Prayers and Machetes

Do you ever find yourself walking past a sign declaring “This trail is dangerous” and stop to consider your life choices? Do you ever walk by a machete on the trail and keep walking? 

No? 

Just us?

Well, maybe we should consider ourselves blessed to be writing this blog post!

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Featured photos: https://photos.app.goo.gl/E2ryptyStcW9Hb6VA

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December 28th, 2023 - Hawaii Day 2

The sun was just painting the sky yellow as we departed from our Hana airbnb. Palm trees punched tropical outlines in the navy-tinted sky. The morning air was warm and still. Frankly, it was a perfect morning for a hike. Getting there, however, was a different story. We drove through countless tiny streets in Hana, baffled to discover that there wasn’t an official parking lot for the beach we’d intended to visit. In fact, the only real access point to the beach seemed to be safeguarded by the tall fences of a fancy resort. Nonetheless, we were not discouraged. Tyler knew there was a hiking trail somewhere. It was just a matter of finding it. When we finally found a place to park where we wouldn’t get towed, we walked quiet sidewalks to the trail. 

The hiking trail to Kaihalulu Beach is nearly as difficult to find as parking lots. We knew that there were two trailheads, but access to the first turned out to be sketchy. A hand-painted sign, nailed to a tree, declared “No Trespass. Trail Dangerous. KEEP OUT. Numerous Injury and Fatalities.” In case the white block letters weren’t ominous enough, a crude skull and crossbones had been painted beneath. And in case we still weren’t clear, we found a machete lying in the grass just a few paces beyond the sign. It seemed that the locals were not eager to share their trail with visitors. If we took the trailhead, would someone chase us down with the machete? I wasn’t exactly eager to find out. Taking a hint, we moved on to the second trailhead. 

This trailhead, too, was marked “Trail is Dangerous,” but since it didn’t say “No Trespassing,” we stepped on to the trail. No machete-wielding trail guardians burst from the undergrowth, so we continued on into the sunrise. It was a cliffside trail, held up mostly by tree roots and blooming flowers. It was easy to imagine a hard storm washing the trail out completely, which we figured was probably the true cause for all the warning signs. Thankfully, the ground was solid that day. As turquoise waves crashed beneath us, we hiked up and around the Ka'uiki Head cinder cone, whose ancient eruptions formed the reddish cliffs on which we were walking. The degradation of the red cinder cliffs formed the secluded, crescent-shaped Kaihalulu Beach we were seeking. As we rounded the last bend, we caught our first glimpse. It was stunning. Brick-red sand glowed vibrant in the sunrise. A line of jagged rocks stood like sentries in the ocean, protecting the red beach from ocean-bound visitors. While it wasn’t large or shell-studded, it was the most beautiful beach I’d ever seen. Some might even call it magical.

I slipped off my shoes to experience the beach more fully. The red sand was gritty, almost harsh on the feet. The waves, still strong from yesterday’s storm, jostled through the sentry rocks. I stood in the Pacific and lifted my face to the morning sun. A smile slipped across my face. What a truly special place. A moment later, a big wave splashed up and soaked my shorts. What luck. Funnily enough, I didn’t mind a bit. The sun was warm. The beach was beautiful. What could I possibly complain about? 

At breakfast later, we learned that food prices were something that we could have complained about. Owing to the cost of imports, island life is expensive. At one point, we were passed by a truck with a dead wild boar in the back. With everything so expensive on the island, we immediately wondered if that boar was about to be breakfast. Anyone want some wild bacon? Our own breakfast was a simple one, but pricey. Nonetheless, we enjoyed it! I tried a glass of POG (pineapple/orange/guava juice) that’s a staple on the island. It was so good I took a picture of it! 

Since we’d visited a red sand beach, we thought it fitting to visit a black sand beach after breakfast. Black sand, as is easily imagined, is formed by lava. Hot lava has a funny way of eating through the landscape as it travels. At this particular beach, for example, there was a long sea cave that had been carved out by the slow progress of molten rock. We climbed inside and watched the waves crash against the rocks. Droplets bounced into glittering arrays with each impact. The sea cave was mesmerizing, as was the charcoal-black beach rimming the vibrant water. 

Frankly, the scenery was hard to comprehend. I’d grown up visiting the soft white beaches of the Carolinas. Hawaii’s beaches are a different place altogether. The Pacific is more violent than the Atlantic. The beaches are more wild, colorful with unimaginable hues. In fact, Hawaii boasts an endless numbers of elements that we had never encountered before. The fruit stands, for example, are stupendous! They scatter every roadside, brimming with fresh produce that we pay premium prices for in Ohio. We had to stop at one. Bananas hung in heavy bunches. Oblong green fruits scattered the countertop. These puzzled me. I picked one up and weighed it in my hand. The signs on the produce stand sporadically labeled, “Bananas, 2 for $1.00. Zeke’s Avocados, $2.00 each. Passion fruit, 2 for $1.00.” I suddenly felt like an idiot. What was I holding? It wasn’t a banana, so that left avocado or passion fruit. What did a passion fruit look like? I would have Googled it, but I had no signal. I looked at the fruit again. It sure looked like an avocado, but it was massive. The fruit was bigger than my hand and heavy. Did avocados get this big? I eventually shrugged and bought two. I loved avocados. If it was an avocado, I considered that a win. If it was a passion fruit, well, I guess I’d try a new fruit!

(A few days later, I cut open the mystery fruit. It was an avocado, and it was delicious with an egg breakfast!)

The rest of our day was spent driving the Highway to Hana. We visited an underground lava tube, which was a refreshingly cool escape from the tropical sun. We stopped at more fruit stands for ginger drinks (perfect for the carsick stomach) and fresh fruit smoothies. Waterfalls crashed down hillsides along the road. Wild goats climbed nimbly over ancient piles of volcanic rock. The road narrowed to tiny cliff paths, sending terror through us when we encountered other vehicles. In one particularly narrow point, we were nearly plowed off the road by a massive township truck. The man behind the wheel scowled at us as we threw the car quickly into reverse. The big truck never slowed. He stayed right in the middle of the road, steadily pushing towards us. We were baffled, but got out of the way as quick as possible. We knew better than to pick a fight with a big truck and a bigger attitude! 

The most memorable part of the day was spent at the St. Joseph Church in Kaupo. We had been drifting along the dirt portion of the Highway to Hana, enjoying the remote scenery of the Maui countryside. The volcanic hillsides were vast on this side of the island, stretching greenly in every direction until colliding with the blue sky and ocean. Above the green hills rose a small grey steeple, which caught our attention immediately. The grey church followed soon thereafter. It was a lonesome building perched on a tall cliff, caught between the expanse of ocean swells and tropical hills. Glass Christmas ornaments hung from a wire fence. Christmas wreaths and garlands decorated the ancient curved windows. This in itself was intriguing. I had assumed the church abandoned. It was clearly very old. Parts of the roof had fallen away to expose beams and blue sky. Yet someone had taken the time to decorate the church for Christmas. Upon closer inspection, that someone was at the church. An older couple had parked their car in front of the church’s entrance. An elderly woman smiled at us from the front steps where she was resting. A man with thick white hair was busying himself with tidying up. The smell of bleach hung heavily in the air. They had just been treating the mold that had sprouted around the holes in the ceiling. Despite its age (the church was built in 1862), the couple informed us that it was still an active place of worship. A traveling minister held mass every 5th Sunday for the faithful farmers and households in the area. The couple, who lived about an hour away, devoted themselves to the commute to maintain the church the best they could. It was evident that the church was a special place. As we walked around, a warm peace settled over us. It was the kind of feeling that comes from a place saturated with prayer. Despite the church’s appearance, it was still a place of worship. Here on the cliffside, people could be one with God. 

I think that says a lot about how we tend to judge by first appearances. You don’t need a comfortable pews or stained glass windows to worship the Creator. In fact, you don’t need most of the things we think that we do. A lavish car, big house, and fancy job hardly makes a person better. In fact, it is often hardship that shapes individuals into good people. So, dear reader, take heart. You are right where you are meant to be. If things are difficult, try to embrace it. You are being shaped and molded. You’ll make it through. If a bad roof and ancient walls can’t stop the parishoners of St. Joseph, then our struggles can’t stop us either. 

We can overcome anything with a little faith, can’t we?

More information about the St. Joseph Church: https://friendsofstjoseph-kaupo.org/