story
Kevin Heminway
“There is more than enough room in my Father’s home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am.”
JOHN 14: 2-3
I started surfing in the 1960s at the age of seven on the southeast coast of Florida. Surfing was booming at the time I took up the sport, and I have never lost my passion for it. I surfed regularly and experienced the transition from longboard to shortboard. I surfed the reefs of Florida, the Bahamas, and the coasts of California and Mexico. I first experienced the waves of Tahiti and Hawaii in the mid-1970s.
Later, after marrying a Tahitian woman, I settled in Tahiti. I began my career as a shaper in 1985, and four years later, I won the Tahiti longboard championship. In 1994, Michel Demont became world champion on my boards. I enjoyed working with my own brand of boards, but later, in 1996, I had the privilege of obtaining the licenses for Local Motion and then Hawaiian Island Creations in Tahiti. Since 2005, I have been shaping for Eric Arakawa and Billabong Tahiti, collaborating with riders from the Tahiti team, helping them win national competitions and WSL tour events.
My journey with God began at the age of 24. In Santa Cruz, California, a surfer gave me the New Testament, and as I read this central part of the Bible, God spoke to me clearly through several verses. Every time I had a question in mind, the next verse would answer exactly what I was thinking. I couldn’t ignore it; it was definitely God speaking to me. I had witnessed witchcraft rituals in the Pacific Islands, and at that moment, I knew that a spiritual world surrounded us. As I read the Bible, all the answers were there, one after another. God showed me why I existed and that Jesus was God, that He loved me and was much closer than I thought. I began to meet Christians in interesting situations, and subsequently, I got involved in local churches made up mostly of young surfers. My life was transformed when I felt the peace and love of God. Now, I confidently anticipate a life full of exciting adventures because it is guided by the Almighty God.
I appreciate surfing even more now that I know its creator. Previously, every wave I caught left me with an insatiable desire to catch a better one, never feeling fully satisfied. Today, I live in a relationship with God, and I am fulfilled in a much deeper dimension. As a result, my life now truly has meaning.
My advice for surfers is to ride as often as possible, knowing that life is just a short breath. It’s not the time you spend in the tube that will make a difference in eternity. So be mindful and accept redemption through Jesus for a lasting future.
When I first read the Bible in 1981, I was struck by these words from John 14:2-3: “In my Father’s house, there are many places to dwell. That is why I told you: ‘I am going to prepare a place for you.’ And when I go to prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you with me. In this way, you will also be where I am.”
This is God’s plan for us: to be by His side forever.