The Power of Song

We open up our holiday songbooks full of Christmas songs in our language. The songs are familiar friends whose melodies help to lift us into the holiday mood and whose words remind us what this season is all about. But what about songs in the local island language, where will they get the songs that will lift up their community?

Singing Christmas songs with our English Club

—Last month, I had an unexpectedly longer visit on the small island (thanks to last minute flight cancelations), and I found myself visiting an island sister there. As we sat in her dirt floor courtyard and my son tried unsuccessfully to pet one of the chickens roaming the yard, this sister shared her joy in writing songs. She had written so many songs that she struggled to remember them all! She smiled as she talked about her kids singing wholeheartedly one of her songs about the joy that God brings. This month she has started posting simple recordings of her singing to the group chat between brothers and sisters around the islands. People write back their encouragement and thanks, and suddenly her songs can lift up more than just herself and her individual family!

Our kids Christmas morning

—One of colleagues on the medical team had been thinking for awhile that she wanted there to be some Christmas music in the island language, sad that islanders didn’t have that. Then this year ,some of the printed Word was released, with the translated story of the shepherds and angels. So our colleague sat with a local brother, who also loves music, and read over the translated narrative. He loved the story. As they wrote a song based on it, he didn’t want to leave any bit of it out. They picked some melodies with a celebratory tone but in truly island style, and then set the translated story to the tune. A draft recording of the song was quickly shared among the brothers and sisters with great joy, praising the song, the story, the rhythm— “it soothes our heart.” One island brother just kept repeating how happy it made him.

—Earlier this month another new Christmas song hit the islands. Last year one of our colleagues heard a Christmas song in Swahili while in mainland Africa. She thought about how easily it could be translated into our island language, so she wrote the group to ask permission to potentially translate and record a version of the song on the islands. The group responded by offering to do a professional recording of the song themselves, at no cost, as a blessing to the islands. So she sent them the translated words and just recently we received the beautiful and catchy Christmas song in the local language. Many islanders have been touched by this gift and marvel that it isn’t islanders singing their language. One island sister responded to the posted song, “I’m so happy. This will be my favorite song!”

Cooling off at the river!

—Finally, just this past week, a new song was shared with the community. This one coming from the French Island and titled, “Today is Christmas!” We marveled as we listened to words and melody that rejoice in the birth that brings peace, hope and joy to the world!

We’ve been told that a faith community often struggles to grow if they don’t have music. Obviously other things are important— prayer, teaching, gatherings, but music is one of those crucial components of health. So what an encouragement to see the number of island songs growing, we pray for more!

PRAYERS ANSWERED
We are so thankful for all these songs— may they continue to encourage our island brothers and sisters. Our English Club Christmas party ended up being during a rain storm, which decreased our numbers, but we still had a good group and were able to engage with the story in a deeper way and have fun together. We were able to video chat with Megan’s grandmother for her 100th birthday— we praise God for her century of life and ministry.  We had a nice time celebrating the holiday with our team on Sunday evening and Monday afternoon.  Some European colleagues celebrated their recent marriage with an island-style wedding event, which was well-attended and will hopefully deepen their connections with islanders and open doors. Our team had many opportunities to share baked goods and the story behind the holidays.

PRAYERS REQUESTED
We are traveling to mainland Africa for a break. We will then say goodbye to our two oldest as they head back to boarding school. Pray that we would have a good and relaxing time as a family— that shopping errands would be completed quickly so that most of our time away can be restful.  The islands are in the middle of campaigning season for the elections happening in mid-Jan. Pray for healthy debate and peaceful pathways to change. One of our colleagues on the big island has been very sick, so they weren’t able to really celebrate her son’s first birthday— pray for her full healing and a wonderful belated celebration.