Almost eight decades ago Papa Henry Auwae began his life's work of healing people.

Much of the medicine in la'au lapa'au is all natural. So, Papa Auwae begins each day by picking medicinal herbs. Most come from his front yard. Some require a nine-hour trek into the mountains or a three-hour dive trip at sea. Papa Auwae works with 2,500 herbs. But, he says, medicine is only 20 percent of the healing.

Papa Auwae says the spiritual combination has proved successful over and over. He estimates he's treated 12,000 people so far. His reputation has drawn Hollywood stars and people from all over the world.

"I work with AIDS, HIV people, cancer, heart," said Papa Auwae. "I'm their last hope. A lot of people say without me, they don't know what to do."

Ana is one of Papa Auwae's many miracles. A team of doctors told her she would die of cancer by April 1996. She left her home in Germany to be treated by Papa Auwae. Today she says doctors can't find the cancer.

"God has put me here to help other people," he said.

Besides helping others, Papa Auwae says he wants to keep the tradition of his art alive. Papa Auwae holds occasional workshops in between his busy schedule of seeing patients. You can catch him at tutu's house in Waimea.