The children have their last concert tonight...it's weird that this time has come so fast. They are really looking forward to going home though. We have just come back from a week in the Canary Islands where we had 2 concerts and spent a week in a really nice hotel with a rooftop pool!
The children fly home on Wednesday and will go back to their families for Christmas and New Year then they will come into the Music for Life Primary School in January to start their new term.
Everyone is tired and looking forward to going home but saying goodbye is going to be really hard. I know I will see these children again next year when I go back to South Africa to meet the 3rd choir but some of the chaperones don't know when they will meet again.
Please remember us all in your prayers for this last part of our journey together.
Auntie Lynsay
Friday, 12 December 2008
Tuesday, 28 October 2008
Almost the end....
Italy was busy! We flew out on the Monday, arrived in Rome and drove to Naples. The next day we had a concert which was part of a peace camp with children from all over the world. We had a free day in Naples on the Wednesday which we spent at the beach with the children! It was really good for them to be able to have some free time and just play. On Thursday we drove back to Rome and had planned to spend a bit of time on Rome but it took us 5 hours to get there. So, we took the children out for pizza and ice cream. They each ate a 12" pizza each...these children can eat!The next day we flew back to England and had a concert that night! It was a bit crazy but we made it and are still alive to tell the tale!
Tuesday, 7 October 2008
Guernsey
I send this update from the little island of Guernsey! We are here for one week and have 2 concerts during this time. The weather isn't that great and there isn't really alot to do here with 22 children! We are staying in a Christan Centre altogether so it's nice to have a little break from host families for a while. Next week we fly to Italy for 4 days to do one concert so we have a few days to do some exploring. I am excited about this as i've never been to Italy before and we are actually going to get some time to see Rome and Naples.
Our team of chaperones has changed once again. Agreeneth will not be back with us for the remainder of tour although the office are trying their hardest to get her back. Kyle and Ruth are not on tour in the states, Lucy and Mark have settled in very well and we now have Muzi with us from South Africa. He is here as the male chaperone and to help us out with some discipline issues that we had. He worked with these children from 2005 and trained them to come on tour so he knows them very well. I will post a photo of our new team when I get some more time.
I have a small idea of what I may be doing after this tour ends in December. The Music for Life staff in South Africa are going through the process of picking children for the 3rd Nkomazi choir which will again be a UK tour similar to this one. I have been asked to join this tour next May, if everything works out. Nothing is definite yet!!!!!! Angee will be going to South Africa in January to help train the children and will be the tour leader with the tour. We get on really well together so for us to be on another tour together would be really good. This means that I will be home in december for 4 or 5 months then back out on tour in May again.
Your prayers would be appreciated for this and for the continuing changes are team seem to be having as it does have a big effect on the children.
Thank you for reading! Lynsay
Our team of chaperones has changed once again. Agreeneth will not be back with us for the remainder of tour although the office are trying their hardest to get her back. Kyle and Ruth are not on tour in the states, Lucy and Mark have settled in very well and we now have Muzi with us from South Africa. He is here as the male chaperone and to help us out with some discipline issues that we had. He worked with these children from 2005 and trained them to come on tour so he knows them very well. I will post a photo of our new team when I get some more time.
I have a small idea of what I may be doing after this tour ends in December. The Music for Life staff in South Africa are going through the process of picking children for the 3rd Nkomazi choir which will again be a UK tour similar to this one. I have been asked to join this tour next May, if everything works out. Nothing is definite yet!!!!!! Angee will be going to South Africa in January to help train the children and will be the tour leader with the tour. We get on really well together so for us to be on another tour together would be really good. This means that I will be home in december for 4 or 5 months then back out on tour in May again.
Your prayers would be appreciated for this and for the continuing changes are team seem to be having as it does have a big effect on the children.
Thank you for reading! Lynsay
Saturday, 13 September 2008
Ireland
Our 2 weeks in Ireland are just about over. It has been a quick 2 weeks. We have had so many nice host families here and it is kind of sad that we didn't get to spend alot of time with them. Our team has changed since the last time I posted...Agreeneth left us for 2 weeks as her dad died and she was needed at home. We expected her back this week but she is having problems with customs and now needs to apply for a visa so she might not be with us for another month. Kyle and Ruth left us to have some time at home with their families before heading to the States to join the Journey of Hope tour. We have 2 new chaperones...Mark and Lucy...they are a married couple from the North of England. Mark has taken over sound while Kyle is gone (we are hoping he returns) and Lucy is the new teacher!!! (Thank the Lord) So Lucy has taken over all the teaching of all th grades and it feels so good, it is like a huge weight has been lifted!
This team has gone through alot of changes with team members, children going home and other things that have not gone smoothly. We would definitely appreciate any prayers for our team and the children at this time!
We took a trip to the Giant's Causeway on Thursday. It was my day off but I didn't want to miss that! The picture is of me and Selby...he believed there was an actual giant and thought he was safer on my back!
We fly back to London tomorrow and continue there....
Friday, 22 August 2008
Edinburgh and The Herald Angel Award
We only have 2 shows left at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. It will be so sad to stop doing this programme...I like it when the children sing all their African songs and can really be themselves in their dances. We have had very big audiences every night and such a good report. The programme was full of African songs and dances and even some drumming where members of the audience were able to participate. The girls did a Swaziland dance and the boys did a gum boot dance where members of the audience were able to participate as well.
On Wednesday we fly to Ireland and continue with our normal church shows there for 2 weeks. Then it's back to England for the rest of the tour.
Lynsay
We won a Herald Angel Award which is such an achievement. Herald Angels are awarded to the best of the festival’s performers who have managed to impress The Herald's panel of arts critics. We went to a ceremony last Saturday morning and were presented with the angel and a certificate.
On Wednesday we fly to Ireland and continue with our normal church shows there for 2 weeks. Then it's back to England for the rest of the tour.
Lynsay
Sunday, 10 August 2008
An entry from 2 of my girls...
I just had a 2 night stay with 2 girls - Nondumiso and Portia - they wanted to tell you about some things they are missing and their favourite parts of tour...
Portia is 10 years old and wants to be a Nurse when she grows up. Her favourite thing about host families is that she gets to play at the park. Her favourite food is pizza and meat. She misses her mother at home. Her favourite bible verse is Psalm 119 because it tells her how she should be a good girl. She would like to say to eveyone "Love you...Love you"
Nondumiso is 9 years old and wants to be a pilot when she grows up. Her favourite thing about host families is that she gets to sleep on big beds. Her favourite food is meat and ice cream. She misses pap at home...pap is made from maize or millies which is ground down and mixed with water, it actually tastes quite good but looks like white gunge. Her favourite bible verse is Psalm 36:5 because it shows her that God loves her.
I love being with the girls in host families because you get to have more time with them individually and they lots of questions and thoughts. They have begun to let their guard down and open up. It is a good time to really get to know them, to get to know their individual personalities and see what they are learning.
Auntie Lynsay
Saturday, 12 July 2008
July - Camp
First of all I have to mention that Uncle Godfrey and Auntie Mary are finally here…it feels so long ago that we left them in Jo’burg.
We are in London at the moment, based at Jubillee High School. We are sleeping in the school hall which is still decorated from their prom a couple of weeks ago. It is really good to be altogether and be able to do what we like…we are having a bit of a break this week but rehearsals continue as the children are learning new songs and dances for the Edinburgh Festival. As I am writing they are learning a song that has something to do with crocodiles so there is a lot of screaming going on…part of the song I think! School starts again on Monday and I am now going to be teaching Grade 6 so I have a new challenge ahead. Each day something new happens, there is a new challenge and I am learning all the time.
The children have really settled into tour and each of their individual personalities are starting to show more and more. They are a lot like little adults and take responsibility a lot more than western children but when we put on Mary Poppins or Peter Pan or we give them treats they get so excited and are just like the children they are meant to be. The other night we planned a surprise for them…they showered, got into bed and we turned out all the lights so they would think it was bedtime. Uncle Kyle had set up the projector and a big screen, which was hidden behind the stage curtain and after 10 minutes of being in bed, the curt
ains opened and the movie started…the children were so excited, they were running about like crazy. They settled down to watch Peter Pan with popcorn for the night and were so happy!
Since I last wrote, the children have performed in the House of Parliament at a prayer breakfast. We flew down to London, stayed over night and were up at 4.45am the next day to be at Parliament for 6am. It was quite an experience to sing “Be thou my vision” and “In Christ Alone” with ambassadors of different countries, members of parliament and a lot of other important people. It was on the way home from this event that Mary and Godfrey joined us. We tried so hard to keep it a secret from the children cause they had been praying hard that they would come. When we arrived at the airport to fly home I saw Auntie Mary in the distance and got so excited but someone diverted us away from them so the children didn’t see. The plan was to meet them once we were through security as we would have more time but as it happens we got held up so it was a rush to get thr
ough. Mary and Godfrey had already boarded the plane so we then decided to go the whole plane journey without telling the children they were here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It didn’t work…one of the girls said “Auntie, I can see two people who look just like Auntie Mary and Uncle Godfrey”. We tried to tell them it was just 2 black people but they were having none of it…all over the plane little heads kept popping up with huge big smiles on their faces. We landed and I went with Mary and Godfrey to get their bags and when the children eventually got off the plane they ran through the airport and knocked them over with their hugs.
I had a day off on Thursday so Angee, Godfrey, Agreeneth and I headed into London, we walked around the centre of London, went to Trafalgar Square and to The National Gallery, Nottinghill then to Kensington for a bit of shopping. We didn’t get back until almost 1am. We are going to go into London with the children to see all the sights; they are all hoping to see the Queen so maybe if we stand outside
Buckingham Palace long enough she will invite us in for a cup of tea and some cake.
I am missing being able to check my emails as often as I would if I was at home…but it’s not a bad thing, I miss being able to eat when I want, what I want and where I want, I miss being able to be alone, listen to my ipod and dance about, I miss driving my wee car, I miss going shopping and I miss my family but at the same time I am meeting loads of new people, raising 23 children and making lifelong friends with the team.
It has been good to see a lot of you at the concerts and I hope you enjoyed the children. We are heading to the Edinburgh Fringe from London so I will based in Edinburgh for most of August. The children have a lot of concerts during this time as well as some street performances where they will be drumming and doing the can dance! The can dance is a must see…these children perform it so well.
Thank you for reading and for your continued support.
We are in London at the moment, based at Jubillee High School. We are sleeping in the school hall which is still decorated from their prom a couple of weeks ago. It is really good to be altogether and be able to do what we like…we are having a bit of a break this week but rehearsals continue as the children are learning new songs and dances for the Edinburgh Festival. As I am writing they are learning a song that has something to do with crocodiles so there is a lot of screaming going on…part of the song I think! School starts again on Monday and I am now going to be teaching Grade 6 so I have a new challenge ahead. Each day something new happens, there is a new challenge and I am learning all the time.
The children have really settled into tour and each of their individual personalities are starting to show more and more. They are a lot like little adults and take responsibility a lot more than western children but when we put on Mary Poppins or Peter Pan or we give them treats they get so excited and are just like the children they are meant to be. The other night we planned a surprise for them…they showered, got into bed and we turned out all the lights so they would think it was bedtime. Uncle Kyle had set up the projector and a big screen, which was hidden behind the stage curtain and after 10 minutes of being in bed, the curt
ains opened and the movie started…the children were so excited, they were running about like crazy. They settled down to watch Peter Pan with popcorn for the night and were so happy!Since I last wrote, the children have performed in the House of Parliament at a prayer breakfast. We flew down to London, stayed over night and were up at 4.45am the next day to be at Parliament for 6am. It was quite an experience to sing “Be thou my vision” and “In Christ Alone” with ambassadors of different countries, members of parliament and a lot of other important people. It was on the way home from this event that Mary and Godfrey joined us. We tried so hard to keep it a secret from the children cause they had been praying hard that they would come. When we arrived at the airport to fly home I saw Auntie Mary in the distance and got so excited but someone diverted us away from them so the children didn’t see. The plan was to meet them once we were through security as we would have more time but as it happens we got held up so it was a rush to get thr
ough. Mary and Godfrey had already boarded the plane so we then decided to go the whole plane journey without telling the children they were here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It didn’t work…one of the girls said “Auntie, I can see two people who look just like Auntie Mary and Uncle Godfrey”. We tried to tell them it was just 2 black people but they were having none of it…all over the plane little heads kept popping up with huge big smiles on their faces. We landed and I went with Mary and Godfrey to get their bags and when the children eventually got off the plane they ran through the airport and knocked them over with their hugs.I had a day off on Thursday so Angee, Godfrey, Agreeneth and I headed into London, we walked around the centre of London, went to Trafalgar Square and to The National Gallery, Nottinghill then to Kensington for a bit of shopping. We didn’t get back until almost 1am. We are going to go into London with the children to see all the sights; they are all hoping to see the Queen so maybe if we stand outside
Buckingham Palace long enough she will invite us in for a cup of tea and some cake.I am missing being able to check my emails as often as I would if I was at home…but it’s not a bad thing, I miss being able to eat when I want, what I want and where I want, I miss being able to be alone, listen to my ipod and dance about, I miss driving my wee car, I miss going shopping and I miss my family but at the same time I am meeting loads of new people, raising 23 children and making lifelong friends with the team.
It has been good to see a lot of you at the concerts and I hope you enjoyed the children. We are heading to the Edinburgh Fringe from London so I will based in Edinburgh for most of August. The children have a lot of concerts during this time as well as some street performances where they will be drumming and doing the can dance! The can dance is a must see…these children perform it so well.
Thank you for reading and for your continued support.
Auntie Lynsay
Thursday, 19 June 2008
Tuesday, 10 June 2008
Friday, 6 June 2008
Two weeks into tour and we have done 8 concerts and stayed with 8 host families. I have changed from working shifts to being on constant 24-hour shifts. Every second night I wonder where I am going to be sleeping and what my host family will be like. My bus seat has become my bedroom and I am living out of the smallest suitcase in the world!!! But I am ok with that…it can be challenging at times but I have realised how little I actually need to get through each day! As long as I have my ipod, a bed and my straighteners I am happy!
The team have bonded really well and we are all working really well together. We still don’t have Auntie Mary and Uncle Godfrey with us but hopefully within the next 2 weeks they will be with us. They had their visas denied so they couldn’t travel with us, they went back to Uganda and have reapplied!
I have been having lots of fun with my children. I stay with different children in each host family and usually on a 2-night stay we have one evening we can spend with the family. We have been to the beach, gone to the park, played in the garden and the children have loved having other children to play with.
I have been able to spend time with family with some of our concerts being so close. 23 children and 7 chaperones crammed into the tiny little cottage at home and we had lunch…It was so good that my mum and other family have met my children and new family!
I have been teaching Grade 5 – English, Math, Natural & social science, Life Orientation and Arts & Culture. It has been a good experience so far and I am enjoying it although it is hard work trying to fit in 18 hours of school per week along with rehearsals, concerts, naps, playtime and travelling. I didn’t realise I would have such a big role in teaching before I started and now I am seriously thinking of doing a teaching degree!!!
I am happy with how my life is right now and I know this is where God wants me to be for this time in my life.
I thank you all for your support and prayers! Even though I am so close to home I would still love to hear your news and how you all are. Feel free to email or write!
Auntie Lynsay
The team have bonded really well and we are all working really well together. We still don’t have Auntie Mary and Uncle Godfrey with us but hopefully within the next 2 weeks they will be with us. They had their visas denied so they couldn’t travel with us, they went back to Uganda and have reapplied!
I have been having lots of fun with my children. I stay with different children in each host family and usually on a 2-night stay we have one evening we can spend with the family. We have been to the beach, gone to the park, played in the garden and the children have loved having other children to play with.
I have been able to spend time with family with some of our concerts being so close. 23 children and 7 chaperones crammed into the tiny little cottage at home and we had lunch…It was so good that my mum and other family have met my children and new family!
I have been teaching Grade 5 – English, Math, Natural & social science, Life Orientation and Arts & Culture. It has been a good experience so far and I am enjoying it although it is hard work trying to fit in 18 hours of school per week along with rehearsals, concerts, naps, playtime and travelling. I didn’t realise I would have such a big role in teaching before I started and now I am seriously thinking of doing a teaching degree!!!
I am happy with how my life is right now and I know this is where God wants me to be for this time in my life.
I thank you all for your support and prayers! Even though I am so close to home I would still love to hear your news and how you all are. Feel free to email or write!
Auntie Lynsay
Tuesday, 20 May 2008
Choir 32 has arrived!
On Friday 16th, 23 children and 4 adults arrived into the UK...after a 4 hour drive on a bus to Johannesburg airport, a 2 hour flight, a 10 hour flight and 23 South African Children going through immigration without even a question of who, what, where, why and when!!!!!!
Before we left South Africa some of the children had question's about tour such as "Is the bus going to fly?" "What will I do if I am trying to sleep and my host family is snoring?" and "Will we fly to each host family?" These children act so innocent yet they have experienced more that I will probably experience in my life!
We have been staying at Jubilee High School in Surrey since then - sleeping on a drama room floor and eating canteen food. Part of my job is bag check co-ordinator so I have been in charge of making sure the children have enough clothes, that they fit and making sure they have their names on them. I am also teaching Grade 5's which can be challenging at times but I love it...it is making me re-think what I want to do once I am done with this tour...although I don't ever think I will be done with the African Children's Choir.
These last few days have been a bit mental with keeping track of our children while there are 600 school children going about as well...the children have been in intense rehearsals all week and started more schooling today so it is really busy for them.
On Thursday we drive up to Hawick in our big bus for our first concert on Friday night...I can't wait! I can't wait for people to see how amazing these children are, to meet the team I am working with and to be able to spend time with new people and let them be a part of these children's lives...even for only a few days!
You would think that being with the same people all the time would get a bit draining but it's not like that at all....the children have individual characters that just keep growing and growing and it is good to keep learning things about the aunties and uncles. I love what I am doing with this season of my life and I am so grateful to God that His timing is perfect and that I get my first experience of tour with these children and these chaperones. I feel so comfortable to be myself with them and most of you know how I am in new situations!
I better finish for now but I will write more soon when I have some stories to tell!
Before we left South Africa some of the children had question's about tour such as "Is the bus going to fly?" "What will I do if I am trying to sleep and my host family is snoring?" and "Will we fly to each host family?" These children act so innocent yet they have experienced more that I will probably experience in my life!
We have been staying at Jubilee High School in Surrey since then - sleeping on a drama room floor and eating canteen food. Part of my job is bag check co-ordinator so I have been in charge of making sure the children have enough clothes, that they fit and making sure they have their names on them. I am also teaching Grade 5's which can be challenging at times but I love it...it is making me re-think what I want to do once I am done with this tour...although I don't ever think I will be done with the African Children's Choir.
These last few days have been a bit mental with keeping track of our children while there are 600 school children going about as well...the children have been in intense rehearsals all week and started more schooling today so it is really busy for them.
On Thursday we drive up to Hawick in our big bus for our first concert on Friday night...I can't wait! I can't wait for people to see how amazing these children are, to meet the team I am working with and to be able to spend time with new people and let them be a part of these children's lives...even for only a few days!
You would think that being with the same people all the time would get a bit draining but it's not like that at all....the children have individual characters that just keep growing and growing and it is good to keep learning things about the aunties and uncles. I love what I am doing with this season of my life and I am so grateful to God that His timing is perfect and that I get my first experience of tour with these children and these chaperones. I feel so comfortable to be myself with them and most of you know how I am in new situations!
I better finish for now but I will write more soon when I have some stories to tell!
Wednesday, 14 May 2008
South Africa
I arrived in South Africa on the 23rd of April into the lives of 23 beautiful children who are age 9 to 12! They are so cute and I am so excited about this next season of my life raising them and travelling with them in my own country. Over the last 3 weeks I have been living with the children at the school and being involved in their daily routine. They wake up at 6am most days, clean the house, have devotions and school starts at 7am. I have been teaching the children and will be teaching them on the road! They have playtime, naps and they are in bed by 8.30pm. It has been a bit overwhelming being here with these children as I have waited almost 3 years for this opportunity but I have settled into the team really well and being with the children is such an amazing experience!
I have been able to do some home visits of some of the children which has been good to know where they are coming from and how they have been living, I have gone to the after school programme that Music for Life holds in the community schools and I have met the team that work behind the scenes here for Music for Life and the African Children's Choir. I arrive back in to London on Friday 16th May and will start concerts on the 23rd. Sorry this is a short update but I will be able to write more in the UK!
Thanks for reading!
I have been able to do some home visits of some of the children which has been good to know where they are coming from and how they have been living, I have gone to the after school programme that Music for Life holds in the community schools and I have met the team that work behind the scenes here for Music for Life and the African Children's Choir. I arrive back in to London on Friday 16th May and will start concerts on the 23rd. Sorry this is a short update but I will be able to write more in the UK!
Thanks for reading!
Sunday, 20 April 2008
Training!
So I am doing a bit of training this week in Alloa with the UK choir manager and Angee who is the tour leader...from Oregon! Lots of reading, looking at role descriptions, working as part of a team, daily routines, concerts...
On Wednesday Angee and I will fly to South Africa....taking 4 flights! Very good bonding time!
We are going to spend 3 weeks there, getting to know the children, meeting the other team members and doing further training on alot of cultural issues as well!
We fly back to London on the 17th of May and spend some time there before heading up to Hawick where out first concert is on the 23rd of May!
On Wednesday Angee and I will fly to South Africa....taking 4 flights! Very good bonding time!
We are going to spend 3 weeks there, getting to know the children, meeting the other team members and doing further training on alot of cultural issues as well!
We fly back to London on the 17th of May and spend some time there before heading up to Hawick where out first concert is on the 23rd of May!
Thursday, 27 March 2008
Friday, 21 March 2008
First Concert Date
FIRST CONCERT DATE..................23rd May!
Once I know a bit more of the schedule I will post that here!
Once I know a bit more of the schedule I will post that here!
Sunday, 24 February 2008
Update!
A quick update....the aim is that in the middle of April I will go to South Africa to meet the children I will be touring with. I will spend 2 weeks there and then fly back to London with the children. We will spend a week together in London then travel up to Edinburgh where the tour will start! When I know actual dates and venues I will post these on here!
Thursday, 14 February 2008
Sunday, 3 February 2008
Prayers
Dear Friends
Most of you know that in the summer of this year I will be heading off to be a chaperone with the African Children's Choir, based in the UK and Europe. The children I will be working with are from South Africa but at the moment the choir staff are waiting on the South African Government to grant them full legal rights to open the school and training centre there. This means that the children cannot come out on tour until this is established. There are potential bookings and a tour is ready to be launched but it all hinges on a few decisions that are to be made within the next few months.
Your prayers would be appreciated for this.....that the government would make a final decision soon so that the children can start to prepare for tour and concerts (they need approximately 4 to 5 months for this)
Thank you and I will keep you updated about the situation. Lynsay
Most of you know that in the summer of this year I will be heading off to be a chaperone with the African Children's Choir, based in the UK and Europe. The children I will be working with are from South Africa but at the moment the choir staff are waiting on the South African Government to grant them full legal rights to open the school and training centre there. This means that the children cannot come out on tour until this is established. There are potential bookings and a tour is ready to be launched but it all hinges on a few decisions that are to be made within the next few months.
Your prayers would be appreciated for this.....that the government would make a final decision soon so that the children can start to prepare for tour and concerts (they need approximately 4 to 5 months for this)
Thank you and I will keep you updated about the situation. Lynsay
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