The next AIN gathering is being planned for April 23-27 at the Kilauea Military Camp (a retreat site not an active military base) at the Volcano National Park on the island of Hawaii. Members are reminded that their delegations consist of five delegations to the appropriate programme (elder, youth, clergy, women and theological education). The Commission on Native Hawaiian Ministry (CONHM) is hosting this event and will be subsiding those delegates ground transportation, meals, and accommodations.
Staff, if accompanying the member delegation are responsible for their own cost. All official observers are also responsible for their own costs and must be approved by AIN to attend. CONHM and AIN will also be sponsoring invited guests to the gathering.
One of the agenda items will be the consideration of paragraph 62 of the Indaba report of the recent Lambeth Conference and the recent developments in Australia and Canada. As customary with the AIN gatherings one day will be set aside for study of the area and of the host member's situation and culture and this will include a visit to the active volcanic eruption of Kilauea.
CONHM has made a limited number of reservations at the Camp for AIN so if there are any persons wishing to be an official observer please contact the AIN office or your member organisation for consideration.
The Camp site has a general store, chapel, gym, bowling alley, post office and bar-restaurant. A local village township is outside of the National Park about two miles away. The climate is temperate with possible showers. Nights can be very cool. All accommodations have private bedrooms and baths, fireplace and cable TV. Cell phone connections are limited due to high mountains as is internet. There are no shopping malls in sight. The perfect place for a serious gathering and spiritual renewal!
Closest airport is Hilo (ITO) which is serviced by limited flights from the USA mainland and several inter-island carriers (Mesa-Go, Hawaiian Air and Inter-Island). A super shuttle ferry will be servicing Kona on the other side of the island in 2009. Participants, especially international travellers will have to stop for immigration and customs at Honolulu International Airport (HNL) in Honolulu on the island of Oahu and may have to overnight upon arrival and departure. CONHM will not be responsible for those accommodations. It is advised that all participants have and bring a valid passport. Currency is the weak American dollar and major credit cards. All delegations should be at the venue to begin on April 23, 2009.