Written By: Priscilla Burr 
Photos By: Emily Benedetto

Oahu is a surfer’s paradise. On one side of the island are the world-famous Waikiki beaches, a staple for consistent, gentle waves. The flip side of the island is home to iconic breaks, including Banzai Pipeline, a reef-break with barreling waves. The island boasts a rich heritage and landscape, from a melting pot of cultures to encompassing volcanic ridges and lush rainforests. For four days every February, Christian Surfers United States (CSUS) gathers to enjoy the iconic surf breaks and landmark hiking destinations.

In February of 2025, more than 40 campers came together for the Warm Water Campout for fellowship and to deepen their faith.
People flew in from different Hawaiian islands, various states across the country and a group traveled from Australia. The weekend focused on the CSUS theme for the year, “Be Still.”

“The campout is an amazing way for all of us to come together for a weekend, meet each other and dive deeper into our walks with the Lord,” says Emily Benedetto, Maui island coordinator. “Pretty much everyone in Hawaii surfs, and if they are part of a church, most of the people at church also surf. There is a need for a specific community of Christian Surfers in Hawaii.”

Having the campground location on the beach, many campers began their day with an early morning surf before heading
to breakfast. The rest of the morning and afternoon was free time to explore various parts of the island. In the afternoon, there were optional activities, including volleyball and watercolor painting. The group then gathered for dinner, followed by worship and a devotional around the campfire. Guest speakers included Eric Arakawa, world-class shaper; Larry Garrett, former CSUS Hawaii regional coordinator; and Daniel Bacquet, chief operations director for CSUS. At the end of the campout, one person was baptized.

A TURNING POINT

For Jesse Belot, the Warm Water Campout was a turning point. Originally from Australia, Jesse had been living in Santa Cruz and attending a local church. Although his grandparents were strong Christians, Jesse had never committed his life to Christ. “I was sort of exploring God and Christianity,” says Jesse.

While at church in Santa Cruz, Jesse met Gregory “Lebo” Lebovitz, a CSUS board member and chapter leader in Santa Cruz. Jesse recalls sitting at his desk at work sometime later when an email from Lebo came in with upcoming CSUS trips listed. The Hawaii campout lined up with the time Jesse had off. “I signed up straight away,” says Jesse. “I had a very simple faith in God at the time and really wanted to change my life. But I wasn’t sure how to do it.”

Jesse traveled to Hawaii without knowing much about CS. In an Uber heading to the campout, Jesse kept questioning if he should turn around. He wasn’t sure if he would feel accepted. But when he got there, Jesse says it was different than what he imagined. “What I saw was everyone loving each other and pouring into one another. It was something I had not really experienced before. It was something I wanted to be a part of. I went there not expecting to fit in, but I was so embraced and loved by these people,” adds Jesse.

THE COOLEST GIFT

During worship one night, one of the leaders said baptisms would be held the following day. “I kind of got convicted that right now is the time. I wanted to give my life to God, and it was the perfect timing for me,” says Jesse.

Jesse was baptized the following day with the whole campout group there to cheer for him. “When I gave my life to God, I had this new peace that I carried with me that hasn’t forsaken me,” says Jesse. “It’s still with me. And it’s a peace that I have never experienced beforehand in my life. It’s almost a supernatural peace. I know it’s directly from Jesus. It’s the coolest gift I have ever had.”

RAISING AWARENESS

“We don’t have any official chapters of CS in Hawaii right now. So, the campout is a way for us to raise awareness of how awesome a CS community can be on our own islands,” adds Emily. “Surfing is a huge part of the culture in Hawaii. There are so many surfers who need Jesus in Hawaii. Yet, there is a separation between Christian Surfers and Christians who surf in Hawaii and other surfers.”

Within the next year, Emily prays that the campout will open opportunities for like-minded people to expand their reach and potentially start CSUS chapters on their islands. “If we can congregate more surfers in Hawaii who are believers and empower them to go out and share their faith and share the love of Jesus, I think that would be an epic campout,” says Emily.

Emily describes how there is a lot of poverty and broken families in Hawaii. “A lot of people here use surfing as a way to heal, but they also use drugs and alcohol in addition to that,” says Emily. “There is a subsection of surfers who are super lost and surfing almost heals them. But there is more to it. God is still calling their names and reaching out to them.”

Surfing is believed to have been part of Hawaiian culture for centuries, but the earliest recording was in the late 1700s. Although it’s said to have originated in Polynesia, Hawaii is known to have refined the sport. For many surfers in Hawaii, it’s become spiritual.

“There’s a combination of surfers in Hawaii who either use surfing as their way to connect with God or as a way to connect with nature,” says Emily. “In a way, they worship creation more than the creator. Surfing is a way we can reach those people with the gospel.”

STAYING POSITIVE AND HUMBLE

Emily adds that the surf community in Hawaii focuses on staying positive and humble. It’s also a way to give back to the island and
the people. “In Hawaii, people make surfing a very positive and spiritual experience,” says Emily. “The surf culture in Hawaii is a very close, tight-knit community and family. There’s a lot of respect for each other. If you are in the line-up and give back to the community, love each other and support each other in the water and outside of the water, that goes really far in Hawaii. So just
bringing our love for Jesus into that is such a natural thing.”

In Maui, Emily and her husband, Daniel, are in the process of launching a CS chapter. A part of her outreach is connecting with young surfers, especially kids and teenagers, who are new to their faith. Emily is a surf coach at a local high school and involved in various local competitions. “I want to empower them to be strong spiritual leaders within the lineup and to be bold with their faith with other surfers,” says Emily.

To continue to strengthen the surf community of Christians across Hawaii, Emily plans to continue to annually host the Warm Water Campout in February. For more information about starting a chapter or finding community in Hawaii, click here.