This week, HPR brings you a series of stories from survivors of the Aug. 8, 2023, wildfire on Maui. HPR contributor Kuʻuwehi Hiraishi revisits a lay minister for the historic Waiola Church, which was lost in the August fire.
Kahu ʻĀnela Rosa has been a part of the Waiola Church for more than 40 years and the lay minister since 2012. She said part of the church’s property has been cleared and that their live-in caretaker, Tama Kaleleiki, will be able to move back in next month.
"He’ll be in the burn zone closest to the church. And he mentioned, he asked you know, 'Kahu what are we going to do?' And I said until they actually clean it up, and remove the debris, we can’t have our elders walking around here or children running around because there’s glass all over the place. I said we need to have it cleaned up," Rosa said.
HPR reached out to Rosa the day after the fire. She was stuck outside of Lahaina, but she said all reports indicated Waiola Church was destroyed in the fire.
"It's just the structure, you know, it's really the people that make the church. Several of our families have lost their homes, including mine. Four of my family members lost their home in Lahaina. We were fortunate. Our home is still standing. My nephew is trying to still douse it with water because the embers are flying all over the place. So it's an awakening," she said last August.
As the one-year anniversary of the Maui wildfires approaches, Rosa said she finds herself revisiting her memories of that day.
"Everyone will probably go back to the moment, where was I that day? What was I doing? How far did I have to be or run?... And the families that lost loved ones. Some families lost multiple people, I pray for them every day they in their own way find some kind of peace," she said.
As for Rosa, she finds the most comfort in her community.
"Cause I have to say, Lahaina pulled it together. How they support one another. I'm just really proud of the place that I live."
Otherwise, Rosa said her family is doing great under the circumstances, living as best they can and moving forward.
