“We were at Saturday Bible Club last time, and one kid got sick. One of our teachers whose name is Dina, took her to the hospital. I know they paid for everything for our friend. They made sure she was okay. Every week when we finish our Bible Club, the teachers always pray for us, our families, our studies, and our future. It makes me happy knowing they care.”

When she grows up, Bernisse wants to take care of other people, just like her mother and teachers do. Thank for you helping Bernisse reach her dreams!!

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We would love for you to join us in Africa, to celebrate this historic event. Come September, these 400 children will finally be able to attend a brand new school! Asante will be taking a mission team to Rwanda, Burundi, and Uganda September 12-22, 2013. This will be an opportunity to work with children, celebrate new beginnings, and share the love of Jesus.

This mission trip will include elements beyond celebrating the opening of the Burundi school. The following activities will be done as well:

• Visiting African Church
• Going to museums & cultural centers
• Meeting your sponsored children
• Visiting all Asante Choir Houses
• Visiting all Asante Schools
• Attending/assisting at an Asante Saturday Bible Club
• Running children’s camps

If you want to learn more about this upcoming trip, please email Madison at mlewis@asanteministries.org or fill out the application here.

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“Uncle” Tommy, Ivan and four kids from Asante 3

 “I wake up to an alarm ringing at 7 AM.  I get out of bed, unsure of where I am or even if it’s the same place where I closed my eyes the night before.  As I slowly begin to recall the new home I’m in, I enter the adjacent bedroom to wake the three sleeping boys.  I am immediately greeted by big beautiful smiles, teeth bright against their dark skin; accompanied by a tight embrace and a gentle, ‘Good morning, Uncle.’ 
‘Can it get any better than this?’ I think to myself. 

We quickly prepare for what the new day has in store.  Eat breakfast, brush our combined 112 teeth (minus the 2 that were lost just last week), comb the curly black hair, pack our limited belongings, receive warm hugs and ‘goodbyes’  from the loving host family, and exit the third house of the week.

Upon arriving at our semi-permanent home (the tour bus) everyone assumes their position to load up all the bags in a somewhat timely and orderly fashion.  Once everything and everyone is loaded, the children begin their countdown, shouting out their numbers all the way from one up to ‘twenty-fo’ (twenty-four).  Once we arrive at the next church before beginning with school lessons, we have morning devotions where 24 angelic voices (and the additional noise of us 9 chaperones) are raised to the Lord in passionate praise and worship. 

Then I think to myself, ‘OK, it just got better.’

As the day progresses, full of learning, loving, and laughing, preparations begin for the evening performance.  The stage is cleared, sound and lighting equipment is set, and rehearsal begins.  The exuberant music and rhythmic drumming pulses through the entire church.  After having dinner the children begin to change into their vibrant costumes.  The church auditorium quickly fills with an anticipatory audience.  Someone rises to the stage and speaks an introduction into the microphone. 

‘Ladies and gentlemen, this is Asante Children’s Choir!’”

My name is Tommy Collette and I recently toured as a chaperone with Asante  3 (May 2012-March 2013).  Being a chaperone on tour with the Asante Children’s Choir has been a privilege, a challenge, an honour, and more than anything else: an unimaginable blessing.  I still am astonished that I was able to be just a small part of something so huge.  Through this experience not only have I made intimate and lasting relationships with all of the twenty four choir children and the other chaperones on tour, but I also met and established friendships with countless others along the way from host families, to audience members, to curious onlookers as we would lead 24 African children, double-file, into a Wal-Mart for a pit stop on those long drives.

Sometimes I have doubts about the shape that humanity is in these days, but on tour I witnessed the unrestricted generosity and the unconditional love of complete and total strangers.  I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised by this when I think of the affect those kids had on me.  There is just something about the innocence of a child, and once you know the kinds of backgrounds that these kids have come from, it’s hard not to want to do everything you possibly can to help give them a better life.  But the kids on the road are just a fraction of the countless others whom they are representing from their communities back home.  Our job was to help people see that, and to give them an opportunity to make a difference.  Knowing that I have helped (even if only minimally) to give some of these children a better future has been so rewarding and I am so thrilled to have seen first hand how lives have been changed.

This experience has impacted me beyond belief.  It has helped me realign my life with God’s intentions for me, and to seek to satisfy His will before satisfying my own.  It has matured me spiritually and emotionally, and has taught me a much broader understanding of the world and my role in it.  On tour, I felt the tangibility of God’s Spirit at work and  saw the impact it made.  There is no way to adequately sum up the entirety of my experience with Asante, but it has changed my life forever and I will never be the same.

For more information on how YOU can become a chaperone, please visit our volunteer page.

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This last week our church – [Community of Hope] –  had the joy of hosting the Asante children’s choir from Burundi for several days.  These are precious children who are victims of the civil war violence and the AIDS epidemic in Africa.  One of the outings they were most excited about was going swimming.  They had never seen or been in a pool before, so there were lots of emotions ranging from unbelievable joy to sheer terror.  Before I became a pastor I worked as swim coach and instructor and I could tell that some of the smaller kids had an internal struggle going on; they wanted to get in the water like the bigger kids but they were terrified that the water was over their heads.  So I went over to two little girls who had a firm grip sitting on the pool side and I asked them; “Do you trust me?” “Yes” they said.  “Do you believe I will keep you safe?” “Yes” they answered.  “Do you believe I am strong enough to hold you up?” “Yes” they replied.  Then I simply held out my arms to them and gave them the look indicating that it would be okay. And with that reassurance they jumped in and held on with all their strength.

In life there are so many things that cause us worry and fear.  For some it’s deep water for others it’s retirement uncertainty.  To all of us who struggle, Jesus says in Matthew 6:25 “Don’t be filled with worry.”  And with those words our risen Lord holds out his arms to us and asks us “Do you trust me? Do you believe I will keep you safe?”  Don’t allow your fears and worries keep you on the side of the pool.  Trust in Jesus and jump into life, holding onto Him with all your heart.

Pastor Doug Adams
Community of Hope
Wilsonville

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Family and Friends,

We have already done so much. We will try and recap as short as possible the things we have done and seen. It is amazing to see God’s hand in the life of people half way around the country!

Yesterday, (5/25) we began the day at the private school that Asante created, finances, and operates. There we played games (pillow sack races, jump roping, “football”[soccer]), and simply enjoyed the interaction of the children. We also took with us coloring pages, and small wooden airplanes. They loved coloring, but they really loved the airplanes. We could not construct them fast enough! Then we observed the debate that is held every Friday. They debated about City Life vs. Village Life, and Private schools vs. Government schools. The children, in English were clearly and accurately able to converse, and embrace valid debates. They are exceptionally smart and indisputably kind.

Today, Saturday the 26th we started construction for a house we are assisting in building. We started digging the foundation with a machete, hoe, and shovel. Everyone pitched in and helped. We were there from 7am-11am. In that short amount of time we nearly completed the foundation. On Monday we will start making bricks, and finishing the foundation.

Additionally, we visited the Murambi Genocide Museum. Here is where many of the genocides transpired. What previously was meant as a school was turned into concentration camps, and French headquarters during the genocide. We have always been and still are fortunate to be protected from such despair, and wickedness. We have only read of conditions resembling this. The irony behind all of it though is that it is encircled by pure and absolute beauty.

We have been partaking in daily devotions and yesterday’s devotion was about relationships and encouragement. The study was based upon Hebrews 10:24-26. These are very valuable, and help us stay focused.

We are all doing very good, and miss our families like crazy, but are cherishing this period and venture we undertook to spread the love of God. Please remain praying for us, that we will be instruments in the greater picture, and we can all find the love and serenity that God offers.

With love and gratitude,

Mwiriwe (Goodnight!)

The Team

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Rathdrum Idaho has been known around the country as a dark place. A place filled with lies, sacrifices, and hate. Also, Rathdrum was once known for a high concentration of white supremacists. Now it will be known as a place of revival and hope. Living and growing up in Rathdrum during my teen years I was exposed to a completely different world than what I was used to in California. It is a small community and the people here seemed, at first, closed minded and didn’t give anyone new a chance. The kids and people here had rarely or never experienced new and different cultures. Asante has helped to bridge that cultural gap.  It has given me a vehicle whereby I can work to help to open up this community to the outside world, to show that there is more to life than what they see in their back yard.

A Capella Choir of Lakeland High School

Lakeland High School and staff have always had the heart to help and support others. They strongly support giving back to the community and opening the student’s eyes to new experiences. We knew it would be the perfect place to have the Asante choir perform. When we went to the school to ask if the Asante children could perform, the prospect immediately touched a few of the teachers and they excitedly worked to help make it happen. Within two days the entire school was scheduled and made ready to receive the choir.

Like all small towns, many of the students of Lakeland High School are struggling to find their purpose and ministries like Asante help to bring the hope and inspire the dreams and visions most have been searching for. The day the choir came to Lakeland High School we had the extreme pleasure and privilege to witness the Spirit move through the choir with a quickening that in a moment’s time captivated the students and captured their hearts. As we stood there and observed the scene we saw students moved to cheer, to clap,  to silence, even to weep. There was much joy shared; it was phenomenal. That day marked a new day in this community. I know in my heart that the events of that day have sparked a much needed change in the atmosphere for the Rathdrum. I also know that it is, in part, because the Spirit was allowed to move freely on the hearts and minds of those who desire a change, those who search for hope.

Battle of the Band Hosts and Organizers

Asante touched those kids hearts so much they held two different benefit shows to help support the choir. It is amazing to me to see the students of Rathdrum support the organization because if you knew the town’s history you never would have thought with a worldly mind, that it would happen. But God can do anything. The eyes of the Lord are color blind. Just  imagine a public school filled with over 800 students who are 99% Caucasian be so moved and blessed by the choir’s story and their songs about God and Jesus. After the performance they wanted to do anything to help.

The first benefit show that the students put on themselves was a Battle of the Bands held on April 13th. One student came to us immediately after the choir’s performance at the school and he mentioned that he and some of his band mates would love to put on a show to help raise money for the choir. He followed through and he and other students arranged a 5 band Battle of the bands to be held at Lakeland High School. This consisted of kids from surrounding schools. The auditorium was filled with youth and parents having a great time in support of Asante. It was a fun event and they raised just over $500! The guys who put the event on were very excited for the turn out and were very glad to see that they could help out the organization.

Shortly after the battle of the bands on May 1st the high school’s very own A Capella choir put on their own benefit concert which raised just about $300. They put an article in the local news paper to make the community aware and seek their involvement. I got the privilege to speak and give information about what Asante is and the purpose behind it. The choir director, Mark Sescilla, and his group were extremely blessed by Asante. Some of the songs in the show included Don’t Stop Believing, Elijah Rock, and Set Me as a Seal. Their last song was an African blessing song called Bwana Awabariki which means “may God grant you a blessing”. These students were so excited to put their hands to something and make a difference. Lakeland High School would like to continue to be involved with Asante and we are working on holding annual events to help support the organization.

A Capella concert poster

The youth today are searching for something to put their hands to. They want to find and follow their purpose. They are the ones igniting the hope for everyone else around them and we cannot hold them back. It is such a blessing to see my community come together to help make a difference. There is going to be much more to come. This is just the beginning!!

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This morning we had a performance at Portland Adventist Academy.  It went great and everyone there was so welcoming and accommodating.  They helped with loading and unloading the bus, were willing to help with setting up for the concert, and provided us with a delicious lunch!  After eating, some of the students from the school even joined the choir kids for a soccer game!

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