Letters for Tuesday — November 30, 2004

• Bazaar coverage

• What to get the kids

Bazaar coverage

I was very pleased to see such wonderful pictures and coverage of Hanapepe Hawaiian Congregational Church’s Bazaar in the Westside version of The Garden Island (November 18). I’m grateful for Dennis Fujimoto’s caring support given to our efforts, and his photos showing the community spirit of the event. 

However, I wanted to be clear that we could not hold this bazaar without the countless hours volunteered by members of the larger community, in addition to our small congregation. Folks baked cookies, grew plants, wrapped laulau, and helped in so many other ways. Our sister churches in the Kaua‘i Association United Church of Christ were wonderfully supportive, by attending and even becoming “satellite sales offices” for our laulau—especially Wai‘oli Hui‘ia Church in Hanalei, Lihu‘e Christian Church, Koloa Union Church, and Kapa‘a First Hawaiian Church.

Again, thanks to Dennis Fujimoto for his coverage, and sensing the community values we are hoping to further with activities such as our Bazaar.

Wendy Tajima

Congregational Church

What to get the kids

The physical difference in Lihu‘e between Thanksgiving Day and the day after was amazing this year. My two youngest sons and I enjoyed a bicycler’s dream on Turkey Day. All the parking lots and streets were void of automobiles. In fact the town seemed to be void of human life as if one were suddenly cast into a Rod Serling episode of the Twilight Zone. The next day, there were more people in one store at the mall than the entire town the previous day. Everyone seemed to have the same thing on their minds.

“What do I get the kids this year – and is it on sale?”

The stores are well stocked with gadgets, robots, cars, dolls, books, electronic gear, toys and clothes to make any child content for the holidays. Inside one store, my nine year old made it clear though not directly, exactly what gifts would bring contentment to his little heart. The seven year old dispensed with the coyness and stated flatly what gifts he wanted, and even quoted the prices as if to make sure my ears heard the enticement he had created.

The most wonderful gift you can bestow upon your children this year is really not too expensive. No store carries it so you won’t have to worry whether it will be available this holiday season. The gift is time. Whether you spend five hundred dollars for a gift or five dollars it really means nothing unless your child knows you are there in any form or manner to share that moment.

Time is the one gift your child will carry for all his/her life that positively expresses to them that they are loved dearly.

This holiday season do yourself and your children a favor, skip the rhetoric, give a gift that truly matters, a morning, an afternoon, an evening or an entire day all their own. It’s easy on the checkbook and lasts a lifetime…plus you get a beautiful tropical island to spend the time on – batteries not included.

Eduardo Valenciana

Lihu‘e