11 Years In…

Jun 26, 2010

What you have done is amazing.

11 years ago, you sent a girl to a country that had just finished an atrocious war, killing, wounding and leaving homeless over a million people. You gave her money for instruments, and she spent her life savings to pay for the rest.  Then, less than a year later, you gave her money to return to this same war-ravaged country, where families still lived in camps, where children continued to pray for the return of their fathers from war-prisons, and where women hoped against hope that their husbands would not be uncovered in the mass graves dotting the countryside.

Because of you, she was able to establish a program where music classes are taught to children by teenagers. Teenagers who, instead of thinking about their own heartache, fears, and sorrow, focus on the needs of the children in their classes.

Then, in 2004, you sent this same woman to a country so segregated that most of its children grow up never knowing someone from the other community.  Where houses are painted with pictures depicting violence of the recent past, or threats of violence to come. You started programs using music to bring together children from both sides in a country where 90% of it’s children attend segregated schools, live in segregated communities, and shop in segregated stores.

In 2007, you sent this woman to a country where children were being kidnapped and forced into being child soldiers. You sent her to give music to children living in a camp of 75,000 people.  You sent her to teach teenagers living in a school with dirt floors and walls made of branches and twigs.  You sent her to turn these teenagers into leaders and music teachers to the camp children.

This is what you’ve done–

IN KOSOVO:

* “This program has changed my life because I love helping others more now.  When I am involved in the program, there is no time to feel angry—all I feel is peace.”

*  “This program has helped me because I feel loved in this program.”

IN NORTHERN IRELAND:

*  “This music program is the first time that my daughter [who is Catholic] has had the opportunity to become friends with Protestant children. It is amazing—and something I didn’t think I would see in my lifetime”

*  “I enjoy being part of SMF because

I know how important it is to the children and adults involved. It’s lovely to know that I am helping to make a difference in someone’s life by teaching them new things andhelping them to build bridges between communities.”

IN UGANDA:

*  “The program helped me to realize how important music is in the life.  The programchanged my life—I think different now, and I feel different.  I feel happy in here.”

*  “This program helped me a lot since I came back from the bush [escaped from being a child soldier]. Those kind of bad dreams, I’m not getting now, because when I start thinking about the past I just pick up the ukulele or the pennywhistle and start to play.  And those bad dreams or bad thinking just disappear.”

All of these things, you’ve done.

And now we need you to keep doing.

2010 has been our hardest year ever.  While our programs continue to grow, our funds are lower than ever before. We need $85,000 to reach our goal of $100,000 by September. This will enable us not only to continue our programs, but to grow.  To reach more children.  To save more children.

Thank you so much for everything you have done.  Thank you for making all of this happen.  Thank you for continuing to make this the extraordinary program it has become.

Please click on the “How to Help” link above to donate.  Thank you!