News and Views

By: Lindsay Mankatah,
Youth from Trinity UMC, Frederick
Mission of Peace 2025: Hawai’i

Going on the NEJ Mission of Peace (MOP) was a very enlightening experience for me, as it helped me deepen my faith and learn more about Christianity from a different perspective. The trip was very insightful and I got the chance to learn many new things. I also learned more about Hawaiian culture through their music, food, and history. We visited many museums and historical sites such as the Pearl Harbor National Museum, Bishop Museum, Hawaii’s Plantation Village, and Iolani Palace. We also visited many churches, which graciously took us in and treated us as one of their own. When we first met one of our hosts, she often used the word “connection” to describe the environment in Hawaii. She also spoke about emphasizing family and “being one” with the community. This idea of connection foreshadowed some of the overall lessons I would learn and truly resonate with on the trip. 

Every day, we wrote what we called “God moments,” which were about where we had seen or witnessed God that day. Over the course of the trip, there were two God moments for me that really made this a memorable trip. One was when we left the bustling city life of Waikiki to stay in Waianae, another part of Hawaii, for three days. It was a big change having to go from a luxurious, wealthy area to a much poorer and less fortunate place. Homelessness is currently a big issue in Hawaii, and this was evident during our visit to Waianae. People often think of Hawaii as a picture-perfect destination spot for their tropical vacations, but it is so much more than that. There is so much poverty because locals can no longer afford housing in Hawaii. As we drove along the beaches each day, I saw many tent homes and homeless people walking beside the road with carts filled to the brim with their belongings. Living in the poor conditions that the people of Waianae have to deal with every single day really put things into perspective for me. It definitely made me more grateful for what I had, and helped me to truly understand the side of Hawaii that we often don’t see. 

Another God moment for me was understanding the significance of the overthrow of Queen Lili’uokalani in Hawaiian culture and history. While visiting a church, I learned more about the illegal annexation of Hawaii done by President McKinley, who was a Methodist advocating for annexation for religious reasons. The United Methodist Church (UMC), through President McKinley, harmed Hawaii by disrespecting it as a nation and declaring it incapable of governing itself. I would never have expected such a lively and beautiful place, so open with their culture, to have such a dark history, which is deeply intertwined with our church. However, I also learned about when the UMC apologized to Hawaiians for the historical harm caused. I find beauty in the fact that Hawaiians accepted our apology almost instantaneously, embracing us with what they called há, meaning exchange or sharing of the breath of life. After learning about this, we actually practiced the tradition afterwards, creating my God moment for the day. I truly felt the peace and presence of God when we all held hands and prayed, shared breaths, and sang the Queen’s Prayer together. It was a life-changing and deeply spiritual experience for me. 

As a person driven by service and what I can do for others, it was difficult to accept that I was on the trip to learn from and be helped by others, rather than be the one to teach and serve others. I often felt helpless, feeling as though my presence was useless or even a burden to my hosts since I could not be of any assistance. However, by the end of the trip, my fellow travelers and I learned that serving others is not only done through physical acts; sometimes, just listening and being open to embracing one another is enough. Although we didn’t know it, by immersing ourselves in the culture and history of Hawaii, we were both serving and being served by the hands of God. God revealed Himself to us in various ways throughout the trip, and we truly learned how to be the hands and feet of Christ.

Overall, this trip was such an amazing experience for me and is something that will truly stick with me for life. Being in Hawaii taught me more about the concept and importance of community. I also gained a deeper understanding of the significance I hold as a member of the community and how I can contribute to it. As I embraced the beliefs and customs of others, I saw how the structure of the community resembles a family. I learned to reject the concept of individualism and instead embrace sharing love and peace as a community and family. This experience has deepened my understanding of my faith, and I’m truly thankful for the chance to see and learn about God and Christianity from a different point of view.