About Us

Meet Our Staff - Iris Haji

Staff Childcare Provider

Hometown:

Lived in Kaneohe all of my life minus a couple of years living on the Big Island.

Family info: 

I am married to David since 1985 (is that right?) and enjoying married life.  I am blessed with a husband who continues to lift me up (no matter what) and is my best friend.  Our relationship has gotten deeper as we both are believing God for everything.  We have three children:  Dane, Eden, and Jade.  Each of them is so unique in their ways and God has blessed us as a family.  We still have our ups and downs in both our marriage and family, but we are able to get through them better.

How did you come to HCKB? 

My sister, Kathy, introduced me to Hope when services were held at Kapunahala and when David and I were looking for a church in Kaneohe.  I wasn't involved in any ministries until the church moved up to its present location. 
Ministry passion:  To serve others and ministries. 

Biggest influence in your life over the past year and why: 

Hearing God's voice and being open to what He has planned.  This past year has brought change to my life with my parents as they are getting older and my need to stay close to them.  The idea of stepping out of my comfort zone and going out (which was the women's worship night message) and ministering to others (no matter how "small") is influencing me this year.  And to continue to seek God and hearing his voice (and obeying). 

:: FUN STUFF

Travels:  
Only been to the mainland a few times and would like to travel outside the US one day.  Travelled (on Greyhound) from California to Florida via the southern states and back from Florida to California via the northern states (interesting people on the bus!).  Visited New York, Philadelphia, Boston (really like it there) and saw the changing of the leaves.  Went to South Carolina, Tennessee, Colorado, and of course Las Vegas and Disneyland.  I would also like to visit Molokai and Lanai one day.

Hobbies: 
Crosswords (in pen, ha), cross stitching, scrapbooking, and a little beading. 

What you do for fun:
Hobbies (it's hard to divide up enough time to do all), going to the movies, watching live baseball/softball games (while doing hobbies), going to the beach (while doing hobbies), swimming, and walking.

What makes you laugh:
Many things (my aha moments, newspaper comics, David's jokes, life itself, the kids, other's sense of humor, etc.). 

:: FAVORITES

Books: 
Too many!  Recently read Bad Girls of the Bible and liked the way Liz Curtis Higgs fictionally protrayed the women and gave a Biblical perspective, too. 

Music: 
Still like the music I grew up with and a few songs here and there from the 80s on.  Ho'okena and Kealii Reichel are local favorites.  No particular favorite Christian artists but like the WOW CDs (as well as various artists CDs), David is trying to make me a Third Day and Jeremy Camp fan, ha!

Movies: 
Chick flicks (of course) - 27 Dresses, Steel Magnolias; action types (David likes these better) - 3:10 to Yuma, Diehard); comedies (some) - Juno, Bench Warmers. 

TV:
Mostly anything, just caught Animal Planet (because of the kids).  No particular show but I also like to watch the "old" movies (Fred Astaire, Bing Crosby, etc.).