Emmanuel Reformed Church welcoming African Children’s Choir for “Just as I am” tour

Emily Stewart, Echo Correspondent

The Grammy award nominated African Children’s Choir will return to a local church and host workshops at two Christian schools in the area.

Emmanuel Reformed Church will host the African Children’s Choir on May 15, starting at

7 p.m. as part of the choir’s "Just as I am Tour". The concert is free but will be collecting free will donations to support the Music for Life (MFL) Institute’s education programs that help those living in poverty in Uganda, Rwanda, South Africa, and Kenya. Attendees can also support the MFL Institute by buying the choir’s music and merchandise after the show.

"The main goal is to raise funds for the choir but it's also a great opportunity for fellowship and a great opportunity to hear those hymns of praise and so on that they present," said Jack Rodenburg, clerk of the Emmanuel Reformed Church.

The church is hoping to raise between $3,000 to $3,500 for the choir from the concert.

The African Children’s Choir, who also performed at Emmanuel Reformed church about a decade ago is a Grammy-nominated ensemble part of the MFL’s Institute for over 40 years and performed with Josh Groban and in front of Queen Elizabeth and Nelson Mandela. The choir was founded by Canadian humanitarian Ray Barnett.

There are 18 boys and girls performing in the choir. Over the past four decades, the MFL Institute taught 52,000 children in seven countries.

Rodenburg and his wife Flora have travelled to Africa in the past to support their agricultural industry. He provided management support and offered his expertise in dairy management and nutrition and travelled alongside Alex McIntyre, an Embro-based embryo transfer veterinarian to implant some of the embryos into the dairy cattle in Uganda.

“It was a great opportunity to teach farmers in Uganda about modern dairy farming,” said Rodenburg.

Rodenburg is considering making the trip up again to Uganda but wants to figure out when and how it will be done and re-establish some lost contacts. In the meantime, he’s looking forward to welcoming back the African Children’s Choir to the church.

“We haven't really done anything on the sort of outreach side for a little while and when they were here the last time it was just fantastic,” he explained.

In addition to performing at Emmanuel Reformed Church, the African Children’s Choir will also perform at workshops at the Christian schools in Woodstock and Plattsville.

More information about the concert can be found by either calling 519-532-7194 or sending an email to clerk@emmanuelreformedchurch.ca.