With summer coming to a close, so are the summer missions trips. For Becky Rogers and Karen Allen from Birmingham, a missions trip to the heart of South America will not soon be forgotten.
Rogers, a member of Lakeside Baptist Church in Birmingham, and Allen, a member of Meadow Brook Baptist Church in Birmingham, each participate in their church orchestras, playing the oboe and the organ respectively, but the orchestra in Paraguay was of a different sort.
Known as the Global Missions Project Celebration Orchestra, it was composed of more than 30 musicians of all ages from at least nine states and three countries. All came together in Paraguay’s capital city, Asuncion, for their first rehearsal. Twenty additional young musicians from Paraguay joined the orchestra as they traveled throughout the country spreading the gospel through music.
Rogers has been on ten previous Global Missions Project trips but noted that “this is one of the best projects I’ve been on.” Rogers encouraged her niece from North Carolina to join her on the clarinet as part of her high school graduation celebration. Now her niece is hooked!
The orchestra shared eight concerts in various locations, including the Gutenberg School in Campo Nueve, a Mennonite university, a military police station, an outside park and a concert hall. Both Allen, who has been on two trips with GMP, and Rogers agreed that a church youth concert ranked as their most meaningful moment. Youth enjoyed singing and swaying to the music with phone flashlights dotting the dimly lit sanctuary. Following the concert, a picnic on the grounds was provided, with the youth demonstrating a traditional dance and inviting orchestra members to join in.
The military police concert was another highlight, packing the indoor/outdoor hall with 400 rowdy cadets. “It was powerful to hear their voices in song. Their response created a sense of live energy. I was shocked at their deafening applause,” said Allen, who served as the orchestra’s keyboardist.
A message through music
Musical favorites such as “Majesty” and “You Are Good” captured the attention of listeners. Testimonies, stories and an invitation to sing allowed for audience engagement. Hymn classics including “Amazing Grace,” “Be Thou My Vision” and “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee” were played along with an Irish jig and a jazz version of “Jericho.”
Many of the arrangements played were written by the director of the orchestra and founder of GMP, Camp Kirkland. Kirkland has directed orchestras and jazz bands around the world since founding the ministry in 2003. His purpose was to create an opportunity for musicians to go to the missions field using their God-given talents as a tool to reach people for Christ.
Days before leaving, Kirkland orchestrated a favorite national song of Paraguay, distributing it to project participants. “Mi Paraguay” was played at each concert, delighting concert attendees.
A welcome addition to the orchestra was a men’s singing group called aDorIOS. This team of God-loving, enthusiastic young men not only shared their harmonies but also served as missions partners for GMP’s inaugural visit to Paraguay.
God’s message of love was shared with more than 4,100 people from the eastern to the western side of a landlocked country that measures the size of California.
Added benefits
When asked about her inspiration for continued participation in GMP, Rogers said, “I love playing my instrument with musicians from around the world. Music is truly the international language. Even if we speak different languages, the ability to read the same sheet of music helps us develop an instant connection, providing opportunities to share the gospel.”
In addition to concerts, master music classes for specific instruments and orchestration were taught, providing one-on-one instruction.
Part of the mission was serving with Mennonite colonies that were celebrating 75 years of settlement in Paraguay from Canada and Germany. Low German was often heard among the hosts, although the majority of the people speak Spanish and Guarani. GMP participants learned about the culture and history of the Mennonites in Paraguay.
Part of the cultural experience in any GMP missions trip is the local cuisine. Several churrascaria meals were enjoyed in Paraguay, resembling those of Brazilian restaurants where roving waiters carve barbecued meat from skewers. Mate tea, a unique herbal blend drunk through a filtering straw, and mbeju, a starch cake with cheese that is fried in an iron skillet, were also enjoyed.
While music and missions were the primary focus, GMP participants got a chance to cross the border into Brazil to catch a glimpse of one of the seven wonders of nature — Iguazu Falls. With its 275 individual waterfalls, this magnificent system offered spectacular displays of God’s creation. Stunning rainbows stretching across the falls portrayed God’s promise.
Go to globalmissionsproject.com for more information or to register for one of the upcoming projects. Trips vary in length but generally last 10 days.
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