THE GREAT HAWAII MIRACLE
By C. Scott Berg
Isolated by time and space, alone and surrounded by the Pacific Ocean for thousands of miles in all directions lies Hawaii, the outermost part of the world. Captain James Cook did not discover Hawaii until January 18th, 1778, 286 years after the discovery of America. Cook took a year exploring the Islands laying in provisions and making ships repairs. Unfortunately, Cook and his crew wore out there welcome and on February 14th in a skirmish at Kealakekua Bay Cook was killed. Captain Clerke the second in command of the mission wanted to smooth things over with the Hawaiian's and make peace with the chiefs. A few more skirmishes occurred but on the 21st of February 1779 the Hawaiians returned some of Captain Cook's bones and there was peace. No other ships came to Hawaii until 1786.
The fur traders and merchant ships heading to China realized they could economically barter for provisions in Hawaii. For instance any type of iron, a common nail, chisel, or knife, could fetch far more fresh fruit meat and water than a large sum of money would in any other port. The Hawaiian alii (royalty) and chiefs were eager to obtain modern weapons and rewarded those captains who supplied them handsomely. The captains of these ships not only sought food and supplies, but manpower. As it was a frequent occurrence for sailors to die or desert on these voyages good willing sailors were hard to find. The strong adventurous Hawaiians were more than up to the task of sailing on these tall ships.
Five of these adventurous Hawaiian sailors Henry Obookiah, Thomas Hopu, William Kanui, John Honolii, and George Tamoree made it to New England were they became Christians. These young men leading very exciting and adventurous lives separately all found The Lord Jesus in there own unique way. Their desire was to return to Hawaii as missionaries. They came from Hawaii were The Kapu religious system demanded human sacrifice for the breaking of a tabu. If men and women ate together, the penalty was death. If a woman ate pork or certain fish or fruits the penalty was death. If the shadow of a commoner fell on an alii or chief the penalty was death. The Hawaiian gods were hard taskmasters demanding all manner of sacrifice and offerings. The Kapu system was enforced by the alii who gave authority to high chiefs and the high chiefs gave power to their various sub-chiefs and at the bottom of the system was the common Hawaiian. All of the commoners were slaves to the chiefs and the chiefs were slaves to the alii. You owned nothing except by the graces of your superior.
The chiefs and alii were constantly fighting for power. From these warring chiefs arose Kamehameha The Great. Through intelligence, strength and some help from the English and their guns, conquered and united all of the Islands (Kauai was not conquered but did submit to Kamehameha's rule) to became their King.
In one of these battles for power between two warring chiefs, Henry Obookiah at the age of about twelve helplessly watched his parents being butchered before his eyes. Henry escaped with his infant brother, but as he was running with his brother slung over his back the child was struck with a spear and died. Henry was then forced to live with the man who killed his mother and father. After that, it appeared he would be sacrificed to a god for the other prisoner with him had just been thrown over a cliff as a sacrifice. Being alert to the peril he took a chance and escaped. Shortly after an uncle rescued him.