Hakuna Matata Choir visits Community Lutheran Church, Bullhead City
by Linda Miller, Community Lutheran Church
We were blessed to partner with Hope United Methodist Church to bring the Hakuna Matata Children’s Choir from Kenya to Bullhead City. At Hope UMC and at Community Lutheran Church, we were in awe of the performances of these 14 young people…and their contagious smiles and great attitudes.
Hakuna Matata in Swahili means, “there are no troubles.” As a result of the Disney movie, “The Lion King,” that phrase has been shortened to “no worries” or “don’t worry.” These children come from the slums and the worst possible situations in Kenya. Yet, they tell stories of faith and resilience through song and dance. They model hope, vitality and happiness. They put smiles on the faces of audiences at each performance.
The Hakuna Matata Choir is part of the Connect with a Child organization which was founded by Pastor Tom Abungu more than 10 years ago. He, himself, grew up in the slums of Nairobi. He was blessed to get involved with a ministry group which paired him with an American family who sponsored him, allowing him to receive an education and a university degree. As a result, he felt the need to find a way to help as many other impoverished youths in Kenya as he could. These kids would otherwise not be able to go to school and many would not even be assured of meals and were often sleeping outside.
Connect with a child is a sponsorship program focused on helping young people break this cycle of poverty. Sponsorship offers a child education and development of a positive attitude in a Christian environment. Each sponsored child gets the chance to better his or her life and have hope for the future. Connect with a Child has helped more than 1,000 children attend primary and high schools; some have also earned vocational training and even completed university degrees. Sponsoring one of these children can make a huge difference in his or her life. Sponsorships provide food, medical care, scholastic materials, a school uniform, and shoes. It also ensures that the child can go to school and participate in Christian activities each month.
The choir travels five to six months out of the year, sharing their stories through energetic performances of song and dance. These trips help them raise funds so more children can be helped. They are currently building a four-story dormitory that will house 360 additional children.
What an awesome way this was to prepare for Advent. Those of us who had the opportunity to be host families and spend time with the choir during the week prior to their performances learned a lot and were moved by their big hearts. They live the example of the “three G’s” we talk about at CLC: Grace, Generosity and Gratitude. They inspired us in so many ways…not only through their performances, but through hugs, smiles and helping us learn. They even laughingly helped us learn how to eat a wonderful African meal—without silverware! These children also changed lives while they were here!