KEKAHA — A lot of people from Kekaha go to the Waimea soup kitchen, said the Rev. Scott Taylor of the New Praise Chapel, Waimea Rivermouth. “This is a new year, and this soup kitchen is a new beginning,” Taylor
KEKAHA — A lot of people from Kekaha go to the Waimea soup kitchen, said the Rev. Scott Taylor of the New Praise Chapel, Waimea Rivermouth.
“This is a new year, and this soup kitchen is a new beginning,” Taylor said Saturday at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Kekaha.
“We’re doing this to have an impact on the housing project and the senior housing located just down the street.”
More than 50 people were expected to indulge in the inaugural free lunch at the interfaith soup kitchen.
“This is kind of like Mohammed bringing the mountain to the people,” said senior warden Lyn Farmen of the Episcopal Church on West Kauai. “The Sweet Savior Soup Kitchen is an interchurch project which is being spearheaded by Pastor Taylor, and involves the pastors and member of other Westside churches, including the Waimea Baptist Church and Na Ohana haipule iloko kristo Hawaiian church.”
Taylor said this is the second year he’s done the soup kitchen.
“Last year, with the help and cooperation of the Waimea Baptist Church and the Waimea United Church of Christ, we fed the people in Waimea,” said the pastor of the church that uses the Waimea Baptist Church as its gathering place. “This year, we’re partnering with the St. Paul’s Episcopal Church to bring the program to Kekaha.”
Taylor said the soup kitchen will be offered on the third Saturday of February from noon to 2 p.m.
“People usually tend to have harder times in the latter part of the month,” Taylor said.
“From March, we would like to see the program offered on the third and fourth Saturdays,” he added.
Edith Import, accompanied by her service dog Lelo, was quietly listening to the different prayers being offered ahead of lunch.
“This is good,” Import said. “I live in the senior housing and it’s not too far from here. I hope they offer it more.”
Lynn Barker of St. Paul’s Church said Taylor cooked up the meals starting at about 3 a.m. Saturday, using his experience as a chef at Birdie’s Cafe and as a former restaurant owner in California.
“I’m a surveyor by training,” Taylor said. “But no one will hire me as a surveyor so I reverted to my other training as a cook.”
