Watoto Children's Choir share message of hope for Africa's orphans

ALAMOGORDO – The Watoto Children’s Choir from Kampala, Uganda, brought their musical production “Signs and Wonders” to Calvary Chapel in Alamogordo Wednesday to share their message of hope for Africa’s orphans and widows and to spread awareness for their country of Uganda.

The unique choir has traveled extensively since 1994. The choir has toured six continents and performed to audiences in schools, retirement homes, churches, parliaments, the White House, and even Buckingham Palace.

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Watoto Children’s Choir team leader Edwin Naijuka said the word Watoto means children in Swahili and is also a church.

The Watoto Child Care Ministries is a ministry of Watoto Church based in Uganda.

“The church was founded in 1983 in Kampala, Uganda, in East Africa. Founders Gary and Marilyn Skinner founded the Watoto Church,” Naijuka said. “They started a childcare organization to look after the orphans and vulnerable children because at the time Uganda was going through an AIDS epidemic and the children were being orphaned from war.”

Naijuka said there has been 89 choirs in total that have traveled the world since 1994 to spread the message of God and there are seven choirs currently touring the world.

There are two choirs touring the U.S. and three other choirs touring Canada, the United Kingdom and Asia. In March, Naijuka said the Watoto Church will be sending another choir to Australia.

All the children in the choir are orphans, having lost one parent or both. The children are now living in the Watoto Village in Uganda.

The choir that visited Alamogordo began their tour in California Jan. 2. They will end their tour in Arizona Feb. 28.

Naijuka said he and the children enjoyed their time in Alamogordo even though they did not get to sight see much but they all stayed with host families. He said the state of New Mexico has been very friendly and welcoming to them.

The Watoto Children’s Choir also visited Las Cruces, Albuquerque, Los Alamos and Bloomfield in New Mexico.

The choir sang a set list of nine songs and also showed videos to advocate for the millions of African children currently orphaned by AIDS, poverty and war.

Naijuka said his favorite part about touring the U.S. with the children is seeing them grow and develop into the next generation of African leaders.