Wailea Chapel

The impulse of faith and a love of beauty seem to go together. That is how I explain the fact that often, in my travels, I've paused before a vista of breathtaking loveliness, only to find that a quaint little chapel stands near the spot. It is as if the faithful are gently reminding us that this, too, belongs to God.

When our family visited the tropical paradise of Maui, I knew nothing of Wailea Chapel. But my experience led me to expect that such an exquisite natural setting as this must have in it somewhere a perfect little gem of faith.

I found Wailea Chapel, a charming little whitewashed church with a proud steeple, not more than a block from the blue Pacific, nestled under a stand of palm trees and enveloped in lush tropical flowers. I had to paint it.