ATLANTA, Georgia, USA (sentinel.ht) β On Tuesday, Major League Soccor club, Atlanta United, brought in the Haitian Orphan Choir to sing the national anthem. They are a group that was born out of the tragedy that was the 2010 7.3 magnitude earthquake that rocked Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Every member of the choir lost their parents in that disaster.
Atlanta United writes in a post:
One by one, they showed up to the Paul family household, and they were taken in. Their orphanage possessed next to nothing: several kids to every bed, limited room and supplies and intermittent power and water. But they loved to sing together, and soon it became a hobby and a talent. Now theyβve used that talent to make a difference.
With Atlanta-based nonprofit βLove Him Love Themβ as their hub in the United States, theyβve also taken their talents on the road. Last summer, the Haitian Orphan Choir raised enough money through singing appearances and performances to completely revamp the local orphanage. Theyβve installed solar panels to guarantee electricity and now have running water. Every kid has their own bunkbed and storage locker for clothes. Theyβve learnd trades β like how to become bakers and sewers and have learned how to make concrete blocks. They use those blocks for construction of their own but also to sell and boost the local Haitian economy.
After returning to Haiti for the school year, they went back on tour this summer, with gospel star Kirk Franklin in front of 85,000 people in Haiti. Their performance at Tuesdayβs Atlanta United game was their final appearance of the summer, as they try to raise money to build a small medical facility in their town. Meanwhile five of the students will stay in Georgia to attend Barnes Academy in Hartwell, learning as much as they can to go back and help their hometown.
Ryan Catanese who wrote about the choirβs performance provided a link for information to support the Haitian Orphan Choir. He writes, βthere are many different levels in which you can contribute. From clothes to plane tickets, giving a little or a lot will go a long way.β
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By: Haiti Sentinel | October 6, 2017