WAI'ANAE — Singing "We Shall Overcome," about 200 people marched through Wai'anae town last night, hoping to bring peace and healing to a community shaken this month by a public beating death and a church arson.

The marchers, from 30 churches and all age groups, carried candles, sang hymns, blew conch shells and rang chimes during the 90-minute procession and vigil along Farrington Highway, from Wai'-anae Mall to Wai'anae Market.

The market parking lot was where bicyclist Roger Haudenshild was beaten to death Sept. 1 in an altercation with a motorist. Eleven days later arsonists set fire to the Wai'anae Chapel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, causing $2.5 million in damage.

Haudenshild's mother, Theresa Kapaona, was among those marching last night. She said the outpouring from the community made her feel better.

"The prayers make us stronger," she said.

Last night's "From Violence to Wholeness" candlelight vigil was timed to take place on The International Day of Peace, established by the United Nations in 1981 to coincide with the opening each September of the U.N. General Assembly.

Organizers said they held the local vigil in Wai'anae because of the recent troubles on the Leeward Coast.

Some people, such as Manu Mook of Waimanalo, came from across the island to lend their support.

"We're all family — Waimanalo, Nanakuli, Wai'anae," Mook said. "And we're so sad about what happened. We have to show more love in our Islands. As Hawaiians, we represent love."

Passing motorists honked in support. Bernadette Millan passed up several chances to catch her bus to Makaha so she could greet marchers as they passed her bus stop.

"Save the churches!" Millan said, hugging people. "Save Wai'anae. Save our children. No more killings, no more drugs."

'A CHURCH TRADITION'

Such vigils are held throughout the world, particularly in poor and troubled countries, organizers said.

"We've seen this model used throughout the world — Colombia, Mexico and in the South," said the Rev. Kaleo Patterson, president of the Pacific Justice and Reconciliation Center, which is based in Honolulu. "And it's really been a church tradition."

In addition to working on peace programs with churches and religious organizations in Hawai'i, Patterson said his center conducts nonviolence training classes at the University of Hawaii Matsunaga Institute for Peace.

The procession and vigil was an effort to break the cycle of violence, fear and paralysis and point people here in a meaningful, united and positive direction, he said — a way of literally and metaphorically burning a path of light through the darkness.

"The message is pretty simple," said Patterson. "This is kind of a shot in the arm to say, 'We're still good, we're still working on our vision of culture and peace and nonviolence for the children of the world.'

"This is symbolic of our hope."

Ha'aheo Guanson, the center's executive director, has had extensive experience in what she calls "indigenous peacemaking" for the center around the world.

"Part of our work with the center is training in different parts of the world in nonviolence and peacemaking," said Guanson, who is also a former vice president of the Fellowship of Reconciliation, of which Martin Luther King Jr. was a member. "I've done this in Africa, Asia and Europe and North and South America."

SAVAGE BEATING

She said the purpose of the peace march was to bring the community together in a positive way.

She said plans for the vigil were started shortly after Haudenshild was attacked and beaten to death in the market parking lot on Sept. 1. The attack followed an altercation between Haudenshild and a motorist outside the Wai'anae McDonald's. After the altercation, Haudenshild and his girlfriend went to the Wai'anae Market parking lot where a car pulled in and three men jumped out and began savagely beating the 46-year-old bicyclist.

Three suspects have been arrested and charged with second-degree murder in that beating.

Marcher Trena Pasion, a friend and former high school classmate of Haudenshild, carried a placard and wore a T-shirt, both with Haudenshild's photo.

"Roger was funny, but shy," she said. "... He was considerate, gentle and protective."

On Sept. 12 arsonists broke into the Wai'anae Chapel of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and caused $2.5 million in damages to the church complex, devastating the 500-person congregation.

Reach Will Hoover at whoover@honoluluadvertiser.com.