We’ve created necessary systems, rules, and guidelines to keep our community– from relationships to the house to the cars to our reputation– functioning properly. These are based on years of experience (and, unfortunately, specific stories), prayerful consideration, and are proven tried-and-true. Again, these are necessary to keep the community running well. We will resort to further disciplinary action (with the aim always being: restoration) if necessary. Below are our general and cultural rules.

📐 Residency Rules:General 📐

1. Always be HONEST 

2. Always be ON TIME

3. PHONES: Absolutely no texting and calling while you’re working a service site, during a teaching, or during dinner unless given specific permission from staff or a site leader. If it becomes an issue, staff will choose to regulate the time a resident spends on their phone. 

1. (COMMENT) DIGITAL DETOX: There will be a few times we invite you for a weekend (e.g. camp in the mountains) and/or full-day of digital detox. Often this involves all of us agreeing to turn phones in to a box until the weekend/day is over. Unless some particular excuse or emergency to tend to, we ask you to join with the rest of the group.

2. (COMMENT) RULE OF LIFE: We expect that this is a special and consecrated time for you to make positive habits– whether that is as small as reduced screentime goals or as big as deleting your social media till the session is over. We respect the need to call friends/family here and there, but will not tolerate toxic addiction nor “checking out” of what we are doing here. 

1. (Resources: read The Anxious Generation, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, and watch The Social Dilemma…)

4. NO CAMPING WITHOUT APPROVAL: Residents may not stay overnight anywhere else (outside Alohalani) without direct staff approval. 

5. NO DRUGS or SMOKING/VAPING/NICOTINE (including zyns/pouches)

1. Approach us asap if you come in with an undisclosed addiction so we can work with you. We are open to walking with you through this– please do not conceal if you have an issue. 

6. NO ALCOHOL for residents, in the house or out of the house, under any circumstance. 

1. If we find out you have consumed or possessed alcohol without an extremely direct, clear, provable written or verbal exception/permission from coordinators and/or founders and while in their presence— you will be subject to immediate disciplinary action and may be asked to leave the program.

7. NEW TATTOOS & PIERCINGS require permission and guidance from the Residency Directors.

8. DRESS CODE: Modesty goes both ways. For guys in any co-ed spaces and indoors– no shirts off or other inappropriate/excessively-tight clothing. For girls in co-ed situations– no bikinis, sports bras, biker shorts, or other obviously inappropriate/excessively-tight clothing. We will ask you to change if your clothing is generally immodest. Exceptions for the dress code are *only* for the beach, swimming, and exercising with the same gender. We live in a warm, tropical climate, but ask that you always choose respect and modesty. The Christ-follower dies to self– caring more for the righteousness of others than for what they feel is convenient. FARM ATTIRE: you are required to wear pants (no shorts) and appropriate close-toed shoes (preferably work/garden boots). If you show up with improper clothing you will be asked to go home and change.  

1. Do not “cause another to stumble” (Romans 14). “Abstain from all appearance of evil,” (1 Thessalonians 5:22).

2. Deny yourself– value the righteousness of others and the representation of the name of God over your own comfort, pride, self-image. 

9. SOCIAL MEDIA: while you are here, you may not post pictures that are provocative or immodest. If this is made known to staff– we will confront you immediately, ask you to take down the post, and have you talk to one of our pastoral advisors. You are a part of this program and therefore an HLR/Makanalani ambassador (let alone a CHRIST ambassador), an example of what it means to be a resident with us. 

1. EXAMPLES AND CASES: guys or girls must not post inappropriate bikini/swimsuit or shirtless pictures– if it’s something from the beach/gym, it can only be distant and very obscured– e.g. a surf pic from the shore. We will not tolerate intentional body flaunting, e.g. an inappropriate swimsuit pic/video, taken straight-on, from a close distance. We will ask you to take this media down, and if you don’t comply that will result in immediate dismissal. 

2. Some people have not applied in the past because of the immodesty of former interns. We will not tolerate this– regardless of what you post now, what you’ve seen past interns/residents post (prior to cultural shifts), and regardless of excuses (“but it’s Hawaii”).  Immodesty is never casual, never innocuous, and is an open door to sin (for you and others) — posting immodest photos is willfully “causing another to stumble.” If you are here, we ask you represent HLR and the Kingdom of God well– you are “ambassadors” of both (2 Corinthians 5). 

10. PART-TIME JOBS, other than JoJo’s, require permission from coordinators, and are generally not allowed.

11. NO DATING: each other and or the locals.

12. NO GUY AND GIRL ALONE in communal spaces or outdoors or outside the property after 9:30PM (once quiet hours start). A GUY AND GIRL MUST NEVER TAKE A CAR ALONE. No being alone with someone of the opposite sex outside of our program too.

13. CHURCH: You are expected to attend a church on Sunday. Church gas/mileage is covered only for churches in Kilauea-town as “service.” If you want to go to church outside Kilauea (e.g. Kapa’a) it must be on “personal” miles. Locally: we recommend Calvary North Shore.

14. STAFF OFF-DAYS: Please refrain from disrupting staff’s off-days (in-person or via phone calls) unless it’s a categorical emergency. Unless they’ve first contacted or bothered you, help them to keep their days consecrated for rest and separation. If you want to send a message, please only use email or text– but we highly encourage you to wait till after the off days if it’s not urgent. 

15. Alohalani is a CHRISTIAN HOUSEHOLD. We expect residents to speak in an uplifting manner to one another, to not use crass or foul language. All media/music played in the house and in the cars should also reflect Christ. When conflict exists amongst ourselves, we seek to confront one another with love, forgiveness, and healthy rebuke when necessary. 

16. The BROTHERS AND SISTERS have GENDER-SEPARATED zones: the girls dorm, bathroom, and patio guys dorm, bathroom. You may not go into or linger in front of the other gender’s zones. 

17. This (and the rest of the rules) are not exhaustive. WHEN IN DOUBT, a good measure is to ask yourself: if 20 people did this at the same time in the same place, would it work?

18. NO VISITORS are allowed at HLR without prior permission from staff. Requests must be made no less than 24 hours before the requested visiting time. Overnight guests are never allowed.

There are some more specific rules for how to operate cars, the kitchen, cleaning, etc. that we will give you in the full handbook when you get here.