From Oahu to Kona: A Pilgrimage to Remember
From August 10 to 11, 30 Unificationists from the Honolulu Family Church in Oahu flew to Kona to attend the first Hawaii District Unified Sunday Service as part of a two-day pilgrimage. Many participants had never been to Kona and were delighted to visit places associated with True Parents. The revival, which was enjoyed by all who attended, took place just a few days before the anniversary of True Father’s Seonghwa.
“While the congregations of two churches in the same state holding one joint service may sound like a very simple thing, this is not the case for Hawaii,” said Rev. Kazuo Takami, District Pastor in Hawaii. “When people are living on different islands, the only way to gather together is for one community to fly over to the other.”
On the first day of the pilgrimage, the Honolulu participants visited a farm owned and operated by the Hawaiian Queen Coffee Farm. Mr. Ron Adler, President of the company, shared that the 167-acre farm produces the highest graded coffee beans, 11.9% of the top two grades in Hawaii. When responding to a question about the secret of his success, Mr. Adler replied, “It’s not difficult to succeed if you manage the farm following True Parents’ vision and directions and treat workers well. I feel I am only just a caretaker of the farm.”
The Honolulu congregation also visited King Garden. Mr. Bruce Brown, the first Unificationist missionary sent to Hawaii, shared about joining the Unification movement in 1970, his time in Seoul, and his experiences with True Parents.
The following day, Honolulu and Kona Unificationists gathered for the Unified Sunday Service at the Hawaiian Queen Coffee Garden. The service was led by Rev. Chuck Frumin, Pastor of the Kona Family Church, and was broadcasted online for the Honolulu Unificationists who could not make the trip. Both congregations were thrilled to see each other on the screen. Rev. Larry Krishnek, Western Subregional Director, and his wife, Akemi, tuned in from Los Angeles to greet the Hawaiian community.
Rev. Takami gave a sermon about the history of Christianity in Hawaii and mentioned that next year will mark the bicentennial of the arrival of the first Christian missionary group from Massachusetts to Kona in 1820. At the end of his sermon, he urged listeners to prepare themselves to welcome True Parents to Hawaii in the near future.
Following the service, Honolulu and Kona Unificationists had a joyful fellowship over brunch. Although the pilgrimage was only two short days, it was full of opportunities to trace the footsteps of True Parents and feel their love.