LIHUE — Just before 6 p.m. Friday, the grounds of Kauai War Memorial Convention Hall were buzzing with excitement. Groups of children and adults were chatting, singing and playing guitars.
It was the annual youth rally sponsored by Kauai Islandwide Ministries and churches.
“We usually come to the islandwide youth rally to worship, to hear more about God’s word, how it’s applied to our life, contextually how we can live it for, just to be encouraged, to be with other believers and to just be in that atmosphere,” said 17-year-old Bethy Rivera Michaud of Lihue.
The high school senior, who is hoping to go into ministry, said she wants to learn how to apply God’s word to her last year in high school.
“You can use it in every day anyway, but just more of that,” she said.
Milton Paulahuashinant, 13, who attends King’s Chapel, said he was hoping to learn how kids can get free with the power of Jesus.
“Jesus died on the cross for all of our sins,” he said.
Michael Ancheta, director of the Calvary Chapel Bible College of Lihue, was this year’s keynote speaker.
It’s a two-year non-accredited program whose focus is to teach students how to study the word of God.
“As they study it, they’re going to see that God is calling them to do particular things and we also give them the opportunity to do those things, we do a month-long missions trip at the end of every semester in Asia and we also spend time in Kauai doing a lot of work here,” he said.
Even though those attending the rally are young, Ancheta said he would be talking about how God still has a calling on their life and their mission field is Kauai.
“God still desires to use them. It doesn’t matter what their age is, he’s given them abilities, he’s equipped them with gifts to grow his Kingdom,” he said.
For two years, Jaymin Kali-Palau, 15, of Hanapepe, has been a member of King’s Chapel dance troop and was looking forward to performing Friday.
“It’s not just dance, it’s worship for me personally,” he said. “I don’t think of it as showing others that I can dance, but dancing for him, for God.”
“Today I’m here to praise Jesus and to sing with my church, Aloha Church,” said Koloa resident Jannelle Pupalva, 15.
Pupalva said she was hoping to learn more about how she is a child of God and how she is accepted by God.
“My faith is important to me because without God, where would I be, who would I be and what am I here for? If I didn’t know God or didn’t believe in God or any of that, I wouldn’t think anything else, I would think, ‘oh I’m here for no reason,’” she said.
Prior to strengthening her relationship with God, she said she felt unworthy.
“My relationship with God actually saved my life, but then I’ve been coming to church more and God loves me for who I am and I don’t need to be insecure with myself and I felt worthy enough to be God’s child,” she said.
Shanel Erorita, 16 of Hanamaulu, said she was born in a Christian family.
“So I’ve always known God my whole life and definitely my relationship with him has gotten stronger in my teenage years and my relationship with him makes me really happy because he really changed my life,” she said.
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Bethany Freudenthal, crime, courts and county reporter; 652-7891; bfreudenthal@thegardenisland.com.
