On January 31, 2019, Watoto, a non-governmental organization (NGO) in Uganda, East Africa, will be bringing the Watoto Children’s Choir for a one night only performance in Barriere.
The choir will be performing their brand new album, ‘We Will Go’ as just one stop on a six-month tour presenting the story of abandoned African children and vulnerable women who’ve been empowered to rise above their circumstances, and answer the call to be part of the new Africa – ready to make a difference in the world.
‘We Will Go’ will be presented in Barriere on Jan. 31, at the North Thompson Agriplex Banquet Hall, 4856 Dunn Lake Road, at 6:30 p.m., is hosted by the Christian Life Assembly.
Watoto Children’s Choirs have travelled extensively since 1994, sharing a message of hope for Africa’s most vulnerable children and women. On almost every day of the year, the choir is performing somewhere in the world. Hundreds of thousands of people get to meet some of Africa’s future leaders. The children have the distinct privilege of telling people, “It’s possible to have joy, to laugh and to have hope, no matter what you’re going through.”
Jackie, is an 11-year-old child who will be travelling on the choir. She was abandoned by her parents when she was only four years old. She was found by a good Samaritan before Watoto became her permanent home and family.
When asked about travelling as part of the choir, Jackie said, “I heard that Canada is very cold. When I travel on the choir, I want to play in the snow. I dream of becoming a teacher when I grow up, so on tour, I will continue to help my friends with their homework. I also learned the Canadian anthem and I can’t wait to sing it there.”
Like Africa, the production is vibrant and colourful, that takes the audience on an emotional journey from utter despair to joyous celebration, as the children and women share their personal stories of triumph in story and song.
Watoto is a family made up of people from all over the world who are working together to ensure that the forgotten have a place to belong. In a time of civil war, they started a local church in Kampala, Uganda, to speak hope and life to the nation.
Since then, Watoto has placed thousands of orphans in families, empowered thousands of vulnerable women to reach their communities, rescued babies and former child soldiers, and sent children’s choirs across six continents.
As Watoto works alongside the most vulnerable in their society, their aim is to rescue individuals and raise each one as a leader in his or her sphere of life so that, in turn, they will rebuild the nation.
In over 35 years, the challenges facing Africa have changed, but the Watoto vision remains the same. And, in all of this, Watoto remains committed to celebrating Christ and caring for community.
The “We Will Go” album can be downloaded on iTunes at https://bit.ly/wewillgo. All proceeds made from the album go to Watoto in Uganda to provide vulnerable children and women with homes, education, medical care, and most of all the love of a family.
To learn more go to: www.watoto.com
