This musical project honors the African Children's Choir's thirty years of educating and nurturing more than 50,000 promising African children. The African Children's Choir is the first tie that bound me to this special country of Uganda in East Africa where the choir began. This organization was a magical and spiritual step in my journey of service and involvement with its wondrous people. Uganda is an enigmatic and beautiful place, a small landlocked country, far away from my home state of...
more »This musical project honors the African Children's Choir's thirty years of educating and nurturing more than 50,000 promising African children. The African Children's Choir is the first tie that bound me to this special country of Uganda in East Africa where the choir began. This organization was a magical and spiritual step in my journey of service and involvement with its wondrous people. Uganda is an enigmatic and beautiful place, a small landlocked country, far away from my home state of Texas. My life was blessed immeasurably in 2002 when my daughter and I first heard their concert and we were smitten. That day, Claire and I decided to sponsor a 12-year-old girl from Northern Uganda named Brenda Akello, who I know and love like a daughter now. She is 25 and just graduated from college in Uganda this past fall of 2015!
I have found another home, many inspiring new friends, boundless joy and many worthy causes to support in Uganda. It is a family and a calling from God, like no other in my blessed life.
This adventurous project and our "Love is a Journey" album is the result of many partnerships and planning to create this work of musical art to honor 30 years of the African Children's Choir's consistent love, education and nurturing for over 50,000 African children. Founder Ray Barnett's courageous vision in 1984 to gather children in choirs to tour America in order to show the potential and resiliency of Ugandan children affected by the civil war raging in their country to the world, continues today, with their performances througout America, England, Canada, Australia and Ireland!
All the songs on the album were chosen to embody the spirit of the Choir's mission of hope and change and dreams fulfilled for these deserving children. Sales of the album during their tours and on ITUNES will benefit the Choir org. Producer, singer/ songwriter and world citizen, Sara Hickman and I, as executive producer, philanthropist and photographer are filled with gratitude, pride and deep love for the album and all the Choir children, past and present, and for Mr. Masika, their beloved primary school headmaster, and for their devoted staff and leaders. Thanks to so many Austin friends, our families and our church- St. John's United Methodist Church for supporting this endeavor. Our lives are deeply enriched by love and song-Music is truly the universal language!
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