Page 2 - MIdWeek Kauai - May 26, 2021

2 KAUA‘I MIDWEEK MAY 26, 2021
Finding Purpose Amid A Pandemic
claimed the NCAA volleyball title May 8. UH ran roughshod through UC-Santa Barbara (3-0) and BYU (3-0) to earn the hardware many observers thought would be theirs in 2020.
In college, and even in high school, friends and family would say, “You’re initially going into business, but you’ re going to end up being a pastor.” I would re- ply, “Absolutely not.” I was apprehensive of becoming a pastor because of the stigma. More importantly, I thought I wasn’t good enough, and I hadn’t felt a calling.
Yes, I could have made millions by age 30, but help- ing others through life, espe- cially at a time when people need hope and encourage- ment, has been the greatest blessing I could have ever received.
Ah, yes, 2020 — the year that wasn’t. It looked like Ha- wai‘i and BYU (interchangeably ranked No. 1 and No. 2, respectively, throughout the season) were heading toward a probable NCAA tournament showdown before being rudely interrupted by the coronavirus and the season’s cancellation just after the teams split matches here in early March.
a difference?” He answered my prayers. Not long after, I was lying in bed one night, and I just started crying, real- izing that even if my life was to help just one person find hope, that’s what I wanted to do.
promptings, I still had doubts in my mind.
But UH players hung in there. The stench of losing the 2019 championship match at Long Beach State, plus the 2020 season ending prematurely, spurred this bunch of ‘Bows to hang around for one more year with a chance at glory and an opportunity for shared immortality with be- loved teammates and the best volleyball fans in the world, who ironically couldn’t witness this year’s team in person due to coronavirus restrictions.
Then, COVID hit, and I returned to Hawai‘i to work remotely and be with family. I saw tragedy and disaster, but I also saw overwhelm- ing hope. I remember pray- ing about it, saying, “God, would you allow me to make
A couple of days later, two different friends serendipi- tously called me, each saying “this sounds crazy, but God told me you need to go into ministry.” Even with these
I gave God an ultimatum, telling Him, “If, and only if, my church offers me a job, I’ll know that’s what You want me to do.” I didn’t breathe a word of this to anyone.
Punahou alumnus Dono- van Sabog graduated from Yale in May 2019 with a dou- ble major in economics and history. He is now director of administration at New Hope O‘ahu and is training to be- come a pastor.
Chasing The Light is pro- duced by Lynne Johnson and Robin Stephens Rohr.
But shed no tears for tiers, as we got to behold great- ness in perpetual motion: incredible digging that looked like hockey goalies making outrageous saves; serving at high speeds, with spin and precision, referred to as “nails”; blocking that could have shielded us from the sun; and sharp-angled slamming that occasionally caromed into the semi-emptiness in Columbus, Ohio.
Later that day, I went to New Hope O‘ahu to attend a service, and inexplicably, I was offered a job. At that moment, I realized God was saying, “I want you to do
“Our job in life is to help people realize how rare and valuable each one of us
really is, that each of us has something that no one else has — or ever will have A— something inside that is unique to all time.” — Mr. Rogers
Punahou alumnus Donovan Sabog is training to become a pastor at New Hope O‘ahu. PHOTO COURTESY NEW HOPE O‘AHU
CHASING THE LIGHT
with Donovan Sabog
FCan You Dig It?
s a financial aid kid from ‘Ewa Beach, I always dreamed
inally. After far too many years featuring superb play- ers and powerful teams falling just short, the Univer- sity of Hawai‘i men’s volleyball team emphatically
about making money. So af- ter graduating from Yale, I took a consulting job in NYC. HereIwasatage24,witha great salary, living the dream.
this, right now. You were made for this.”
KELLEY
Cartoonist Wins
It’s official: Steve Kelley’s car- toons rock!
Kelley — whose work appears in Kaua‘i Midweek on occasion — raked in top honors among editorial cartoon- ists at the 87th Nation- al Headliner Awards, a contest that recognizes journalistic excellence.
According to the judg- es, his cartoons “stood out for their originality, smarts and ... hilarious moments ... in 2020.”
Congratulations, Steve.
After the school was ridiculously forced to relinquish its 2002 men’s volleyball title, we now have redemption 19 years later. And after 1996 and 2019 NCAA runner-up finishes, UH owns a men’s volleyball crown. In winning, coach Charlie Wade and players humbly acknowledged their committed stick-to-itiveness, their love of the UH fans and each other, and other team attributes you want to hear from winners. Yes, players could have scattered, seeking professional fortune in Europe last year, but those leagues also shut down, so coming back to Mānoa with COVID protocols and distance learning in play, and by-the-numbers trip requirements enforced meant keeping their eyes and arms on the elusive prize without distraction.
And they got it — so now we’ve got it! A national title banner will hang from Stan Sheriff Center rafters alongside four Wāhine national title flags. UH superstars of yore and their coaches — Dave Shoji, Alan Rosehill and Mike Wil- ton — after 41 years, this one’s also for you.
Think about it ...
john@thinkaboutithawaii.com