African Children's Choir coming to Wasilla

A Grammy-nominated group of African children is coming to the Valley to perform a concert to help raise money for orphanages and schools for orphans in Africa.

The African Children's Choir is comprised of 20-25 children ages five through 12, who were selected for the choir from some of the most needy in west and east Africa.

They perform a wide variety of songs, from drums and ethnic instrumentation to well-loved children's songs and popular gospel tunes.

Local organizers said they believe the concert will be the first time the African Children's Choir has come to the Valley.

The concert, which is June 12 at 7 p.m. at the Wasilla Assembly of God, is free, although donations are accepted.

The money raised through the concerts helps children of war widows in Sudan. An estimated 1.5 million people have died in Sudan's years of civil war, through a combination of fighting, famine and disease.

Women and children in Sudan are often captured as slaves, and the boys are pressed into military service. Food is often scarce, and education is almost nonexistent for many children.

"I thought somehow, the world has got to know about these children," said Ray Barnett, the choir's organizer. "I don't think that one single African child has to die under the circumstances and in the way they are dying today because all the resources are there, the finance is there, the food is there."

The message of the African Children's Choir is that African children have the same needs as American children, and the same potential in life, but they need a little help.

The choir began 16 years ago, and it has come to the United States every year. The children have raised money for food, clothing and education for children in Sudan, Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, Ghana and Nigeria through the years.

"If our neighbor's child was dying and we had the possibility to rescue the child, we'd be up all night," Barnett said. "There would be nothing that would stop us saving the child we know. It's equally important to save the child we don't know."

The Valley concert is being sponsored by the Valley Pastor's Prayer Network.

Tickets are not needed to attend the concert, local organizers said.

For more information about the concert, interested people can call 745-6701.