HANAMAULU — Watching dozens of kids running around, riding horses and jumping in the bounce house at King’s Chapel’s Hanamaulu grounds on Saturday, Malia Ceda could not contain her excitement to see the community supporting a good cause. A leader
HANAMAULU — Watching dozens of kids running around, riding horses and jumping in the bounce house at King’s Chapel’s Hanamaulu grounds on Saturday, Malia Ceda could not contain her excitement to see the community supporting a good cause.
A leader for Transformation Ministry on Kauai, a group dedicated to helping those in need of support or guidance, Malia and her husband, Colin, collaborated with King’s Chapel to put on the Operation Go Fundraiser to help raise funds for upcoming projects, such as the Harvest Fest in November.
“People will be serving up hot meals and be given bags of toiletries and groceries,” said Minister Victoria “Vickie” Franks of King’s Chapel. “So we’re raising money to try to do all of that.”
Not only will the funds raised Saturday be used to feed the homeless and those in low-income housing, they will go toward activities for people to rally around, especially in times of need.
That’s why Transformation Ministry started in the first place.
“We were lost. We were broken,” Malia said about herself and husband. “(Colin) did meth and went to the way bottom. But there, we saw God take us from that point of nothing to this point today of saying we can live in freedom. There’s a stigma here on the islands that once you’re caught, you’re caught. But that’s not the case. We’re so blessed because of the fact we follow God.”
Meeting every Friday night at King’s Chapel in Eleele from 7 to 9 p.m., Malia and Colin host other members of the community who are struggling in life. But Transformation Ministry isn’t just to help people get off drugs and live healthier lives — it’s for anyone.
“It’s not really just about drugs or alcohol or whatever,” Franks said.
“It has to do with any kind of problem. We’ve had people with marriages that have fallen through and people with pain and anger. Everybody has got issues. People come in and we help identify what the problems are and how they need to fix themselves.”
When the couple were working their way up from rock bottom, Malia knew that one day, through her faith, she would be able to bring hope to others.
“We bring hope to hopeless and love to those who need love,” she said. “We bring faith when there is no faith and let people know that we’re here to help.”
“It brings me great joy. There’s no gratification, there’s a joyfulness about it. I’m never happy, only joyful. There will always be roller coasters where your life goes up and down, but you’ll be fine as long as you can stand up and know that you won’t be shaken.”
