The first people to take an active interest in a Mission Sunday School were Mr. & Mrs. R. E. Peterson, members of Wahiawa Baptist Church, who moved to Waianae to look after the Puu Kahea camp property for the Baptist Convention in January, 1950. The work began in a humble way. A group of boys who had come to the supervisor's home to ask for mangoes were invited to come the following day for a Bible story. They came each week and brought their friends. In the meantime, prayers for workers to help start a Sunday School were being answered. At 3:00 pm on the afternoon of February 25, 1951, the first meeting of Puu Kahea Baptist Mission was held in the main camp building with twenty-eight people present. During  the first five months, Kikuo Matsukawa of Wahiawa served as superintendent and teacher of the adult class. Roy Sand was secretary-treasurer and Mrs. Sand and Mr. & Mrs. Peterson were teachers.

The opening of the Sunday School was preceded by two weeks of visitation, conducted by Southern Baptist Missionary Hannah Plowden.. She did much to encourage and strengthen the work, the teaching of study courses, and by serving as principal of the Vacation Bible School. Workers from Wahiawa, Olivet, Nuuanu, and University Baptist Churches aided by telling people of the school. Prayer meeting was held on Thursday evenings. Bible classes for children were held on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons.

After Mr. Matsukawa departed for seminary training, there was no regular teacher for the adult class. Various pastors and laymen volunteered to serve and the mission continued with Sunday School being held during the afternoon until April 20, 1952, when the first morning service was held.

Mr. & Mrs. R.E. Peterson