DOMO AIR-GOD-O
MARK HUNT'S MISSION TO THE LAND OF THE RISING SON

By Josh Hunter

Hunt enjoys one final hometown huck before boarding for Banzai. Photo: Struntz/ Surfing
If you've ever seen him surf, then you'll agree: we all want to ride like Mark Hunt. Considering this amazingly graceful natural talent is able to make one of the most difficult sports in existence look utterly effortless--saying that Mark Hunt is blessed is a huge understatement. But the 30-year-old isn't complacent with simply maintaining his near two-decade dominance among his hometown Wrightsville Beach, NC, lineups. In fact, Hunt gave up on living for himself years ago, when he handed his life over to Jesus Christ. Since then, he and his beautiful wife, Jennifer, never looked back. Putting everything in God's hands, the Hunts decided to pack up their lives--leaving behind their friends, family, and even their pets--this December and follow their hearts to Japan, relocating to do missionary work for the International Mission Board. Departing from the same shifty Carolina battlefields where Hunt and close friend Ben Bourgeois contended for ESA supremacy in their younger years, Mark and Jennifer have but one goal: to teach the gospel in the "Land of 88 Million Gods."
 
ESM: How did the whole decision to pack up and relocate to Japan come about?
MH: Well, she (Jennifer) always wanted to be a missionary. We got married and bought a house. And, of course, I like my little town here and my surfbreaks, so I had everything the way I liked it. I wasn't planning on going anywhere. But the closer I got to God, the more I learned about what He wants out of my life, and I started trusting Him more and more. He was basically saying to me, "When you give me your life, then I'll give you a whole new life that is beyond your imagination." So I came to that point of surrender. I was really at grips with it, but I finally asked God that if He wanted us to go overseas and be missionaries, then open the door. And if He didn't, then close it. So we signed on with the International Mission Board to see if we'd be chosen, and that was my last bit of surrendering.
 
ESM: What exactly is the International Mission Board, and how does it work?
MH: The IMB works through the Southern Baptist Church. Basically, all the churches that are associated with them take up offerings, and they donate all that money into a big pool for overseas missions. Then they pick from the thousands of people who come to them offering to be missionaries each year. It's actually really hard to be sent overseas through this group because they fund everything you do.
 
ESM: Where exactly will you be located in Japan, how was that location pinpointed, and most importantly, is there any surf?
MH: It's really amazing how it all worked out. I didn't even know they had a surfing ministry, so I thought that I was actually giving it up. But surfing's a gift that God gave me, so I was willing to give it up if He had something better for me to do. And then the IMB called us up a few months later and told us they had a surfing ministry position that just became available, and wanted to send us to Japan. We'll be on the northeast coast of Shikoku, which is a little island just south of the big island where Tokyo is, in a little town of about 3500 people called Shishikui. I've talked with Matt Kechele about it and he said there are world-class cobblestone rivermouths that are just amazing.
 

Mark hunting waves in Nicaragua. Photo: Mez
ESM: Since Japan is less than one percent Christian and their culture is firmly planted in Eastern beliefs, not to mention the language barrier, it seems like a daunting task to try and reach them through any conventional ministries. What sort of training will you require, and how will surfing be used towards your ministry?
MH: Basically, what they've told us is that our position will be as facilitators. They have missionaries that want to start a church there, but have no way to reach the surfers. So we basically are just going to make friendships with the Japanese that we're around, and tell them about Christ and witness to them. Hopefully some of them will come to know Him, so we can start a Bible study, and eventually a church. There's also a chapter of Christian Surfers International in Japan, so we'll also try and help them with their discipleship. We'll leave on October 6th to go through seven weeks of training in Virginia, which includes 40 hours of language instruction. Then, just before Thanksgiving, we'll come back home for about a week. We actually leave for Japan on December 6th, and will be gone for at least two years, maybe three.
 
ESM: You've been ripping the 'Ville for a long time--moving up the ranks of the ESA as a kid, on to surfing professional contests around the world with Ben, and finally back home to make waves as a successful local photo pro. Won't it be tough to leave all your favorite sandbars and surfing buddies behind?
MH: I've been surfing since 1983. Of course, I was addicted to it immediately. My cousin was actually a really good surfer, and our whole family was over at Masonboro one day. I can still see how clear the water was--looking behind my board and seeing the trails of where the fins were dragging in the dirt. From there, I went through the ESA all the way to the U.S. Championships. Then I did professional contests, and Ben and I started taking trips all over the place. But leaving is just part of surrendering everything to the Lord. He brought me to this decision. Everything's perfect.
 
ESM: Do you plan on surfing any contests while you're in Japan?
MH: I don't believe so. I haven't really even considered it. My aim is to go over there, surf with guys, and just hang out with them. I'll show them the way of God, and if they reject the way, then that's fine. I know that He will open some of their hearts. I just hope I can help some of them to seek the truth.
 
ESM: It seems like things have really worked out for you. Jennifer hasn't had to give up her dreams of doing mission work, and you haven't had to give up surfing. Being a student of the Bible, is there a particular verse that has helped you through all your decisions?
MH: Yeah, there are actually a few, but 2 Chronicles 16:9 is definitely one of them. It says, "from the eyes of the Lord go to and fro throughout the whole Earth, and show Himself strong on behalf of those whose hearts are loyal to Him."



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