Meeting Monita Ben Jorkan by Chris Cholas

In the spring of 2018 a notice from the National Baha’i Center came to the Baha’is on the Big Island that a believer from the Marshall Islands had moved to the island and wanted to connect with Baha’is. We had her name, but unfortunately, the contact information that she had given to the National Baha’i Center didn’t work. We had little idea of where she might be on the Big Island. One option left was to search for her on Facebook, and there we found her Facebook page where we sent her a welcoming message. There was no reply for a while and then, suddently, a message showed up saying that she was sorry not to contact us earlier, but she very seldom was able to go where she could use the Internet. Via Facebook, Monita told us where she lived and that she had little contact by phone or the internet. She was living basically off the grid with family members in Oceanview. We arranged a date to visit her in Oceanview. My wife and I picked Kerry Pitcher up in Pahala and off we went to finally meet Monita. The directions to her home were vague and we ended up stopping at a realtor's office and asked where Marshallese families lived. Through the realtor we found a small settlement where a Marshallese family lived, but they didn’t seem to know her. One of the men directed us to another address where we found some of Monita's relatives, who told us that Monita lived up the road a short distance away. Kerry and Linda strolled up the road and a short while later returned with Monita. It was a very joyful meeting and we arranged to return soon. She was happy to know there was a Baha’i community in Ka’u. It was one of the best home visits we ever experienced.

On a subsequent visit, in addition to getting to spend time with Monita and her 4-year old son, Ben, we met some of her relatives. They greeted us with Allah'u'Abha even though they were not Baha'i's. She told us that she taught them to say the Greatest Name for protection. She had to go to Kona regularly to see her cardiac specialist. Her on-going health issues with her eyes and heart kept her from being as active in the Faith as she would have hoped. She wanted to take Book 3 and start a children’s class in Oceanview for some of the Marshallese children there.

Monita was a special believer, very dedicated to the Faith. She was a certified nurse and midwife. She was from Majuro and had been living in Washington State before moving to the Big Island. She moved to HOV on the Big Island to be with family and to teach them the Faith. She knew some wonderful Baha'i songs. Her parents were very active believers and her father, Ben, had served on the National Spiritual Assembly of the Marshall Islands. Both parents had passed away before Monita moved to Oceanview.

We are saddened to learn of her passing and offer our prayers for the progress of her soul in the next world, and for the care of her son who is now six years old.