TESTIMONY IN SONG
Christmas tour touches hearts in South America

“God sent you just for me!” I always dreamed of hearing these words. I wanted to feel the joy of knowing that God was using me. My wish finally came true when I joined the Three Angels’ Chorale.

From November 22 to December 18, 2006, the Three Angels’ Chorale traveled throughout Colombia and Brazil, presenting the hope of the gospel through song and testimony. From Christ’s birth and earthly ministry to His death, resurrection, and imminent Second Coming, each song spoke of God’s love and mercy to humanity. This special focus, along with the unconventional beauty of sacred choral arrangements, is what makes our music so different from the rest. Even though most people are used to listening to more upbeat, secular music, there is something about the Christmas season that makes them more open to our style of music. Many people said things such as, “I felt like I was in heaven! It gave me goose bumps!”

Before I became a part of the chorale, I always thought choirs sang in churches. And they do! But I quickly learned that our chorale is not limited to churches. While in South America, we accepted opportunities to sing in schools, hospitals, restaurants, shopping malls, prisons, a Jewish rehabilitation center, a culture house, and many outdoor parks, not to mention a radio station and several television stations.

We witnessed firsthand the power of Christian music to convict hearts. Tears streamed down the faces of hardened criminals and struggling Christians alike as they heard the story of Calvary – some for the first time – in the “Via Dolorosa.” Then, how their eyes lit up with joy and hope as we sang about Christ’s resurrection and His invitation to dwell in our hearts! “The feeling and motivation with which you sang impressed me,” said a Jewish resident at the rehab center. “It is something I will not forget. I’ve not heard anything like it.”

One of my favorite experiences happened at the end of a busy day in Bucaramanga, Colombia. We were looking at Christmas lights in a park near a large Catholic cathedral, when suddenly one of the choir members whispered to me, “Get ready! We’re going to sing here.”

“What?” I exclaimed. “You’ve got to be kidding! We don’t have our keyboard, music folders, risers, or anything! Some choir members aren’t even wearing their uniforms!”

Nevertheless, God had opened the doors, so we walked through, right in the middle of the evening mass. Meanwhile, the two who weren’t wearing their uniforms dashed back to the bus to change, and on their way back they grabbed the box of folders. Just before the first song was about to begin, they appeared on the stage with our folders. Praise the Lord! He has perfect timing. After the concert, by God’s grace, we sold more CDs there than we had at any of our previous concerts.

No Sang Myung, a tenor from South Korea, said during one of our choir worships, “These experiences showed me how much work needs to be done.” Truly, much work does need to be done to prepare the world for Christ’s soon coming. Praise God for the work that He is doing through the Three Angels’ Chorale!