You were born for such a time as this - Esther 4:14

In 2007, my life completely changed… I was in search for my life’s calling. So I did what I knew to do…pray. In the quietness of my room in my mom’s house in Dededo, Guam, I asked Ke Akua, our Heavenly Father, to clarify His call, His purpose for my life. In May 2007, my prayers were answered. Ke Akua, our God - the Author of Clarity, reminded me that “I was born for such a time as this - Esther 4:14….”

I left my island home, taking a leap of faith, and I joined the United States Air Force not knowing that I would be away for 17 years... I missed home the moment I arrived at Basic Training at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.

To soothe my “homesickness,” and just like any islander would do, I listened to mele - local Hawaiian music, and I danced Hula and Ori at every free chance I had.

What I once thought was a “leisure hobby” was the very gift and talent that comforted me in the most challenging and uncertain time in my life. This “leisure hobby” reminded me of my history which kept me focused on building a brighter future. This “leisure hobby” called dance kept me rooted in my culture, taught me resiliency, embrace my authenticity, values, and identity, and most importantly, it never allowed me to forget where I come from. This “leisure hobby of Hula, Ori Tahiti, and Polynesian dance” is exactly what our Ke Akua, our Heavenly Father, continues to use to show Himself evident in my life and to remind me that I am a vessel to bring the Hawaiian and Polynesian cultures into the next generation…"for such a time as this - Esther 4:14….”