My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates

In Watuliney, a small village in southeast Minahasa, Indonesia, most of the people love music. Those who are able to play the  jofa also like to teach it to their children to perpetuate the musical tradition, but that opportunity does not come to all children. Most schools don’t provide a program for music. The parents who work as farmers can’t afford to buy the instruments for their children or to pay for the music course.

Because of his passion to preserve traditional culture, Adri, the coordinator of Silo Student Center, proposed to provide the jofa for children at the center. He believed that the children in his center had the talent and willingness to learn music.

After receiving a positive response from the church, Adri immediately checked the price of a jofa and ordered some made from a substitute material.

“We changed the material to plastic pipe. We call it jofa. Jofa is the basic instrument that has same tone as the original clarinet.”

Adri then announced the dream to the children in the center. He asked if anyone wanted to join the jofa group. The children were very enthusiastic about the invitation to join, and Adri recruited 30 children from 6 to 12 years old who were eager to participate.

Adri also recruited two experienced local musicians who were willing to teach the children, and the new activity began several months later.

Initially, the children struggled to become familiar with the instrument’s tones.

“They were easily tired, but I kept giving them encouragement. It is a great challenge for us to teach the children because they come from something that they don’t know to something that they have to master,” their music tutor Ofri says.

Within two weeks, the children were able to play three songs with the instrument. The new activity has not just given new knowledge and built the children’s talent in music, it also has built new confidence within the children.

Compassion-assisted child Faldi says that he has really enjoyed taking part in the music group. Given the role of music conductor, Faldi learned how to conduct his friends from his grandfather, who has played the clarinet since he was young.

“I am really proud of my son. He always practices everyday by himself in his room. Sometimes he also asked us to see his performance as he practiced conducting his friends,” says Faldi’s mother.

During the children’s first performance in the church, they amazed the congregation who came to the Sunday service. Most of the people in Watuliney had never heard children play any kind of instrument before.

After several performances, the children then gave their next performance at the monthly meeting for the parents. They also performed in the Christmas celebration held by the cluster for children from other development centers.

The music group has now mastered seven songs.

“The harmony that is now heard from the little ones has brought new hope for this village. I believe the children still have thousands of talents that they could develop for their future.” – Adri

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates

At the age of 3, John had his first contact with music. It was at a Compassion child development center.

Everything in John’s life could be dissonant if a particular day in his past hadn’t happened. Now, like in a beautiful symphony, John is conducting his life in a new tone – the tone of leadership.

John was 12 when everything happened. It seemed to be the last straw when the director of his former child center called his name and said, “I want to see you in my office now.”

Frightened, John walked to the place so familiar to him because of his aggressiveness and disobedience. But this was a day he didn’t do anything wrong. Sso he thought, “It’s done. There is no way out.”

He was right. For sure there was not.

“I was always reprimanded by my teachers for beating my classmates. Even though I was in the office almost every day, until that day the office didn’t scare me.

“To my great surprise, my director introduced me to a special person who in a short period of time would become my music mentor. It was the director’s last shot trying to save me; and it worked very well.”

John learned how to play guitar at the child center and the notes of his life started synchronizing.

By the age of 15, John was a peaceful person, passionate about music, and dreaming about becoming a great concert performer. But something was still missing in his life.

“At a youth camp I realized how important our decisions are and how many decisions are important ones that we have to take along our lives.

“Until that moment, it was a sacrifice for me listening to my teacher talk about God, but I figured out that there is only one truth, and one path – Jesus. So I made my choice.”

“He changed unbelievably for the better,” says one of his former monitors.

“He is no longer the same. There was a radical change,” agrees another one.

John’s passion and dedication to music touched his mentor’s heart, who with much determination succeeded in getting John a music scholarship in a very good music school.

John was 16 years old when his teacher gave him such precious gift. But just saying “thank you” was not enough for the quiet young man.

Now, twice a week after college, where John studies the Business Administration with help from the Leadership Development Program (LDP), he goes to the child center and conducts a kids’ choral.

“Through these classes, I give to the children. I try to teach them more than music. I want to teach them the true path.

“I know that just like it used to be for me, sometimes they feel bored learning about the Bible. But I know that one day they will understand.”

John also works as a volunteer music teacher at a public school, leads the music ministry at his church, and teaches guitar to two other students at his home. Besides college, church, LDP meetings and children’s music classes, John practices guitar four hours per day, while still making time for his girlfriend.

“God is my strength,” he says.

John’s discipline, self confidence, talent and great grades ensured him a place in the Leadership Development Program.

John’s relationship with the other LDP students is very honest, and he supports his friends, encouraging them with his words. They rejoice with each other’s achievements.

“I used to be very rude to people I didn’t agree with. Now, with my LDP classmates, I am learning how to be responsible with people feelings.

“My parents, who always loved me, now are proud of who I became.”

John is now studying a lot in order to achieve another dream: a musical school for children in need – the reason why he chose to study business administration.

John’s talents as a musician were appreciated by nearly 300 young people who were graduating from the Child Sponsorship Program in a touching ceremony last December.

Very concentrated, John played three peaceful songs of his authorship, and hundreds of attentive eyes experienced the sound of gratitude.

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates

Let me explain.

When you download the song you will not be asked for any money, or a friend’s e-mail address, or to fill out a survey.

“Kingdom Coming” is totally free. Truly! No strings attached.

But the song, I hope, will move many who hear it to give to those in tremendous need around the world, and right next door.

“Kingdom Coming” was inspired by my many years of partnering with Compassion to release children from poverty in 25 of the world’s poorest countries.

Four years ago, after seeing for myself how far a little goes in the developing world, my wife and I were inspired to sell our house, cut off the cable and make several other changes in an effort to simplify our lives so that others could simply live.

Because of those changes our expenses are so low that we’ve been able to do nothing for the last four years but sing and speak (100 times a year) and blog on behalf of Compassion, at no charge to the public.

In that time thousands of children have been sponsored through Compassion and have been educated, fed, healed, played with, and told about the love of Jesus as a result. This free download, and the ones to follow, are just the next logical progression for us.

When you visit http://www.shaungroves.com/freemusic, you’ll see a small link to compassion.com. My hope is that thousands of you will download “Kingdom Coming” for free, enjoy it, and then click that link and decide to meet the physical and spiritual needs of a child through a local church in the developing world by sponsoring them.

Helping me spread “Kingdom Coming” and the free music download page is helping bring the Kingdom (God’s will done on earth as it is in heaven) to the developing world.

Please, e-mail this song or link to a friend, use it at your church, play it on the radio, make a YouTube video, let your Facebook friends know about it. I own this song and all rights to it, and you hereby officially have my permission to use it in anyway you’d like as long as no one’s being charged to hear it.

Thank you for listening, giving and passing this music and message on.

Please let me know if I can ever serve you in any way.

- Shaun

My Account l Sponsor a Child l Help Babies and Moms l Crisis Updates