Episode 223: What's Brewing in Brussels!

Show Notes
Transcript

French, Tahitian, Swahili, Dutch, and English are all spoken and sung in Brussels where mission is lived and shared in ways that are transforming lives. Kahealani Faatuarai Drollet and Jane (Zsa Zsa) Fauura share their story with host Robin Linkhart. Special feature at the end of the interview just for you.

Thanks for listening to Project Zion Podcast!
Follow us on Facebook and Instagram!

Intro and Outro music used with permission:

“For Everyone Born,” Community of Christ Sings #285. Music © 2006 Brian Mann, admin. General Board of Global Ministries t/a GBGMusik, 458 Ponce de Leon Avenue, Atlanta, GA 30308. copyright@umcmission.org

All music for this episode was performed by Dr. Jan Kraybill, and produced by Chad Godfrey.

NOTE: The series that make up the Project Zion Podcast explore the unique spiritual and theological gifts Community of Christ offers for today's world. Although Project Zion Podcast is a Ministry of Community of Christ. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are those speaking and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Community of Christ.

WEBVTT

00:00:16.929 --> 00:00:16.929
[inaudible].

00:00:17.839 --> 00:00:20.030
Welcome to the Project Zion Podcast.

00:00:20.300 --> 00:00:27.620
This podcast explores the unique spiritual and theological gifts community of Christ offers for today's world

00:00:33.259 --> 00:00:33.259
[inaudible].

00:00:33.780 --> 00:00:38.189
Hello and welcome to another episode of Project Zion Podcast.

00:00:38.490 --> 00:00:56.880
This is your host Robin Linkhart and today we are bringing you another edition in our series, What's Brewing, where we explore how God is showing up in the neighborhood and people of faith are living out mission and transforming ways.

00:00:57.630 --> 00:01:09.409
Today we are here with Kahealani Faatuarai Drollet of French Polynesia and he is on assignment here in Brussels, Belgium.

00:01:09.439 --> 00:01:12.680
That is write projects I and podcast listeners.

00:01:12.680 --> 00:01:38.030
We are on location in Brussels, Belgium and because our travel plans matched up perfectly this week, we also have Jane Jane Fauura also from French Polynesia and we fondly call her Zsa Zsa She's visiting Kahealani and supporting the amazing mission taking place in Belgium.

00:01:38.900 --> 00:01:43.090
Welcome Kahealani Thank you.

00:01:45.260 --> 00:01:48.980
We are delighted to have you with us today.

00:01:49.790 --> 00:02:06.590
I want to take a little time to give each of you an opportunity to introduce yourself and share a little bit about you and then tell the story of how you came to be connected with Community of Christ.

00:02:06.920 --> 00:02:16.969
So we will start with Kahealani and listeners, I want to let you know that Jane speaks Tahitian and French and a little English.

00:02:17.240 --> 00:02:26.719
So we have our good friend and mission center, president of Western Europe here, Joey Williams, to help us with translations.

00:02:26.721 --> 00:02:27.830
So welcome Joey.

00:02:27.350 --> 00:02:27.830
Thank you, Merci.

00:02:30.710 --> 00:02:33.860
So Kahealani, just take it away.

00:02:33.860 --> 00:02:39.259
Tell us about you and how you came to be connected with Community of Christ.

00:02:39.370 --> 00:02:39.729
Yeah.

00:02:39.730 --> 00:02:41.229
So, hi everyone.

00:02:41.490 --> 00:02:49.210
I'm Kahealani or Super K to any eight years old.

00:02:50.050 --> 00:02:59.360
I knew the church in 2003, through my father who was baptized that year.

00:02:59.419 --> 00:03:04.789
And then I will journey with him in coming into Community of Christ and French Polynesia.

00:03:04.819 --> 00:03:18.560
And then I decided to be a part of this beautiful community in 2008 on my birthday, December nine.

00:03:18.860 --> 00:03:28.490
That was the first thought for me on that day to do, to be baptized in the church.

00:03:29.030 --> 00:03:43.310
And so I was baptized in Community of Christ January the fourth, 2009 in my beautiful congregation called Tiona.

00:03:44.300 --> 00:03:55.430
And then since that day I was active in the church and, I give my life for God in Community of Christ.

00:03:56.210 --> 00:04:01.370
And so many things happen since 2009 till today.

00:04:02.139 --> 00:04:13.789
And especially IYF 2009 was the Big Big Big event which changed my life forever and my faith.

00:04:14.969 --> 00:04:32.430
So when you went to IYF, 2009 and that's, for our listeners, that International Youth Festival, that happens about every three years or so, the Spectacular that we have is every year.

00:04:32.430 --> 00:04:34.350
And those are usually connected.

00:04:34.379 --> 00:04:35.029
Did you go to SPEC as well?

00:04:35.259 --> 00:04:37.069
Yes, yes, yes, yes I did.

00:04:37.160 --> 00:04:40.220
So you were already a member when you went to IYF?

00:04:40.319 --> 00:04:45.180
Yes, I was baptized in January, so IYF was in July.

00:04:45.959 --> 00:04:55.459
And so what's happening in that event at that time, brother David Schaal was a member of the first presidency.

00:04:56.120 --> 00:05:04.069
And during his message, something just throughout all my mind and my heart was just open to that.

00:05:04.939 --> 00:05:12.360
And the theme of that event was"One," and it was just huge, huge, huge.

00:05:13.750 --> 00:05:18.949
So it was very, and that was the big impact in my faith journey.

00:05:19.290 --> 00:05:21.750
So the theme was"One," and that was O?

00:05:21.750 --> 00:05:22.139
N?

00:05:22.170 --> 00:05:22.620
E?

00:05:22.649 --> 00:05:22.990
One?

00:05:23.069 --> 00:05:23.790
Yes.

00:05:27.350 --> 00:05:33.009
So tell us just a little bit about where you grew up and what your life was like before you got connected with Community of Christ.

00:05:33.300 --> 00:05:39.269
So I grew up in the Catholic and Protestant faith.

00:05:39.360 --> 00:05:40.589
All of my family.

00:05:40.591 --> 00:05:47.519
They were all Catholic or protestant, and I was Catholic, very active in the Catholic church.

00:05:47.550 --> 00:05:50.819
I was the real Catholic member.

00:05:52.649 --> 00:05:55.019
I prayed the rosary every day.

00:05:55.319 --> 00:05:57.269
I go to church every Sunday.

00:05:57.610 --> 00:05:58.980
A real Catholic mmeber.

00:06:00.529 --> 00:06:09.170
I went to the confessions with the priests every Wednesday to be able to take my communion on Sunday.

00:06:09.410 --> 00:06:14.079
Well, all of that stuff, and I don't know what's happening.

00:06:14.100 --> 00:06:32.300
When in 2015 I been to a young adult retreat because my dad was one of the young adult leaders of the congregation and he invited me to go with him and I don't know what's happened at weekend and it was a Pentecostal weekend.

00:06:33.680 --> 00:06:36.829
The activity was, so I don't know how to explain it.

00:06:36.920 --> 00:06:47.000
I have no words to explain, but it was maybe that who make me more questioning about who is this community, who, who is these people who would be a part of this amazing community.

00:06:47.470 --> 00:07:01.670
And also I remember I went to Tiona, one Sunday and it was communion and the person who who sat next to me was Mareva.

00:07:01.670 --> 00:07:04.490
She's now the apostle of French Polynesia.

00:07:05.240 --> 00:07:17.300
And before that, before communion, she invited me to be part of this table and I was just shocked, you know, as a Catholic member, Even, I'm Catholic, I cannot take my communion.

00:07:17.300 --> 00:07:20.750
Like then you're like, we have a process to take the communion.

00:07:21.500 --> 00:07:27.560
And for me it was just really, I'm not a member of the church, how can I be a part of this table?

00:07:27.959 --> 00:07:41.389
And there's one where she say, you're a child of God is all my goodness and just that have, you know, and many questions come to my mind.

00:07:41.660 --> 00:07:42.920
What is this community?

00:07:43.100 --> 00:07:44.509
Why are they doing what are doing?

00:07:44.839 --> 00:07:45.529
Why did you like this?

00:07:45.531 --> 00:07:46.129
Blah blah, blah.

00:07:46.160 --> 00:07:54.740
All of the things come to my mind and now I'm a part of this really fine Community in 2005.

00:07:55.339 --> 00:07:57.079
That was in 2005, right?

00:07:57.081 --> 00:07:58.399
That was in 2005.

00:07:58.470 --> 00:08:00.660
So you went to this young adult retreat.

00:08:00.661 --> 00:08:04.519
You have the sense of being welcome to the communion table...

00:08:04.740 --> 00:08:11.199
Especially too, especially to see also the people like have a real family.

00:08:11.201 --> 00:08:40.879
You know, there was, the weekend was so full of love, full of joy, full of peace that I never felt that, you know, in, in my church, you know, and I don't know, it was just— for me, there's no words to explain that weekend because that was also the beginning of questioning myself to also think this decision to become a member of Community of Christ.

00:08:42.480 --> 00:08:46.799
So we've kind of walked with you as you grew up.

00:08:46.889 --> 00:09:23.470
You were born and raised in French Polynesia and, a faithful Catholic, and you have this encounter at this young adult retreat and you start asking a lot of questions and end up walking with the church, fully engaged and being baptized and confirmed in January of 2009, you find yourself at IYF SPEC and David Schaal says something that just, wow, it just hits you big time.

00:09:23.740 --> 00:09:24.110
Oh yes.

00:09:24.139 --> 00:09:24.559
Oh yes.

00:09:24.561 --> 00:09:34.029
And after that, so many of these things coming at me like, boom, boom, boom, boom, boom, after that the mission center was asking me to become a youth minister for French Polynesia.

00:09:35.149 --> 00:09:43.730
And then, Ooh, so many— long story short, it was Wow! And now I'm in Brussels.

00:09:46.409 --> 00:09:51.440
We know that you're an ordained minister and you've had at least a couple ordinations.

00:09:51.500 --> 00:09:56.399
So tell us about your first call to priesthood in Community of Christ.

00:09:56.519 --> 00:09:59.340
So my first call was a priest.

00:10:00.360 --> 00:10:24.990
And if I can, coming back to my story, when I was Catholic, I was studying to become, I was studying in seminary to become a priest in the Catholic church because for me it was a, that was my vocation to give my life for God when I was 12 in the Catholic church.

00:10:25.230 --> 00:10:28.919
But now I serve God in Community of Christ.

00:10:29.090 --> 00:10:29.789
Oh, amazing.

00:10:29.791 --> 00:10:30.179
Isn't it?

00:10:32.870 --> 00:10:51.960
So my first call was priest and for me it was really two years after my baptism, so it was really fast for me—was really fast, but it was easy to say, yes, I'm ready for it.

00:10:54.019 --> 00:10:57.440
So I served as a priest in my congregation.

00:10:58.519 --> 00:11:04.809
And then two years after I received a call, the call as the elder.

00:11:07.149 --> 00:11:07.559
I said, What?

00:11:07.149 --> 00:11:07.559
Really?!?

00:11:07.149 --> 00:11:17.580
Noooo." So you took a little bit more longer to give the right answer.

00:11:18.840 --> 00:11:28.710
And then three years after I received a call to the Seventy of the church, that takes more than one week.

00:11:29.429 --> 00:11:35.669
I will say one month or more than one month to give my, my answer to that call.

00:11:36.480 --> 00:11:40.440
So yeah, so many things, so many blessing, let's say.

00:11:41.970 --> 00:11:56.029
And also serving as a very young adult, active in my congregation and also in my mission center as a youth minister for four years,

00:11:57.340 --> 00:12:10.029
Youth minister for four years and as a 70, the office of seventy, which is focused on mission and invitation and witnessing in French Polynesia.

00:12:10.030 --> 00:12:12.399
You were serving a larger area.

00:12:12.490 --> 00:12:14.350
Yes, I was traveling a lot.

00:12:14.409 --> 00:12:21.009
Every three months I was traveling in different islands to give classes or a youth conference.

00:12:21.190 --> 00:12:22.240
How amazing.

00:12:21.461 --> 00:12:52.539
Because even though we live in the same area, but the faith journey is so different, each islands and the young people–they are so different, you know, and how, how we can help them in, their faith journey, especially today because it's very challenging to interest young people to church.

00:12:52.600 --> 00:12:55.179
Well not just to church to God.

00:12:56.019 --> 00:12:57.370
Very challenging.

00:12:57.909 --> 00:13:10.419
So we, we did the best to make them also involved in the church, but also become a better person when they leave.

00:13:11.039 --> 00:13:24.120
I think it's really important for our listeners to know that you did all that as a volunteer self-sustaining minister and we happen to know that you have, you had a great business.

00:13:24.120 --> 00:13:26.700
So tell us about your business, which supported you.

00:13:27.820 --> 00:13:29.830
Great business.

00:13:29.831 --> 00:13:30.100
Yes.

00:13:30.549 --> 00:13:31.720
I really love what I do.

00:13:32.059 --> 00:13:34.669
So I'm a hula teacher.

00:13:33.921 --> 00:13:40.639
Hawaiian dance teacher, it's been now 12 years.

00:13:40.970 --> 00:13:49.960
I've done that and it is really helpful financially, just say financially and also helpful to pay my tithing to be a great good member to pay my tithing.

00:13:50.059 --> 00:13:50.269
Yes,

00:14:00.299 --> 00:14:04.649
I started doing that when I was 15 years I was very young.

00:14:05.100 --> 00:14:05.100
Okay.

00:14:05.309 --> 00:14:06.879
Hula teacher at 15.

00:14:07.480 --> 00:14:08.019
Yes.

00:14:08.529 --> 00:14:26.179
I left everything behind me, my school, my studies and then my family for a few month because they did not really agree with my decision o r you know, o f doing what I w ant t o do and what I love to do at that moment of my life of teaching Hula.

00:14:25.691 --> 00:14:33.970
Teaching my culture to people and also hula helped me in my ministry.

00:14:34.210 --> 00:14:42.220
So I more understand year after y ears that hula is also a way to share the gospel of Jesus Christ.

00:14:42.820 --> 00:14:55.639
So it's for me, it's a way to do my ministry and my mission as a full, learner of peace of Jesus Christ.

00:14:56.659 --> 00:15:22.399
One thing I've seen in you Kahealani is you are a very serious, committed, deeply committed disciple, a follower of Jesus and you bubble with joy and it comes, I'm sure our listeners can hear that in your voice and your laughter that there is just this intrinsic joy that just flows out of you and through you and touches lots of people.

00:15:22.870 --> 00:15:23.289
Thank you.

00:15:23.291 --> 00:15:23.830
It is.

00:15:25.029 --> 00:15:31.149
So here we are in Brussels, Belgium and you are far, far away from home.

00:15:31.750 --> 00:15:37.450
We want to hear the story of how you got here and what is happening here in Brussels.

00:15:37.061 --> 00:15:37.450
Belgium.

00:15:37.620 --> 00:15:55.860
So once again, IYF— once again, IYF for the last year, 2018 at I YF and after that we have SPEC.

00:15:56.399 --> 00:16:08.519
And I remember d uring SPEC I did the hula class and every day there's one a postle who was in my class every day.

00:16:08.879 --> 00:16:09.990
And I say, what?

00:16:10.289 --> 00:16:12.419
Why does the apostle come to my class?

00:16:11.971 --> 00:16:13.169
What is he doing there?

00:16:15.470 --> 00:16:21.720
And at the end of the week he come and a sked me, oh Kahaelani are you interested to go to to Brussels, to Belgium?

00:16:22.309 --> 00:16:26.610
And of course as a Seventy I s ay yes.

00:16:26.610 --> 00:16:38.129
Why not just go, you know, I didn't take that question seriously for me i t was, yeah, it was like a, okay, just a question.

00:16:38.130 --> 00:16:42.399
Not, you know, not really thinking that I will really go to Brussels.

00:16:43.559 --> 00:16:49.919
A nd t hen I remember one day, Apostle Richard sent me an email, you know, to go through that process.

00:16:49.919 --> 00:16:52.019
I said, Oh my goodness is really serious.

00:16:52.020 --> 00:16:53.549
He wasn't, it wasn't a joke.

00:16:54.639 --> 00:16:56.850
It is really something serious coming up.

00:16:58.110 --> 00:17:09.980
And I say, well, if that's God call, okay I will go, there was no reason for me to say no to that mission.

00:17:10.819 --> 00:17:16.339
It was the way, if I say, if I was saying no, for me it was saying no to that.

00:17:17.180 --> 00:17:19.339
And so for me there's no way to say no.

00:17:19.970 --> 00:17:25.369
So I say yes and it takes a month to give the right answer.

00:17:26.630 --> 00:17:29.180
But the answer was very easy also to take.

00:17:29.869 --> 00:17:33.440
But I know I will leave my family.

00:17:32.721 --> 00:17:40.009
And I will leave the people I love and also my business over there to do that.

00:17:40.490 --> 00:18:08.500
And I have no regrets because I also, my family, especially my mom, she's already always upset over me because I can't leave my hula business just to go to a church activity, you know, Once I close my studio for a week just to traveling and my mom and my family or always obsessing, you lost money, blah, blah, blah.

00:18:08.710 --> 00:18:24.390
But my answer is always that I know how much money I will lose, but I also know how many blessings I will receive and that's for me most important to receive more blessing than money.

00:18:24.450 --> 00:18:33.089
I don't, I don't say that money is not important, but that time of my life blessing is more important than receiving money.

00:18:34.140 --> 00:18:48.779
And that's the reason also, I say yes to that mission to come here because I know I will lose a lot of money and it's okay because I know how many lives, will be blessed and how many people we will have blessing me.

00:18:49.549 --> 00:18:55.900
So that's the reason also I say yes to that mission and yeah, this is God's call.

00:18:55.901 --> 00:18:57.319
So why not?

00:18:58.180 --> 00:19:00.190
You can go

00:19:02.339 --> 00:19:03.480
A faithful disciple who says yes after yes after yes.

00:19:04.951 --> 00:19:09.390
And this last yes has been a really big yes.

00:19:09.569 --> 00:19:12.150
You packed up and you came to Brussels.

00:19:12.151 --> 00:19:14.549
When did you get here and how long have you been here?

00:19:14.670 --> 00:19:26.490
Oh, it's been already three months and I come here in May, in the middle of May with my dear, and close friend, t he president Joey Williams.

00:19:25.661 --> 00:19:39.150
I am very thankful for his support and his presence with me for the first few m onths

00:19:39.619 --> 00:19:44.630
Just to mark the time because once this podcast posts, it's up forever.

00:19:45.049 --> 00:19:56.059
This is September 1, 2019 and Kahaelani has been here since May of 2019.

00:19:55.010 --> 00:19:58.369
Now, the really big question.

00:19:58.579 --> 00:20:08.930
I've been here a few days now and been privileged to be part of what's going on here and to be with the people.

00:20:09.019 --> 00:20:13.309
And without a doubt the spirit is moving in people's lives.

00:20:13.670 --> 00:20:22.819
We want to hear about that ministry, about what's happening here and what that experience is like for you and what you're doing to support that.

00:20:24.829 --> 00:20:24.829
Ooh.

00:20:28.849 --> 00:20:33.160
So first of all, It's a big change.

00:20:33.849 --> 00:20:36.730
You know, especially where I come from.

00:20:37.180 --> 00:20:42.849
A place that church is very strong in, you know, in, in faith it is very strong somewhere.

00:20:42.880 --> 00:20:48.279
And then you come to a place that you have to build something in different way.

00:20:48.280 --> 00:20:53.890
You have to discover spirit of— God's spirit— in different way.

00:20:54.250 --> 00:21:03.220
And sometimes if you're not very open to that, if you, if you just closed your, your heart or your mind, it will be a big shock.

00:21:04.660 --> 00:21:25.779
But if you're more open and, want to discover where God wants you to go, especially with those people who are, hungry for themessage of Community of Christ, just open your heart and go through it.

00:21:27.190 --> 00:21:30.259
So we have nice people here in Brussels.

00:21:30.260 --> 00:21:33.420
So, they are all Seekers here.

00:21:33.650 --> 00:21:36.609
They are all, friends of the church.

00:21:36.250 --> 00:21:39.559
They want to know more about Community of Christ.

00:21:40.029 --> 00:21:48.549
So what we do, we give classes about"Of Water and Spirit" the pre baptism classes.

00:21:48.550 --> 00:21:52.059
And, we did the, we do the best we can.

00:21:52.060 --> 00:22:04.480
But the first thing we do is give love to them and receive them as they are with the challenging life, with the difficulty also.

00:22:04.509 --> 00:22:05.710
But also the joy.

00:22:08.019 --> 00:22:18.400
So we've brought Elray and President Joey and we start giving classes every Saturday about the pre baptism of spirit and water.

00:22:19.029 --> 00:22:26.410
And every Sunday we doing worship—different types of worship.

00:22:26.589 --> 00:22:42.039
So we have a Bible study one Sunday, and yet, you have the type of worship, it's recreation and the other one is a real regular worship that you have, you know, worshp.

00:22:42.140 --> 00:22:49.450
And the last one is visiting families.

00:22:48.701 --> 00:22:51.400
We go out and doing the mission.

00:22:51.819 --> 00:22:53.799
So that's what we did today.

00:22:54.250 --> 00:22:56.890
We was visiting a family in Vervier.

00:22:57.940 --> 00:23:19.420
So really be able to be open and aware of where the Spirit is leading you to go— leading me to go—and just go and discover like as the mission prayer says: just risk something new everyday.

00:23:20.349 --> 00:23:30.190
So just be open to see—where does spirit we're living in today and are you ready to risk something and yes, just do it.

00:23:30.640 --> 00:23:32.410
You know, if you fall it's okay.

00:23:33.579 --> 00:23:36.220
But don't forget to stand up and continue your journey.

00:23:37.190 --> 00:23:45.960
And the families that you work with seem to have risked something new too, because they come to Belgium from another country.

00:23:45.980 --> 00:23:46.059
Yes, other countries.

00:23:45.980 --> 00:23:46.059
Yeah.

00:23:48.849 --> 00:24:05.819
And it's, for me it was, you know,very interesting, because when he was saying Belgium, you just think of people who, who lived in and were raised in Belgium.

00:24:05.819 --> 00:24:05.819
But these families.

00:24:08.819 --> 00:24:10.740
They come from another country.

00:24:10.980 --> 00:24:14.180
So people call them the immigrants, right?

00:24:14.190 --> 00:24:15.329
Immigrant family.

00:24:16.319 --> 00:24:23.970
And they are so, they are so loving people, you know, they are all like us.

00:24:24.440 --> 00:24:27.869
They, there's no, there's no way to make them different to others.

00:24:28.230 --> 00:24:37.150
You know, everyone, they have challenges in their life where they all IQ, they are like million dollar like prison joy.

00:24:37.319 --> 00:24:43.349
They are like trash, you know, there's nothing, uh, different to others.

00:24:43.920 --> 00:24:51.029
So, um, yeah, it's challenging in both way for them but also for us.

00:24:52.559 --> 00:25:08.269
So how, how the message of Community of Christ can help them in that process of their life and what we can bring to them because we don't have money to give to them.

00:25:08.660 --> 00:25:14.319
The only thing we have is love is the gospel of Jesus Christ, right?

00:25:14.619 --> 00:25:28.839
Our beliefs, our mission initiatives, our enduring principles, our sacraments that's the only thing we can offer to, to this family and how they respond to that.

00:25:28.869 --> 00:25:35.559
It's just wonderful with sincerity, with humility, with excitement.

00:25:37.539 --> 00:25:43.299
And because all the time they come to the class or to the worship, they're so excited to be there.

00:25:43.960 --> 00:25:52.849
And even if there's just two or 20 or more than 20, it's just amazing time we spend together.

00:25:53.869 --> 00:26:07.279
And for me it's so, it's so nice to discover God through them because it's completely different to where they come from.

00:26:07.759 --> 00:26:08.299
You know?

00:26:08.779 --> 00:26:19.400
And that's why I say at the beginning, you need to be open to be really aware the spirit will using you to that mission here.

00:26:19.859 --> 00:26:22.920
And do you have a couple language challenges?

00:26:22.921 --> 00:26:35.549
So not all the people are fluent in French, some are speaking Dutch, some are speaking Swaheli, some can speak a little English too.

00:26:35.819 --> 00:26:36.690
Yes, yes.

00:26:36.691 --> 00:26:44.789
But even if they don't really speak well in French, we have a way to communicate.

00:26:45.029 --> 00:26:47.339
So we have to just do our best or we have a good translator.

00:26:47.430 --> 00:27:05.279
So that's why I say, we are so glad to have President Joey with us so he can, you know, help us with translation, especially in Dutch,"hallo and Danke schon", that's all I can say for now.

00:27:08.420 --> 00:27:14.660
I'm not sure how many members you have there are a lot of people that are engaged.

00:27:14.661 --> 00:27:20.720
I would say probably if everybody was here on the same day, you might have 40 or 50.

00:27:21.420 --> 00:27:27.569
So we have a mission team, Belgium mission team.

00:27:27.569 --> 00:27:46.009
It's not so official it is just a name we give for the regular people who come to the class, you know, and they are also the leaders of the congregation, the group over here and they were very involved.

00:27:46.010 --> 00:28:02.299
I mean, now we have two members, so we have Mithog who was baptized in Germany during a retreat and Donacien who was confirmed by Apostle Robin and President Joey.

00:28:12.910 --> 00:28:20.440
And there's more members coming, more disciples who want to be a part of this community.

00:28:20.950 --> 00:28:35.049
So you're ready to welcome them as they are, but also to be a part of this beautiful journey of building a place where people feel love here in Belgium.

00:28:35.599 --> 00:28:36.079
Yeah.

00:28:36.080 --> 00:29:04.880
A real growing sense of belonging to one another and feeling enveloped and welcomed and loved by Community of Christ and seeing, what I'm hearing them say is they see they have a full place at the table and they can be their authentic selves and live out of their heritage and culture where they find themselves today and do a work.

00:29:05.390 --> 00:29:10.789
They're excited about peace and justice and how they can make the world a better place.

00:29:11.089 --> 00:29:28.220
I think for those people who come from a country, they have worries, you know, and these difficulties of life to hear the message of Community of Christ with a focus on peace.

00:29:28.849 --> 00:29:32.690
I think that makes them more involved in that.

00:29:33.369 --> 00:29:57.130
You know, and not all of them say why we didn't know about Community of Christ many years ago, but we can go back to our country and just give that message to people and you say, well, maybe it wasn't the right time before, but now is the time for you to hear that message.

00:29:57.430 --> 00:30:07.420
But also to live that here in Brussels and then maybe one day you will bring that message, that peace in your country.

00:30:07.809 --> 00:30:11.109
But starting on you first here where you live.

00:30:11.980 --> 00:30:40.019
The other thing I want you to talk about, Kahealani is the joy of the singing together, the connection with the Community of Christ hymnal that has hymns that come from their origin nations and ties to their life in ways that are really exciting as the whole community sings together.

00:30:40.720 --> 00:30:46.269
How has that, like how did that come out and what does it feel like look like?

00:30:46.430 --> 00:30:58.190
We are very so blessed to have international hymnal, very plus, to have that hymnal who really help in that, in that ministry.

00:30:58.191 --> 00:30:59.990
We have so many language inside.

00:31:00.019 --> 00:31:00.650
Oh my goodness.

00:31:00.651 --> 00:31:28.680
So thank you to that team who worked so hard to make this hymnal available because it's very helpful in the process and the ministry of music, it's so amazing because it does speak to this family, like singing like the songsthat we can sing for 10, 15 minutes nonstop or even 20 minutes nonstop, you know, and just using our, hymanl here, you know, it's just amazing.

00:31:30.049 --> 00:31:31.339
Just amazing.

00:31:31.730 --> 00:31:46.789
But I also remember one day we did communion and Apostle Richard James was there, we sang the song"For Everyone Born" and I remember that guy, his name, Richard.

00:31:48.140 --> 00:31:58.369
He was so touched by the words really is it that what you guys believe that every one overcome on this table.

00:31:58.940 --> 00:32:04.430
It was just wonderful to hear his test demand money, you know.

00:32:04.431 --> 00:32:09.319
And so the minister of music here in[inaudible], it's just amazing.

00:32:09.740 --> 00:32:11.170
And so we've pressed enjoy.

00:32:11.269 --> 00:32:20.960
We try to every two times during the math to have a Sam's fun justice.

00:32:21.019 --> 00:32:37.099
So a way to share to him know that this the scenes we have but also the way to be open to other people who are interesting of peace for say our him.

00:32:37.259 --> 00:32:38.720
No you're so beautiful isn't it?

00:32:38.990 --> 00:32:40.819
The main stage they have inside.

00:32:41.269 --> 00:32:45.890
He just wonderful and people have to heard that song.

00:32:46.130 --> 00:32:55.970
A lot of the songs we have inside, cause the may say it's so nice is there is all about peace, love, joy and hope.

00:32:57.109 --> 00:32:58.099
So yeah.

00:32:58.319 --> 00:32:58.559
Thank you.

00:32:59.190 --> 00:32:59.579
Thank you.

00:32:59.580 --> 00:32:59.940
Thank you.

00:32:59.580 --> 00:33:03.539
Zsa Zsa, we want to turn to you now.

00:33:03.540 --> 00:33:10.920
You and Kahealani are long time friends and ministers of mission and French Polynesia.

00:33:11.460 --> 00:33:17.009
And for the past nine days you have been fully immersed in this new ministry.

00:33:17.430 --> 00:33:20.670
We want to hear all about your experience.

00:33:21.099 --> 00:33:26.849
What it's been like for you and how you see the Holy spirit moving in the people.

00:33:30.990 --> 00:33:49.109
(Translating from French) First of all, I'd just like to say hello everyone.

00:33:49.111 --> 00:33:56.359
So I got here nine days ago.

00:33:59.039 --> 00:34:04.559
And what I was thinking was, I'm going to go see my son, Kahealani.

00:34:17.320 --> 00:34:24.340
And when I heard that Joey was coming and when I heard that the apostle Robin Linkhart was coming, I was like, Oh, I want to stay.

00:34:29.659 --> 00:34:30.650
I said, Oh yeah, I remember.

00:34:31.449 --> 00:34:40.519
And I remember the tunnel we went through(laughter) I have to see her again.

00:34:40.521 --> 00:35:08.440
I'm also thankful to God And my children and my family that allowed me to come and travel here and also my husband who said I could come and I went to visit my sister who lives in Paris that I hadn't seen for 40 years.

00:35:10.309 --> 00:35:41.550
No, she'd seen her but not, hadn't visited her here And so when I arrived here in Brussels, as soon as I got off the train and I saw Kahealani, I m ean I dropped all my things and I just ran to him.

00:35:42.869 --> 00:35:46.039
I thought she was talking about her sister, but she was talking about Kahealani actually.

00:35:47.239 --> 00:35:47.659
And we cried.

00:35:47.239 --> 00:36:00.099
And we started laughing and we started screaming, And then we came here to this house.

00:36:02.949 --> 00:36:06.869
And I was asking myself questions, how is it going to be?

00:36:06.871 --> 00:36:10.469
What's it gonna be like, what am I, what am I going to discover here?

00:36:11.190 --> 00:36:17.039
And we started walking around.

00:36:16.561 --> 00:36:27.449
And there were these big buildings and things like that here in Brussels and we went to eat some ice cream right?

00:36:27.271 --> 00:36:36.760
And so I was thinking about Tahiti because they had vanilla ice cream.

00:36:47.130 --> 00:36:51.780
And then after we were walking around for a while, all of a sudden I realized, I'm in Brussels, I'm in Belgium.

00:36:54.699 --> 00:36:56.699
I'm here, I'm in Brussels.

00:37:01.920 --> 00:37:13.480
and I was filled with emotion to realize that I was here and it was like a film t hat just went really fast.

00:37:13.849 --> 00:37:25.219
And then Saturday that's when we had our class and where I met the leaders for the first time.

00:37:33.760 --> 00:37:38.519
So I was there a little bit shy, but when they walked in and it was, hello Zsa Zsa?

00:37:41.460 --> 00:37:47.369
Oh, here's our sister Zsa Zsa because Kahealani had already talked about me.

00:37:52.159 --> 00:37:54.530
And there were no walls that were separating us.

00:37:58.590 --> 00:38:02.130
It was as if we knew each other had known each other for a long time already.

00:38:03.059 --> 00:38:05.969
And we just started hiring and giving kisses.

00:38:27.210 --> 00:38:35.889
There was just something, a connection or in the exchange that we were having, it was as if we had been part of the same family for a long time.

00:38:35.980 --> 00:38:46.030
We were old friends and we laughed a lot.

00:38:48.309 --> 00:38:59.739
A nd s o I was able to share a lot of things with them, for example, cooking

00:39:21.179 --> 00:39:23.480
And there's this lady and her name Christine.

00:39:23.489 --> 00:39:27.449
And as soon as we met I said, hi, I'm Zsa Zsa.

00:39:27.451 --> 00:39:28.590
And she said, hi, I'm Christine.

00:39:28.590 --> 00:39:30.329
But there was a connection immediately.

00:39:43.010 --> 00:39:47.030
And then they said, teach us what you know about cooking.

00:39:51.139 --> 00:39:52.400
Okay, I'm going to do that.

00:39:58.329 --> 00:40:03.610
And we made crepes, First we did it here.

00:40:10.010 --> 00:40:14.769
And then we also made them Epa.

00:40:18.449 --> 00:40:21.929
We were going to do it here, but then we were like, no, we'll do it over at Christine's house.

00:40:21.931 --> 00:40:30.690
And so we took all the ingredients there, And we prepared everything.

00:40:30.750 --> 00:40:35.010
We made these little balls out of....

00:40:36.659 --> 00:40:50.880
and we and we put them to cook in the water and it's made out of flour and coconut milk and some water and you mix that up and make a little balls out of it.

00:40:53.940 --> 00:40:57.300
And you put it in a big casserole dish and you cook it.

00:40:57.300 --> 00:41:14.730
and I was with Martin who was also there, another one of the people that's in the group and we made them together and they really liked them.

00:41:14.731 --> 00:41:17.400
They really, really appreciated learning how to make those.

00:41:36.260 --> 00:41:40.530
And it was funny because for me it's a really simple food to make.

00:41:40.530 --> 00:41:41.610
It's really nothing.

00:41:42.119 --> 00:41:48.690
But for them it was really neat because there was something different and new and it was something that when they eat it, it kind of fills them up.

00:41:48.929 --> 00:41:52.980
And I remember, uh, the father of the house, so it was over there.

00:41:52.981 --> 00:42:16.190
He, he took two of them and he said, these are for me, do not touch them and you put them in the refrigerator, And then of course I taught them that they could eat them in different ways with butter and sugar or they could use condensed milk or cocoa milk.

00:42:16.369 --> 00:42:17.210
I got coconut milk.

00:42:18.030 --> 00:42:41.659
There was this real spirit of what it means to live in a community, to live together, to share together and to share the love that each one had.

00:42:45.809 --> 00:42:58.610
I thought it was my job to bring that love to that situation But in fact it was them who had taught me about that love.

00:42:58.670 --> 00:43:01.820
And they also taught me about humility and simplicity.

00:43:20.159 --> 00:43:37.150
And at first I thought there would be a lot of differences among us, but in fact I figured out from that experience that we really are one and we can live it in unity with this diversity of language.

00:43:41.789 --> 00:43:46.150
We are really one unified our unity in diversity.

00:43:50.019 --> 00:43:50.170
Yeah.

00:43:50.269 --> 00:43:55.179
I'm so thankful that my son Kahealani and, and to Joey.

00:43:55.181 --> 00:43:56.170
And to you too Robin

00:43:58.710 --> 00:44:01.230
It was so touching today.

00:44:01.769 --> 00:44:20.309
We all journeyed with the group here in Brussels who have been gathering with Community of Christ to Vervier, to bring ministry and share with a family there and extended family and new friends that came.

00:44:20.699 --> 00:44:30.530
We returned this evening and when we said goodbye at the train station, it was like friends who had known each other forever embracing each other.

00:44:30.550 --> 00:44:34.409
There were promises of seeing one another soon.

00:44:34.411 --> 00:44:39.989
It was a transforming experience.

00:44:40.949 --> 00:44:53.130
I know for Zsa Zsa and myself— and to be here and to be part of that and to realize, we came to share, but we take so much more with us.

00:44:53.630 --> 00:44:55.949
It was overflowing.

00:44:56.750 --> 00:44:56.750
Blessings.

00:44:56.750 --> 00:44:56.750
Zsa Zsa.

00:44:57.920 --> 00:45:00.090
did you grow up in the church?

00:45:00.090 --> 00:45:02.579
Tell us about how you came to community

00:45:02.820 --> 00:45:16.869
I was born into the church and I have grandparents and their grandparents that were also members of the church.

00:45:21.130 --> 00:45:33.539
My great, great, great grandparents were the very first generation of church members in French Polynesia.

00:45:34.920 --> 00:45:36.659
I did not know that about you.

00:45:36.661 --> 00:46:05.579
I just want you to know I've loved you to death, but in this moment I feel so honored to call you friend and to be connected together because I've heard the stories of the church planting in French Polynesia and it always warms my heart and I feel so deeply appreciative of the people of French Polynesia who have been a light to the world and shared the message of Community of Christ for generations.

00:46:05.639 --> 00:46:07.050
That's so special.

00:46:31.809 --> 00:46:37.900
I have a couple more questions before we end for a very special thing tonight.

00:46:37.929 --> 00:46:46.150
The first question is what tips do you have for people who want to engage in mission and the places where they live in serve?

00:46:46.150 --> 00:46:50.889
So Kahealani, I'm going to ask you to respond to that question.

00:46:52.880 --> 00:47:01.760
I think there are so many answers, but one who come to my mind right now is just to be you, just be you.

00:47:01.159 --> 00:47:07.579
You don't need to try to be another person.

00:47:06.891 --> 00:47:20.179
Be you and be ready to open your mind and your heart to love discovering something.

00:47:20.840 --> 00:47:34.010
Of course, sometimes we have an idea, we come with an idea, but when we go to a place just living and feeling that the moment, teh spirit of the moment, everything can change.

00:47:34.590 --> 00:47:37.280
So just, just be yourself, right?

00:47:37.309 --> 00:47:42.590
Be yourself and be aware of, of the power of the Holy Spirit.

00:47:42.619 --> 00:47:45.800
Open your heart, open your mindset down.

00:47:45.829 --> 00:47:48.889
Don't be stuck with ideas.

00:47:49.340 --> 00:47:53.380
Just be fluid go with the flow.

00:47:57.119 --> 00:47:58.150
Is it the right question?

00:47:58.699 --> 00:47:58.699
Right.

00:47:58.699 --> 00:48:00.300
A good answer?

00:48:01.510 --> 00:48:01.510
Yeah.

00:48:01.780 --> 00:48:02.630
Yeah.

00:48:04.429 --> 00:48:12.559
Well there's no specific correct character, you know, to just, just being yourself.

00:48:12.650 --> 00:48:15.889
Of course, those for some people is easy to do.

00:48:16.309 --> 00:48:25.449
For someit's a challenging thing, but it's not impossible, you know?

00:48:25.599 --> 00:48:27.969
But just, just be yourself.

00:48:27.971 --> 00:48:28.840
Just be you.

00:48:29.139 --> 00:48:30.309
Just, yeah.

00:48:30.340 --> 00:48:31.059
Be you.

00:48:31.760 --> 00:48:34.420
Just be you, be you,

00:48:36.239 --> 00:48:38.760
ZsA ZSA, this question is for you.

00:48:38.760 --> 00:48:43.679
And I'll give Kahealani an opportunity to answer it as well.

00:48:44.639 --> 00:48:48.539
Is there anything that you want to share that I didn't ask you about?

00:48:55.739 --> 00:49:04.110
Yes I want to share something that's touched me profoundly.

00:49:11.519 --> 00:49:13.559
I was born in the church with my grandparents.

00:49:15.320 --> 00:50:00.530
I' ve s erved in 2014 I wanted my children to go to IYF in 2014 Because I had come to a place where I'd retired and so I went to Tahiti, the main Island to be with my children because they were going to school and to take care of them while they were going to school.

00:50:00.679 --> 00:50:07.630
Cause often children go to the main Island to go to high school, My last two children.

00:50:13.860 --> 00:50:25.969
And while we were there, we were talking about IYF And I met Kahealani.

00:50:27.980 --> 00:50:36.659
I'd seen him before and you know, I knew I'd heard things about him and, and you know, I figured he was a good, guy.

00:50:40.710 --> 00:50:51.150
And I l ike to participate and help with youth fleeting and you know, w e're the youth classes and things like that and it was a Sunday, I think it was a Sunday.

00:50:51.150 --> 00:51:04.820
And he said, Zsa Zsa, do you want to come with me to a meeting that we're having for leaders?

00:51:04.829 --> 00:51:07.769
You don't have to do anything.

00:51:13.190 --> 00:51:13.880
And I looked at him and I'm like, okay?

00:51:19.099 --> 00:51:22.710
Sure I want to do it, but I have no idea what it was going to be about, what was going to happen.

00:51:24.699 --> 00:51:26.670
And he's like, no, come, come, come.

00:51:30.809 --> 00:51:39.039
And there we go to the mission center office, the president was there?

00:51:39.079 --> 00:51:47.389
There are people there and all the staff of the mission center office.

00:51:47.400 --> 00:51:48.269
Were also there.

00:51:51.820 --> 00:51:56.860
And so I sat down, I felt really small in this group of people, staff.

00:51:56.940 --> 00:52:09.780
So Kailani introduced me and said, our sisters, she's going to be a part of this meeting today.

00:52:12.300 --> 00:52:21.840
And I'm looking around and thinking, okay here I am, what's going to happen?

00:52:22.019 --> 00:52:22.860
I have no idea what's happening.

00:52:26.230 --> 00:52:39.760
And when we went outside, everything had been decided.

00:52:40.329 --> 00:52:46.119
They had already said what we were going to do in a meeting and I thought, okay, this is what we're going to do.

00:52:53.679 --> 00:52:58.360
So I come out and look at Kahealani and I'm like, all right, let's get to work.

00:53:04.170 --> 00:53:05.800
And he's like, yeah, let's do it.

00:53:11.969 --> 00:53:14.380
And from that thing on, we were always together.

00:53:14.650 --> 00:53:24.800
And it was, it was to be a leader f or IYF 2014 to be a part of ours.

00:53:24.320 --> 00:53:24.800
And we've been together since that moment.

00:53:35.639 --> 00:53:40.300
So this is how Kahealani became the son of your heart.

00:53:47.889 --> 00:54:01.690
My mentor, my son and even my two last k ids, they say sometimes they're like, u h, your other son Kahealani, he's on the phone.

00:54:01.271 --> 00:54:25.900
Often I come to church are looking at me and they're looking around and they go where's Kahealani.

00:54:30.360 --> 00:54:31.000
It's always like that.

00:54:42.030 --> 00:54:45.539
So anytime I do, some time there's meetings I get called.

00:54:46.530 --> 00:54:50.289