Dear Lorien,

Today Lloyd took me to work with him. That’s the view from his office window at Iao United Church of Christ—it’s a typical sunny and breezy day on Maui. In the distance, you can see the deep blue of the Pacific Ocean.

Lloyd works for three other Hawaiian congregational churches here; he does a variety of things with these churches—office work, website admin, piano and organ playing… but the part he likes best is that of the churches’ mission helping the poor and marginalized on Maui. Folks like the working poor and working class; immigrant families from Kosrae, Ponape and other Micronesian islands; prison inmates and ex-convicts; the homeless; single moms struggling to make ends meet.

He says that there is so much need out in the community—yes, even here on this postcard-pretty island—but that local churches like the ones he’s involved with are doing the necessary things to make life easier for the downtrodden. And these churches do it with no fanfare whatsoever; quietly, effectively. Their lights hidden under bushels.

It is satisfying work, he says; but that there’s still so much to be done. It was interesting watching some of that today, from my perch—taped to the glass window, watching the clouds flit by. :-)

your friend,
Flat Stanley.