Youths from parishes across the Big Island gathered happily for their annual Big Island Youth Day at St. Benedict Parish in Honaunau on the morning of Saturday, March 8, unsuspecting of what was going to happen to them.

They would all be given new identities, be attacked, lose their food, go on a forced march, and spend the night outdoors.

It wasn’t all real, but part of a “refugee” experience planned for them by the diocesan Office of Social Ministry, and the Youth Day planning committee. Here’s how it went:

As the kids arrived at the parish “village” they were each given a new identity, complete with “passport” and “S.O.S card.” As they watched a video by Rwandan genocide survivor Immaculee Ilibagiza to get in the spirit of the exercise, an “attack” on the “village” “destroyed” the kitchen and, with it, lunch.

Through the “chaos,” “starvation” and prayer, they found their assigned “families” and started on their journey to a new “country.” Bishop Silva, joined by Father Peter Dumag and Father Lovell Soller, celebrated Mass. Father Dumag, the diocesan vocations director, spoke about calling to the religious life. Parishioner Hosanna testified about her life as a real refugee in Sudan and how Catholic Relief Services had helped her.

After Mass, the group hiked a 2.5-mile “Way of the Cross” to Honaunau Bay where a camp was set up for an overnight stay. The bishop then led them in a prayer of unity with the many struggling peoples of the world.

On Sunday, the young people enjoyed a short presentation, toured the City of Refuge, and took a 40-minute “hike in the desert with Jesus” prepared by the Catholic Club at the University of Hawaii-Hilo led by Joseph O’Connell. The weekend ended with a big luau prepared by the South Kona parishioners.

(A big thanks to all those who helped organize the event — Iwie, Carol, Marvin and Keoki of the Office for Social Ministry; Dominic Olaso, Randy and Jay for leading the music; Henry Cho, Wesley Cho, Aunty Pauline Carter, Jerome and Sonia Kalili for providing and setting up the camp; Francis and Mary Ann Mariano and the Chuuk community for the night security and the yummy oatmeal served Operation Rice Bowl style; Henry Cho, Helen Doria, Annie Bailado, Allan Lehman, Louis and Edna Sick, Candice Berdon, Alex and Linda Cadang for the generous monetary donations; Marjorie Fujimoto, Richard and Cheryl Ono, Ulu Imai, Allan and Marites Bala, Abbie Alcain, Bobbie Navas, Gwen DeGuair, and all the volunteer parishioners for the scrumptious luau.)