Children's choir visit Spring Hill church to tell of hope amid global crisis
By Gail Hollenbeck, Times Correspondent
In Print: Saturday, November 21, 2009
The Children of the World choir, made up of orphaned and disadvantaged children, will bring awareness of a global water crisis, and a message of hope, to the Spring Hill Baptist Church.
SPRING HILL — With many of us anticipating a bountiful Thanksgiving table Thursday, it's sobering to think about the many hungry children throughout the world.
Lack of food is not the only problem.
According to World Help, a nondenominational, faith-based organization founded in 1991 to help disadvantaged people globally, there are more than 1 billion people who lack access to clean water. Every day, 6,000 children die from water-related illnesses.
To get that message out, World Help sends its Children of the World international children's choir across the United States for 10 months of the year to raise awareness of the global water crisis.
The choir is composed of orphaned and disadvantaged children from several countries. They sing in English and native dialects, perform dances from their countries of origin and share personal testimonies.
They have performed at the Brooklyn Tabernacle, the Crystal Cathedral, Disney World and on the Focus on the Family radio program.
There are two teams. The east team, which performs east of the Mississippi River, will present its hourlong program of song and testimony at 6 p.m. Nov. 29 at Spring Hill Baptist Church. There will also be a video presentation.
Rob and Elisa Allred, ages 25 and 24, respectively, from Cincinnati, are the team leaders.
"It's an extremely entertaining, energetic program," Rob Allred said. "You can just see true joy when the children are up there singing."
There is a reason the team members are joyful, Allred said.
"It's a wonderful program because not only are we sharing the need to help kids that are hurting around the world; we're also showing the testimonies of how these kids on stage now have a hope and a future. And you really see it in everything they do."
Children of the World represents millions of children who are suffering around the world. Members have been sharing their message for the past 10 years. Their purpose is to generate compassion and inspire individuals to get involved.
"It's unbelievable how great of a need it is," Allred said. "Dirty water actually kills more people than war, malaria and AIDS combined. We really want to do something about it and show people how easy it is that they can help. Only $15 will provide one person with clean water for 20 years."
There are 15 children between the ages of 7 and 10 who make up the east team. All of them say they love to sing and dance or play an instrument. Many of them say they enjoy playing soccer.
Each one of them has a dream.
Zahara, from Uganda, wants to be a lawyer. Thomas, from Nepal, wants to be a pastor.
Jamira and Eva come from Uganda and want to become nurses. Arnel, from the Philippines, enjoys playing the drums and wants to be a musician.
Aljane and Jackie, both from the Philippines, want to become teachers. Esther, from Uganda, wants to be a farmer. Aldrin, from the Philippines, wants to be an engineer.
Marvin and Zam, from Uganda, want to become doctors. Pashi, from Nepal, wants to be a teacher. Ashish, also from Nepal, wants to be a pastor.
Neybel, from the Philippines, wants to be a nurse. Venus is also from the Philippines and wants to be a teacher.
Each of the children is being sponsored by World Help until the age of 18. Each receives food, clothing and an education.
Allred says that with the college scholarships made available to the children who have been a part of the choir, they can one day realize their dreams.
"We've actually got kids from our first choir that are just finishing up college," Allred said. "There are some amazing stories of how being in the choir has helped them. They learn fluent English, which is a great advantage. And just building those relationships and knowing no matter where they are there's people in American that love them and are praying for them."
Allred and his wife have become attached to the children on this, their first tour with the choir. They are already bracing themselves for the day the children's one-year visas expire and they return to school in their native countries.
Then a new team will begin training in August, and they will do it all over again.
Meanwhile, the Allreds are looking forward to sharing the children's first Thanksgiving in the United States with them.
"This is going to be probably the greatest Thanksgiving that my wife and I have ever had," Allred said.
"We will get to be with a little bit of our family in the Tampa area, and it's going to be wonderful. But we'll also get to be with these amazing kids who bring so much joy in our lives and help us see every single day how thankful we all need to be for what we've been given.
"These kids are grateful for everything they've got. It really reminds us how thankful we should be even in the times when we don't have that much. We've got so much more than so many around the world."
To hear and help
Spring Hill Baptist Church, 3140 Mariner Blvd., will present the Children of the World international children's choir in a free concert at 6 p.m. Nov. 29. Call (352) 683-5685. To hear a sample of the choir singing and to learn more about World Help's ministries of child advocacy, humanitarian aid, Bible distribution and church planting, visit www.worldhelp.net. To help with the need for clean water, visit www.causelife.org.
News
![[Reuse options]](http://license.icopyright.net/images/icopy-w.gif){kind=small}
Click here to post a comment
