February's Support Letter

(Keep an eye on your mailboxes!) 

Dear Friends,

I’m sitting in a warehouse turned Youth Center in northern California while fourteen Africans play what I think is baseball…? But there are no bases, no baseball, and no bat. There are instead four pairs of sneakers in four corners, a tennis ball, and twenty-eight bruised forearms.  In Creole there is a word, “Degaje” – which means to make due with what you have.  I think they’re pretty good at that.  Not always because they have to be – but because they don’t allow their circumstances to dictate their abilities. 

This is the African Children’s Choir at it’s best. 

Each day I have the privilege of living with fourteen youth whose histories are so devastating that sometimes when I look into their eyes my heart hurts at the things I know they have seen.  Felt.  Suffered. 

Endured.

And now here they are: because of the Choir they have not only finished primary school but they have graduated secondary school.  Most have traveled with the Choir to the four corners of the earth and back. Now as they prepare for University, they dream daily about what their lives will bring as they each pursue careers with the intent of bettering the lives of those at home in Uganda and Kenya. Jayne wants to be a Civil Engineer so she can bring clean water and better sanitation to the slums.  Grace wants to be a Lawyer so she can advocate for the rights of the poor.  Sam wants to be a Psychologist so he can work with children who are suffering.  And it goes on. 

These are kids who have not allowed their circumstances at home to dictate their abilities. This is what God is doing through the African Children’s Choir!

I love my job. 

In the past month we have waved to Mexico and soon we’ll bundle up in our sweaters, mitts and hats and cross into Canada.  We have done twenty-six concerts and each one gets better and better.  I’m learning my way around our soundboard… but I have battled with some boards big enough to use as a bed.  All in good time, right?  I have also stepped into a bit of the Music Supervisor role, helping out with rehearsals etc.  It’s amazing how quickly you can jump back into tour mode.  It’s been over a year since I was on the road with 35, but it’s like I never moved my suitcase off the bus.  It is so good to be back.

One of the wonderful things on tour is morning testimonies.  Each day at the end of devotions someone says, “Praise the Lord” and the response from the group is “Amen!” We hear stories of God’s provision, love and care – anything from, “Praise God, my host gave us ice cream for snack last night!” to “Praise God, my brother was sick and now he is healed.” I love that at the beginning of the day, giving thanks to God is what we do.

Thank you for praying for me and supporting me as I have returned to the Choir.  There is no doubt in my mind that this is where I am supposed to be right now.  Because of the short time between when I was asked to join this tour and when I actually came on the road, my financial support is a bit behind.  If you have not already, please prayerfully consider partnering with me in this way. 

Tomorrow we are going to be serving at a YWAM base here in California, helping them package foods to send to impoverished countries across the globe – countries like Uganda and Kenya.  It’s exciting for the “kids” to be a part of this end of that process - to give as they have been given.  

Thank you again for your support.  I truly appreciate all you have done for me – and in turn the Choir.  Blessings!

Amy

Sam & I on the Golden Gate Bridge

Jonathan, Racheal & Nicolas

Packing bags of soup at Gleanings for the Hungry

Jayne washing buckets at Gleanings