African Children's Choir to perform at Conley's UMC March 28
Story Location:
lewes, DE
United States
Eighteen young children from Uganda will bring African song, dance, drums and plenty of enthusiasm to Conley's United Methodist Church in Angola Saturday, March 28, for a concert that is free and open to the public.
Many of the children – only 7 to 10 years old – are orphaned or otherwise vulnerable. They are selected for the choir by greatest need, tour chaperone Emily Growon said.
"So, these could be children that don’t really have any hope of getting an education due to poverty and disease,” Growon said.
Nonprofit Music for Life is the parent organization of the African Children’s Choir. In its 30th anniversary year, the organization is sponsoring Choir 43 as it performs traditional African songs and dances. The tour began in February, starting on the East Coast, and will go on to parts of Canada and the United Kingdom, touring through January 2016.
The mission of the African Children’s Choir is to help Africa’s most vulnerable children today so they can help Africa tomorrow, organizers said. Funds raised by the children’s choir have educated more than 50,000 African children, but helped thousands more in relief and education projects.
Following their tour, choir members’ education is sponsored by Music for Life. Former choir members have gone on to become lawyers, journalists, engineers and doctors, organizers said.
The church administrator at Conley’s UMC, Judy Evans, has seen two choirs perform.
“They’re wonderful. They sing spirituals, African songs - they dance and play small drums. It’s such a worthwhile event,” Evans said. “The children are very enthusiastic and extremely entertaining!”
Most shows are performed at community churches, whose congregations also feed and house the children during their stay. The shows are free and open to the public. Donations are welcome.
The concert is at 6:30 p.m., Saturday, March 28, at Conley's UM Church, 33106 Jolyn's Way, off Camp Arrowhead Road.
For more information, call 302-945-1881 or go to www.africanchildrenschoir.com or www.conleyschurch.com.
