Matsiko Children's Choir: Bringing More Than Hope to Our Community

On paper they don't have anything. They are orphans or at-risk children. No  parents. No money. No homes. And yet they walk into the room with everything.  Joyous smiles. Boundless energy. And hope that is almost tangible. Fittingly  enough, their name means "hope." They are the Matsiko 2012 World Orphans Choir. And they have come from thousands of miles away to bridge the gap between our three countries: United States, Liberia and Peru.

Ranging in age from approximately 8 to 16, fifteen children are traversing our county with their message of hope and awareness for children like them in  desperate circumstances. In their home countries, only the rich receive  educations. The rest are forced to resort to hunting, fishing and finding alternate means for providing for themselves and their families. Children like them, without families or other resources end up begging on the streets, stealing, using drugs and even selling their bodies. There are more than 6 million at-risk children in this world today. If they were to all join hands, their numbers would circle the globe 18 times, according to the International Children's Network (ICN).

In more ways than one, joining the Matsiko choir is as life changing as winning the lottery. They now have an education, a future and all the hope in the world. Funded by the ICN, these children receive sponsors to help them attend and  stay in school all the way to the university level. According to its website, the children of Matsiko are selected from the pool of sponsored children based on academic strength, musical  talent and "an innate passion to be change agents in their own country." Children sponsored by the ICN have gone on to become heart surgeons, teachers, nurses, mechanical engineers, lawyers and more in their home countries. Many of them stay involved in the program to continue helping our most precious resource: our children. More importantly, they become spokespeople to break the horrible cycle of poverty afflicting so many of the world's communities.

On our end, they bring perspective and appreciation for what we so readily have. Education. Homes. Families. A future. Watching these 15 children perform in the El Camino Creek Elementary School auditorium (one of the many scheduled local performances this month) was both inspiring  and illuminating. In between dancing and singing, the children speak on a pre-recorded video of their friends back home who often crowd around the one room schools to stare and gasp in amazement over the lucky few who are rich enough to receive an education. Listening to their words spoken in halting English, a language they recently learned, I could not help but look around at the beautiful state-of-the-art auditorium housing the crowd, just one of the many buildings and amenities afforded to our children every day. Here everyone receives an education. It is disturbing to think that it is not the case across the globe. One boy in particular named William Henry talks about feeling both excited and guilty that his friends don't have the same privilege he was so  lucky to receive. He tells the audience that he was on a waiting list and "couldn't believe it" when he was selected to receive a sponsor. He goes on to say that he wishes that the Children's Choir was large enough so that all children could receive a sponsor and education like him.

The video then fades out and a young boy steps forward on stage. It is William Henry himself. And the crowd of elementary students goes wild. More than just a handful of girls throw their arms in the air and take on the awe-struck stance usually reserved for mega-stars like Justin Beiber. But then again, William Henry is more than a star. He is ambassador of hope, love and appreciation. Watching the children react to William and his friends, it becomes clear that the intended  message has more than just been delivered. Communicating in only a way that  children can do with each other, the students "get it." Perhaps for the first time ever, our local youth see themselves as the privileged few — a luxury only afforded to a small handful in other countries. More importantly, they see their on-stage friends as their new teen "idols." Singing and dancing in front of a crowd, as well as blown up larger-than-life on a video screen, they serve as role models for creating a better future for our children, as well as our world.

At the end of the performance, the children mingle with each other. Holding  hands, wrapping arms around each other and smiling. It is clear to see that the  gap between our countries has become a little bit smaller. Our children walk back into their classrooms with renewed enthusiasm for their education and future goals. The children of Liberia and Peru pack up their belongings and eagerly look forward to meeting their next set of friends. They already have had all their dreams come true. It is their hope that maybe someone at the next stop will help some of their friends back home. Like William Henry's wise words, they get just a little bit closer to making the entire planet a universal Matikso choir. Bringing music, joy and hope every step of the way.

The Matsiko Children's Orphan Choir will be performing this week at select  locations in Encinitas and Carlsbad. Click here for their calendar of events for a location near you.