TBS Ministries - Projects - Two Minutes with the Bible

Bemba Praise - Songs of Praise for the Zambian Orphans

When you purchase Bemba Praise, you purchase hope for Zambian orphans. This CD is a collection of songs performed by Zambian Christians committed to carring for orphans in their country. Most of these 360,000 plus children have been orphaned by the specter of Aids. All proceeds from Bemba Praise will help care for these orphans' basic needs: providing orphanages, food, and love. Bemba Praise is more than just songs of worship. It's a gift of hope for the orphans.

Our first experience in Zambia began in the summer of '99. Full of Hollywood impressions of the African continent, we weren't prepared for the reality. It wasn't roaring lions or wild beasts that were the enemies, but the specter of Aids. Ten percent of the population in Zambia has Aids, an impact that has left more than 360,000 children orphaned and homeless. Zambia, being one of Africa's poorest nations, has no way of caring for these innocent victims, resulting in complete despair and hopelessness. That's where we found the Grace Church of Zambia. With a congregation of about 100 these people are committed to helping the orphanas. They are currently working on building an orphanage that could give 50 kids, who have nowhere to go, hope. In the meantime, the church is trying to provide food and other forms of basic care for these orphans. We were amazed at what God was doing through this church. In the villages the fear and oppression hung like a dark cloud, with people everywhere looking at us suspiciously. Yet in Grace Church the darkness was lifted, and all we felt was peace and love. Their acceptance and love were so deep and in such contrast to what we'd felt in the villages. Here we were welcomed with open arms as brothers and sisters in Christ. Christ was at the center of all their worship; twenty voices, unencumbered by any musical instruments, were lifted to heaven in praise. The sound of their voices was so inspiring that we felt a desire to bring the music home as a reminder of what we experienced in Africa. So we returned the following summer, armed with an odd assortment of amateur recording equipament, a little knowledge, and a vague desire to bring back a souvenir of our experience. What we ended up with was nothing less than a gift from God. Despiste the fact that we recorded this live in a drafty church with dirt floors, we ended up with a recording of professional studio quality. We realized that God has given us this music with a purpose in mind. That purpose is to share with people what God is doing in Zambia and show them how they can help. By buying this CD you are helping build the orphanage in Mufulira, Zambia. You are providing the bricks, the wood, the beds, the food, and the hope. All proceeds from the sale of each CD will be used to help build this orphanage and to support orphans worldwide. (This text above was copied from the Bemba Praise CD cover. More information about the project can be found at this site: www.bembapraise.com)