Here is the link for the interview with Wilcox and Wendy: Intro Interview
We did get a chance to record the report night, and so if you would like a physical copy (rather than just downloading it off of this page) of the live music and stories and interviews, etc. then just let me know and I will do my best to get it to you.
Here are a few extra songs recorded out in the settlement:
Jehova Jireh Church Youth: Who’s Gonna Be My Witness?
For those of you who have the cd, I have been working hard getting this website ready for everybody else, that is, putting all of the music up so anyone can just get it here (don’t think that you’re money donated for the cd was spent in vain though, since your money has gone to continue the work there in S. Africa).
What I’m doing is putting up all of the stories (in audio form) for each of the songs on the cd – that is, for the songs I wrote. These stories were told at the report night, and I wanted to make them available to everyone that was unable to attend. (if you follow the “older entries” link at the bottom of the page, that will take you to songs 10-20)
Also, here are some extra stories and songs from the report night that aren’t on the cd: (if you want a copy of the entire recording of the Report Night, just let me know).
Jehova is Your Name, (I said Jehova) – repeat (there’s a lot of that in African worship)
Mighty Warrior, Great in Battle, Jehova is Your Name.
That’ll be Wendy, Pastor Wilcox’s wife’s voice that you here belting it out on this and most of the songs that I recorded off of my digital camera during a normal worship service on a Sunday morning.
The church is Jehova Jira Pentacharismatic Ministries, and these brothers and sisters in Christ meet in a shack church, cramming upwards of 80 people inside a tin shack hardly the size of one of our many Starbucks.
But it works all the same, and it’s amazing the work that God is doing in that tiny shack: there’s new people coming to church every week, and the ones that have been coming for a few months are getting saved. It’s great. So sit back and enjoy listening to the worship of your fellow believers as well as a hearing about what is going on in their communities.
My name is Amy, I’ve wandered this journey alone.
I’ve waited and waited for someone to just take me home.
But time on time they walk away, and I get left here, here to stay,
Why won’t they see me for who I am, and call me their own?
Maybe they just can’t see past my blood count of cd4,
After all they might just want a kid who will live past the age of four.
But year on year keeps passing by, and sometimes I just wonder why
It was your mom, not my mom, that left me here, here to die.
Are you gonna stay, don’t walk away, do you here what they say, please don’t walk away.
If you would like more information about TLC Ministries (who run this Baby home in Johannesburg and are always in need of short-term volunteers – like 3-6 month terms) then you can check out their website here: http://www.tlc.org.za/indexold.php?id=1
Listen to that music roar, that thumpin’ rhythm is out the door.
I listen as I sink into this stupor with one more drink.
Cause I don’t want to know just where my life is going to go.
I got family back home, a wife and kids and they’re probably alone.
But I do all that I can to pay the bills then I’m gone again.
This is my only peace, don’t blame me for my one release.
Just give me one more drink, just one more drink,
Have you ever tried to think when life is o’er the brink?
You think I want it this way, you’ve got a lot to say,
I dare you to stay in my shoes for just a day.
Just leave me alone, just leave me alone,
Just let me go, and find peace for my soul.
I just want to forget my troubles in it,
Don’t you stand in my way, I’ll be back the next day – and it’ll be alright.
Ride on Moses, ride on the King Emmanuel,
Ride on Moses, I want to go to heaven in the morning.
I want to go to heaven in the morning (I want to go to heaven in the morning).
Well. . .
This song is proudly brought to you by the brilliant trio of Patrinella, MumDora, and MumNora. Patrinella is one of the youth girls, MumDora is her mom (bringing you the Well‘s), and then MumNora is MumDora’s sister. Every Sunday when it came time for people to share songs, these three would have a great song for us without fail every week. Sometimes other ladies from the congregation joined in to help them.
Mum Nora (she helps Wendy as a teacher at the preschool)
Mum Dora (she’s the head of the church’s knitting club)
Well you came in and stole my country
Stole it then left me dry
Now all you do is use me
And I just wonder why
And I don’t know just a-where I’m-a gonna sleep tonight
I’m telling you, I think all this is silly
Cuz I’m a person too
But you won’t agree with me
You class me number two
I’m your slave, I work then you send me away
Well I, I work down in the mines now
But they don’t pay me none
Only some moldy bread now
No more than half a crumb
But who’s to say that they’re not right in all they do
Cuz it’s they who carry the gun, not sticks like me and you
One time I, I tried to get my land back
But they won’t move aside
They said, man, don’t be silly
This world was made for whites
And you’re just here to serve the likes of me
So you can clean my clothes wash my shoes and then sleep under a tree
I’m telling you you’re wrong
And it’s a good thing this is behind us
In a museum – or is it?
Sing come on, come on let’s sing together
I, I, I, I believe in Jesus (let’s sing together). . .
Doctor Jesus is here to meet your need.
Just allow Him to touch you, you will never be the same again.
Young St. Patrick’s 23 today
He left his home, he was stolen away.
The pirates came, threw him in the boat,
Off to distant shores and that’s where he’ll stay.
Six years as a slave with a foreign lord,
It drove him to his knees, not to the sword.
He found God and home in that foreign land,
Then found a ship going back, and he got on board.
He thought that he was free, thought his lesson done,
But we all know the story, and it’s just begun.
Cuz right when he got back, before he’d settled in,
He’s followed by a dream, and it’s a heavy one.
He saw the faces of those he had left behind
And heard their voices all ask in time.
They said, “Please don’t go, don’t leave us here to die
We need you here with us.” Oh piercing sign!
Then came voice on voice, haunting, filling me
They will not let me go, they will not let me be.
One says, “We need you more than you them,
Why turn away when here you see the need?”
But I, I will listen for Your voice that’s calling through this storm.
I will not be deceived by their “here He is,” or “there He is”
I will go where You call me, Lord
Over mountain plain or sea
I will go where You call me Lord
Wherever You have need of me
I have no home here in this world, Lord
No foxes hole, nor sparrow’s tree
My home is where You choose to call me, Lord
My home’s wherever You’re with me.
Old St. Patrick’s 93 today
He’s left his home, he’s living far away.
God called him back to the land of his slavery,
And that’s where he went, and that’s where he’ll stay.
You know, I’ll be 93 some day,
Will I have a pension stored away?
Or like St. Patrick, will I choose for my home
Those Emerald shores of my Lord’s way?
Patrinella (she’s done with high school, and so now she actually teaches at Wendy’s preschool as well)
Isaac was here 