“Life often surprises us, guiding us exactly to where we belong.”
Rebecca “Becca” Cooper’s (they/them) path to chaplaincy started far from Hawai‘i. Originally from Louisiana and having spent the last two decades in Texas, Becca never envisioned their journey leading to the islands. But as they say, “life often surprises us, guiding us exactly to where we belong.”
After completing two Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) units at Baylor Scott and White Health, Becca was looking for a residency program that could provide the depth and breadth they needed, particularly in palliative care or pediatrics. They used the Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE) website to search for programs that fit the criteria.
A friend who had been a steadfast supporter during their seminary years played a pivotal role in making this possible by offering to cover the application expenses. “Hawai‘i wasn’t initially on my list, but when one of the other programs didn’t have an application fee, my friend insisted that I add Hawai‘i as a ‘bonus’ and urged me to stop playing it safe. So, I applied—and the rest is history.”
The decision wasn’t easy. Becca was accepted to programs in Texas and at Emory University in Georgia, but something about Hawai‘i called to them. It was a leap of faith—a step far outside their comfort zone. “Coming to Hawai‘i meant moving away from everything I knew,” they recall. “But I knew it was where I was supposed to be.”
Becca’s call to ministry came early in life. At 13 or 14, Becca felt the stirrings of a vocation, but the path was met with challenges. Raised in the Southern Baptist tradition, which did not support women or queer individuals in ministry, Becca faced significant obstacles. “When I came out as queer in my mid-twenties, that was it. I was kicked out of seminary in Texas, but the call never left me.”
During this period, Becca pursued a career in teaching, driven by a deep passion for working with the deaf community. From 2006 to 2019, they served as a sign language interpreter and teacher. While teaching, Becca discovered that their favorite aspect was the meaningful connections they built with the students. The personal tragedies Becca faced further strengthened their commitment to helping others. “In 2017, we lost several students. I did a lot of grief work with my students, drawing from my own experience. My sister died by suicide when she was 14, and I was 17. That loss has been a big part of my story and it’s why I felt drawn to work with teenagers.”
In 2018, Becca decided it was time to go back to school but to a more mainline church that was ordaining women and queer people. They attended an Episcopal seminary, where they found the support and recognition they needed. “The Episcopal Church welcomed me and walked through the process with me. I am being ordained by The Historic Myrtle Baptist Church, which is a North American Baptist Church. It’s ‘the church where love abides’, and a church that’s about pushing boundaries. It allowed me to explore what it means to be queer in ministry.”
Then Becca made the move to Hawai‘i, which meant leaving behind a familiar culture and people and entering a place where they were unfamiliar. This was a purposeful decision, influenced by Becca’s previous social justice work within the LGBTQIA+, Black and Hispanic movements. “I chose PHM over the other two programs because I wanted to step away from what was familiar, and minister and learn with cultures outside of what I was used to. Coming here allowed everything I’d learned in my own spiritual journey, seminary and CPE to click into place.”
Why should people support PHM? “PHM brings together individuals from all over the world, creating a space where everyone, regardless of background, can contribute their unique perspectives. This inclusive environment challenges preconceived notions and fosters a deep sense of community and mutual respect, which is what makes PHM truly stand out.”
