Central United Methodist Church supports Ugandan ministry
LINWOOD — Expect a packed house at 6 p.m. Friday, April 11, when the Watoto Children’s Choir from Uganda returns to Central United Methodist Church in Linwood for the 10th time.
The church has a special relationship with Watoto villages in Uganda going back to the mid-1990s, just a few years after it was founded as child ministries in 1994.
“The purpose of the Watoto ministry in Uganda is to provide a semblance of a normal life for all the orphaned children who lost their parents to civil war, disease, starvation or pretty much whatever else you can imagine happens in Africa,” said Mike Smith, who is organizing the choir performance for the church.
There are six Watoto Children’s Choirs, which include 18 to 22 children and 10 adults in support, that tour in North and South America, Asia, Australia and Europe. The tours last six weeks and help raise money for the ministry.
“We have quite a history with them,” Smith said.
The church is not just a sponsor of the choir; it is far more committed than that. Members made trips to Watoto villages in 2008, 2010 and 2013 after raising money to build a home, a classroom or a dormitory, and actually brought members, Smith said, including himself, to Uganda to help build the structures.
The Sentinel featured a story about Central UMC’s first mission trip in an edition in February 2008.
Twelve mission team members took a 10-day trip to Kampala after raising money that went toward building a house at the Watoto village. The members spoke glowingly of the work that was taking place at the village and being able to support the mission there, adding they were excited to return.
Watoto villages serve 3,000 children in three different villages that are self-sustaining.
“They grow their own food, they make their own clothing and furniture,” Smith said. “It’s an incredible operation.”
He added that 20,000 children have gone through the program, which can begin as early as birth and last until they complete what they call university at age 19.
Founded by Gary and Marilyn Skinner, there are two Watoto villages near the Ugandan capital of Kampala and another one outside Gulu.
The Christian ministry centers the villages around families and has classrooms, medical clinics, churches and playgrounds. It notes that each home houses a Watoto mother who raises eight orphaned and vulnerable children. A related program called Father’s Heart enlists male role models to interact with the children once a week.
“It’s an amazing ministry and we’re just delighted to have them,” he said of the choir, noting the reviews from all over the world are positive.
This year’s choir program is called “Better Days, There is Hope.”
“They’re expected to keep their grades up and keep up with school work and everything, so it’s pretty demanding, but it’s also a great honor to be chosen for the choir,” Smith said. “The kids have to audition and be able to sing and dance.”
The concert is free but a love offering will be collected that goes to the choir to help keep the mission going in Uganda and to attract new sponsors for the children in the Watoto program.
Members of Central United Methodist will host the children, each family putting up two children and one adult for the night.
The choir will arrive Friday afternoon and children will relax while the adults set up for the performance. After the setup, there will be a dinner for all the choir members and host families. After the performance, the hosts will take them back to their homes for the night, provide breakfast and a bag lunch and then return them to the church, and then it’s off to the next concert.
Part of a choir concert listing on the Watoto website (watoto.com) shows concerts April 6 in Waynesboro, Pa., April 8-9 in Harrisburg, Pa., April 11 in Linwood, April 12 in Philadelphia and four concerts April 13 in Marlton and Voorhees.
The concert begins at 6 p.m. Friday, April 11, at Central United Methodist Church at 5 West Marvin Ave., Linwood. It is advised to arrive early because the church, which seats 325, is usually standing room only for the performances.
After the performance, the adults will be available to sell CDs along with some clothing and jewelry they make. To learn more about the Watoto ministry or sponsoring a child, visit watoto.com.
– By DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
