Tuesday, April 15, 2008

Ministry in Action

Music to the ears.... Glen and Clista Adkins joined our team last August and serve on staff at the Gandhi High School in Pecs. This all Roma school fosters the students in positive ways as they study and navigate the high school years. Clista teaches English not only to the students but to the staff as well. More about that another time...

Glen came with the goal of building a music program and helping record some of the Roma music by writing it down with notes and lyrics. Presently he is working to form a choir and teaching the musically gifted students (music is a huge part of the Roma {Gypsy} culture), who often sing, dance, and play musical instruments with a natural ease - how to read music, follow a director, sing in parts, and other great musical things. (Is it obvious I don't know much about it myself??) Click on the link below to hear a bit of what is happening at the Gandhi school and see the talented students. You will note (look quick) one of the young men playing a "kanna" - what looks to us like a milk-jug. The dance you see the young ladies doing is very traditional. It is taught to them by the older women in their families - mothers, aunts, grandmothers - and passed down through the generations.

Glen and Clista will be taking this very talented group to Lepzig, Germany in July to perform at the Baptist World Alliance (BWA) Youth Conference. This will be a trip of a lifetime for most of these students. Join us in praying they will see Christ. The world gives negative messages to the Roma, pray these students will experience love and acceptance first hand from those gathered for this meeting.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1aEGtreQWM

2 comments:

foxofbama said...

Ralph:
Just saw your blog on the CBF site. Thought I would say Hi.
Be kind to my Furman colleagues Glen and Clista. Let them know President Bush is the commencment speaker this year, though I do not expect them to make a statement.
Would not be fair to Baxter--insert smilie emoticon with no animus.
Things are okay in Alabama. Went to a sacred Harp singing yesterday and parked on the lyric roughly: Sinner do not stray, Hover near the sacred word, in hopes of stumbling on a promise there, that in dark night will save from Despair
Roughly, that was.
Yall must see There Will Be Blood on DVD for movie night when you get a Chance. Not Chancey the Gardener, but a worthy view.

Your Pal
Sfox
And oh, your brother and friends would want you to keep up with the Appalachian Novelist Ron Rash, whose a World Made Straight was practically sat in Mars Hill backyard.
Sfox

Please reply at my blog in the Barnes and Noble Thread. Friend has written an interesting book.
I need a missionary's signature or two to get me back in the Collinsville Library (lol)

foxofbama said...

Ralph:
While I was in the neighborhood for you and Glenn and others who may appreciate the Sacred harp in Romania:

73t Cusseta
Tune: John Massengale, 1844

Words: Erhart Hegenwalt & J. C. Jacabi, 1524

Meter: Long Meter (8,8,8,8)

Show pity, Lord, Oh Lord, forgive;
Let a repenting rebel live:
Are not Thy mercies large and free?
May not a sinner trust in Thee?

My crimes, though great, cannot surpass
The pow’r and glory of Thy grace;
Great God, Thy nature hath no bound;
So let Thy pard’ning love be found.

Yet save a trembling sinner, Lord,
Whose hope still hov’ring ’round Thy word
Would light on some sweet promise there,
Some sure support against despair.