By Dr. Alyssa Fisher, Director of Communications
Centenary UMC in LA just completed a mission trip to Hawaii to support ongoing recovery efforts at Lahaina UMC after the fire in Maui two years ago this month. The six-day trip taken by the “Mustard Seed Team,” included 16 youth and adult volunteers from the church. They raised funds for the trip in part through sales of candy leis and popcorn, a partner fundraiser with Panda Express, and support from individuals and the church community.
The trip was a blend of service, remembrance, and community connection. The group partnered with Lahaina UMC, Honolua UMC, their pastors John Crewes and Panepasa Fifita, and their staff to identify volunteer opportunities. The original plan to support physical rebuilding efforts were changed when construction permits were not ready in time, so Rev. Ki Choi and the group pivoted to “serving through presence, listening, learning, and loving the people and culture of Lahaina.”
Their projects included tending to the fire memorial site, and multiple beach clean-ups. The trip took place during the two-year anniversary of the fires on August 8, 2023. Rev. Choi shared that timing the trip during this time, which included services at a memorial site and a paddle out ceremony, was an important part of showing their support to Lahaina, and “to help create space for Jesus to move and heal.”
Throughout the trip, they not only offered their help but also entered into the spirit of healing and fellowship that continues to sustain Lahaina. Alongside their service, the volunteers also shared in the life of the community by joining a church picnic, experiencing the Lahaina O-bon festival, and worshiping with the Lahaina and Honolua UMC congregations before departing.
A unique thing about the trip, shared Rev. Choi, was that youth younger than 16 were invited for the first time. He shared that this came with the unexpected blessing of watching “as older youth stepped up to mentor, and our middle schoolers embrace every moment with courage and heart.”
The team’s name “The Mustard Seed,” was inspired by the parable in Matthew 17:20-21, and was originally adopted because of their lofty goal to plan the trip in just a few months, raise enough funds, and the mountain of projects they hoped to accomplish in Lahaina. When the project plans changed, the team’s name took on new meaning, as Rev. Choi stated: “we may not have made a “huge” impact in the way mission trips are often measured, but we believe we planted something deeper: seeds of healing, faith, and community.”
