Aloha and good morning. My heart is full; full of gratitude for the honor and privilege of being part of your prayer breakfast today. Mahalo nui loa. It is a pleasure to join you this morning in fellowship to offer praise and glory to our Lord. Through opportunities such as this breakfast, we find strength and comfort through God's wisdom and guidance and recognize the reconciling power of prayer.
I hope your participation in the Council of State Governments annual conference has been productive and rewarding, and you return home from our beautiful state relaxed, refreshed, and inspired. (Spoke on meaning of Aloha and Aloha Ke Akua.)
I have been asked to make a few brief remarks about the 1998 National Prayer Breakfast. I have the privilege and responsibility of serving as chairman of the forty-sixth annual breakfast which will be held next February 5th in Washington, D.C. Members of the United States Senate and House of Representatives host the gathering, which will welcome over 3,600 guests from all 50 states and U.S. territories and over 160 nations. President and Mrs. Clinton are our honored guests, and the Vice President and Mrs. Gore, leaders from all branches of government, the diplomatic corps, the military leaders and national and international leaders also participate.
Our breakfast had its beginnings back in 1942. As America went to war in Europe and the Pacific, some Senators began to meet informally to talk and pray together. A House group followed soon after. The gatherings were private and off-the-record. Members met then, and continue to meet today, in the spirit of Jesus of Nazareth and the spirit of peace. All are welcome, regardless of religious or party affiliation. Nothing spoken in the meetings is used for political gain. Members can speak freely of problems or sorrows and receive prayers, guidance, and comfort. All seeking to understand the role of faith in their lives and seeking a way to love God and one another are welcome.
The desire to gather for prayer and fellowship is particularly comforting and uplifting to the men and women entrusted with leading our great country. Friendships and mutual concern develop among those who meet in the spirit of peace and brotherhood, following the example of Christ, despite all other differences. These relationships, and the comfort and strength they offer, are the blessings from these gatherings.
This morning we also commemorate the 56th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. In a sunrise service this morning at the USS Arizona Memorial, prayers and tribute were offered to honor the service and sacrifice of the men and women who died in the defense of our country. For many of us in Hawaii, the events of December 7th are a graphic memory, a personal experience never to be forgotten.
I personally witnessed the attack on Pearl Harbor at 8 a.m. that Sunday morning from the roof of my dormitory at the Kamehameha School for Boys on Kapalama Heights. We had just returned from breakfast at the dining hall, and were slowly preparing for the regular Sunday Memorial Service on the hill.
Word passed around our dorm that explosions were occurring at Pearl Harbor. Along with most of the other boys, I climbed out on the roof and saw the flash of bombs and thick black smoke rising above Pearl Harbor.
We saw the planes dive from the south, drop their torpedoes, and the resulting explosion on the battleship Arizona, which later tilted and sank at her mooring. The airstrip at Hickam was marked with potholes, bomb craters, and damaged aircraft. Smoke, both white and black, moved to blanket the area.
A spent anti-aircraft shell landed and exploded on the stonewall near our dormitory. A squad of zeros flew over us from Pearl Harbor to attack the Kaneohe Naval Air Station. By that time, excited radio messages were reporting the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
It was a disaster that revolutionized the course and life of our country and Hawaii. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt prepared our country for war. Men and boys in Hawaii, as elsewhere in our nation, rushed to enlist. Japanese American soldiers, fighting in Europe with the 442nd Infantry and 100th Battalion, became the most decorated units in the war, displaying their bravery, honor, and love for country, while at the same time our government interned and relocated their loved ones and confiscated their homes. Martial law and a military governor were established for Hawaii. Our paper money was reissued with the word "Hawaii" printed on it. We lived under a strict blackout rule after sundown, and army troops guarded utilities and patrolled the streets of Honolulu.
Our nation relied on the power of love, faith and prayer to guide us through the ultimate challenge, and we rely on that same power today as we seek peace and justice.
The reconciling power of prayer is equally important for us as we face different challenges and tasks in our daily life. Paul writes in the book of I Thessalonians 5:18, "In everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Jesus Christ for you." It is truly wonderful to join you all this morning to offer praise for the blessing bestowed upon all of us and our wonderful nation by our Lord.
God bless you and Aloha.
