WOLCOTT – The hum of children’s singing and the beat of African drums have been echoing through Connecticut.
The Destiny Africa Children’s Choir has been touring the state since September and on Oct. 31, they’ll perform at Christ Church , 16 Townline Road in Wolcott, to celebrate the grand opening of the church’s CC Café.
Destiny Africa is comprised of orphaned children rescued from the desperate situations in the war-torn and AIDS-ravaged slums of Uganda, according to a press release. Today they live at Kampala Children’s Center in the United Kingdom where the children go to school and live in a safe community.
“These children have been through whole lot of trials and tribulations, this program is helping them recover and get involved in something positive and constructive,” said Peter O’Neill, coffee house coordinator.
Kampala Children’s Center opened in 2005 and currently cares for more than 50 children. The organization’s hope, according to its Web site, is to eventually provide housing and education for 1,000 orphans.
Destiny Africa Children’s Choir came to New England on Sept. 16 for their first ever U.S. tour. Wellspring Church in Kensington is serving as the choir’s home base.
The group dresses in multihued clothing and performs traditional and contemporary song, percussion and dance at their free performances (donations are accepted).
O’Neill said the choir is a “riveting testimony.”
“To watch young people like that rejoice in their faith is really moving,” he said.
O’Neill added that the concert, which will be at 7 p.m., is a safe trick-or-treat alternative that he hopes families will participate in. Children will receive free goodie bags at the performance.
“It’s a place where families can come and sit and spend some time,” he said. “The main thing is just to come and listen to the choir. The choir with all percussion, dancing and singing, will be quite an event.”
The CC Café will present live music one Saturday a month. After the grand opening on Halloween, the next event will be Dec. 5.
The Destiny Africa Children’s Choir will be performing throughout New England until Nov. 8.
Upcoming shows in Connecticut are:
Oct. 14, West Avon Congregational Church, Avon
Oct. 17, Elim Park, Cheshire
Oct. 20, Avon High School, Avon
Oct. 21, Crossroads Community Cathedral, East Hartford
Oct. 22, Trinity Baptist, Fairfield
Oct. 24, Call to Care Uganda, Madison
Oct. 25, Grace Baptist Church, Bristol
Oct. 28, Immanuel Lutheran Church, Bristol
Oct. 29, Calvary Christian Center, New Britain
Oct. 30, First Church of Christ , Weathersfield
Oct. 31, Christ Church, Wolcott
Nov. 1, The Tabernacle, Southington
Nov. 8, Wellspring, Kensington
Nov. 8, South Church/Main Street Singers, New Britain
Creedible.com 