Nine months after a wildfire devastated parts of the Hawaiian island of Maui, more than 100 people have given their lives to Christ at a special outreach for survivors. It was hosted by Pastor Greg Laurie’s Harvest Maui church. He told the community that God is their hope and source of healing.
More than 3,000 people attended the Hope For Lahaina services. More than 100 died in the inferno that tore across the Lahaina region, destroying at least 2,000 buildings and displacing around 6,000 residents. The outreach included worship led by former American Idol contestant Danny Gokey and worship leader Leeland.
Island residents said the event was timely and much needed. “A lot of people feel hopeless. There just seems like no end in sight. (Like) what’s going to happen here in our community. So hopefully many people will come together and feel the spirit of God and find Jesus because right now in Maui, we need it,” said one woman. “So many people are coming here to be fed, to be healed. I really do hope something like this can really bring healing to our community,” another resident said.
CBN News reports that survivors welcomed the outreach because many were losing hope as reconstruction work has been painstakingly slow. Hawaii’s average wait time for a construction permit to build a multi-family home has been up to 400 days. Local officials have pledged to try to expedite the processing of permits in Maui.
Greg Laurie said the event was a chance to share the Gospel and part of a lot of work that his Harvest Church ministry has been doing on the island since the fire. The church started the Harvest Maui Relief Fund soon after the disaster and has been providing residents with food, clothing, school supplies, housing, and other community support since then.
“The church is here for such a time as this. And I think there’s hope for the people here, but the hope is in God and you know, hope actually grows in the garden of adversity and I believe that our church reaching out and other believers living as they should as Christians, we will be able to bring help and hope to the people of Maui,” Pastor Laurie told CBN News immediately after the fire.
His ministry is building a permanent church near the disaster zone for its rapidly growing membership. “We are building a new facility for Harvest Maui that we hope to open later this year. This Church is not only a light to those that attend it here on the island, especially in the aftermath of the fire, but it is also a place where tourists come and find Christ. Remember to pray for us,” he appealed.
Photo: United States Coast Guard (via Wikimedia Commons)
