A Sunday School Memory

Growing up in Lihue, Kauai in the 1950’s and 60’s, the Lihue Hongwanji in Kapaia was a place that anchored me in my community. It was Sunday School, Japanese School, the Jr. YBA, the temple services, bon dances and dinners that inspired so many of my childhood memories. In the 50’s, our temple had purchased a bus, and the wonderful driver, Mr. Higashi, went around to the neighborhoods and collected children for the children’s service every Sunday. As a result, there were a good number of kids there on Sundays. One Sunday we were all lined up for oshoko and offering. The boy in front of me put his coin into the dish, then rummaged around and pulled a coin out. I was appalled and hissed, “What are you doing?” He looked at me and said, “Getting my change.” I was dumbstruck and said, “I didn’t know you can do that!” He replied, “Yes, you can.” That was a huge revelation for me, I never would have thought that you could get money back!

But later, after our service, many of us kids would go to the mom and pop crack seed and candy store behind the temple. That was where, for five cents, you would get a square of waxed paper on the palm of your hand, followed by a scoop of the most delicious cracked seed! And there was that boy, who was in front of me at church, getting his scoop of cracked seed. I then figured out that was what his “change” was for.

Submitted by Diane Marshall - August 2022

Photo credits – Diane Marshall