By James Shiroma, pastor, GracePoint Church, Oahu
Malama Christian Fellowship (formerly First Baptist Church of Nanakuli) hosted a youth camp on its church property from March 20-22, 2024. About 80 youth participated in three days filled with fun, fellowship, good food, worship, and learning God’s word.
“We believe that the future of this community will come from these children,” said Eddie Hunt, senior pastor of Malama Christian Fellowship. “We just want to impart on them God’s word and let them know the simple stuff about Jesus loving them and dying on the cross for them for their salvation. Kids are grasping it. They are loving it and taking it back home to their parents.”
Volunteers from Malama Christian Fellowship, other churches from the Leeward Coast, and a missionteam from River Community Church in Cookeville, Tennessee, served as “camp staff” to ensure all campers heard and understood the gospel.
In addition, Hawaii Pacific Baptist Convention’s Sue Nishikawa Offering, Oahu Baptist Network, individuals, and organizations helped support this camp financially and with donated items. Hunt’s wife, Faleiva, said reaching the community through this camp challenges people to look beyond what they can see.
“We see these children and we just think that they can handle it and they are okay,” Faleiva said. “But when we see them and things happen and we don’t understand why they are behaving and acting that way, we realize it’s more than just what we see. It’s a heart issue.”
“It causes us to come out of our comfort zone. Just sometimes sitting with them and allowing them to be heard (and) at the same time letting them know you can hurt with me because you can hurt with Christ.” God is using Hunt, who became pastor nearly two years ago, to revitalize the church. Hunt said the church had 10 people on his first Sunday.
Today, Hunt said the church averages 50 people each Sunday. Part of the vision in this revitalization is to reach the next generation. “It’s good to see that the kids are finding Jesus in all that we’re doing,” Hunt said.