An Experience

The light rays rose over the Kohala Mountains and spilled over the Waimea Valley. In the distance sat Mauna Kea, without a cloud on the summit. The December snows glared like a white blank canvas, empty of detail, places where God had forgotten to paint. The Bee Gee lyrics “How deep is your love, I really need to know” played on the stereo mixed with the excited conversations of seven young Brazilians. I commanded the Ford Expedition, driving the behemoth vehicle through old lava fields far above the coast line, where a rich blue collided with the black lava in an explosion of foaming white.

We were headed to the tallest mountain on earth. Destination: Summit of Mauna Kea. Purpose: to play in it, to slide on it, to rolling in it, to touch it, to throw it, to examine it, and to eat it. It – snow. They had never seen It before. And back home in New York eleven inches of It was falling in Saratoga. Last week I invited the Brazilians to come to The Big Island.

In December they came to Maui, to work and study as part of their college education and a International YMCA counselor program. Their parents loaned them the funds, but to reimburse the money they worked with an entertainment company setting up banquets – everything from ironing the linens to staging.

Amanda and Woody came first, as reconnoiters and negotiated a deal for a place to live and a car. They resourcefully supplemented their needs by perusing garage sales. Budgets were tight.. Early hours and long days. For three months they tried to get to the Big Island. Tickets were too expensive and it was impossible to rent a car since they were all under twenty. It looked like the opportunity would slip away, until we met on the snorkel boat. With only five days left on Hawaii before they had to return to their classes in Brazil to become engineers, teachers and doctors, they came to the Big Island.

When I was in the Peace Corps I had such a privilege to work and become friends with many fine young Americans, fresh out of college. Their enthusiasm, work ethic, and raw optimism left me with no doubts that America’s future would some day be in good hands. After being with the Brazilians for two days I know Brazil’s future is just as bright living up to its motto – order and progress.