and back again (:

ALOHA from O'ahu Hawai'i!

i'm just gunna jump right into it and say that God has already taught me an amazing lesson: HE PROVIDES. while we were at a $60,000 deficit a day and a half prior to leaving, we were able to raise about 3/4 of that and everyone on my team was able to come! it was such a special moment my team and i shared as we we told the good news (: BIG MAHALO to all you who supported my team and i both financially and prayerfully. i was so touched by all of your care, efforts, and just LOVE for our mission. and although i still need to raise about $500 more throughout the duration of the project, i am confident that God will provide. I mean, we saw our deficit go from $60,000 to less than $20,000 in a matter of one full DAY. so i ain't trippin (; but that's crazy, ah?

anyway, we arrived here safely at around 11am HI time yesterday! can't believe we're actually here. we had a smooth flight, and a chill move-in. the dorms here are SO nice. much better than my crappy trash can dorms last summer! haha. i'm living in a suite with the beautiful annalynn as my roommate! amanda and her roommate rebecca are our suitemates. SO BLESSED to have such an awesome suite♥

also, can i just say. the rooms have AIR CONDITION! hallelujah. such and upgrade from last year. haha. it's always nice to come back to a cool room (; they're the newest dorms on campus, with all new furniture and all. i'm quite excited to be living here for the next month and a half.

aside from all that jazz, some feelings i've been experiencing lately have been somewhat surprising for me? i think i'm just in a really weird state of mind after leaving california. i think i still just haven't had the chance to process all of the recent BIG changes i've been through. from finishing up with Epic, to graduating, to moving out, and saying goodbye to all my college friends, from saying goodbye and leaving my family, friends, and grant at home, to packing my life away to move here to HI, to briefing, and now arriving here in HI. EESH that's a lot! and to be honest, i haven't really thought through a lot of it. right now i'm feeling a lot of mixed stuff, with being excited for project and finally arriving in HI, to just missing california and home SO SO much. not that i'm one who gets homesick easily, but it's more of the realization that i may not be returning home for a very long long time. and moreover, realizing that Hawai'i is my new home. it is so surreal! i'm just thankful that i am on project first to ease into it and prepare my heart for this huge life change.

GOD IS SO GOOD THOUGH. He continually comforts me, and reminds me that He indeed has called me to be here, learning to love and serve His people--the people of Hawai'i. it was a calling that was far too strong to turn down, and one that i knew would be in some ways difficult for me. i'm excited to unfold the things He'll be teaching me and my team this summer, and just the amazing experiences we're about to have!

speaking of which, we went to waimea bay today (: surprisingly, i hadn't been to this beach before! i absolutely loved it. the weather was amazing, and the water was crystal clear. OH, and i even jumped off the big rock! about 2 stories or more in height, i still can't believe i leaped off that thang. from the highway it seems so enormous! haha i think it was much easier because i strategized and decided that i would not look over the edge until it was my turn to jump, and then i'd just do it without looking. HA! i know, scaredy cat, me (; whate'er, i still did it. haha. anyway, all in all a fun & relaxing day!

i'm not sure how the rest of the week will pan out, but i hope to be able to blog again very soon! thanks all for your support and love (: and just for reading this!

until next time,
<3nicky.

OH and PS. here's my address if you wanna be penpals with me!
Nicky Leong
EPIC Movement
2569 Dole St.
Honolulu, HI 96822