From our YWAM founder, Loren Cunningham on life now in Kona: “Not only are we safe, we are thriving and reaching out to the families on the other side of the island. As Grandpa Nicholson used to say, ‘We are as safe as if we were in God’s pockets.’
Some of the national news is sensationalizing our situation into something that is inaccurately portrayed as island wide. We have not had more vog than our occasional vog days and Kona is about 100miles away from the eruptions.
Years ago, the Lord told us to go to Kona on the Big Islands saying, ‘Go where I send you and you will be safe.’ Here we are protected from potential lava flows from Mauna Loa and Kilauea in the shadow of Hualalai which is known historically to Hawaiians as the mountain that saves.”
“Hawaiian vacation planned, but worried about air quality? Go” says air pollution expert in this article by CNN.com:
It’s good to know our Kona community is safe, but we have not forgotten our Big Island neighbors. A faith based coalition is coordinating response with churches, Habitat for Humanity, YWAM and others to coordinate response to the communities on the East side (about 100miles from Kona) who have been impacted by the eruptions.
Facts about our Island:
- The Big Island Is 4,028 mi². The affected area is less than 10 mi²
- Kilauea is a shield volcano versus Mt. Saint Helens which is a stratovolcano.
- The volcanic activity and where lava has flowed along the East Rift Zone in/near Leilani Estates and Lanipuna Gardens Subdivisions is limited to an ISOLATED area in Lower Puna on the island of Hawai‘i ’s east side.
- This area in the Puna district covers only less than a 10-square-mile area of the island’s 4,028 square miles. The district of Puna is approximately 500 square miles (the size of half of Rhode Island)
- This is more than 100 driving miles away from the western Kohala and Kona Coasts, where the island’s major visitor accommodations and resorts are located, and the area furthest from the current activity.
- Kīlauea is one of the most active volcanoes on Earth and has been erupting for the past 35 years.
Source: https://www.facebook.com/BigIslandTVHawaii/posts/1742573305799145