By Alfred Acenas and Reina Robles
EBC Hawaii Bureau
KAPOLEI, HAWAII (Eagle News Service) – Heavy rains and flash floods that drenched the Hawaiian Islands the day before did not stop the members of the Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) or Church of Christ in Hawaii from conducting their outreach Evangelical Mission at Kapolei Regional Park in West Oahu on Monday, February 19, where they also invited public officials in the event.
Brother Reynaldo M. De Mesa, district minister of the Hawaii-Pacific region, welcomed everyone during his opening remarks, with some assistance in the translations by Church elders Edward Kamaka, who is Hawaiian, and James Tafaoa, a Samoan.
Guests and visitors included Hawaii State Senator Will Espero and other public officials. They watched a short video presentation about the INC which counts as its members those belonging to at least 133 ethnic groups and nationalities around the world. It is now spread in at least 142 countries.
After the presentation, the visitors were guided by the members to the receiving area where bags of dry goods were distributed.
From there, they were accompanied to the various canopy tents that represented the congregations in Oahu Island.
Each tent provided a wide range of clothes, shoes, books, toys, appliances, and other personal amenities given freely to visitors. Those who benefited from the activity included visitors from nearby Ewa Beach to as far away as Honolulu in East Oahu.
During the outreach program, Church members also provided some entertainment and even answered questions about the Iglesia Ni Cristo. Public officials, such as Hawaii State Senator Espero, visited and took time to meet and greet Church members, officials, and their guests.
Meanwhile, Church members in American Samoa had their own outreach and evangelical mission with a huge a turnout of guests. They also enjoyed some time for fellowship thereafter despite the hot, humid weather.
Many more Church activities in this part of the world are forthcoming, as the 50th anniversary of the Church of Christ in the West on July 27, 2018 draws near.
