Cairns in harmony for visit of world leaders
BY LAUREN MARTIN
Members of the Cairns Corps African Choir say they are thrilled to have been asked to perform for the visit of the world leaders of The Salvation Army, General Lyndon and Commissioner Bronwyn Buckingham.
Corps Officer Major Ben Johnson said the African Choir is mainly made up of refugees who have become Salvationists through the Cairns Corps’ partnership with the local settlement agency, which results in the corps offering assistance and building relationships with new arrivals to the city. They lead worship in the corps’ Swahili and Kinyarwanda-speaking congregation every week.
“They sing in [their own] language and they have a really vibrant and joyful expression of worship,” said Ben. “It’s beautiful.”
The organising committee for the visit of General and Commissioner Buckingham approached Cairns Corps earlier this year and asked if the choir would perform a song at Queensland’s Brisbane rally.
With Brisbane located 1688km south of Cairns, the trip to perform will be expensive. Ben said the corps is investing heavily to allow the choir to take up the opportunity and bless those present with their unique style of worship. “They bring something of value to The Salvation Army and we can learn a lot,” he said.
“It’s their deep spirituality and the very real experience of being part of a literal Salvation Army. Their reliance on Jesus for their lives being saved – this is not just a spiritual concept – it’s a very physical, literal salvation where most of the choir members have come from war-torn countries and living in refugee camps to now living in Cairns, Australia – the land of plenty. Their lives have been saved.”
Choir pianist Tresor Bikorimana Ngendakuriyo taught himself to play and thanks God for his passion for music. “Any song that I can think of, I can play,” he says. “It’s not by ear, it’s through the Holy Spirit we can do everything.”
Tresor came to Australia as a young adult after spending many years living in a refugee camp in Burundi, after fleeing his home country of Congo. He has made his home in Cairns and his spiritual home at The Salvation Army where he now works as a street chaplain and emergency relief officer.
“I thank God for every plan over my life,” he says, adding that being involved in choirs and playing the piano has been a highlight of his life for many years: “I sing with my own hands!”
The choir will perform at the Brisbane rally in language, which will give those present an opportunity to immerse themselves in the rich sound of the song and hear through it whatever message God has for them.
Tresor says his hope is that “every tongue [will] confess Jesus is the King”, just like in the song he loves to sing, Oh Ancient of Days.
Information on the General’s visit can be found here
