Pre-Session Words of Reflection
By Mark Mararagan, office manager for Sen. Hooser.
Instead of a traditional prayer, I would like to tell you a story about my late grandfather, Gil Renti Cruz.
My grandfather came to Hawai`i from the Philippines, recruited as a sugar plantation worker. He ended up on Kaua`i and worked with the irrigation system for the Kekaha Sugar Company, riding his mule deep into Waimea Canyon to make sure the source of water for the sugar fields were flowing properly. My grandfather sacrificed most of his meager pay that he earned by sending it back to the Philippines so that his family could maintain the farm land that they owned.
On Kaua`i, he was fortunate to meet my late grandmother, Juanita, and had six wonderful children. Knowing that there were excellent schools back home, my grandfather sent all his children back to the Philippines so they could receive a good education. My grandmother went with them, leaving my grandfather by himself, separated from his young family.
For over 10 years, my grandfather was separated from his wife, and even longer from his children–a sacrifice he believed was necessary for them to have a better future so they would not have to experience the hard, laborious life he lived through.
The moral of this story is one of sacrifice. I believe that all of you make sacrifices each day to be here, taking on the tough issues, making the hard decisions and knowing how your decisions will impact the future of Hawai`i.
Most importantly, the point of this story is one of hope and confidence. My hope and my confidence in all of you, as members of the Hawai`i state Senate, will make the right decisions and choices so that my children, our children and grandchildren will have no need to leave and have the best possible future right here at home in Hawai`i.
God Bless You All.