Talk Story: Province VIII Youth Pilgrimage

TALK STORY – Definition

1. 1. (Verb) To have a friendly, casual conversation; to catch up, gossip, or reminisce.
   2. (Noun) A casual chat or informal gathering to share stories and socialize.

“Talk story” is one of the most universally used phrases in Hawai’i, spoken by everyone from keiki (children) to kupuna (elders) across all ethnic backgrounds. It originates from the Hawaiian cultural practice of “moʻolelo” (storytelling) combined with the plantation-era need to build community among diverse immigrant groups through shared experiences and casual chatting.

Talk Story was the theme of the Province VIII Youth Pilgrimage that took place in Hawai’i, from July 28-August 1. A pilgrimage that included delegations from the dioceses of Arizona, California, Hawai’i & Guam, Idaho, Navajoland, Nevada, Olympia, San Diego, Spokane, Taiwan, Utah, and Western Oregon. Pilgrims came prepared with personal Talk Stories to share with one another, and diocesan stories to share with the broader community. We ate together, prayed together, slept in a gym together, and walked side by side as pilgrims guided by a shared scripture. 

For now we see only a reflection, as in a mirror, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known.        1Corinthians 13:12                       

It is almost impossible to put into words the transformation that takes place on a pilgrimage, but each member of our delegation tried. Below are their reflections from our time in the beautiful diocese of Hawai’i.

Rose – We stayed at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Cathedral in Honolulu, and most of our programming occurred in their beautiful church. The hosts played a big part in our week-long pilgrimage. Whether it was catering delicious food or giving us a space to sleep pretty comfortably, they made us feel loved and supported. This has taught me that hospitality is an important thing in human nature. I can’t thank our hosts enough for the experience they gave us.

Hadrian – On the first day of the pilgrimage, we focused on Kānaka ‘Ōiwi, Indigenous rights, cultural revitalization, and self-determination for native Hawaiians. As part of that focus, we visited their diocesan camp. As someone who works at Camp Stevens, the San Diego and Los Angeles Dioceses’ Episcopal camp, exploring Camp Mokulēʻia was the pilgrimage event that I was most excited about. The location of Camp Mokulēʻia on Oahu’s North Shore allows for unique camp activities and learning experiences, such as fish sovereignty, which we got to experience. In the fish sovereignty activity, we learned about the invasive and native species of seaweed in Hawai’i, as well as local fishing, and got to see many species of Hawaiian marine life such as crabs, seals, and turtles in the ocean and on the beaches of Camp Mokulēʻia. In talking with some of the staff there, it was interesting to learn that they do outreach programs, going to the other islands of Hawai’i and hosting activities for groups there, as well as on their property, giving opportunities for everyone in the area to experience their programs. 

Kirt – One of the other activities was a Poi making demonstration. Poi making was great because the person who led the experience dressed in his traditional native attire and told many stories about how poi is an important part of Hawaiian culture. Poi is a dish that many Hawaiians eat all the time. It comes from the kalo plant, and when prepared, it makes a sticky starch that can be used as a replacement for rice in many dishes. It helped to reinforce the importance of the Hawaiian ancestry the people of Hawai’i hold so dear.

AJ – This was also the day when we shared our personal Talk Story. We shared our names, pronouns, diocese, and a short story about our lives and interests. This experience impacted me because getting to know all different people and their hobbies, where they got their names, and where they are from opened my eyes to other people and how they live. We all come from different places but are really the same. I would love people to know that when you ask about others, you will be surprised that you are alike and can bond over little things like matcha. This was a very enlightening experience. 

Leighton – The final activity of our day at Camp Mokulēʻia was gathering at the table for Eucharist. Eucharist is always a special part of youth gatherings, but there was something especially sacred about gathering for Eucharist at camp in a grass field, listening to the waves of the ocean, with hay bales as our table. Watching youth spontaneously volunteer as ushers, soloists, and chalice bearers and even welcoming a wandering chicken into our gathering highlighted for me the joyful and inclusive nature of youth ministry. Eucharist was one of my God sightings on this pilgrimage.

Julian – On the second day of the pilgrimage, the theme was Waves of Immigration. As part of that day’s program, we visited the Hawai’i Plantation Village. My experience there helped cultivate my understanding of Hawai’i, its people, and parts of history I never learned about before. It caused me to realize how drastically God’s creation can change, sometimes favorably and other times not, and how that change can bring together millions of people from all sorts of spectrums. No matter what, I want people back home to know that throughout history, all over the world, connection occurs between people, because connection knows no bounds. Just like God’s love, it can happen anywhere and everywhere. 

Caden – We had the opportunity to play at the beach on three occasions this trip, and as you might expect, BEACH TIME = BEST TIME! What is better than going to the beach and swimming with friends? We enjoyed playing on the beach, swimming, and catching up with other delegations. Time to rest and play helped us to get to know one another better. That was a highlight for many of us, partially because it was fun but also because it helped us to make connections.

Julia – Recently, my new favorite genre of music has been jazz, leading me to try new artists and go to weekly jazz concerts in Balboa Park. So to me, attending Jazz Vespers at St. Peter’s felt like a nudge from God, reminding me of how both new and familiar this trip and these people were. The night was also full of intersections, from Amazing Grace in Dinka, to the Hawaiian prayers, to the ASL interpretation, to the closing blessing from Navajoland; it felt like it was reaching everyone, whether it be through music or prayer, English or other, old or young; it helped us connect in this beautiful, complex, and broad Episcopal community.

Mikey – After the service, the community made dinner for us, and we stayed to eat with them. The homemade food was absolutely amazing. It made me delighted to have a home-cooked meal, and I really felt like it meant something special to have them make it for us. Both chicken dishes were delectable, and I couldn’t have asked for anything better than a dinner made from the loving and kind crew at St. Peter’s.

Jack – After dinner and showers, we returned to St. Peter’s to listen to the Talk Stories from each diocese. Hearing the other delegations’ Talk Stories was very rewarding. It gave us insight and brought us into their communities and worship. Each delegation bringing a little bit of home and sharing it with us helped to bring us together and build the community. I learned so many things about the places they live, the ways they worship, and their history.

Steven – On the last day of the pilgrimage, we said closing prayers in the cathedral. Each delegation wrote a prayer to offer to the group. For ours, we chose to have our prayer offered in all of the languages spoken by people in our delegation. Our prayer was in ASL, Spanish, Arabic, Swahili, and English. This experience was beautiful, diverse, and genuinely one of the best times I’ve had on this pilgrimage. I’m really glad I got to pray in my first language, which is Arabic. I am forever grateful for these opportunities. 

Kaite – I saw God in multiple ways on this trip. On the first day of the pilgrimage, we worshipped in the cathedral with traditional Hawaiian musicians. When we were singing during evening worship, I felt God with us. We had a long day of traveling, and being able to sing and relax, I felt that God made it happen, connecting all of the people gathered in that place. On the last day of the pilgrimage, I was asked to find a local coffee shop for us to visit. We arrived, and instead of being overwhelmed by our big group of teenagers, they were so happy. They even asked to take a picture with us. They told us it was their last day of business, and they thanked us for coming in. It made them happy to have a big group on a day that might have felt lonely. That felt like God, too, helping us to connect to people we might never have known and being able to thank them for the work they did. 

Lynn – Getting to know the Chinatown of Honolulu was an amazing experience because of its authenticity and community. Being in the Asian fish store and witnessing the interactions was wonderful. A local had been so kind to our group to tell us her favorite local bakery. Having the opportunity to see all of this first hand was such an honor. 

Thomas – Before this trip, I knew next to nothing about the impactful history of the monarchy in Hawai’i , nor its relationship with the Episcopal Church. Having visited ʻIolani Palace, the only royal palace in the United States, I came home with a deeper understanding of my country and my church’s place in Hawaiian culture and history. I am incredibly grateful to have been given the opportunity to learn about the individuals and places that hold significance for the Hawaiian people. 

Cal – On the last night of the pilgrimage, we went to a local food truck festival for dinner. Each of us was given money for dinner, and we went out in groups of three to choose what we wanted to eat. We met back at picnic tables to eat together. The food trucks were important to me because I ate a lot of food on this pilgrimage, some new and some familiar, and on this night I got to choose to eat my favorite food – a burger! This also supported local small businesses in the community. The food was really good, just as it was for the whole pilgrimage, enriching the experience for all of us.

Shabani – We went to Waikiki Beach for sunset and swimming. This mattered to me because I’ve never been to a beach that was packed with people who wanted to see the sunset and fireworks. The sunset was beautiful, and it was fun to swim in the ocean one last time. It also mattered to me because I was there with my friends who are like a family to me.

Melina – Holuholu was an expression shared by one of the leaders of the pilgrimage, intended to mean flexibility and openness, which we practiced a lot on this pilgrimage. After a canceled flight, missed shower times, and sleeping on an air mattress on a gym floor with almost 150 other youth and chaperones, maintaining an attitude of holuholu was pivotal in remaining joyful throughout our experience. I have so much appreciation for our community, the leaders, and all the efforts that have been put into planning and executing this pilgrimage. We could tell how much work went into it, and how much they loved us.  

Charlette – None of this would have been possible without the Diocese of Hawai’i  and a team of leaders from across Province VIII who spent the better part of a year meeting on Zoom, praying for the pilgrims, coordinating meals and activities, and doing it all with love. The exceptional leaders and chaperones offered a holy YES that allowed youth from across Province VIII to Talk Story with one another and with God.

To find out more about EDSD Youth Ministry programs, please visit https://edsd.org/youth/ or contact EDSD children and youth missioner, Leighton Jones, ljones@edsd.org.