Ugandan children find hope through music

• Watoto means "the children" in Swahili.
• The choir consists of Ugandan children who have been abandoned, orphaned or have no support.
• Watoto Childcare Ministry was founded in 1992.

CHAMBERSBURG - With bright eyes, smiling faces and happy dispositions, the Watoto Children's Choir has spent the past few days at Rhodes Grove Camp rehearsing for a U.S. tour.

The choir, which consists of 18 children ages 7-13 from Uganda who have been abandoned or orphaned, will spend the next six months touring the U.S. The group will perform its new production "Oh, What Love," which features worship songs that share the stories of the children and the hope they have because of God's Love.

Edwin Naijuka, a choir leader who was been involved with the program since 2013, said being a part of the choir allows the children the chance to spread the love of Jesus Christ through music and dance.

"Even if they sing the music and it's ministering to others, it also ministers to them before it even ministers to others," he said. "So, it gives them hope. It restores their confidence. It fills them up with more love for Jesus."

Choir Director Olivia Chandia said the music also helps the children find their individual talents, because some children will find they are good at singing and others will find they are good at drumming.

Watoto Childcare Ministry, which is the program that runs the children's choir, was founded in 1992 to help children living in Uganda who are orphaned, are vulnerable or have no support. The children who are a part of the program live in a village in Uganda and receive an education, food and get a family experience through the foster mother and brothers and sisters they live with.

In order to join the choir, children express an interest and then audition. Before coming to Chambersburg, the children rehearsed in Uganda for five months. They continued to rehearse on and off after coming to the U.S.

Timothy Nsubuga said he joined Watoto in 2009 because he didn't have anywhere to stay and he joined the choir "simply because (he) wanted to sing and dance for God." Nsubuga's favorite part about being involved is playing the drums.

Destiny Kirabo said she joined Watoto because "(she wanted) to be with (her) friends." Kirabo sings in the choir and has been involved with the program since 2007.

Both children said they enjoy singing and Kirabo said she sang a lot at home.

Naijuka said seeing the children's transformation has personally affected him.

"That's one of my biggest moments of transformation," he said. "Seeing them, because we have practice for about five months in Uganda, (and) seeing them grow from that time until where they are right now - that's just mind blowing."

Chandia said she wants the children to gain a "heart of worship" from this experience.

"This production is about love," she said. "So, I've seen these children grow - loving themselves, loving the people who take care of them. Our relationship has really grown through this production since it's about love and all that. So, I've seen the result of that. I've seen them reaching out to each other, helping one another."

Naijuka said he hopes the children learn how much God loves them.

"Personally, I would love to impact them with whatever God has given me to give to them," he said. "I would love to help and partake in our mission as Watoto to rescue, raise and rebuild our continent through raising generation leaders."

To view the choir's touring schedule visit watoto.com.

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