Kapiolani 1 & 2

(BEGIN with one stanza of a hymn or chorus by children)

Hello, boys and girls, I want to tell you a story about Kapiolani. She was the queen of some island named Hawaii. But listen! (Pause 1-2 seconds) Kapiolani did not know the true God. She feared a spirit named Pele who was supposed to live inside a mountain that had a big fire inside it. The name of this mountain was Kilauea.

When this mountain would send smoke up into the air, the priest would tell the people that Pele was hungry. She wanted food! Do you know what happened? The priest would choose one person from among their people and he or she was thrown down into the hole in the mountain. Sometimes it was a young boy or girl. At other times a strong warrior or a young woman would die!

Kapiolani was a very cruel leader. Her people were afraid of her. Then one day Kapiolani heard about the one true God. She believed in Him Who made everything and in His Son Jesus who died for her sins. She became a true Christian. What a different person she became! She was no longer cruel. She was kind and good. Her people were very surprised! You see, Jesus had come to live in her heart. She didn't want her people to worship Pele anymore; so she took all of their charms and fetishes and hid them in a cave.

Then one day the mountain began to smoke again! All the people were afraid! They knew what would happen! The old priest came down from the side of the mountain to choose a person to throw into the fiery mountain. The queen went to him and said, "Today there will be no sacrifice given to Pele." The priest was furious! He argued with the queen and went away. He chose a young man anyway. The people didn't want him to die but they were afraid of Pele and his power. They all started to walk up the side of the mountain with the young man. Kapiolani followed. Her mind was fixed that they were not going to throw this young man into the mountain. She tried to think what to do? She began to mock Pele. The priest asked her to go back, but she would not! Then she ate the taboo berries on the mountain that belonged to Pele. She also sang Christian hymns! The people were sure Pele would kill her. They were full of fear. Up and up the side of the mountain the people climbed. It was a long way to the top... Pause 2 seconds.

Turn the record over and you will hear what happened!!

Kapiolani - Part II

This is side two. (Pause 2 seconds).

Finally the people reached the top of the burning mountain. The priest trembled. The people were very frightened.
You see, the queen had been mocking Pele. And she had eaten the taboo berries, and sung the songs of Jesus. Because she did this, the people and priest thought Pele would kill her. But Kapiolani was not afraid. She remembered God's words which say, "Do not be afraid. I am your God. I will be with you!" She went to the priest and took his sacred stick from his hand. Then she went to the edge of the volcano and threw it into the fire!

She called out: "Pele! Today I will break your power! Come and hit me if you can!" (Pause 2 seconds) Waiting, nothing happened! Then turning to the priest she said, "Pele does not come! Where is she? Is she sleeping? Did she go walking about, some place? Maybe she is busy putting wood on the fire? Maybe Pele has died?"

The priest became very angry. His eyes became large and he cried out, "Pele, come and hit her! Hit her so that she drops dead before all of us!" (Pause 3 seconds)

Again they waited, but nothing happened. All the people thought very highly of Kapiolani for her courage. Then she turned to her people and said, "Hear me, my people! There is no Pele! There is only one true God! He made this mountain and the fire inside it. You, and I, and all things were made by Him. Everything good and life everlasting comes from God."

Then the queen lifted up her hands to heaven and said:

"From this day on no one shall fear when this mountain shakes or smokes! No man or girl will be given to Pele. We turn our backs on Pele and her terrible ways. And You, O God of Heaven, shall be our God, and we shall follow You!"

After this the people destroyed the things that belonged to Pele worship. They built churches and followed the one true God, and His Son the Lord Jesus. Happiness came to their villages.

Boys and girls, let us be like Kapiolani. Let us believe in Jesus Who died for our sins. Ask Jesus to take away your sins, and to come into your heart. Turn your backs on everything evil and the ways of Satan. Let us be strong to follow the true God and His Son,the Lord Jesus. He will bring true happiness to us and to our villages.