Zephaniah Trust

"taking light into dark corners"

Music

MUSIC IN THE PHILIPPINES

At our reception at the village in the mountains we had been treated to an improvised dance session and a song to welcome us.

Coming back down the mountain, we stopped by the river to meet another village who gave us loads of food, including fish from the river, and then we sat down on the floor in their community centre facing the villagers.

"Can we sing to you?" they asked us. We were expecting a song like the old lady had sung in the first village we'd been to - in their own dialect with a tune you couldn't get a hold on and eighty-four verses, but they sang,

"This is the day,

this is the day,

that the Lord has made"

- in English! Then I heard someone from another room singing, "I've got joy and it's down in my heart." So I asked if we could teach them a song.

Somewhere high in the mountains of Mindanao there are people singing with you,

"I will remember all the good things,

and I will sing of all the good things,

and I will thank you for all the good things,

everything you give to me."

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Office Address:

Zephaniah Office

PO Box 310

Shipley

West Yorkshire

BD18 9BX