African Children's Choir

This past week First Baptist Delta hosted the African Children's Choir from Uganda. The 18 children, ages 9-11, and their chaperones were housed by generous families in the area. They performed at the high school gym which was packed with Delta residents and guests. Many of their songs were Christian choruses, but they also sang and danced accompanied by drummers to native songs.

This energetic group of young people was an inspiration to all of us. They are a part of the Music for Life program in Africa. Children audition for a place in the choir and are selected not only on their singing ability but on their leadership qualities and educational potential. Many children are from single parent homes or are orphans being reared by grandparent or others in extreme poverty.

The children chosen for the choir are sent to school beginning at age six and are guaranteed an education through college. Their families benefit from the children's education.

The young lady at the far right is the choir director. She was once a child in the choir and has gone on to earn a college degree. The children's choir was begun 30 years ago and has had tremendous success in educating children and raising families out of poverty.

There are several choirs on tour in the U. S. and around the world. This group started in San Francisco and have been traveling by bus up the western coast. They have a full time teacher and study as they travel. They will be on the road for more than a year. When they return to their home in Uganda, they will continue in school and learn to be leaders of their country.

I hope to arrange for them to come to our part of Texas.

Another choir is scheduled to be in Missouri City, TX in Dec.

We help people in need where ever they maybe. Lynne and I have been helping with donations at "God's Helping Hands" a local thrift store. We sort and arrange merchandise. These girls are helping their mom shop.

This past week we spent a couple of days in Tok at the Mission Resource Training Center. Fortunately the job of cutting 40 lengths of spruce, splitting the logs and stacking them had been taken care of by a group of volunteers from Tenn. A team from Texas installed the metal trailer for storage. The shed is stacked with firewood inside to the same dimensions as the woodpile outside. Believe it or not, this wood will be gone by spring.

Lynne and I tackled a job of making table cloths from fabric that had been donated. We then began the task of making curtains for the center.

We were blessed by the baptism of a young lady. Our youth pastor,, who has been her mentor had the honor of baptizing her. Through out the camping season we have had several children who have asked Jesus to be Lord of their lives, and many others who have rededicated their lives to God. Several teens have already been involved in missions.