The islands of Hawaii are facing a trial of biblical proportions as the worst flooding in twenty years washes through the state. Two back-to-back storms have dumped rain at an astonishing rate, threatening to burst a century-old dam and forcing hundreds to flee for their lives. The damage is estimated to exceed one billion dollars, but the cost in human terms is far higher. Roads have collapsed and homes that stood for generations have been swept away. This catastrophe serves as a somber reminder of our duty to be faithful stewards of the land we inhabit. When the rains come and the ground gives way, we are reminded that we are not the masters of the earth, but its caretakers. Our prayers go out to the families in Waialua and beyond who are sifting through the wreckage of their lives. In times of such great loss, the strength of the community and the grace of our neighbors become the only sure foundations. We must look to each other for support as the waters recede and the long work of rebuilding begins. It is character, not just concrete, that will see the islands through this storm.