Ethan Hoagland
Journeying thousands of miles, crossing the Atlantic and the continental United States, a group of children arrived in Sweet Home with a song in their hearts. The African Children’s Choir performed at Sweet Home High School on the evening of Friday, Nov. 10. Hailing from Uganda, the children, between the ages of 8 and 11, travel and sing to fundraise for their parent organization, Music for Life. That group uses the money to provide education and faith-based Christian services for disadvantaged youth in Uganda.
Using drums, dance and cans, the group of 10 boys and 10 girls captivated their Sweet Home audience with pounding, vibrant rhythms, costumes with dazzling patterns of purple and orange, and their spirited voices.
Sandra Nakalanda started out as a member of the choir. After finishing school and graduating top of her class, she now tours with the kids as a chaperone.
“I was selected from one of Uganda’s biggest slums,” Nakalanda said. “I would have never gone to school if it wasn’t for the choir.”
That message ran through the entire performance. About halfway through, organizers passed around collection plates to gather donations. CD’s, DVD’s and arts and crafts were also on sale, with the proceeds going back to Music for Life. On a projector by the stage, organizers screened testimonials from past members of the choir.
The African Children’s Choir was founded in 1984 by Ray Barnett, who saw the aftermath of the Idi Amin regime and thought by bringing Ugandan children to America, he could motivate western audiences to help. But the tour also gives Ugandan children the opportunity to see the world.
“There’s a lot that I learned on tour that still shapes a lot of the decisions I make today,” Nakalanda said. “When I was little I wanted to be a nurse because the only woman in my small area that had a professional qualification was a nurse. It never crossed my mind that women could be doctors.” That is, until she met a female doctor while touring in the United Kingdom, Nakalanda explained.
“You dream so little because you’ve only seen so little. But when you’re able to come out here and see what people are doing with their lives and the realm of possibility, you go back home and you dare to dream,” she said.
While on tour, the kids stay with host families they’ve never met before. Sharing a home with strangers helps the children see what kind of futures are possible, Nakalanda said.
Hillside Fellowship’s Pastor Matt Coleman helped organize the choir’s stop in Sweet Home.
“I think this choir that comes, this African Children’s Choir is a joy,” Pastor Coleman said. “It brings not only hope for them, but it brings hope for us.” He said the choir has performed at least three times in Sweet Home, and he’s eager to invite them back in the future.
The children are about halfway done with their tour. On Sunday, Nov. 12 they were in Springfield. On the day of this paper’s publication, Wednesday, Nov. 15, the group will be performing in Ashland before heading to numerous stops in California.