Summer is in full swing! School is out, and the Kids House is more alive than ever with different camps visiting.
Please join us as we share stories from the Kids House, the Summer Session with Hawaii Leadership Residency, and how your support is impacting Makanalani Kids!
- Stories of the Kids House -
Summer 2025
Summer 2025 is fully underway! June has been full of joy from kids gathering from all ends of Kauai to host their summer camps. These camps have made full use of what Makanalani has to offer, providing the best experience possible for these kids! Days are being spent making so many memories. Through creativity in art, music, and media, to showing their competitive side in sports, games, and challenges, to exploring nature around Makanalani Ranch!
The first part of summer has been such a blessing. Continue below to hear some stories from the different visiting groups!
- The Wise Old Sage -
Do you want to go on an epic quest? This month we hosted a camp of middle school students visiting from many Missionary Churches across Kauai! One of the activities they hosted was called “The Wise Old Sage.” In this game, they had leaders, as well as Makanalanai’s HLR Volunteers, stationed around various parts of the farm. The kids had to visit every station to challenge the leader to a minigame in order to gather clues, assemble a selection of Bible verses, and figure out the correct questions they needed to ask the sage. Once they piece together all the information, they would hunt down their youth pastor, playing the role of the Wise Old Sage, to share all the correct information and win! A fun experience of ambition to get the kids thinking and moving!
- A Battle Royale -
This month we hosted Calvary Chapel Lihue and their youth group. One activity they led up to all week was a Battle Royale! Each student participating attached an egg to their head and were only allowed to battle using pool noodles. They were given access to our entire 130-acre farm, and got to run, hide, and battle to be the last person standing with their egg unbroken! After a couple of hours, they gathered the finalists into our game field, where they duked it out until a winner was crowned!
We love seeing groups be this ambitious with their plans to invest into these kids and provide them an environment to make amazing memories!
- Shave Ice Can Make a Difference -
Do you want to support Makanalani and get a delicious cold treat? Check out JoJo’s Shave Ice! JoJo’s is a part of our Makanalani Ohana, meaning every time you buy something, you are directly supporting the mission of Makanalani and providing for the groups who stay at the Kids House!
Visit us any day of the week in Hanalei (11am-8:30pm), Coconut Marketplace (11am-9pm), or Waimea (11am-7pm)!
A Glimpse into Our Past...
- The Bunkhouse -
The plans for our first building – The Barn – were approved in late 2005, so in 2006 we got serious about setting up to clear the 130 acres, build roads and bridges, fence the land, and get basic utilities. Our ‘home base’ for all of this initial activity was a Bunkhouse. It housed our small crew of talented builders and was a well-organized place for our tools and supplies we had at the time. The Bunkhouse was pretty big for a temporary building at over 1,200 square feet! It was a very basic plywood construction with screen windows, built on top of two large refrigeration shipping containers.
On top of the shipping containers the bunkhouse had four very small bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a very spacious lanai. We also worked out basic utilities like electricity, water, and septic. Later, we added more facilities downstairs.
The comradery in the crew was great! Scripture readings and spirited discussions were had each morning and evening around the dining room table, starting the days off strong before heading down our makeshift roads to get to work. Grandma, a relative to several of our workers, stepped in to help and ruled over the bunkhouse to oversee grocery shopping, cooking, and cleaning. Her service was an incredible blessing to us in the early stages. This was a really good time in Makanalani’s history. As 20 years have passed, it is incredible to see God’s faithfulness in how far the farm has come since the early days in the Bunkhouse.
Hawaii Leadership Residency
- A Weekend Getaway -
– Josiah Pifer, HLR Resident Summer 2025
“This past weekend we took a camping trip to Hale Koa up in Kokee. Hale Koa is a big change of pace and scenery from the north shore. It’s very dry, arid, and mountainous compared to the rainforest of Kilauea. We have been working really hard as interns landscaping at Makanalani, maintaining the citrus farm, and helping out with the campers at the Kids House. Along with the work, we have been learning about how to make disciples and various ways to study scripture. The group has been really soaking up the opportunity to be learning and serving, but certainly this weekend away came at the perfect time. Before this trip we started deciding as a group to give our phones up for the weekend so we could have time undistracted by things outside of the community we have. It fostered an environment for deep quality time and overall deepened relationship building as a group.
The first night per tradition the third tri-annual talent show was held. Third place was taken home by Ryan, Seth, and Wyatt with their jujitsu performance. Second place went to Lainey and Hallie, the hostesses of Friend Island, where they brought contestants to the stage and played a version of musical chairs. First place went to the NASCAR crew of Josiah, Shepard, Karl, Wyatt, and Gavin. Racers had to keep their heads on the floor while doing a worm like race through the track. How much talent was actually displayed is under question, but lots of laughs were shared regardless.
Later that night everyone enjoyed games and worship around the campfire before heading to bed, whether that was in a cabin or in hammocks out in the woods. The next morning the team got up and headed out for a hike overlooking Waimea Canyon. We got to see some truly beautiful sights and even swim at a waterfall. Overall, an incredible trip and time away from routine that brought our group closer together as a whole. The quietness of the mountains with no phones really allowed us to reflect on the teachings from the last 4 weeks and we are ever thankful for the hosts of Hale Koa for the opportunity to hang out there over the weekend!”
Summer Session 2025 for Hawaii Leadership Residency has been incredible! Growing and equipping these young adults through service and community and supporting Makanalani in all that we do. Interested in learning more about HLR or want to apply for a session? Click below!
