The Gift of Music: Rediscovering an old gift

Another worship leader looking at the new set of strings given to him in South Sudan courtesy of World Music Mission

Coming back from France to Nairobi, I looked forward to being there on a Sunday.  Because we lived in Kenya for three years we got fairly involved in the church in Nairobi.  It has been, on many occasions, a lifeline for me.  I’m coming to discover that the gift of music and arts is something that is much more important to me than I had thought in the past.  It’s been interesting to me to have these moments of self discovery when I thought I knew myself so well.

So, this Sunday, I joined again the worship team at church.  This particular week, a good number of the music team were down on a missions trip in Rwanda on the eve of the 20th year since the genocides.  A pianist was called in from Eldoret, an 8 hour bus ride away from Nairobi, who agreed to come and help out.  Coincidentally, he had also spent time in South Sudan but that’s another story.  We played through the English and Swahili songs and I could really feel my spirit being lifted. 

When a psych evaluation was done on me a number of years back as I was joining the mission, I was told that music was probably an important part of my life.  I’ve not forgotten it but I’m now coming to appreciate those words more and more.  When I think about sharing music with people and allowing them to worship God through it… I feel uplifted. 

I am also finding meaning in other people using the gift of music to bless others.  A friend in South Sudan that Claire and I have both known for many years was once given a guitar in the Ethiopian refugee camp 17 years ago.  He has since used it in his community to lead others in song.  The whereabouts of that particular guitar is in question since he had to leave it in the latest flight from bombings in his home area (the guitar seen above belongs to a Bible school where he is finishing his studies).  I had a chance recently to bring up strings that were gifted to him from a visiting US team.  Being a part of helping him to continue using his gift is becoming more and more meaningful for me.

Tohru at a wedding in July in France
helping with the service

In Malakal, on Sundays as a team we were often asked to ‘share’ a song during the morning service.  In these multi-tribal churches each tribe presents a song in the morning service (see the Koma tribe sharing here).  It’s an opportunity to share songs in a style in the midst of other vastly different forms of musical worship.  It’s a chance to be mutually edified.

As I get back to Malakal, I’m looking forward to continuing to use music in creative ways in service to Him.  I hope to take some time weekly to serve in the Malakal hospital, if administration there would allow, to play for the patients: something that I had done before in other parts of the country.  Would you pray for that and possibly other opportunities to use this gift?  Let me know what you think too.  Your comments are valued.