Submitted by Mrs. Miriam Leftwich

Several months out of the year, Ugandan children travel with staff from the Watoto Ministries to cities around the world to share their stories of resilience. On Friday, January 17, 2025, their audience was residents of Greene and surrounding counties.
Members of the Watoto Children’s Choir performed Ugandan songs and Christian contemporary music in Eutaw, Alabama at the New Generation Community Life Center. The Choir performed songs from their brand new album, Better Days-There is Hope. They sang, danced and shared their stories of restoration and hope. One child shared how her parents had died but she later found a new life with a community in the Watoto Ministry.
Adult leaders had testaments as well, both said they too had found a family at Watoto, a ministry based in Uganda’s capital city of Kampala. Through Watoto, they were able to get a quality education. Both have earned their degrees in Management and Engineering.
The Watoto ministries provides housing, education and health services for children in Uganda who have been abandoned when their parents have died or because of war and poverty. The Ministry has helped thousands of children. The audience was inspired by the stories of how the children have overcome a hurdle of hardships.
Watoto Children’s Choirs have traveled extensively since 1994. In fact, almost every day of the year the choir is performing somewhere throughout the world. That means thousands of people get to meet some of our future leaders. As people see their smiles and are embraced by their hugs, the children have the privilege of telling people, “ No matter what you’re going through, Jesus is our hope and there are better days ahead. Look at what God has done in my life.”
The group was invited by United Purposes, a non profit organization, to come and share this one of a kind experience with Eutaw and surrounding counties.
Thank God for this awesome experience. Special thanks to Pastor Joe Webb for providing the facilities for the Choir’s performance, Deacon Frank Lewis and Lee Smith for their assistance at the center. Lt. Zackary Fluker, Chief Rex Flowers, of the Demopolis Police Department, Sheriff Joe Benison and the GC officers for coordinating escort for the Choir…that was a big deal to them; they were all so excited. Mrs. Phillis Belcher, representing the Industrial Board, was on site to welcome the group and provided snacks. Thanks to Ms. Mildred Gill, Ms. Belvin Thomas, Mrs. Gloria Young, Mrs. Nadeen Chess, and Mrs. Darlene Robinson for your assistance throughout the day; thanks to Ms. Cynthia Crawford for capturing the beautiful smiles, Eutaw Mayor Latasha Johnson, Judy Spree, Mary Leach, Dr. Carol Zippert, Leah Banks and Mr & Mrs. Ron Edwards, thanks for providing food & drink. Thanks to Probate Judge Rolanda Wedgeworth for attending, and to each and every attendee thanks for coming and supporting this program.
A love offering in the amount of $1,065 was collected and presented to the Watoto Children’s Choir.