ONE year on from the wildfires that devastated part of the Hawaiian island of Maui (News, 18 August 2023), relief efforts have been praised, but much remains to be restored. This includes the historic Holy Innocents’ vicarage, office, and childern’s nursery, in the coastal town of Lahaina.
Eighty per cent of the town was destroyed; it took the full force of the fires, which broke out on 8 August and claimed 115 lives. Twelve thousand people were displaced. More than 2200 structures were destroyed in damage that exceeded $5.5 billion.
The Bishop of Hawaii, the Rt Revd Robert Fitzpatrick, described himself as moved to tears by the love and generosity of donors around the world (News, 12 January). Almost $1 million was received in combined donations to the Bishop’s Pastoral Fund, the diocesan community-outreach programme, A Cup of Cold Water (ACCW), and Holy Innocents’.
But the Bishop’s predictions that rebuilding was likely to be years away have proved correct. Episcopal Relief and Development, which works to combat hunger, poverty, disaster, and disease, returning to the island last month, reported: “The resilience of the community in coming together and supporting each other has been nothing short of outstanding.
“Almost miraculously, people of Maui and Hawaii and across the globe have stepped up, worked together and helped save each other, sometimes in unexpected ways. Putting aside all differences, they have done what needed to be done. But while moving forward to physically restore and rebuild, there are still mental-health issues that need to be addressed.”
In an anniversary update, Canon Sandy Graham spoke of “the inspiration of everyday people sacrificially responding to the needs of the siblings and cousins they didn’t even know by name”, the Episcopal News Service reported.
Praising ACCW for “now doing even more with even less”, he said: “The resilient faithful of Holy Innocents’ continue to lament and praise and pray together, and you get a real palpable feeling when you are with them that nothing will stop them. Along with the rest of Lahaina, they wait as patiently as they can, but waiting is frustratingly pervasive all across Maui.”
The congregation of Holy Innocents’ continues to meet in the Honolua United Methodist Church. A eucharistic minister, Dr Katy Shroder, described a “slow move towards restoring homes and hearts. . . Basically, moving forward, we still need a plan.”
The diocese reported the comments of another congregation member, Milton Rickard, who was displaced after the fires. He told ENS: “I grew up in Lahaina, and have to accept that it may never be the same. . . No one knows about how or what the commitment to rebuild looks like.
“We pray that our historic sites and culture are acknowledged for the community and visitors as well. As for me, I want the community to be the striving portion behind the development.”