Hawaii’s Kohala Mission School students participated in two programs for two nights during Easter week. All 23 students, none of whom are Adventist, participated in illustrating some of the events of Christ’s last days.

With the theme, “He’s Alive and I’m Rejoicing… I’m Cleansed… I’m Victorous… and I’m Connected,” the Kohala students memorized songs and skits, performed ukulele music, and made presentations dressed in biblical costumes. Under the direction of Principal Beverly Church and the program director/teacher, Roy Carley, the students witnessed to 132 people who filled the Kohala Church for these two nights.

“You would have ‘popped your buttons’ if you had been at the [program]. The students of Kohala Mission School were outstanding,” said Pastor Bud Roberts. “You would have bowed before the Lord in prayer with the teachers and pastor when everyone else was gone and thanked the Lord for His presence and blessings.”

Roberts noted that the pastor of the nearby Baptist church attended because three families in his church have children who attend the school. One non-Adventist man who regularly works on the school computers drove almost an hour from his home that evening to see “his” students perform.

Because of the strong evangelist emphasis in the Hawaii Conference schools during the past few years, many of the students, much like Kohala, do not come from Adventist homes. These meetings are an opportunity for schools and churches to reach out to their communities as well as to their own students.

Most Adventist elementary schools and the two secondary schools in Hawaii participate in their local churches to present the “He’s Alive!” youth evangelistic meetings, now in its fourth year, during the Easter season.