Help us help the orphans help themselves
Sales from music CD and internet audio downloads set to feed children
CDs or MP3 disks can be ordered from Worldwide Crusades office, and digital downloads are available on a number of internet digital music stores. Itunes and Napster will soon also carry the album.
By JOHN BUTTERWORTH
African children, with African sounds, singing from their hearts about the hardships and joys they have already discovered in their young lives as orphans, many of them from the AIDS epidemic, growing up in a Christian orphanage: It’s a great combination come together in a great package.
Despite current economic conditions, Worldwide Crusades remains committed to helping feed more than 600 orphans in three Ugandan orphanages. Recently, thanks to the help of some donors, WWC has been able to keep this commitment. But now, you have the opportunity to not only help continue fulfilling this commitment, but also original music written and performed straight from the heart of those young people you’re helping.
The album entitled “Children of Africa” was produced in a Ugandan sound studio, reproduced in Oregon, and is now available in the U.S. from Worldwide Crusades’ office, and can also be purchased digitally from such internet distributors as eMusic, Amie Street, Lala, and Shockhound, Within a short time, it will also be available from iTunes, Napster, and Rhapsody.
The idea for producing and selling Children of Africa came after Worldwide Crusades president Bill Smith led a team of women to the orphanages last year, where they learned about the orphanages and pitched in to help. After listening to the children sing at each of the orphanages located near or in Uganda’s capital city of Kampala, Smith knew something had to be done.
“It just really blessed us,” says Smith. “I just got to thinking it would be a great thing if we could get these kids to do this music in a studio.”
Smith talked with the three pastors leading the orphanages, who also work alongside WWC as Ugandan coordinators, and proposed the idea of taking the best singers from each of the orphanages and recording the best two songs from each group. For some of the children, the trip to the studio would be their first experience away from the orphanages.
“We had no idea how it would turn out,” says Smith. “But the studio musicians, technicians, and everyone involved with producing the album here in the States became so dedicated to the project that it turned out great. It took longer than we thought, but we think it’s a great album.”
All profit from CD sales and internet downloads will go directly to the three Ugandan orphanages. The CD albums are available in both regular CD format and MP3 format. They can be obtained in the U.S. by sending check or money order to for $10 plus $2 for shipping to Worldwide Crusades, PO Box 9, Alsea, OR 97324. Outside the U.S. please check with the internet music providers listed above.
“We’ve got to keep these kids fed,” concludes Smith.