Pete and Donna Beal have always sought to serve God wherever He leads, which has led to their involvement in the birth of the Maui Fire Caring Ministry. Commissioned by Wes Higuchi, Maui County Baptist Association president, the new ministry launched in June with a team of 13 volunteers representing Valley Isle Fellowship, Kahului Union Church and Kahului Baptist Church.
The goal is for volunteers, who have undergone a specific orientation and training, to follow up with and connect fire survivors with local churches using the CARE strategy — Care like Christ, Ask open-ended questions, Recognize this is an ongoing process, and Encourage and end each call with hope.
Volunteers aim to listen to the unique stories and needs of everyone they call, often ending prayerfully and welcoming callbacks.
The Beals said the ministry is currently in phase one, which consists of developing a database of available resources, identifying needs and establishing a committed volunteer team.
They have utilized several resources from experts in the field of trauma care, as well as input from experts within Hawaii Pacific Baptist Convention.
They also have acquired funding from Maui County Association and HPBC for six to eight months, and local churches have indicated willingness to financially assist fire survivors. They are actively looking to expand the volunteer team to better meet the needs of the hundreds affected by the Maui fires.
EDITOR’S NOTE — This story was written by Hannah Denney and originally published by the Hawaii Pacific Baptist Convention.
