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Toughing out the roughest waves of his life
Prison Ministry Pastor Roy Yamamoto Jr., of New Hope Christian Fellowship, shares a life story that many surfers, and non-surfers alike, can relate to and learn from. After going through a literal life’s “wipeout,” forced under life’s “waters” until he was faced with a possible 40-year prison term, related to his deep involvement with drugs. He had a serious addiction to crystal methamphetamine, aka, “ice,” and lost almost everything, including his freedom from the outside world, before coming across a Christian judge whom Yamamoto feels, through God, gave him another chance at life. Shortly before his hearing, Yamamoto turned to Jesus and wanted to change his life for the better. After he was given that “second chance,” he realized it was his purpose in life to help others turn their lives to his faith as well.
Raised in Pearl City, he graduated from Pearl City High School, where he played football and was on the school’s wrestling team. He was active in Karate since a pretty young age (nine years old) and learned to surf pretty early on as well (ten years old), with his cousin, Brian. Yamamoto went away to college at Sacramento City College, where he played football for a year, and then returned home to Honolulu. Little did he know that his childhood dreams of being a fireman would be far from where he would be today.
After facing almost half a lifetime in jail and being spared by a judge who felt he was owed another chance, Yamamoto realized that life would almost start anew once he left prison. Other than his faith, Yamamoto re-found something else which he holds near to his heart; surfing. “Surfing is the best feeling-knowing that you are able to surf on this wave in the middle of the ocean that God created. For any person who is interested in learning to surf ... all it takes is one ride and you’ll be hooked for life,” said Yamamoto. Not only did he realize that his entire outlook would change, but his effect on people would never be the same again. Shortly after his “second chance,” Yamamoto began helping others, some once in the same boat as himself, to turn their lives from drugs and crime, to better things such as finding employment and the faith which helped turn his life around. Surfing was one thing he missed a lot during his incarceration and he never took it for granted once he was able to ride the waves again. Yamamoto recalled the first thing he did when he was released, “It is a rush to be able to surf and maneuver on the wave. Everyone should try to surf. I took it for granted and when I was in prison I thought of how badly I wanted to get out of prison and be able to surf. One of the first things I did when I was released was to get a board and go surf. You don’t realize all that you have until it is taken away.”
Surfing, to Yamamoto, is a time to reflect upon his life and be nearer to what changed his entire downwards path-God. “It is cleansing and refreshing to be in the water. I spend time with God and reflect on the day. You can see God in the ocean. The waves are so beautiful and powerful. You can see God in the sky, the mountains. It is breathtaking. The waves are perfect, the mountains are so majestic … it takes your mind off of everything and refills your cup,” reflects Yamamoto.
You may not recognize a once drug dealer-now-pastor in the waves, but after you find out who his surfing companion is, you may already recall seeing him the surf, or you may end up seeing him in the near future. Yamamoto surfs with his seven-year old Shih Tzu/Lhasa Apso dog named Nalu (affectionately named by Yamamoto’s daughter, Kristen). Surfing with Nalu since Nalu was a mere two years old, I wanted to know how he got his little fluffy canine to take a love of the water. “I first started by putting him on the board and paddling around with him. Then I went and caught small waves. He always enjoyed the water and was a natural at it … my daughter named him Nalu, which means wave, and he has grown up to be a wave rider,” comments Yamamoto. Nalu even has his own “style,” says Yamamoto, as “Nalu loves to hang ten as we come down the drop and he also loves to hang onto my shoulders and ride the wave clinging to my back.” One of Yamamoto’s new favorite ways to surf is to stand up paddling (upon which Nalu also escorts him). Says Yamamoto, “It is a good way to condition. You work every muscle in your body down to [your] toes. It takes balance and skill.”
So where this Pastor find his favorite waves? Other than what he says, “Where ever the waves are good,” his favorite spots during the winter is Jocko’s (North Shore of Oahu) and Bowls (South Shore of Oahu). “Jocko’s is my favorite (winter) spot because it has the nicest drops and the perfect waves, and I like Bowls because it is one of the best spots on the South Shore,” says Yamamoto. How is the best? Responds Yamamoto, “It has the longest barrels on the South Shore.”
So when he’s not surfing, “Pastor Roy” is kept busy throughout Oahu’s correctional facilities; visiting men, women, and youth. He not only visits the inmates throughout their terms, and through their transition when they leave prison, but also supports their families through these tough ordeals. In comparison to surfing, his life’s trials brings to others a lesson: “To surf big waves you have to have confidence, and faith; and you have to be able to go through the tribulations,” says Yamamoto. Someone who has been through so much and now brings positivity and hope to those who are headed down that same path, brings surf and a former life of crime together in one thought: “Do things with confidence. [Learn] to always press on through the trials. When you surf, you have to paddle through the waves to get into the right spot or the right line up to catch the best waves.” Looks to me, that there was no wipeout here, Pastor Roy has just caught the never-ending best wave, of his life.