African children's choir delights Sydneysiders
The African Watoto Children's Choir showcased their talent last week at Sydney Congress Hall. (Photo Credit: Carolyn Hide).
The Watoto Children’s Choir flew thousands of kilometres from Uganda to perform at Sydney Congress Hall.
Over 250 people from The Salvation Army and local Sydney communities watched the choir sing and dance on 5 July as part of its ‘Beautiful Africa: A New Generation’ tour.
Major Lyn Edge, Sydney Congress Hall Corps Officer says the audience was uplifted by the performance.
“I asked people, ‘What’s one word to describe the night?’ and the response was ‘gratitude’. People were both deeply moved and full of joy and hope from the night.”
The choir members are children and young adults from the Watoto church and community in Uganda’s capital, Kampala. Each child from Watoto has suffered the loss of either one or both parents through disease or war.
Along with their entertaining performances, a few of the children shared their heartbreaking stories of how they came to be part of the Watoto community.
Major Edge says the kids showed “remarkable joy” after having been through such devastating trauma.
While the concert was free, there were opportunities to donate to the ministry. Watoto merchandise was also on sale and there were opportunities given to sponsor a child from the area. The funds raised will go towards developing the Watoto children into potential leaders, providing them with a better quality of life and more hope for the future.
“I was also impressed by the kids’ self-confidence to engage with adults. Outside the show, their social skills and confidence with adults made me think they [Watoto] are doing this thing of raising leaders really well.”
Major Edge says she was eager to have them perform at Sydney Congress Hall after year 12 school student and Sydney Congress Hall corps member, Shushannah Anderson visited the Watoto ministry in Uganda last year.
“Shushannah went with her school group on a mission trip as part of a building program and this just increased our interest in hosting them,” said Major Edge.
To invite the Watoto Choir to perform at your corps, visit watoto.com
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