The following is written by Mike Hahn, Founder and President of His Little Feet.
In September of 2009 I found myself in Ouanaminthe, Haiti on a cement basketball court with about 30 Haitian boys. Because I stand 6'7" I was told I should probably play on the "little boys" team. The older boys thought that the little boys could use some help.
The "little boys" were victorious. After the game one of the boys said, "Hey, can you teach me to play? I want you to be my coach." I smiled and agreed to his request. But I told him if I was his coach I would want to teach him about Jesus too. He agreed.
This little boy was strong, determined, and talented. He clearly had a passion for the game of basketball. I showed him how to dribble, to pass, and most importantly to shoot. I showed him how to do a "crossover" dribble move. To my surprise he was able to follow each move I showed him. I told him that I thought he was a good basketball player and he had the potential to be great if he practiced.
One year later I found myself on a cement basketball court in Lincoln, Nebraska with this same little boy. His name is Jefferson and he was a His Little Feet Choir member. We were playing on the same basketball court that I grew up playing on. He was even more impressive now than he was last year!
This time, however, I wasn't just teaching him the game of basketball- I was also teaching him about Jesus. I explained that in order to be a good basketball player you have to practice a lot and you have to be disciplined. This means you have to practice dribbling, passing, and shooting even when you don't feel like it.
I told Jefferson that to follow Jesus we have to be disciplined too. We need to pray, study, give, and worship even when we don't feel like it. That same evening I shared a scripture with him:
"No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it." Hebrews 12:11
Jefferson told me he likes discipline. The good news is God used discipline in Jefferson's life to draw him closer to Jesus... and by the way he turned out to be a pretty good basketball player too.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Monday, July 18, 2011
Music to Our Ears
You could almost hear the little footsteps running in the percussion and the voices from children around the world singing in the strings and keys.
Much joy was in the air last week as His Little Feet travelled to Brentwood, Tennessee to record music for the upcoming 2011-2012 His Little Feet Children’s Choir tour.
The recorded music – ten songs in all – will be used at performances by the 2011-2012 Children’s Choir as well as on the His Little Feet album “Reaching for You,” which will be released this fall.
Mike and Christa Hahn (founders and directors of His Little Feet), along with a team of talented producers and musicians, spent close to 50 hours in the studio over the course of the week, selecting and writing music that will be shared with thousands of people nationwide.
His Little Feet recorded eight new songs for the upcoming tour and album, including worship favorites like “Our God is Greater” and “All Over the World,” as well as an original song entitled “I Sing,” written by Christa Hahn about the true meaning of the music.
“Often, when teaching children what it means to worship God through music, I come back to the question of ‘Why are we singing this? And what are we singing about?’ If one is singing a song and doesn’t know the answer to that question then they are singing empty words,” Christa said. “There is a reason for us to sing. From the heart of an orphan, those reasons run deep.”
All of the music for the 2011-2012 Tour will feature unique cultural styles that match the eclectic makeup of the choir and reflect His Little Feet’s belief that God is working through the voices and lives of these children.
“I’m always trying to select songs that get back to God getting all the glory,” Christa said. “God is the same God in the United States as He is in any other country. The beauty of it is when we make our worship about Him we see God’s glory displayed in powerful ways.”
Of course, the Hahns were not alone in the recording process last week, as they partnered with a handful of extremely talented individuals to create a powerful and unique selection of songs.
Steve Dady (sound engineer), Dave Cleveland (guitars), Mark Hill (bass), Steve Brewster (drums/percussion), Jason Webb (keyboard/piano) and Brian Green (keyboard/piano) all contributed to the recording at Sunset Boulevard Studios.
However, Christa said, none of it would have been possible without the biggest Contributor of all.
“There is a lot of complexity in putting music together,” said Christa. “I would take a piece of paper with words to the musicians with the idea I had in mind. As always, the Lord took the song and made it bigger and better. He was present throughout the entire process.”
In 2010-2011, the His Little Feet Children’s Choir (comprised of 15 children from Haiti) performed in over 50 churches across the United States, encouraging hundreds of people to (be in on it) through giving, sponsoring a child, going on a missions trip or considering adoption.
Christa said she trusts that God has powerful plans in store for the upcoming tour, and that the music chosen will help drive an important message home.
“The selection of music is vital to the presentation on stage. The Spirit moves through the presentation and encourages those in the audience to respond,” she said. “We always teach the choir children that they are not singing for the applause of man, but for the applause of God.”
For more information about the 2011-2012 His Little Feet tour, or to inquire about booking the tour, please e-mail Jeff Dillon at jeff@hislittlefeet.org.
Much joy was in the air last week as His Little Feet travelled to Brentwood, Tennessee to record music for the upcoming 2011-2012 His Little Feet Children’s Choir tour.
The recorded music – ten songs in all – will be used at performances by the 2011-2012 Children’s Choir as well as on the His Little Feet album “Reaching for You,” which will be released this fall.
Mike and Christa Hahn (founders and directors of His Little Feet), along with a team of talented producers and musicians, spent close to 50 hours in the studio over the course of the week, selecting and writing music that will be shared with thousands of people nationwide.
His Little Feet recorded eight new songs for the upcoming tour and album, including worship favorites like “Our God is Greater” and “All Over the World,” as well as an original song entitled “I Sing,” written by Christa Hahn about the true meaning of the music.
“Often, when teaching children what it means to worship God through music, I come back to the question of ‘Why are we singing this? And what are we singing about?’ If one is singing a song and doesn’t know the answer to that question then they are singing empty words,” Christa said. “There is a reason for us to sing. From the heart of an orphan, those reasons run deep.”
All of the music for the 2011-2012 Tour will feature unique cultural styles that match the eclectic makeup of the choir and reflect His Little Feet’s belief that God is working through the voices and lives of these children.
“I’m always trying to select songs that get back to God getting all the glory,” Christa said. “God is the same God in the United States as He is in any other country. The beauty of it is when we make our worship about Him we see God’s glory displayed in powerful ways.”
Of course, the Hahns were not alone in the recording process last week, as they partnered with a handful of extremely talented individuals to create a powerful and unique selection of songs.
Steve Dady (sound engineer), Dave Cleveland (guitars), Mark Hill (bass), Steve Brewster (drums/percussion), Jason Webb (keyboard/piano) and Brian Green (keyboard/piano) all contributed to the recording at Sunset Boulevard Studios.
However, Christa said, none of it would have been possible without the biggest Contributor of all.
“There is a lot of complexity in putting music together,” said Christa. “I would take a piece of paper with words to the musicians with the idea I had in mind. As always, the Lord took the song and made it bigger and better. He was present throughout the entire process.”
In 2010-2011, the His Little Feet Children’s Choir (comprised of 15 children from Haiti) performed in over 50 churches across the United States, encouraging hundreds of people to (be in on it) through giving, sponsoring a child, going on a missions trip or considering adoption.
Christa said she trusts that God has powerful plans in store for the upcoming tour, and that the music chosen will help drive an important message home.
“The selection of music is vital to the presentation on stage. The Spirit moves through the presentation and encourages those in the audience to respond,” she said. “We always teach the choir children that they are not singing for the applause of man, but for the applause of God.”
For more information about the 2011-2012 His Little Feet tour, or to inquire about booking the tour, please e-mail Jeff Dillon at jeff@hislittlefeet.org.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Step Up at the Second Annual His Little Feet 5K
Have a passion for helping children in need? Want to get more involved with His Little Feet? Looking for a fun and simple way to make an impact in the life of an orphan?
Here is your chance.
On Friday, August 5th, 2011, His Little Feet will present the second annual Step Up! 5K Run/Walk at Eastman Park in Windsor, Colorado. This event, hosted by Ellerslie, will benefit His Little Feet in preparation for the upcoming 2011-2012 international children’s choir tour.
Anyone and everyone can take part in this exciting event. You can participate by running or walking the beautiful course, with spectacular views of the Front Range. And if you can’t be there on August 5th, you can sponsor another runner or walker.
It’s easy to get involved! You can register to run/walk or sponsor a runner/walker.
Last year, over 100 people participated in the first annual Step Up! Run/Walk, helping to raise over $5,000 for His Little Feet.
His Little Feet performed at over 50 churches on the 2010-2011 children’s choir tour, encouraging over 600 people to sponsor a child, over 50 individuals to go on a mission trip and over 50 families to start the process of adoption.
Beginning this fall, His Little Feet will again be touring nationwide, serving as the voice for voiceless children around the world. Praise God for the work He is doing and continues to do.
Now is your opportunity to partner with His Little Feet and Ellerslie in reaching out to some of the millions of orphaned and vulnerable children worldwide – and have fun while doing it!
We need you to make a difference – STEP UP today!
Details:
His Little Feet Step Up! 5K
Friday, August 5th, 2011
6:30-8:30 p.m.
Eastman Park
7025 Eastman Park Drive
Windsor, CO 80550
For more information on the 2011 His Little Feet Step Up! Run/Walk Fundraiser, email info@hislittlefeet.org or call 866-252-3988.
Here is your chance.
On Friday, August 5th, 2011, His Little Feet will present the second annual Step Up! 5K Run/Walk at Eastman Park in Windsor, Colorado. This event, hosted by Ellerslie, will benefit His Little Feet in preparation for the upcoming 2011-2012 international children’s choir tour.
Anyone and everyone can take part in this exciting event. You can participate by running or walking the beautiful course, with spectacular views of the Front Range. And if you can’t be there on August 5th, you can sponsor another runner or walker.
It’s easy to get involved! You can register to run/walk or sponsor a runner/walker.
Last year, over 100 people participated in the first annual Step Up! Run/Walk, helping to raise over $5,000 for His Little Feet.
His Little Feet performed at over 50 churches on the 2010-2011 children’s choir tour, encouraging over 600 people to sponsor a child, over 50 individuals to go on a mission trip and over 50 families to start the process of adoption.
Beginning this fall, His Little Feet will again be touring nationwide, serving as the voice for voiceless children around the world. Praise God for the work He is doing and continues to do.
Now is your opportunity to partner with His Little Feet and Ellerslie in reaching out to some of the millions of orphaned and vulnerable children worldwide – and have fun while doing it!
We need you to make a difference – STEP UP today!
Details:
His Little Feet Step Up! 5K
Friday, August 5th, 2011
6:30-8:30 p.m.
Eastman Park
7025 Eastman Park Drive
Windsor, CO 80550
For more information on the 2011 His Little Feet Step Up! Run/Walk Fundraiser, email info@hislittlefeet.org or call 866-252-3988.
Monday, July 4, 2011
What does God say about orphans?
All of us have seen commercials, read articles and heard stories emphasizing the dire need of millions of orphaned and vulnerable children around the world. Many of us know some of the staggering statistics by heart:
- There are 143,000,000 orphans in the world today.
- Over 400,000 children are currently in foster care in the United States.
- 5,760 children are orphaned every day due to AIDS in Africa.
- Every 2.2 seconds, an orphan child ages out of his/her orphanage system, facing the streets alone.
- 16,000 children die each day from hunger-related causes worldwide.*
When we hear these mind-boggling numbers, we are all moved to do something to help. The problem is so glaring that we know we can’t simply ignore it. And thankfully, hundreds of organizations and millions of people around the world are indeed doing something about it.
But as Christians, our call to help those in need comes from an even deeper place. Frankly, we shouldn’t respond to those in need just because it’s “the right thing to do,” but because God commands us to.
Did you know there are over 100 verses in the Bible relating to caring for orphans, widows and others in need? Many of these verses are straightforward calls to action for Christians to come to the aid of the orphan.
In His word, God tells us that…
- He is the Father to the fatherless:
“The Lord watches over the sojourners; he upholds the widow and the fatherless, but the way of the wicket he brings to ruin.” – Psalm 146:9
- Caring for orphans is at the heart of religion:
“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” – James 1:27
- We should fight for the cause of the vulnerable and oppressed:
“Learn to do good; seek justice; correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s case.” – Isaiah 1:17
- We should uphold justice for the orphan:
“Do not deprive the alien or the fatherless of justice, or take the cloak of the widow as a pledge.” –Deuteronomy 24:17
- We should speak up for those who are unable to defend themselves:
“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” – Proverbs 31:8-9
- We should give freely to the vulnerable and weak:
“In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” – Acts 20:35
- In serving others, we are also serving Christ:
“Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” – Matthew 25:40
Simply put, God cares deeply for the weak and vulnerable – including the orphaned child. And caring for these children is not optional. In fact, it’s at the very root of who Christ is as well as the love God has already shown us.
The Bible tells us that we were once without a father too, enslaved by our sin. But God sent his Son – Jesus Christ – to atone for our sins and make us children of God (Galatians 4:1-7).
Yep, that’s right – as Christians we are adopted into God’s family as sons and daughters. How amazing is that! No wonder God commands us to care for the children we see in need today.
So the next time you hear another haunting statistic about orphaned and vulnerable children in our world, remember that taking action isn’t just a good thing, it’s a God thing.
*Statistics according to US Department of Health and Human Services, The Home for Good Foundation, and Bread For The World.
- There are 143,000,000 orphans in the world today.
- Over 400,000 children are currently in foster care in the United States.
- 5,760 children are orphaned every day due to AIDS in Africa.
- Every 2.2 seconds, an orphan child ages out of his/her orphanage system, facing the streets alone.
- 16,000 children die each day from hunger-related causes worldwide.*
When we hear these mind-boggling numbers, we are all moved to do something to help. The problem is so glaring that we know we can’t simply ignore it. And thankfully, hundreds of organizations and millions of people around the world are indeed doing something about it.
But as Christians, our call to help those in need comes from an even deeper place. Frankly, we shouldn’t respond to those in need just because it’s “the right thing to do,” but because God commands us to.
Did you know there are over 100 verses in the Bible relating to caring for orphans, widows and others in need? Many of these verses are straightforward calls to action for Christians to come to the aid of the orphan.
In His word, God tells us that…
- He is the Father to the fatherless:
“The Lord watches over the sojourners; he upholds the widow and the fatherless, but the way of the wicket he brings to ruin.” – Psalm 146:9
- Caring for orphans is at the heart of religion:
“Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world” – James 1:27
- We should fight for the cause of the vulnerable and oppressed:
“Learn to do good; seek justice; correct oppression; bring justice to the fatherless, plead the widow’s case.” – Isaiah 1:17
- We should uphold justice for the orphan:
“Do not deprive the alien or the fatherless of justice, or take the cloak of the widow as a pledge.” –Deuteronomy 24:17
- We should speak up for those who are unable to defend themselves:
“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” – Proverbs 31:8-9
- We should give freely to the vulnerable and weak:
“In all things I have shown you that by working hard in this way we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” – Acts 20:35
- In serving others, we are also serving Christ:
“Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” – Matthew 25:40
Simply put, God cares deeply for the weak and vulnerable – including the orphaned child. And caring for these children is not optional. In fact, it’s at the very root of who Christ is as well as the love God has already shown us.
The Bible tells us that we were once without a father too, enslaved by our sin. But God sent his Son – Jesus Christ – to atone for our sins and make us children of God (Galatians 4:1-7).
Yep, that’s right – as Christians we are adopted into God’s family as sons and daughters. How amazing is that! No wonder God commands us to care for the children we see in need today.
So the next time you hear another haunting statistic about orphaned and vulnerable children in our world, remember that taking action isn’t just a good thing, it’s a God thing.
*Statistics according to US Department of Health and Human Services, The Home for Good Foundation, and Bread For The World.
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