Day Four - One World One Voice

Sunday began as we went to sing at the 'New Life A G' Church. The streets were packed with Christians going to churches all over the City. We have no photographs of the church or the services. The church is an eight story building and the first service we sang at was a Tamil Service attended by 5,000 on three floors. We sang during Communion.
We were intended to sing at an English speaking service and we were invited to wait on the office floor at the top of the building.

The picture shows the offices used by 70 Pastors serving their membership of 30,000. There are also 30 Regional Pastors.
We had taken out to India a 20ft paddling pool to be delivered to an 'Alpha India' orphanage. Alpha India Foundation was founded in 1999. The aim of the charity is to help orphaned and destitute children in South India, and is presently working in the suburbs of Chennai.
In January 2003 a purpose built building, called Rainbow's end was opened to provide a home for the first family unit of thirteen children. The children were previously being cared for in an old farmhouse on the same land. The children are well loved and cared for by Christian 'house parents', Suresh and Nimi. There are currently 20 boys and girls aged between 2 and 13 years. They are taught English at Christian schools and are taken each week to a lively family orientated church. They came to visit us in our hotel after the service.

Every one fell in love with them.

We tried on our new choir waistcoats before we left for the 'One World, One Voice' concert.

On our way to the concert, we saw one of the huge posters advertising our performance of 'Jailbreak' the following day.

The Choir take their seats for the pre Concert rehearsal at 5 O'clock.

We were joined by an augmented Immanuel Methodist Church Choir.

A choir from Madras Korean Church. Their pastor Dev is a friend of the new Minister at Christchurch.

There was also an African Choir called the Chariots.

The 7,000 strong audience begin to arrive in an especially built hall as they thought it might rain.

Mrs Pamela conducts.

The choir respond.

Sally sings her unaccompanied solo, Amazing Grace, in front of more people than she has ever seen before.

We had traditional Indian dancing.

And the massed choirs.

Mrs Pamela conducts.

And encourages audience participation.

School Children gave a representation in dance of all the countries of the world.

Eve and Mike sing 'My heart will go on'.

The full choir including Mrs Pamela.

Indian hospitality and generosity dictates that they feed us after every performance.