African Children’s Choir to perform Friday

The Red Bluff First Church of God will host the African Children’s Choir at 7 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 8, at the corner of Luther and S. Jackson St.
The African Children’s Choir is comprised of 26 children, ages six to ten. Many have lost one or both parents to AIDS or extreme poverty. Through their concerts they are raising support and awareness for themselves and the over 12 million orphans in Africa.
Since its inception 22 years ago the African Children’s Choir has established schools and provided educational scholarships in Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, Sudan, Nigeria, Ghana and South Africa. The African Children’s Choir is currently providing an education for over 6,700 children from primary school through University or Trade School.
Ray Barnett, founder of the African Children’s Choir says, “Our organization recognized early on that education was the key to long-term change and advancement in Africa and made it our primary focus. Twenty two years later, we are beginning to see the impact.
The children who participated in our first choirs and benefited from the
educational support we provided them have come full circle and are now, themselves, working to create a new Africa.”
These former choir members, many of them orphans who spent their early days scavenging for food and water, have become leaders in their communities. Some have become doctors, teachers, social workers and engineers. Several of them are now working with Music for Life, the choir’s parent organization. In addition to education efforts, the choir finances relief and development projects throughout Africa, with current emphasis on the AIDS-devastated Komazi region of South Africa and war-torn Sudan. The concert is free and open to all. The audience will see traditional African dances, spirituals, gospel and children’s songs. A free-will offering is taken at the performance to support African Children’s Choir education, care and relief and development programs.

Pictured: African Children’s Choir will perform at the Red Bluff First
Church of God on Friday.