In Harmony Music Festival -- Hiroshima Peace Concert

Yukie and Wakana
After the Concert
Kaylee and Cam with their Candles

Tonight our family experienced a once-in-a-lifetime event. As part of the In Harmony Music Festival the girls choir is involved in (more about that on another post) we participated in a Peace Concert to commemorate the Hiroshima bombing. The mayor of Hiroshima was there and spoke. As he told some stories from that day and subsequent years a little boy behind us said "Did this really happen?" After he spoke 4 choirs sang -- two from Japan, the Singing Children of Africa (Kenyan orphanage choir) and our choir One Voice Children. What an incredible group of talented kids.

They were all great, but the Kenyan kids totally blew me away. They had brightly colored outfits and literally "rocked the house." They danced and sang and were just amazing! I couldn't help but notice how up beat and positive and joyful they were, and yet the circumstances in their country and lives and definitely the most challenging of all of the groups there. They are so full of life, smiles, hugs and talents.

After the concert everyone went out to the outdoor amphitheatre for a candlelight vigil. (Rocky Anderson was there... but I participated anyway.) The girls choir sang as everyone held their candles and I got to hear Kenzi sing one of my favorite solos she does.

I looked around and saw kids from all over the world singing and laughing together.

After we took Yukie and Wakana (the girls staying with us) to Baskin Robins -- they seemed to LOVE IT!!! They oohed and aahhh'd over the temple and state capital. When we got home they had bags full of gifts for us. Fans, chopsticks, Japanese crackers and cookies, toys, placement, and on and on. They made origamis for us and they gave us the coolest paper balls. We blew them up and played volleyball in the living room for 1/2 hour -- there we were me and my girls who speak NO Japanese and these two cute girls who speak very little English.. giggling, laughing and just having a great time. I guess laughter really is a Universal language!!

I knew when we signed up to host these girls it would be a great experience, and it is living up to everything I hoped it would be for my family and hopefully for all of the kids who are here participating!