This afternoon was the annual Children’s Benefit Concert at the Lutheran Church of Honolulu — always presented during Lent which not only showcases the talented children of LCH but also raises money for a good cause. For the past seven years the beneficiary has been Heifer International, but this year the concert planners decided to benefit the ELCA Good Gifts Fund, which addresses the root causes of hunger and poverty. According to the website, a gift to the fund can:
- provide fresh water for an entire community
- give a goat to provide families with food, funds, and fertilizer
- plant an orchard to bear good, nutritious fruit for years to come
- offer a micro-credit loan to help a woman start a small business
- help a child buy school supplies
As usual, the variety of performances this afternoon was absolutely delightful, ranging from a magic show, hula, vocal duets, and solos on piano, violin, snare drum, cello and organ. Four of my organ students were scheduled to perform, but one was taken ill this morning and couldn’t attend.
A surprise performer was Pastor Jeff Lilley who played “Horn Call” by Randolph Currie on the organ! He played the short piece first by himself, then I played a duet with him on the second round. To his credit, he didn’t stop and we ended the piece together!
Pastor Jeff advised all those children in the audience to take music lessons while they are young because for a person over fifty and reading music for the first time is a whole lot harder!
