June 26-28, 2006

            My story begins in the air above DC, waiting for weather to clear so that we could land.  I have never been in such bad weather; I'm talking about bolts of lightning outside my window (I hate window seats).  Meanwhile, I look around at everyone sitting calmly; reading books and talking amongst themselves.   Wondering if they see the maelstrom enveloping the aircraft, I begin praying fervently to save us all… luckily we got in ok though. 

            Once we were down, we had to wait for our terminal to reopen after rain made it close for some reason.  When I got off, my friend Nate met me at baggage claim, where we spent an hour and a half waiting for one of my bags.  It eventually turned up on a pushcart, soaking wet.  So we got out of the airport around 2am, but the city was flooded.  Initially we were going to go around, but I couldn’t help but go through downtown to see the monuments and play tourist.  We finally got to his place at 3am, where I took my first shower in about four days.  Three hours later, we wake up to try to go to the Pentagon and take part in a weekly protest outside the gates.  I got excited when he mentioned that Liz McAllister would be there, since we just heard from her at PAPA Fest.  Unfortunately, the METRO was shut down due to flooding and we did not make it to the Pentagon until 8:05, just after they usually wrap it up. 

            We returned dejectedly to Nate’s house and went our separate ways; he to work, me to register for the conference.  After a complicated registration procedure for housing, I got to the National City Christian Church and got settled in.  I thought the most influential speaker that day was Tony Campolo.  There were others, but he definitely had fire in his eyes.  I really wish I had recorded his speech…  After the initial welcoming speeches, the first workshop seminars kicked off.  I went to the emerging leaders track about sustaining yourself for the long run in being an activist.  I thought it was a weird subject; we were taught meditation and relaxation, I just don’t get meditation.  As prayer, it is hard to pray when you are focusing on nothing…  I couldn’t bite my tongue; I made a comment about focusing on Jesus Christ and trusting in Him instead of worrying about how to get to my end destination or goal.  I shared Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s idea with them that on the straight, narrow path to righteousness, one should focus on Christ alone, so as not to be daunted by the gaping chasms on either side of you.  To me, that means my destination (my end) is Jesus, the journey (my means) is not as important.  I hope I made it clearer to them than I just did in writing it, hehehe.

            Anyway, after the seminar, Jim Wallis hosted a panel of leaders who talked about issues based on poverty and the church’s response to them.  I can’t remember right now who the speakers were; I’ll try to look that up.  After they said their piece, Jim invited the audience to pose questions about the issue of poverty.  I decided to address an issue close to my heart since both of my parents are public school teachers.  Basically, I feel the lack of a decent education is a main contributor and a reinforcement of poverty.  What I hoped the board would address was how could the church respond to the issue of insuring our youth have better educational resources.  I was one of the last to make it up there, so time was short and my question did not get the attention others did.         When I sat back down, a lady thanked me for asking it, as she was a public school teacher, and we wondered together what we could do to get a response.  After the audience was adjourned for dinner, we both approached Jim to seek a response.  He had some good things to say about what has been and could yet be done.  I think he asked the teacher to email him in order to start an education task-force for Sojourners.  After that issue had been raised, I talked to him a little bit about PAPA and he said he was upset that he did not get through to speak to everyone.  I mentioned how I was hoping to make my voice stronger and clearer (as he had said earlier in his address about emerging leaders).  Not wanting to take much of his time, I asked if I could email him.  He gave me his address and asked me to relay to Shane that he would be missed at the conference.  Then I made my way downstairs to see Tony Campolo, who was doing a book signing.  I didn’t have a book for him to sign, but instead asked him for a few moments later in the conference to discuss with him what he spoke about to the PAPA fest crowd.  He thought Tuesday might be a good time.  Unfortunately I never got to see him, but I plan to email him when I get back to Hawaii. 

            After the panel discussion and book signing, we were released to dinner. I walked outside to find somewhere to eat, and I didn’t take 10 steps before I was asked if I could spare some change by a man in a pink collared shirt.  I hate giving cash, so I asked him if it was for something to eat.  He told me it was, so I asked if he liked chicken, because Popeye’s was the nearest food place.  Sure enough, he didn’t have much of a preference, so I went by and got three to-go meals, they even gave me some extra because I ordered the wrong meal   I walked back and sat under the bus stop that I had met him at.  His name was Isaiah, like the prophet, and he introduced me to his wife Denise.  It was a great dinner; we talked about him, he asked about me.  It was such a great experience.       He told me he was a veteran, and that they had been on the street for nearly a decade.  Denise had a bag wrapped around her foot because a couple weeks ago she had gotten frostbite sleeping outside.  I do not know if it was at a hospital or not, but she had two toes removed and the bag was protecting her sutures from getting wet.  It was clear to me that they were not telling me these things to guilt trip me, it was just what was going on in their life.  I told them about where I was from and a little about how I found myself in Washington.  I shared with them what our purpose was for the conference, and I think they saw hope for just a moment.  I told them who was speaking, how many people attended, and how many other young people showed their support.  Isaiah wiped his eyes, Denise was just flabbergasted.  Then we talked about the weather.  It was a seamless transition, we were three equals. 

            They didn’t see the clean clothes and trimmed fingernails, I didn’t see the mismatching shoes or missing teeth.  I was out there for the full dinner break, about an hour and a half.  Before I left, I asked if there was anything they needed for the next few weeks, anything I could bring them.  I thought about Denise getting frostbite, and they confirmed they could use some blankets.  I promised I would do my best to round some up.  I asked if I could pray with them, and if Isaiah wanted to lead us.  He declined, but as he grasped first Denise’s hand then my own, he told me I should.  I took Denise’s hand in mine and thanked God for bringing us together and I prayed that the march on Capitol Hill would have a true impact.  I asked for continued courage and strength for Isaiah and Denise, among other things.  After I closed I gave them each a hug and told them I would see them again soon.  As I made my way back to the sanctuary, I whispered another prayer for them and thanked God for the experience.  I can’t remember right now what we did after dinner, I am pretty sure I did a lot of thinking about Isaiah and Denise.  After the day was over, I figured I would walk the mile or so back to GWU, where I was staying.  I was feeling like being alone and thinking, so I walked it in the rain.  It felt good to reconnect with nature, to kind of submit myself to her again. 

            Tuesday was Capitol Hill day, and no republican representative made it to our morning pep talk.  Howard Dean, the Democratic Chair, had a good message and even took some questions if I remember correctly.  Later in the day we were going to lobby our senators, so I wanted to make a statement.  I had joked with Nate or someone about making a shirt with a message on it.  I had nothing better to do while listening to lobbying trainers (who needs training anyway, right?), so I started scribbling on a white t-shirt I had brought.  On the front, I wrote in big letters COWARD.  On the back, I wrote it again vertically, intending to make it an acronym.  Next to the letters, I filled in “Conscientious Objector Willfully Against Rendering Death.”  I figured I would use a name that had been used at my expense into something that conveyed a new message.  Jesus did the same with other words in the imperial lexicon, like Gospel, so I figured it would be funny if I did the same. 

            Surrounding the acronym I put Bible verses that spoke against war and hatred.  Most of the passages were ones I had used in my packet, since they were freshest in my mind.  If I remember correctly, I put these passages on the back of my shirt: Joshua 1:7-9, Micah 4:3, Exodus 20:13, James 4:1-4, 1 John 3:15, Romans 17-19 (I made a mistake and didn’t include the chapter), Luke 6:27, Acts 5:29, Matthew 26:52, and Matthew 5:9-11.  The last three lines of the Beatitudes always grabs me, it makes me remember to be courageous in the face of the names they call me and the things that are said about me.  We read them in the sanctuary one morning and I couldn’t read through all of them.  I think those three lines are the most powerful scripts in the Bible for me right now.           Anyway, I did all this in the church before we marched.  It was raining outside, so I didn’t wear it right away (I didn’t want sharpie ink all over my back); I changed in the Hart Senate Building before seeing my senators.  I went through the Hawaii senators with an Episcopal priest from the Big Island, she and I both went to the first, then split up; she went to our state house rep while I sought out our other senator.  I have to add that after sharing about the Covenant for a new America, I brought up my situation so the aides I spoke with would know I traveled to Washington to propose some ideas for the senate.  One of the aides

I talked to was a Navy nurse, and she was surprised to hear some of the things I mentioned.  Anyway, gotta stick to the point. 

            At the second senator’s office, nobody could see me, but they left a contact number for the military affairs representative.  I called him awhile later and proposed the same lofty things I had to the first aide.  He was a retired marine officer, and I do not think he took my message too well, but I defended my position skillfully, at least I hope I did...  He actually told me Hawaii could not help me since my home of record was California.  Being in the military, it does not matter where I pay my taxes I guess, it only matters what I filled out when I was 18 years old.  So I went to the California senators.  Diane Feinstein had no aides to see me, but Barbara Boxer did.  I spoke at great length about my situation and some of the things I hoped could be proposed in the senate.  The aide was a little surprised at my ambition, I think, but she shared my opinions that things were not objective in a military court martial.  I am going to be calling her later to see if she can help me with my own circumstances with how my command is dealing with my packet. 

            After our lobbying time, it was time for the reception with various senators.  Sen. Clinton was the keynote, so everyone was looking forward to it.  After all the other senators talked, she was still stuck in traffic or something, so Jim Wallis opened it up to share stories about our day on capitol hill.  I think three people talked about what they spoke to the senators about before I couldn’t stand it any longer.  I had a feeling since talking with Isaiah that some people had forgotten the real reason we were in Washington.  I stood up and asked if we were sharing only stories from that day, or from the whole conference.  Rev. Wallis said the whole conference if it was a good story.  So I told them about Isaiah and Denise.   I shared about how they had been shown hope in what we were working towards.  In the middle of my statement, Sen. Clinton walked in, so I ended with a reminder that it isn’t just the senators who are benefiting from our lobbying.  I think they clapped, but it may have been for Clinton.... 

            Senator Clinton’s speech was really pretty engaging, and I recorded all but the last minute, my memory stick filled up.  After she closed, everyone began moving toward the door.  Before I could make for some food (which was already cleared before I got to it), a reporter with Knight Ridder stopped me and asked more about Isaiah.  I shared what I could before he noticed my shirt with “COWARD” written on it.  Whoops, forgot to change it before the reception.  So he got to hear about that whole situation as well.  He took a lot of notes, so I am sure he will write a good piece. 

            After the reception, I hitched a ride with some other ‘emerging leaders;’ a car full of girls about my age.  They asked how my day went, and it somehow turned into what it said on my shirt.  One of the girls was a Mennonite, and knew more about CO statistics than I do.  They all took my information and promised to keep in touch.  When we got back to the National City Christian Church, we pulled up on the curb by Isaiah’s bus stop, so I excused myself to say hi.  One of the girls followed, so I got the chance to introduce them.  It was kind of sad that the rest of them bee-lined it straight for the sanctuary, but I was glad that at least one person got to put a face behind the name. 

            The Emerging Leaders dinner was next, and I took a table by myself to see what would happen.  The first person to sit down, a tall brown haired girl, recognized me and introduced herself.  She explained that she recognized me as ‘that guy Lucky’ from PAPA fest.  Apparently she had been there, and her tent mates were in the seminar where Shane asked me to share.  She told me she was doing her senior thesis on intentional communities and she had a lot of respect for Chris, Shane and Jonathon. 

            Next to sit down was Brian McLaren, who has a new book out.  He was being followed by a reporter from the Washington Post whom we found out is a Pulitzer Prize winner.  Once everyone had been seated, we all shared a little about ourselves.  The reporter informed us that she hates to write, I’m not sure if she was kidding.  I said a little bit about my shirt and why I made it and why I visited Tennessee and DC.  I was sitting next to a guy I had met earlier, who shared that he was a Mennonite.  Brian thought it was interesting in a good way that he and I were sitting next to each other, kind of a glaring contrast.  After the dinner, one of the girls from the car ran up to me and told me I had to be in a documentary that was being shot.  She said it was about young Christians and their responses to war and violence and that there was no better interview subject than a guy in my situation.  I waited to be seen, but they got shut down at 10:30 by security, so it had to wait until Wednesday. 

            The next day Barak Obama accepted the Amos award and spoke for about half an hour.  After the award presentation, I attended a class on organizing on campuses for the emerging leaders.  I tried to relate what they spoke about for their ‘campus’ to my ministry, possibly Schofield Barracks.  There was some concern about fundraising and gaining the resources to reach people on campus, I didn’t really understand a lot of what was being said.  I shared out loud that resources aren’t always necessary and that what people really need are personal relationships with other people.  I think that is the most effective way to ‘convert’ people, through positive example.  If someone were to ask me why I do what I do, I will happily share that I am called to care about others because I am a Christian. 

            When people see you doing good deeds and you are very vocal about being a Christian, they excuse you as just another bleeding heart, obliged to service because of your religious beliefs.  In my experience, it is better to let them think about you whatever they wish, and to let your actions do the speaking for you.  I encouraged all of the under-30 year olds to find their own Isaiahs, and not to do it because they have to, but because they care deeply for their brothers and sisters on the street.  I think if someone is doing it because they think they are ‘supposed to,’ then it comes off exactly that way. 

            After that seminar, we wrapped it up in the sanctuary, with Brian McLaren giving the Benediction.  After that, I was pulled aside again to be interviewed for the documentary, but I didn’t have to wait long to sit down with them.  It was kind of funny; the first thing they asked from me was to share my ‘story.’  I asked which part they wanted me to focus on, but they said “all of it.”  They didn’t know what they were getting themselves into…   45 minutes later I had spit out all the major details, along with my own developing theology about Just-War and how it relates to the Old Testament and our modern era.  They also asked what I was doing in DC, and I shared a bit about PAPA fest, and about my day on capitol hill in my “COWARD” t-shirt.  It was so funny watching their eyes slowly grow wider and more focused as I explained how I had come to my beliefs and what they had, up to that point, developed into.  Even the camerawoman had questions for me!  I hope I gave them some food for thought, it seemed like they were interested. 

            When they were satisfied that I had nothing else to offer (about an hour and a half), I spoke personally to one of the producers about what I was going through and got his name and email, it was a great time for fellowship that felt so good!  After I was done there, I rushed downstairs and caught up with Brian McLaren to get his info (we had spoken together briefly at the Emerging Leaders Dinner about Emergent Village and writing books).  I also spoke to Josh from Freedom from Fear again, and I voiced my concerns about basing an organization around a critique of another organization.  I told him he could contact me, but also respectfully disagreed with some of his ideas. 

            After helping him tear down his stand, I went back to the dorms at GWU to drop off my goodies and went for a tour of the Nation’s Capitol.  It was eerily like I imagine Jerusalem must have felt to Jesus or Rome to Paul and Peter; the seat of political power and influence and the home of many false idols and worshiping of false Gods.  The Lincoln memorial even identifies itself as a temple.  They were all beautifully done, but I was disturbed how many memorials we have to wars and death, but so few to the God in whom we claim to trust… 

            I didn’t know this before, but there has been a constant protest outside the gates of the white house against war and nuclear weapons.  I’ll try to attach photos, but apparently this lady has been there since 1981 or something, and I believe it.  Sweet old lady, but wouldn’t let me pray with her.  She said she was too busy (sweeping mud from around her makeshift home).  It made me think about how dedicated some people are to peace, even more so than I could ever imagine myself to be.  I also visited the Einstein memorial by the State Department.  Very interesting statue…