THE CAPITOL MALL AND DOWNTOWN HONOLULU

The Sign On The Newly Constructed Cross Says it All.

I was looking forward to walking the cross at the world renowned Waikiki Beach with YWAM staff members. But day two in Hawaii would be a solo cross walk at the Capitol Mall and downtown Honolulu. For reasons that are His alone, God always requires me to initially walk the cross at each capital alone. I don’t even ask Him why. I just obey His edit, although I do have some ideas as to why.

At 8:30 in the morning, YWAM’s Billy Kyllonen graciously helped me load up the 10-foot, 60-pound cross on the rack of his SUV and then drove me downtown and a few blocks from the Capitol building. We prayed that hearts would be open to the message of the Cross and then I headed toward the nearby huge and beautiful park, where several homeless people had erected tents.

I was surprised at the large number of homeless people living in Honolulu.

GOD’S GOT HIS PEOPLE EVERYWHERE—EVEN ON THE STREETS

Homeless But Not Help-less—Just A Bump In My Life.

Because I like to hoist the cross upright at strategic spots in each city and pray long and hard for the salvation and safety of the residents of the city, this huge park was the ideal area to do this. As I hoisted the cross upright, a man’s voice filled the air. “Wow! You’re praying for our city, aren’t you?! I turned to look.

Mike was homeless. But he also held down two part-time jobs, including working at a nearby church doing maintenance work. Saving up money to eventually get a place to live, he was a happy and gentle soul who offered me a bottle of water and food. “You want to pray with me for the people living in Honolulu?” I asked. “And the homeless, too, please!” Mike added. We prayed, then talked awhile about Hawaii, Jesus Christ and homelessness in Honolulu.

Mike considered the homeless his ministry as well. He shared that he was always praying with and taking to the homeless about God’s love for them. Truly, God’s got an army in Hawaii. Though some may not fit the description of what a Christian looks like, Mike and so many others I met during this cross walk were not afraid to share their faith in Jesus, even if life was being kinda rough on them right now.

A MEDICAL DOCTOR’S E-MAIL TO ME AFTER THE CROSS WALK

Honolulu Has A Large Population Of Homeless People.

After having a great conversation with Mike, I headed toward the Capitol Mall. The large number of tents scattered throughout the large park as well as throughout Honolulu’s huge Chinatown neighborhood that I noticed as we drove past on our way to downtown stayed on my mind. Later that day and after returning to the YWAM base, I received an e-mail from a Christian medical doctor I had spoken with as I walked the cross toward the Capitol building. This is part of his e-mail to me:

Praying Loud & Long At Hawaii’s State Capitol Building.

After walking several blocks, I reached the beautiful Capitol Mall. Hoisting the large cross upright, I began praying for Hawaii’s governor, lieutenant governor, two state senators and twenty-five state representatives, that each one would not only accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, but that each one would follow His will concerning every decision they would make during their terms of office.

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“They will look upon Me whom they have pierced…”

STATE AND STATE CAPITAL CROSS WALK # 40.

As a young man and surfer, I had always dreamed of visiting Hawaii and riding those huge waves off Oahu’s world famous North Shore. But when I accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior in February, 1973 I gave up the longboard for the long cross and The Endless Summer for The Endless Easter (eternal life).

Forty-six years later, here I was on my way to Honolulu and Waikiki Beach, not to surf, but to lug a very large cross throughout this capital city and world famous beach and to pray loud and long for God to send forth Great Revival, Great Awakening and Great Godly Sorrow that produces genuine repentance throughout this our nation’s 50th state.

HONOLULU’S YOUTH WITH A MISSION

YWAM Honolulu’s Billy Kyllonen Constructing The New Cross.

Because I could not bring my well-used and well-traveled 10-foot, 60-pound cross on the plane trip to Honolulu, I decided to construct a new one once arriving in Honolulu, with the idea of leaving the large cross with YWAM Honolulu (Youth With A Mission), the worldwide missionary and evangelism group I would be staying with throughout the eight-day cross walk. It was my prayer that these young missionaries would take up the cross once I returned to Bakersfield, California and begin a cross-walking ministry throughout the entire state of Hawaii.

However, I did bring the 12″ bike wheel and yoke assembly with me on the plane. Whenever I construct a large cross, I visit Goodwill centers, purchase old 12″ bicycles, take the front tire yoke off the old bike and then secure the freshly painted yoke with new tire and tube on the cross as a way of helping me walk the 60-pound cross for several miles each and every cross walk throughout America’s state capitals, as well as California cities and local cross walks.

CONSTRUCTING THE NEW CROSS

After arriving in Honolulu and at the YWAM base and enjoying a good night’s sleep, YWAM’s director of the School Of Missions and Evangelism (SOME), Billy Kyllonen, drove me to the local Home Depot, to purchase two 10′ by 4″ x 4″ Douglas Fir wood beams to construct the new cross.

YWAM had all the tools needed to construct the new cross. Thanks to Mike Coates, an intelligent and well organized  Maintenance Director, this cross-making project would be done right and the cross would last for many, many years.

The Finished Cross. Billy, His Wife Beth, And Their Littlest Of Six Children.

Because I wanted this cross to be YWAM’s cross after I returned home, I asked Billy to construct the cross and he eagerly began work on the cross. Billy did an amazing and wonderful job constructing the new cross. All I did was provide verbal instructions. Usually I stain the cross a golden brown color and then waterproof it with a sealer. But since  I was going to walk the cross throughout the Capitol Mall and downtown the next day, we decided to forgo staining it until a later date.

THE CROSS ANOINTED AND APPOINTED FOR SERVICE

After completing construction of the new cross, I asked Billy and several YWAM staff members to gather around the cross, hoist it upright and to ask the LORD of the Harvest to anoint and appoint the cross for His service and for the Kingdom of God, that everyone who looked at this cross would see the ONE who was crucified for their sins and come to Him to receive forgiveness of sins and new life.

Hawaii has a rich Christian heritage, but because of so much spiritual darkness in the land (as it in in all our states), fresh Great Awakening amongst believers and Great Revival throughout Hawaii’s 1.5 million souls is the only way this looming spiritual darkness can be turned back, as God’s light breaks through and penetrates the darkened hearts and souls of individuals with His amazing love and grace.

YWAMers Praying For Great Revival And Great Awakening.

These young people know how to pray.

As I took pictures of these young missionaries while they prayed. I knew that God would not only anoint and appoint the cross for His glory, but that He was sparking anew and afresh the spirits of these young third day believers with a renewed zeal to reach their world for Jesus!

GOD’S REALLY GOOD NEWS TO HAWAII

I also knew that, even thought they may not have fully understood what they were doing by pointing the cross North, then East, then West, and then South (NEWS) as they prayed, God was going to send forth the Spirit of Great Revival throughout the entire state of Hawaii and reveal to thousands and thousands of men, women and children His GOOD NEWS of salvation in Christ Jesus. And that these young people would be part of this Great Awakening throughout Hawaii!

Part Two Shares The Capitol Mall Cross Walk.