Newsletter April 2017
Dear friends,
Firstly, a huge thankyou to all of you who prayed and gave towards the cost of the new portable recording equipment. We raised a total of £600 towards the cost, and I was able to get a new laptop and audio interface, install all the software successfully and take it all to Dublin – where it actually ran perfectly all week without a single glitch. Amazing; thankyou God!
Dun Laoghaire, Dublin – March 6th – 13th
This was a wonderful week, which I mostly spent with Marie helping her to get all her lead vocals recorded. Vocal coaching in the studio is one of my favourite jobs, and we were both very conscious of all the prayer support that really lifted us. Many of the song lyrics run deep into God’s truth for this season of time and there were precious moments as Marie sang them out. On the last day, a group of 5 singers came down from Dundalk and I had a very busy day trying to be coach and studio engineer at the same time! Tricky, but the results are very pleasing and I think the group were also blessed and encouraged by the experience. It was certainly a week where I was made to feel very welcome by everyone I came across! My hosts, Mary and Michael O’Neill were delightful and both Tim, Maire and their daughter Aisling who manages their basement recording studio were so supportive. On the final day we were able to enjoy a relaxing day with a trip down to Greystones for a walk on the beach and lunch at a nearby restaurant. Now the final sessions have been completed, and I hope to mix the CD during the last week of April. Please pray this goes well and Marie can get all the practical CD manufacturing done, ready for the CD launch.
African Profiles – young people serving God in their nation
I am really quite excited to share the stories of two young Africans with you, written in their own words. This is a ‘first’ in our newsletter; in fact others have already written their stories and sent them to me ready to share in the coming months. Perhaps it is appropriate to begin in Rwanda, as my own journey in reconciliation took me there very many times in the early years. The beginning of April is always a sensitive moment for every Rwandan as it is the time of their ‘remembrance’, so if you find time, please hold them up in prayer right now. Ok, so let me introduce Aimee and Louange as they are now; they were 10yrs and 7yrs at the time of the childrens ‘Arise, Shine Rwanda’ CD!
Hi! My name is Neema Aimee and I am 24 years old. I am Rwandan and live in Rwanda. I graduated from college in 2017 in the faculty of microbiology. Up until now, I haven’t got a permanent job related to what I studied but I have hope that soon I will get it. What I wish, is that I could have a good job that would allow me to continue my studies for a masters degree.
It has been a long time since I sang on the ‘Rabagirana Rwanda’ CD, but I can’t forget those great moments we had back then. I was in P5 and was around 10 years old. Those songs have been the source of hope for all Rwanda’s children, especially for us who were singing them together. Yes, we were young but from that time till now we have hope that Rwanda will never cry but it will shine and its light will be seen by the whole world.
– Aimee
My name is Mukunzi Kevin Louange and I am 22 years old. Currently I am studying in Kenya and have almost graduated from university with a degree in business and information technology, I am a praise and worship leader in my school and really love how God uses me on the keyboard and in helping with vocal trainings in different forums. My precious ambition in life is to become a sound engineer, event organizer and music adviser.
As I am a Rwandan, I have seen a lot of improvement and development which I personally call complete healing. As a small boy I started getting interested in peace making and building after the experience I had from recording the ‘Rabagirana Rwanda’ CD which was organized and directed by Dave Bankhead in 2002-2003. That I was involved in. With a message of hope, love and life, we were trained and given lessons on peace building by the use of our talents. One thing that really inspired me is the zeal and power used by our trainer (Dave B.) in the process of recording the album from the first day to the last. I want to believe that the source of the passion I have for music was from that project. Thank you!
– Louange
Diary Dates – Spring/Summer 2017
- April 17th – 22nd Short break in Edinburgh for me, Jean and Nathan!
- April 24th – May 1st Marie Gough CD mix
- May 2nd – 4th Rhiannon’s oversight group meet in North Wales
- May 21st – June 4th ISOR in Ukraine (provisional)
- June 9th – 11th Kemble House weekend retreat
- June 26th – July 9th Nakuru, Kenya (provisional)
- July 24th – Aug 1st Family holiday in Sark!
Love from Dave & Jean
With special thanks to The Crossroads Trust.
The Crossroads Trust is a Registered Charitable Trust, set up in 1987 with the following aims: to assist in the encouragement of missionary activity designed to foster the spread of the Christian faith; to promote better education between and within diverse cultural settings, and to provide relief for the poor and needy in society. Since 2005, the Trust has focussed solely on supporting the reconciliation ministry of Dave Bankhead and ‘We are One!’ Trustees include; John Jenkins (Chairman) and Simon Shaw. Registered Charitable Trust No: XN74834