Children’s choir supports Watoto ministries
The renowned Watoto Children’s Choir from Uganda will be in Creemore to share their stories of restoration and hope over the Easter weekend.
The choir will be hosted by the Creemore campus of Clearview Community Church. Worship director pastor Micah denBok says the congregation normally meets at St. Luke’s Anglican on Caroline
Street but will move their Sunday service to the Creemore Legion to accommodate more people.
“The service will be Sunday, April 5 at 10 a.m. Everyone is welcome,” he said. “We can accommodate between 300 and 400 people at the Legion.”
The Watoto Children’s Choir is a singing and dancing ensemble composed of children and orphans, from Uganda. Touring internationally, they perform to raise awareness for the Watoto child care ministry, showcasing stories of resilience, faith, and transformation. The choir is part of the Kampala- based Watoto church founded in 1984 by Canadian missionaries Gary and Marilyn Skinner to care for Uganda’s vulnerable women and children.
Each year, six touring companies of the Watoto choir tour the world, seeking support for Watoto villages which provide homes, education and medical care. DenBok says their work includes lots of humanitarian aid.
“They focus on child survival programs and help single moms and kids. They rescue and minister to child soldiers,” he said.
While this is the choir’s first appearance in Creemore, they have performed at Clearview Community Church in Stayner in the past, and denBok says he found their message inspirational. Over the past 30 years, they have performed at Buckingham Palace, the White House and major venues throughout Asia, Australia, Brazil, Canada and China.
Watoto means children in Swahili. The choir is made up of children who have lost one or both parents, often as a result of AIDS or war. Their ‘Concerts of Hope’ are a blend of African rhythms, contemporary gospel music, creative dance and story-telling. They have released several albums including Mambo Number 5, Beautiful Africa, and What Is Love. Their latest album Wherever You Will Go features live music played throughout the concerts on most of the tours.
DenBok says all are welcome at the Sunday service. There will be a voluntary donation to support the work of the Watoto ministries. The choir will also perform at Saturday’s Easter egg hunt at Creemore Village Green.
