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| James "Kimo" Rosen is a retired professional photographer and amongst other things lived in a tent outdoors for 7 years. Rosen currently resides on the tropical island of Kaua'i with his best friend and spiritual adviser Ivanka-Obama Da Dog! |
Blog #1966~Kimo's world's #213
The Angel at the Kapaa Bus stop
Humans like to be recognized. Ask anybody in the practice of psychology, most of us want our 15 minutes of fame? Many people whom have been part of society and have never received any form of notoriety will make
Many of us get our 15 minute fix from our family, work, social life or even writing letters to the editor as one person I know pretty well. ;-)
This brings us to the story of the lady whom has resided for the last 11 months at the bus stop fronting the Kapaa neighborhood center. I have always smiled and waved to her over the last year. The other day for the first time I personally met the woman I call "The Angel at the Kapaa bus stop!" Her name is "ElAina. "Aina" is land in Hawaiian and "El" means in God, strength and power in Hebrew.
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| Ivanka Obama and her new friend El-Aina. You can see her feet are very swollen. |
ElAina is studying for her Doctorate in theology. She is camping at the Kapaa neighborhood center bus stop and being obedient to the Lord because he has told her to remain in one spot although she has gout, swollen feet and legs 4-5 times the normal size, however remains obedient to Jesus Christ her Lord and savior and will not leave the bus stop.
She says all medical tests are negative and is currently on no medications even though she can barley walk. She gets by on her monthly SSI disability stipend.
She was originally camping at Kealia beach but got robbed of all her possessions including her ID. The bus stop gives her a feeling of safety and security. We did not get into detail but ElAina used to run Marathons. She was born and raised in Fairfax Virginia and is a US Army veteran who served 3 years active duty on Oahu at Scoffield barracks. She has one son whom currently resides on the mainland.
Many in the community come by and offer help in housing and medical care and she denies them. She will accept offerings of food and favors of running errands to buy her a plate lunch and fetch her some water to take a sponge bath behind her umbrella and plastic shower curtain done very discretely.
Many believe she should not be occupying this public bench at the bus stop? This special spot is her love, people recognize her, people come by to pray with her--in fact she loves when people pray with her because every time someone prays with her her legs feel worse and she feels eventually this will make it possible for her to get a new pair of legs.
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| El-Aina always enjoys when cars honk and wave at her. Please stop by and talk story, she will make your day that much better! |
I asked my psychologist friend what can be done? He said, if she was arrested she would probably only be back at the bus stop after time served and if you write her a ticket, how is she going to pay? She is not interested in moving and there are not any laws/ordinances that prevent her from being there."
The sad truth he said, the only way she will ever get help is when she passes out on that bench and somebody calls 911 and she goes to the emergency room, from there the ball might get rolling?
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| Right after I met El-Aina , the most awesome sunset appeared on my way home.... |
She also answers any questions you may have about time and schedules of the bus, she has the routes memorized.
I am hoping soon one of our community members working in the field of mental health and human services will figure this out in a way ElAina will agree to get the help she so desperately needs before it's too late.
In the mean time, wave to her when you drive by, and if your walking by stop and talk story, she will make your day that much better.
She really is the Angel at bus stop. Oh, and one more thing, thank you for your service, ElAina
Hana Hou, (Encore)
P.S.
For those who missed my Facebook post last week about my Costco experience;
OMG ! I am Freaking out right now !!!
I went to Costco today as is my norm on Monday.So, I'm waiting in line and I dropped a $20 bill. The lady in front of me picked it up. I thanked her and told her that it was mine and she said, "The things found on earth are kept by the collector," and WALKS AWAY!!!!!!!
I looked at the person behind me standing in line, who looked just as shocked as me!!!!! I said, "Woah, Do I look like an ATM? Give me back my $20!" She had the nerve to walk away. I quickly followed this lady into the parking lot. She was clearly walking at a fast pace to get away from me. When she got to her car she put the bags on the ground to open the trunk. I was PISSED!!!! And BAM! I decided that her "finders keepers" rule just presented the perfect opportunity for revenge, so I grabbed her grocery bags, smirked, and then said "The things found on earth are kept by the collector!" and ran to catch my bus which ironically just happened to be pulling up and got in. That lady started yelling!!! The bus driver asked if every thing was Ok? I said fine brah! I was nervous and mad but had a sense of satisfaction all at the same time. I can't say I've ever done anything like that in my life!! But check this out.... So I get situated in my seat on the bus and open the bags and what did I find?
10- lbs. of shrimp
7- rib eye steaks
7- porterhouse steaks
3- Fully cooked Rotisserie chickens the size of turkeys
And 3 cans of coffee
WOW! Not bad for $20 dollars! TALK ABOUT A COME UP....
In all seriousness though... I WISH!! Enjoy life, laugh lots & you can smack me later! BYE BYE... This has been edited from an original from my friend,Kuuleinani Napuanani Kaninau ;-)
The comments from the post appear below;
15 comments:
Kapaa has become a dumping ground for people for people who don't WORK!
Be careful.... she sent a VA sicial worker on a WILD GOOSE CHASE & is now being investigated for identity theft.....
Shalom Rabbi :
Another good one going to Unc C's treasured Kimo folder;
She must be an amazing woman to be in that bad of physical condition and yet wanting to get her doctorate. There are a lot of wonderful people out there but no one knows about them.
Your pal,
Glenn
Totally amazing, If you have time, drop by and talk story and see for yourself, that includes anyone else reading this!
God bless you for placing a positive spin on subjects that some can handle so negatively.
Take care – Mahalo,
Francine Grace I called Kaua`i Bus & asked them what the possibility is, of getting her off that bench and some type of medical/shelter assistance.
Their response was, they are logging down the # of calls/complaints; but haven’t come up with any solutions.
WowShow more reactions · Reply · 1 · October 25 at 7:44pm
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James Kimo Rosen
James Kimo Rosen Homeless camp out in public areas to get attention. Many feel that's the only way society will ever recognize them. They feel they will never be famous, this is their fame, this is their 15 minutes. She doesn't have Facebook or blogging or a Super career, so this is it.
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Janie Quigley-Westerhout
Janie Quigley-Westerhout James Kimo Rosen She told me she feels safe there, she got robbed at Kealia.
WowShow more reactions · Reply · 1 · October 26 at 10:30am
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Kalawai'a Lee
Kalawai'a Lee · 11 mutual friends
We have worked with mental health providers community based social service agencies ADRC, KPD to find solutions for her. She is clear from her own statements that she is there as a directive from God. She is not interested in moving. Unfortunately or fortunately for her we don’t have any laws/ordinances that prevent her from being there.
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Francine Grace
Francine Grace That’s just sad!! Especially when she’s naked, taking a bath out there for all to see...
And it keeps others who use that bus stop from having a place to sit. You see them standing off to the side or sitting on the ground. Some Disabled folks can’t stand for very long.
Today while sitting in traffic saw her feeding the chickens and there had to be at least 25-30 chickens all gathered in the bus shelter and on top of her. 😕😕
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James Kimo Rosen
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Don Hoyt
Don Hoyt She is such a sweetheart and her attitude is beautiful so please stop by and talk with her before you judge and complain about her. Mr Rosen is indeed correct in his description.
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Francine Grace
Francine Grace Just hope she can get the necessary assistance to get off that bench. Especially with the rainy season coming up...
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James Kimo Rosen
James Kimo Rosen El Aina's her name, a beautiful soul!
Kimo, God bless her and you, but Aina has mental health problems. Bet she told you people keep stealing her phones and money card but as soon as replacements come in she can get a place to live.
She’s not studying anything. She is unable to get to the library often enough to do that.
About every three months I send KPD and Office of Elderly Affairs out to her. They try to get her to go with them to a shelter, get some free medical help. She always refuses.
Her legs and feet are the way they are because she has untreated diabetes. I used to pick her up and take her wherever she needed to go but she can no longer get in to my truck cab and I’m not strong enough to lift her.
Pump her for information and see if she tells you she has family in D.C. That is what she has told me. Maybe you can send a good head shot and an inquiry to the Washington Post. They might run it as a public service. I’m hoping her family just doesn’t know where she is but wants her with them. So many times I’ve wanted to stop when her stuff is there and she isn’t and dig through and see if I can come up with an address. But I never have.
I am out of ideas. She has lived in some pretty desperate places, including a small quarry on north shore and in the bushes or on the bench of the Kapaa Library.
Everyone is kind to her, but she is dying on that bench. When I see her crossing the street from No. 1 Chinese I put on my flashers, block the entire highway, and walk her across. You cannot believe how long it takes.
She rarely uses the bathroom as it is such a walk so she probably has problems there, also. She’s very ill. Hope you can join all those who care and try something no one else has tried.
Sad that a whole community can sit and watch and do nothing? I'm trying hard to figure something out, it breaks my heart.
I just wrote the Chief of police, Mayor, and every county council member asking what can we do as a community, we as a community cannot stand-by and watch her die a slow death. “If not us, then who?
If not now, then when?” John Lewis
What will your angel's doctorate degree help her to live financially & independently with out burden to the tax payers ? can she get a job working for Costco ? I suggest she strive for a job that can offer her financial security with respect & dignity.
Kimo, can you give me a call, this is Fred levinthol @ 635-2451 asap
I'd like to see if I can help you friend at the bus stop.
Great talking with you Fred, Mahalo!
The Garden Island news interviewed ElAina in their Lifestyle section on Sunday 11-05-17
http://thegardenisland.com/lifestyles/talk_story/talk-story-el-aina-danine/article_be76fa82-5f38-5936-bd39-b2fcc90b0d99.html
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