11. Sunday in Lahaina

Some of us decided to attend the Lahaina Baptist Church on Sunday morning. It is a small congregation that meets in a semi-open air sanctuary in the town of Lahaina. We were only a part of a sizable group of visitors, which is likely a common occurrence in this resort community. After several contemporary musical numbers, with words displayed on a projection screen centered above the front wall of the worship center, the pastor led a thoughtful challenge for us to be Light in a world that is filled with much spiritual darkness. A tasty conclusion of the service included an invitation to share a cup of pineapple juice in a few minutes of fellowship after the worship service. We proceeded into the town of Lahaina to stroll the shops and restaurants that line the Front Street of the town. The splashing waves of the waterfront provide the backdrop for the very picturesque harbor town that once was a major whaling center of the central Pacific Ocean. After spending the afternoon at the pool and grounds of the Maui Marriott, Cynthia, Lorita and I watched the beautiful sunset that shows the sun dropping behind the Island of Lanai, from our vantage point on Kaanapali Beach. Mary Etta and Chester had dinner in their village of Kahana, and described their sunset as one of the most spectacular they had ever seen. From the vantage point of their village, the sun settled into the ocean midway between the two islands of Lanai and Molokai. Of course, the sun sets in every day in every time zone of the planet, but in my opinion, there is no more beautiful experience than to witness a sunset, in all its vibrant colors painted on the clouds hovering over and around these beautiful islands, with the view framed by the swaying palm trees and beautiful flowers that are the hallmarks of these beautiful islands.