One of the unique pieces of His Little Feet’s ministry is the opportunity for Americans to come face-to-face with orphaned and vulnerable children from around the world.
Through the His Little Feet Children’s Choir, people have a chance to meet, talk to and be impacted by children from countries thousands of miles away.
This experience gives a face and name to the desperate situation millions of children find themselves in our world. Being able to directly impact the life of an orphan often inspires an even deeper passion in people to bring God’s love to those in need.
At His Little Feet, we also believe that Christians are called to go love and serve these children where they are. In Jesus’ final message to his followers, he established this concept:
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”
Matthew 28:19-20
As part of the nationwide “(be in on it.)” campaign, His Little Feet partners with a great ministry called Visiting Orphans to enable Christians to go and impact the lives of children in need worldwide.
Established in 2005 by America World Adoption Association, Visiting Orphans’ mission is to create a way for people to fulfill the Biblical mandate given in James 1:27 of “visiting orphans” in their distress.
Since then, the organization has led mission trips for churches, schools and individuals from around the United States, allowing them to be the hands and feet of Jesus to precious children worldwide.
Visiting Orphans trips have gone to orphanages around the world, including China, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Uganda, Ghana, Kenya, Ecuador, Ukraine, Haiti, El Salvador, Honduras, India and Costa Rica.
While on a Visiting Orphans trip, participants get the opportunity to meet, love, play with and – most importantly – share God’s love with hundreds of children.
For anyone who has a heart for children in need, a trip through Visiting Orphans may serve as the gateway to further involvement in caring for orphaned and vulnerable kids. And Visiting Orphans makes it easy, handling all of the organization, travel arrangements and in-country coordination.
If you are interested in going on a mission trip, we encourage you to consider Visiting Orphans.
Don’t miss this exciting opportunity. We know that your life will be changed forever if you take that first step:
Go.
For more information, visit www.VisitingOrphans.org.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Monday, August 22, 2011
“Jesus made my heart sing.”
What a powerful message! These words come from 13-year-old Daphney, one of the girls from Haiti who traveled with the His Little Feet Children’s Choir from November 2010-May 2011.
How often do you hear a 13-year-old say something so significant? At His Little Feet, our desire is for all of the choir children to be able to identify the true reason for the songs they sing – Jesus Christ.
So, what makes your heart sing? Do you have a reason to sing each day? Are you giving the Lord all the praise He deserves?
As we press forward, may we allow the love of Christ to be the reason we sing…
“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.” Colossians 3:16
Below, Daphney shares in her own words some reflections from her time in the States and important things she learned:
“My name is Daphney. I decided to come to America because I wanted to sing. When we stayed in host homes, I enjoyed our time off when we got to see new places. One of my favorite places to visit was the mall because it was fun to look at the clothes and shoes. California was my favorite state in America because the weather and green grass reminded me of Haiti.
When we had school on the road, I enjoyed helping some of the younger children learn their French lessons. One of the new and favorite words I learned in English was ‘FYI- For Your Information’. The song in the concert I liked the best was 'Today is the Day' because the movements were fun. The concerts are important because they help children around the world get sponsored and adopted. I am thankful that God used me to help children.”
How often do you hear a 13-year-old say something so significant? At His Little Feet, our desire is for all of the choir children to be able to identify the true reason for the songs they sing – Jesus Christ.
So, what makes your heart sing? Do you have a reason to sing each day? Are you giving the Lord all the praise He deserves?
As we press forward, may we allow the love of Christ to be the reason we sing…
“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.” Colossians 3:16
Below, Daphney shares in her own words some reflections from her time in the States and important things she learned:
“My name is Daphney. I decided to come to America because I wanted to sing. When we stayed in host homes, I enjoyed our time off when we got to see new places. One of my favorite places to visit was the mall because it was fun to look at the clothes and shoes. California was my favorite state in America because the weather and green grass reminded me of Haiti.
When we had school on the road, I enjoyed helping some of the younger children learn their French lessons. One of the new and favorite words I learned in English was ‘FYI- For Your Information’. The song in the concert I liked the best was 'Today is the Day' because the movements were fun. The concerts are important because they help children around the world get sponsored and adopted. I am thankful that God used me to help children.”
Monday, August 15, 2011
Sponsor a child today!
One of the purposes of His Little Feet is to equip people like you and me to practically respond to the needs of orphaned and vulnerable children worldwide.
Our goal is to do this by presenting the “(be in on it.)” campaign, which offers four tangible ways people can become involved in orphan care. Those four ways are to:
Give to His Little Feet
Sponsor a child through Compassion International
Go on a mission trip through Visiting Orphans
Adopt through America World Adoption
Each of these is an amazing way to respond to God’s call to care for the orphan. We believe that every person – no matter the age or stage of life – can make a huge difference in a child’s life.
Today we focus on Child Sponsorship – a powerful and yet simple way to impact the life of a child.
His Little Feet is blessed to work in conjunction with Compassion International, a Christian child advocacy ministry that works to release children from spiritual, economic, social and physical poverty. What makes Compassion International’s child development program unique is that it is Christ centered, child focused, church based and committed to integrity.
Compassion believes in a holistic child development model that equips children with the knowledge, skills and opportunity needed to function as independent, Christian adults. Today, over 1.2 million children in 26 countries are cared for through Compassion.
One of the unique features of Compassion’s sponsorship model is that they believe in a one sponsor-one child design, which allows for a strong connection and personal relationship that goes far beyond financial support.
Through monthly gifts, prayer and letter writing, Compassion encourages sponsors to directly invest in a child’s life. For $38 a month, the organization is able to provide a child in need with:
• Ongoing Christian training
• Educational opportunities
• Treatment and training to maintain child health
• Development of self-confidence and social skills
• Key life skills and vocational programs
Thanks to people like you, over 600 children were sponsored through Compassion International during the 2010-2011 His Little Feet children’s choir tour!
This means that hundreds of children in need in over a dozen countries around the world have been positively impacted forever thanks to the commitment of individuals thousands of miles away.
If you currently sponsor a child, that’s great! We encourage you to take another step by sharing this blog with 5 of your friends….encourage them to consider sponsoring a child today!
If you are not currently sponsoring a child, please consider starting today! What an incredible, tangible opportunity to “(be in on it.)” when it comes to sharing Christ’s love with orphaned and vulnerable children worldwide.
"And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward." – Matthew 10:42
For more information on Child Sponsorship through Compassion International, visit the His Little Feet website: http://hislittlefeet.org/Sponsor.html.
Our goal is to do this by presenting the “(be in on it.)” campaign, which offers four tangible ways people can become involved in orphan care. Those four ways are to:
Give to His Little Feet
Sponsor a child through Compassion International
Go on a mission trip through Visiting Orphans
Adopt through America World Adoption
Each of these is an amazing way to respond to God’s call to care for the orphan. We believe that every person – no matter the age or stage of life – can make a huge difference in a child’s life.
Today we focus on Child Sponsorship – a powerful and yet simple way to impact the life of a child.
His Little Feet is blessed to work in conjunction with Compassion International, a Christian child advocacy ministry that works to release children from spiritual, economic, social and physical poverty. What makes Compassion International’s child development program unique is that it is Christ centered, child focused, church based and committed to integrity.
Compassion believes in a holistic child development model that equips children with the knowledge, skills and opportunity needed to function as independent, Christian adults. Today, over 1.2 million children in 26 countries are cared for through Compassion.
One of the unique features of Compassion’s sponsorship model is that they believe in a one sponsor-one child design, which allows for a strong connection and personal relationship that goes far beyond financial support.
Through monthly gifts, prayer and letter writing, Compassion encourages sponsors to directly invest in a child’s life. For $38 a month, the organization is able to provide a child in need with:
• Ongoing Christian training
• Educational opportunities
• Treatment and training to maintain child health
• Development of self-confidence and social skills
• Key life skills and vocational programs
Thanks to people like you, over 600 children were sponsored through Compassion International during the 2010-2011 His Little Feet children’s choir tour!
This means that hundreds of children in need in over a dozen countries around the world have been positively impacted forever thanks to the commitment of individuals thousands of miles away.
If you currently sponsor a child, that’s great! We encourage you to take another step by sharing this blog with 5 of your friends….encourage them to consider sponsoring a child today!
If you are not currently sponsoring a child, please consider starting today! What an incredible, tangible opportunity to “(be in on it.)” when it comes to sharing Christ’s love with orphaned and vulnerable children worldwide.
"And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward." – Matthew 10:42
For more information on Child Sponsorship through Compassion International, visit the His Little Feet website: http://hislittlefeet.org/Sponsor.html.
Monday, August 8, 2011
A Big Step in the Right Direction
Every once in a while, we are given the opportunity to take a step forward in support of a worthy cause.
Sometimes, we get the chance to take more than just a few steps. Say, about 2,000 of them.
Over 170 people took about that many steps (or more) this past Friday night, participating in the second annual His Little Feet Step Up! 5K Walk/Run in Windsor, Colorado.
The number of registered runners and walkers was twice the amount that of last year’s event.
And thanks to the hard work of dozens of volunteers – most of whom were Ellerslie students – over $7,000 was raised for His Little Feet in preparation for the 2011-2012 Children’s Choir tour. Praise God!
Many of the race participants raised generous support through personal sponsorships leading up to the event. Congratulations to Sarah Rice and Lydia Covey, who finished first and second in terms of sponsorships.
And, of course, there was a race to be run as well on Friday night. Among the runners, Nick Thompson finished the fastest, coming in with an impressive time of 20:33 – or under seven minutes per mile. Elliot Ball wasn’t far behind, with a time of 21:18.
Every single runner and walker – young, older, male and female - finished a great race on a beautiful summer evening in Windsor.
His Little Feet would like to sincerely thank all of our runners/walkers, volunteers, and everyone at Ellerslie for helping to create an enormously successful event! We are so blessed to have each of you as a part of our ministry.
And most of all, we’d like to thank God for continuing to bless the ministry of His Little Feet. The 2011-2012 His Little Feet Children’s Choir national tour will be kicking off this coming October.
We are excited to see what God has in store for us this coming year.
If you missed out on the Step Up! 5K Walk/Run, make sure to keep an eye out for details on next year’s event beginning in the spring.
Our goal for the event next year is 500 runners/walkers. It might sound daunting, but with your help, we know we can do it!
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” 1 Corinthians 9:24-27
Sometimes, we get the chance to take more than just a few steps. Say, about 2,000 of them.
Over 170 people took about that many steps (or more) this past Friday night, participating in the second annual His Little Feet Step Up! 5K Walk/Run in Windsor, Colorado.
The number of registered runners and walkers was twice the amount that of last year’s event.
And thanks to the hard work of dozens of volunteers – most of whom were Ellerslie students – over $7,000 was raised for His Little Feet in preparation for the 2011-2012 Children’s Choir tour. Praise God!
Many of the race participants raised generous support through personal sponsorships leading up to the event. Congratulations to Sarah Rice and Lydia Covey, who finished first and second in terms of sponsorships.
And, of course, there was a race to be run as well on Friday night. Among the runners, Nick Thompson finished the fastest, coming in with an impressive time of 20:33 – or under seven minutes per mile. Elliot Ball wasn’t far behind, with a time of 21:18.
Every single runner and walker – young, older, male and female - finished a great race on a beautiful summer evening in Windsor.
His Little Feet would like to sincerely thank all of our runners/walkers, volunteers, and everyone at Ellerslie for helping to create an enormously successful event! We are so blessed to have each of you as a part of our ministry.
And most of all, we’d like to thank God for continuing to bless the ministry of His Little Feet. The 2011-2012 His Little Feet Children’s Choir national tour will be kicking off this coming October.
We are excited to see what God has in store for us this coming year.
If you missed out on the Step Up! 5K Walk/Run, make sure to keep an eye out for details on next year’s event beginning in the spring.
Our goal for the event next year is 500 runners/walkers. It might sound daunting, but with your help, we know we can do it!
“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. Therefore I do not run like someone running aimlessly; I do not fight like a boxer beating the air. No, I strike a blow to my body and make it my slave so that after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified for the prize.” 1 Corinthians 9:24-27
Monday, August 1, 2011
Listening to His Voice
The following is written by Christa Hahn, Founder and Vice President of His Little Feet.
This week, while studying Matthew 11, I challenged myself to reflect back and remember experiences that God put in my life to expose His voice, His heart, His agenda and His presence. Here is how Matthew 11 jumped off the page into my heart and mind, in the context of helping, loving and training orphaned and vulnerable children:
In 2004, I asked a little orphan girl from India, “Why do you think I should travel with the orphan choir?” She turned to me and simply said, “Because God says you should. That is His heart. And you should want to do what His heart cares about.” God’s voice, out of the mouth of a child, is what sealed the deal for me…my life’s desires were not my own…I was to take on God’s heart and follow after those things.
“He who has ears, let him hear.” (Matthew 11: 15)
In 2006: “Do they not hear us Auntie? Do they not hear what we are singing about? Do they not understand Who we are singing to?” asked one of our little boys from Africa, after a concert one night. I replied, “Well, I think they can hear you, but it seems like their hearts are not hearing the message. They must be thinking about other things.” He said back to me with tears in his eyes, “I think they have so much stuff and are so busy that they can’t hear God. All I want is for them to hear about and know Jesus. I am sad for them.”
“To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to others: ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’” (Matthew 11: 16-17)
In 2007, a little girl shared, “Inside my hut the rebels held a gun to my head and asked me where my parents were. I was so scared and I remember praying and asking God to just make the rebels go away. Immediately the rebels heard a noise in the bushes outside and went outside to figure out who was there.The rebels got distracted by another group of rebels advancing onto a nearby village and went after them. I experienced a miracle that day. God spared my life, when it could have been quickly ended.”
“I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.” (Matthew 11: 25)
In 2008, a little boy from Africa, with tears welling up in his eyes, cried, “My daddy died. My daddy was killed. All I want is a daddy, Uncle Mikey.” Wow! What a gripping, heart-wrenching statement from an 8-year-old boy. What do you say? What do you do? Mike swooped the little boy up in his arms, as the little one sobbed and sobbed. Mike softly said, “Your earthly daddy is gone, but your heavenly Father is here with us right now. And Uncle Mikey is here with you and I love you very much.”
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-29)
Reflecting back is sometimes painful, sometimes eye-opening, and always full of God’s beckoning to my heart to know Him deeper.
Every story of pain I hear draws me closer to Him. Because only through Jesus Christ can we truly find hope for the orphan, healing for the broken and rest for our souls.
Lord, please allow me to see more of the pain that Your children have experienced, that I might trust You more and more and draw closer to You.
This week, while studying Matthew 11, I challenged myself to reflect back and remember experiences that God put in my life to expose His voice, His heart, His agenda and His presence. Here is how Matthew 11 jumped off the page into my heart and mind, in the context of helping, loving and training orphaned and vulnerable children:
In 2004, I asked a little orphan girl from India, “Why do you think I should travel with the orphan choir?” She turned to me and simply said, “Because God says you should. That is His heart. And you should want to do what His heart cares about.” God’s voice, out of the mouth of a child, is what sealed the deal for me…my life’s desires were not my own…I was to take on God’s heart and follow after those things.
“He who has ears, let him hear.” (Matthew 11: 15)
In 2006: “Do they not hear us Auntie? Do they not hear what we are singing about? Do they not understand Who we are singing to?” asked one of our little boys from Africa, after a concert one night. I replied, “Well, I think they can hear you, but it seems like their hearts are not hearing the message. They must be thinking about other things.” He said back to me with tears in his eyes, “I think they have so much stuff and are so busy that they can’t hear God. All I want is for them to hear about and know Jesus. I am sad for them.”
“To what can I compare this generation? They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to others: ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’” (Matthew 11: 16-17)
In 2007, a little girl shared, “Inside my hut the rebels held a gun to my head and asked me where my parents were. I was so scared and I remember praying and asking God to just make the rebels go away. Immediately the rebels heard a noise in the bushes outside and went outside to figure out who was there.The rebels got distracted by another group of rebels advancing onto a nearby village and went after them. I experienced a miracle that day. God spared my life, when it could have been quickly ended.”
“I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.” (Matthew 11: 25)
In 2008, a little boy from Africa, with tears welling up in his eyes, cried, “My daddy died. My daddy was killed. All I want is a daddy, Uncle Mikey.” Wow! What a gripping, heart-wrenching statement from an 8-year-old boy. What do you say? What do you do? Mike swooped the little boy up in his arms, as the little one sobbed and sobbed. Mike softly said, “Your earthly daddy is gone, but your heavenly Father is here with us right now. And Uncle Mikey is here with you and I love you very much.”
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” (Matthew 11:28-29)
Reflecting back is sometimes painful, sometimes eye-opening, and always full of God’s beckoning to my heart to know Him deeper.
Every story of pain I hear draws me closer to Him. Because only through Jesus Christ can we truly find hope for the orphan, healing for the broken and rest for our souls.
Lord, please allow me to see more of the pain that Your children have experienced, that I might trust You more and more and draw closer to You.
Monday, July 25, 2011
Discipline
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.
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 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.
Monday, June 27, 2011
Urgency
Our culture today labels many things as being “urgent.”
Commercials tell us we must “act now” or we’ll miss out on the amazing offer. At work we are told to get something done “ASAP.” Even our food is urgent – if we can’t get through the drive-through lane in less than five minutes, we’re appalled.
But when we hear about the plight of orphaned and vulnerable children around the world, do we feel the same sense of urgency? We might be concerned, but are we moved to do something about it right now?
Sometimes it’s easy to assume that acting now - versus a week from now - won’t make much of a difference in correcting such a huge problem. With over 143 million orphans in the world, the problem is still going to be there next week…next month…next year…right?
But that’s not the Godly perspective. As Compassion International CEO Dr. Wess Stafford tells in his book, Too Small to Ignore: Why the Least of These Matters Most, the number of children in need in our world is worthy of immediate attention.
“Statistics…can overwhelm us. We become paralyzed by the sheer magnitude of the problem…But do you remember the shock and heartache you felt when you watched the World Trade Center towers crumble to the streets of New York, taking nearly three thousand innocent lives with them?
Now imagine with me for a moment. What if a catastrophe of equal devastation had happened at noon, just three hours later, at the Sears Tower in Chicago… then Denver… then Los Angeles… then Honolulu… Tokyo… Bangkok… Calcutta… Moscow… finally London – the world would have shuddered to a grinding halt, never to be the same again.
Well, something similar did happen on a worldwide scale that tragic day. Thirty thousand of our little innocents under age five were taken from us. Sadly, this level of loss also happened on September 10 and September 12 and every single day since. The microphones, cameras and satellite dishes don’t bring this shocking reality into our living rooms as they did on 9/11. But it happens nonetheless.” (pages 3-4)
In Matthew 25, Jesus tells us that we are to feed the hungry, clothe the naked and care for the sick. He also tells us that “whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.”
In other words, God wants us to act. Not tomorrow. Not next week. Right now.
And here’s the good news: there are dozens of ways you can help those in need – and you can start today! His Little Feet encourages you to (be in on it) by GIVING, SPONSORING, GOING or ADOPTING. You can find out more about these and other opportunities at www.hislittlefeet.org.
Don’t wait until later to answer God’s call to care for the broken, sick and hungry. There are millions of children in need of help today - now is the time for us to respond with urgency.
Commercials tell us we must “act now” or we’ll miss out on the amazing offer. At work we are told to get something done “ASAP.” Even our food is urgent – if we can’t get through the drive-through lane in less than five minutes, we’re appalled.
But when we hear about the plight of orphaned and vulnerable children around the world, do we feel the same sense of urgency? We might be concerned, but are we moved to do something about it right now?
Sometimes it’s easy to assume that acting now - versus a week from now - won’t make much of a difference in correcting such a huge problem. With over 143 million orphans in the world, the problem is still going to be there next week…next month…next year…right?
But that’s not the Godly perspective. As Compassion International CEO Dr. Wess Stafford tells in his book, Too Small to Ignore: Why the Least of These Matters Most, the number of children in need in our world is worthy of immediate attention.
“Statistics…can overwhelm us. We become paralyzed by the sheer magnitude of the problem…But do you remember the shock and heartache you felt when you watched the World Trade Center towers crumble to the streets of New York, taking nearly three thousand innocent lives with them?
Now imagine with me for a moment. What if a catastrophe of equal devastation had happened at noon, just three hours later, at the Sears Tower in Chicago… then Denver… then Los Angeles… then Honolulu… Tokyo… Bangkok… Calcutta… Moscow… finally London – the world would have shuddered to a grinding halt, never to be the same again.
Well, something similar did happen on a worldwide scale that tragic day. Thirty thousand of our little innocents under age five were taken from us. Sadly, this level of loss also happened on September 10 and September 12 and every single day since. The microphones, cameras and satellite dishes don’t bring this shocking reality into our living rooms as they did on 9/11. But it happens nonetheless.” (pages 3-4)
In Matthew 25, Jesus tells us that we are to feed the hungry, clothe the naked and care for the sick. He also tells us that “whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.”
In other words, God wants us to act. Not tomorrow. Not next week. Right now.
And here’s the good news: there are dozens of ways you can help those in need – and you can start today! His Little Feet encourages you to (be in on it) by GIVING, SPONSORING, GOING or ADOPTING. You can find out more about these and other opportunities at www.hislittlefeet.org.
Don’t wait until later to answer God’s call to care for the broken, sick and hungry. There are millions of children in need of help today - now is the time for us to respond with urgency.
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