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A Song Is In Their Hearts

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By D'ANN LAWRENCE WHITE, The Tampa Tribune

Published: December 12, 2007

BRANDON - Watching the children skip across the church parking lot, singing "Jesus loves me, this I know," it's easy to forget where they come from, said Brandon resident Jo Powell.

"Then one of them will say something that reminds you of what they've been through," she said.

Hailing from Uganda, the Philippines and India, the children - 16 in all - are members of the Children of the World International Choir. Ages 6 to 12, they are either orphans or from homes in which the caregivers felt they had no choice but to turn them over to orphanages because they couldn't care for them financially.

Many have lived through circumstances Americans can only imagine, said Powell, who hosted three of the children last week when the choir visited her church, Cornerstone Baptist Church in Brandon. This is the second year Cornerstone has hosted the choir and the second year Powell and her husband, Jim, have opened their homes to a group of the young singers.

"Some of these children have gone through nightmares," Powell said. "Last year, when one of the children saw our swimming pool, he said he'd gone swimming once. After their uncle had been shot to death, they ran away and swam in a river to get away from the bad people."

The AIDS and HIV epidemic has had the most significant effect on the children, said Chad Winder. It's that epidemic that the Children of Hope Tour is focusing on.

Winder and his wife, Natalie, are the team leaders for the choir, one of three touring the United States for 10 months hoping to raise awareness and money for Children of Hope.

The Winders' choir began touring the East Coast in September and will finish the tour in June. A new group of children are selected for the choir each year, serving as ambassadors for the Children of Hope. The tour is coordinated by World Help, a nonprofit, nondenominational Christian organization based in Forest, Va.

"The choir's been around eight years. People really respond to the children and their energy. But it also serves as a special incentive for the children," Winder said. "World Help continues assisting the choir members after their tour is over, helping them go on to college. In fact, the chaperone for the West Coast choir is a former choir member who's attending college in Nepal."

The Winders became involved in the mission while students at Cedarville University in Ohio.

"We saw the choir perform and felt like it was something God called us to do, so we applied and got the positions as team leaders in July," said Natalie Winder, who taught the children the songs and accompanying choreography.

The children, dressed in the costumes of their native lands, perform old favorites, such as "How Great Thou Art," as well as contemporary Christian music. They performed last week at Cornerstone Church.

"It's been an amazing experience," Winder said.

The Rev. Woody Brewer, pastor of Cornerstone Baptist, said it has been a blessing to host the children and provide what little offerings his congregation can to the cause.

"We believe in the mission of the ministry and want to do what we can to support it," he said. "These kids are just great, and it's a privilege to be able to shelter them for three nights."

In exchange for the choir's concert, host churches usually have a treat in store for the children. During their Brandon visit, the choir toured Lowry Park Zoo and Christmas Lane, a display of lights and Christmas decorations in Dover.

Church member Helen Young said she is amazed at the children's spirit.

"They've got the love of God in their hearts," she said. "They're such an inspiration."

During the concerts, congregation members learn about staggering AIDS statistics facing developing nations, especially sub-Saharan Africa.

"See what's happening in my country," said Marvin, a youngster from Uganda using heavily accented English. He then pointed to a viewing screen behind him that showed a cemetery where 300 AIDS-related funerals are held every weekend. Every 14 seconds, a child is orphaned by AIDS in Africa, according to Children of Hope.

Through its Children of Hope project, World Help hopes to help 1 million children affected by AIDS/HIV by helping to build "Villages of Hope" or by getting sponsors for children.

Churches and other groups can elect to raise $100,000 to build a Village of Hope. Each village has four homes, each headed by a widowed caregiver, and provides shelter for 48 orphaned children affected by AIDS.

Individuals can sponsor a child for $30 a month. The money pays for food, education, clothing, medicine and shelter.

Young and Powell are among 22,000 people who sponsor children through World Help.

"We have so much in this country," said Young, who sponsors a child in Uganda. "I can't think of a single thing I need for Christmas. I'd rather give to a child who has nothing."

"Our prayer is that 100 years from now people will remember that churches like Cornerstone said, 'Enough is enough,' when it comes to the AIDS virus and stood up and made a difference," Chad Winder said.

Reporter D'Ann Lawrence White can be reached at (813) 657-4524 or dlwhite@tampatrib.com.

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