Blog by Ryan Funk

Trip Reflection March 23, 2026

This trip has been special to me, because I have seen God in the trip with us from the beginning to the end. From the beginning our team has been prayed over many times for which our team is thankful. Our team especially gives thanks to Westlake Christian Academy, a local Christian school that became our prayer partners, along with their pen pal school, Maui Christian Academy and even made us special care bags. Our team would also like to thank those who donated to financially our team. When our team arrived in Maui, we were welcomed by Lahaina Baptist Church and Samaritan’s Purse who hosted us. We were very grateful for the way the leaders started the day out with devotions and mentored us throughout the week. To me this was special as a Samaritan’s Purse Cabinet leader since some members of our team chose to volunteer. The destination of the trip was Lahaina in Maui, Hawaii. Lahaina Baptist Church in Lahaina, Maui, survived the Lahaina fires of August 2023. Since many of the homes were destroyed in the fire, the church chose to help rebuild the community. Lahaina Baptist Church has been hosting Samaritan’s Purse and visiting teams for over a year. Our team was welcomed by this Church and was blessed to stay there, especially when they let us stay longer due to flooding in the area at the end of the week causing our flights to be delayed. God protected us from the storm, and we were able to make it back safely to Wheaton. Please pray for Lahaina and those affected by the fires and the recent floods. The trip overall was special to me, because I was on a neighboring island in Hawaii with my family at the time of the fires. Lahaina has been a place I have been to many times previously. This year my sister, Brittany, and I had the opportunity to be able to go on the trip and help rebuild the homes. Being able to go back and help has shown me how God can use connections that only He can create and use them to share his love with others.

Reflecting on the home building, the construction was hard but meaningful work. Our team placed insulation, boards, and cabinets into a home. Each step was placing something that a homeowner would be blessed with. This made me reflect on how God can restore what has been lost in the fire and in our lives. Samaritan’s Purse covers the cost of the home in full. They do this because Jesus paid for our lives in full and they want to love others as Jesus calls us to care for others’ needs. This to me is an example of how God can bring restoration. It is also a reminder of how God is supposed to be the head of the house.

Psalm 127:1 and Joel 2:25 are verses that I reflected on. Psalm 127:1 says,

“Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the LORD watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. (ESV)”

Joel 2:25,

"I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent among you. (ESV)"

Seeing the team unite and being a part of rebuilding the community has shown me that God can restore what has been lost in our lives completely. When we build a home for God and invite him to be the head of the house, our labor is not in vain.

Our group team photo of us volunteering with Samaritan’s Purse.

Group photo of the team saying thank you for the care packages and prayer from the local Christian school, Westlake Christian Academy.

Photo of Lahaina Baptist Church, the church that hosted us and Samaritan’s Purse long term staff in Lahaina, Maui.