‘Leading people’: African children perform in Rock Hill. Here’s what they did
A tightly knit group of African children huddled on a Rock Hill stage to sing and dance.
The rhythmic movements, traditional African drums and the stage lights shimmering on their colorful costumes were no match for their angelic voices.
The 19 children ages 7-10 are part of Music for Life’s African Children’s Choir.
The children are traveling on the east coast of North America and made a stop Sunday at Faith Assembly of God in Rock Hill.
The young performers sang and danced to traditional African music and added some more familiar English hymns and contemporary music. They introduced themselves and said what they want to be when they grow up.
Music for Life is a Christian group that gives impoverished children throughout Africa an education, according to the organization’s website. The group works with children from Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya and South Africa. The organization seeks to “instill Christian principles,” the website says.
Music for Life’s president and CEO Ray Barnett started the charity 33 years ago in 1984 after “hundreds of thousands” of people were left homeless by war, a choir leader told the audience as the children performed.
A young boy who lost both parents and “never knew where his next meal would come from,” asked Barnett for a ride in 1984, he said. The charity has educated 52,000 people over three decades.
Eight-year-old Isaac Muteb of Uganda, who performed Sunday said he likes drumming and singing “leading people.” He said he was excited to visit the United States to “see snow.”
This story was originally published February 24, 2020 at 2:12 PM.
