reassures and reconfirms His call for our family.

Often times His reassurance comes through the encouragement and excitement from you, our partners in mission.  When we begin to feel forgotten, exhausted and misunderstood, one of you reaches out with God’s words of wisdom and blessing.   Each day we are reminded that we are not alone in this mission.   This is not just “our” mission, the Boyarski family mission, but “OUR” mission, the mission of God’s people to bless and reach all –both abroad and here in the U.S.

So where are we at in our mission?  What is our timeline?

We are roughly halfway through our scheduled church visits and amazed by the enthusiasm.  Many of you have joined us both in prayer and financial support.  We are continually updating our prayer page so you know specifically how to pray for us.  Financially, our goal is to have the majority of our support raised by the end of June (this month) so that we can be in Kona by this September.  If you haven’t yet, please take time to look at our “Donating” page.  If each of you would commit to $10/month, Mission: Kona Coast/Milolii & Ocean View will become a reality.  Praise God!

And lastly, please continue the phone calls, emails, notes via snail mail and comments.  As mentioned earlier, it is these things that give us courage and strength while we continue to move forward.

Grace, Peace and Love,

The Boyarski Family

This past month or so has been a whirlwind:  Traveling, selling and giving away our things, visiting friends and family (while avoiding the inevitable goodbyes), fixing things on the house to hopefully find a buyer sooner rather than later, logistically planning our move, as well as living our normal, everyday life of homeschooling, work, church and community ministry, etc.  And as these things continue the next couple of months until we actually hop on the plane heading to Kona, we are learning what it is to rest and trust in God, to remove ourselves from the busyness, to lean on Him, to be refreshed and filled by Him, and to be quiet and listen.

During these times of busyness as well as rest and reflection, we are continually amazed by God and God’s people.  The support for Mission: Kona Coast and the love we have received from each church is overwhelming.  It is wonderful to be a part of such a big community.  Each time we enter an unfamiliar building filled with new faces, we begin to fellowship and worship our God and we are no longer strangers; we are truly family.

However, this past weekend we were  among our Racine “familia” (where we had served as the minister of youth and worship).  We were greeted with  hugs, laughter and tears.  It was wonderful and encouraging to hear stories of God’s movement in Racine and within the families of Taylor Avenue!  I also have to say that Taylor Avenue sets the bar high as far as interaction during our sermon – “Amens”, shouts of “We love you Boyarski’s” and clapping accompanied even our most uninteresting aspects of our presentation.

This bond we experienced and continue to experience with our brothers and sisters in Christ, their stories and our stories have left us speechless and awed.  Our God is a living God whose kingdom is at hand.   Families are turning to Him.  Baptisms are too numerous to count.  Marriages are being restored.  Physical and emotional healings are being witnessed.  Criminals are turning from their crimes and kneeling as intercessors for God’s Kingdom.  God’s people are bringing hope and justice to those in need.  Holy love is abounding!  Revival is here in Wisconsin, the Kona Coast, as well as the other 48 states.

We have been blessed to hear these “God stories” as well as to be a part of these stories of restoration and hope.  And we would love to hear more stories.  Where have you seen God working and moving in your life, your church, your community?  Where have you seen our prayer of “on earth as it is in heaven” being answered?  How are you bringing hope, mercy and love (God’s Kingdom) to those around you?  Tell your story, God’s story, the story of revival!

*I will enable comments so you can share

Ocean View is like no other place on earth. To the unfamiliar, it is only a small town along Hawaii Belt Road (Queen Ka’ahumanu Hwy), 47 miles south of Kailua-Kona. But to those familiar with the History of Hawaii, and to the distinct community that currently resides there, Ocean View is an indispensable town to the rich diversity and development of the Big Island.

While the history of this southern-most part of the United States extends as far back as the discovery of the Hawaiian Islands, Ocean View is relatively young. It is believed that the first Polynesian explorers landed and settled near modern day Ocean View. King Kamehameha even spent some of his childhood in the area near South Point, Ocean View and Waiahukini Bay.

Ocean View, however, was once part of Kahuku Ranch, and sales of the land began only 65 years ago.

As soon as the Crawford Oil Company developed a service station and a rental building in the early 80’s, Ocean View began quick growth. In 1989 the Ocean View Town Center was built, and today—only a few decades later—there are over 100 business listings and over 11,000 resident lots between the Hawaiian Ocean View Estates (mauka of Hawaii Belt Rd) and Hawaiian Ranchos (makai of Hawaii Belt Rd).

The landscape of Ocean View is rugged, having withstood three lava flows in 50 years (between 1868-1907) and spanning a significant grade from 500ft to 5,000ft above sea level. Vegetation penetrates the pronounced lava that still remains, as if to declare that Ocean View has a vibrant and healthy future. This future is marked by cultural diversity, economic development, and population growth. Much of this change has only begun in the last few decades and continues to surge forward.

For all it’s obvious qualities, Ocean View is in some ways beyond definition. Census data of the area and local accounts do not usually agree. For instance, the recorded population of Ocean View is near 5,000. Residents, however, contend that at least 10,000 people call it home. Again, the median income per household is recorded at $39k/year, but locals believe that amount is arbitrary. Instead, income hovers below the “poverty line” for most permanent residents ($29k/year for a household of four) . These disparities are a small piece of why the Ocean View puzzle is unique.

It’s been said that three kinds of people live in Ocean View: those retiring, those running, and those retreating. Those retiring find affordable property in the Aloha State with accessibility to Kailua-Kona and many of the cherished treasures of the Big island; those running find refuge away from the city, high costs of living, and unwanted relationships; those retreating find open space, fertile soil, and immediate access to rural Hawaii.