Written by Amy Hisaoka (Sophomore at NHCC)
In 2020, many lives were changed, including ours. The pandemic brought life-altering consequences for countless families. In May of 2020, I was working as a Marketing Manager for a large construction company in a high-rise building in downtown Honolulu, Hawaii. My career was on an upward trajectory, and it seemed like I had a lot going for me. I had my own office on the 30th floor, complete with a large picture window overlooking the bustling cityscape of Honolulu. I earned a generous income with enticing perks like free gas for my car. It was an exciting time—traveling for work, meeting influential community leaders, and feeling like I was making my mark. But just when everything seemed to be going perfectly, a tiny virus derailed the world. Hawaii’s airports closed, tourism ground to a halt, and within weeks, our lives turned upside down. My name is Amy Hisaoka and I am a Sophomore at NHCC.
My husband was the first to lose his job, and two weeks later, I was laid off as well. Living in Hawaii with no income was a nightmare come to life. At the time, I had a small side hustle, selling handmade items on Etsy—keychains and car accessories inspired by my favorite car, the Mazda Miata. After losing my job, that side hustle became my sole source of income. To make matters worse, the unemployment system was overwhelmed, and it took over five months before I received any unemployment benefits. Amid the chaos, I witnessed others losing loved ones and enduring unimaginable hardship. It put things into perspective, and I found myself feeling deeply grateful for the safety and health of my family.
We made the difficult decision to move back to Oregon, where we still owned a home that was being rented out at the time. Due to eviction moratoriums, we couldn’t move back into our house, so we stayed with my parents for seven months. While the situation wasn’t ideal, it gave us the opportunity to reconnect with family, which was a blessing in disguise. Meanwhile, my Etsy shop flourished, and I was able to support my family through my small business. Despite everything, I felt God’s presence, guiding and protecting us.
After a couple of years, I felt a renewed calling to ministry—a path I hadn’t walked in seven years. I became the Marketing Director for NHI and was entrusted with meaningful projects, including preserving and sharing my dad’s recorded sermons from years past. These “Legacy Videos” have become a resource for spiritual growth, allowing timeless messages to reach new audiences. My experiences in Hawaii working for various corporations equipped me with skills in marketing, training, and management. I also honed my design and web marketing abilities—skills that I now use daily in my new role. It’s clear to me that God had been preparing me all along for this chapter of my life.
Today, I have the privilege of training ministry-focused interns, translating sermon content into other languages for global outreach, and creating platforms for spiritual growth through our Legacy Videos. I also lead our Japanese Ministry, “Connect,” which supports incoming Japanese students by helping them learn about American culture and fostering connections with their peers. Looking back, I’ve learned that when we feel like our lives are falling apart, it might just be God plowing the field to prepare for a greater harvest.
