Religion Briefs
Saturday, July 7, 2001
Church joins donor drive for Illinois cancer patient
The congregation of Makiki Christian Church is hoping that members, friends and even total strangers will drop by tomorrow to make a donation. Not money, but blood.The church at 829 Pensacola St., which has a large Japanese-American membership, is the latest of several local United Church of Christ branches to participate in an effort to recruit potential donors, especially Asians, for the Hawaii Bone Marrow Donor Registry.
Staff from the registry at St. Francis Medical Center will be at the church to take blood samples from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Less than two tablespoons of blood are taken for the purpose of tissue typing, said donor recruitment coordinator Roy Yonashiro. "It doesn't hurt ... to save a life."
The plight of a Japanese-American man in Chicago is what inspired the Hawaii churches to join the quest. Friends of Jim Isono, a 48-year-old husband and father of two children, who has cancer of the lymph glands, have launched a nationwide campaign and made the local connection through a Kauai pastor.
Yonashiro said any effort that raises awareness of the need is welcome, and there are other patients with life-threatening blood diseases closer to home. Ronald Ching of Kaimuki has been awaiting a donor for three years, and Jayson Dela Cruz of Ewa Beach has been on the list for a year. Caroline Simonet, 3, a Cambodian girl who was born here and now lives with her adoptive parents in Ohio, is on the list.
"The best chance they have is someone of the same ethnic background," Yonashiro said. Donors must be between 18 and 60 years of age.
Event looks at Bible's role in modern life
Practical advice on how to apply biblical principles to the complexities of modern life will be presented by four well-known evangelists at the "How to Walk 2001" Christian Growth Conference next Saturday at the Hawai'i Convention Center.Greg Laurie, who has brought his Harvest Crusade to Honolulu several times, and the Rev. Chuck Smith, founder of Calvary Chapel in Costa Mesa, Calif. are among the headliners for the free event, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Also on the program are the Rev. Bill Stonebraker, pastor of Calvary Chapel of Honolulu, and the Rev. Raul Ries, president of Somebody Loves You Ministries. A contemporary Christian recording group, 2 or More, will perform.
The theme of the conference, an annual event since 1984, reflects "the concept of living out your faith in the Lord and walking in that faith," Stonebraker said. "Today everything is so high-paced. So many things are going on in our lives, it is difficult to experience the fullness of life.
"The Bible has so many answers to dilemmas we're facing," he said. "We will lay out practical things, drawing life applications from the parables of Jesus."
Stonebraker said about 2,000 people are expected at the event, which is open to the public.
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