Children's Story for Easter 4, April 29, 2012

Hettie was an eight year old Muscogee (Creek) girl who was growing up in Okmulgee, Oklahoma.  She heard the English language spoken all around her until she entered the third grade.  In third grade, she heard Muscogee words spoken and recognized some of the words from when she went to church with her grandmother where Muscogee hymns were sung. However, on the fourth Sunday of Easter, she went to the "Cowboy" UCC church south of Okmulgee.  Her parents called it the "Cowboy" church because most people who attended were farmers and ranchers.

Hettie and her cousin Pammy sat on the row in front of Hettie's parents.  Looking at the bulletin, Pammy said "Look!  It's my Sunday!"  She pointed at the words "Honoring PAAM Sunday" in the church bulletin.  "Then I will start calling you PA-AM, " Hettie replied.  They giggled until Hettie's parents whispered, "Be quiet."

Soon the minister gathered the children on the carpeted steps leading to the pulpit area.  Some photographs had been placed on the steps and the minister asked each child to hold a photograph.  "Today is called PAAM Sunday.  It's a time to celebrate Pacific Island and Asian American Ministries in the United Church of Christ," the minister said.  A boy asked, "Who are PAAM people?"

"I'm glad you asked," the minister said.  "We have pictures that I took at General Synod of some of the PAAM people.  Asian Americans include Filippino, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, and Pacific Islanders who can be Native Hawaiians, Samoans, Tongans, Micronesians, and many more.  Look on the back of the photos and read the name of the person's nation and the greeting on the back.  Show the photograph to the congregation.

Philippines - Hello is Kumusta (koo-moo-stah)
Korea -  Hello is An-yong-ha-se-yo.  
Samoa - Hello is Talofa (tah-low-fah)
Japanese - Thank you is A-ri-ga-tou.
Hawaii - Thank you is mahalo (mah-hah-low)

The minister continued, "Here in the Oklahoma Association of the UCC we have a Samoan church in Lawton and a Micronesian church near Enid. These churches are more than 100 miles from us.  We can remember them in our thoughts and prayers just like we do for our relatives who live far away from us."

After church was over, Pammy asked Hettie, "What do you think would happen if we Muscogee children visited the churches at Lawton and Enid?"  "If we went to the Samoan church I'd say, ‘Talofa' to all the elders," replied Hettie.  "That sounds just like our Muscogee word for 'town' and would be easy to remember."