By Patrick Kalout
Pastor of Redeemed Life Church Oʻahu in Oʻahu, Hawaiʻi
I am Patrick Kalout, lead pastor of Redeemed Life Church Oʻahu. My wife, Nicole, and I moved to Hawaiʻi in March 2024, following God’s call to plant a church.
And let me tell you, it has been quite the ride.
People often imagine Hawaiʻi as paradise. But we came here to plant a church, not start a surfers’ academy. Behind the beauty are real people facing real struggles: homelessness, hunger, addiction, mental health challenges, and the rising cost of living. Broken people, like you and me, live here – and they desperately need the hope only Jesus can provide.
One of our greatest challenges has been earning the trust of local communities. Hawaiʻi’s history, including the painful consequences of colonization and the ways Christianity was sometimes represented, makes that trust especially important. We are learning that planting a church here requires more than showing up. It requires staying, listening, serving, and loving people consistently.
Our vision is to build a community of Jesus followers, especially among those who are marginalized and unchurched. We believe the church is called not only to lead people toward spiritual and emotional transformation, but also to care for their physical needs and create opportunities for education and employment.
We have begun monthly in-person worship gatherings, with online services on the other Sundays. We are preparing to launch a Celebrate Recovery group, fundraising to open the RLC-Oʻahu Food Pantry, and developing proposals for a digital print shop and coffee shop that can serve as incubators for skills and job opportunities.
We are also preparing to bring the Ke Akua Van – a donated 15-passenger bus – to Oʻahu to serve people experiencing homelessness. The name, meaning “God’s van,” reflects a familiar local tradition: the Manapua Man. Like an ice cream truck, these mobile convenience stores travel through neighborhoods, often playing music, and bring food, treats, beverages, and everyday necessities directly to the community. We hope to build on that familiar idea by bringing spiritual friendship, food, and practical assistance to people who need it most.
After two years, we are not where we expected to be. But we are still here. And we are committed to the mission: to reach the lost, to love the broken, and to care like Christ.
We invite you to pray for us, our leaders, and the people of Oʻahu. If you feel called to help, we would love to hear from you. Together, we can put our faith into action and make a lasting impact in Hawaiʻi.