International Children’s Choir Brings The Christmas Curtain Down In Prasanthi Nilayam…
Tuesday, December 27th, 2016
Christmas celebration was bidding adieu, but the spirit of Christmas was to continue. This was evident as the beautiful children from around the world sang in unison, this evening, their final song of hope… resounding “All Is Well… All Is Well…”.
The final session of the Prasanthi Christmas 2016 was marked with a ‘humble and simple’ yet elegant speech of personal experience, a Bethlehem Procession followed by Children’s Christmas Choir.
The session commenced at 1700 hrs with a introductory speech by Mr Tom Lehoy, Chairman, International Christmas Committee. Tom, touching upon the story and charisma of Christmas, with a heart welling up with gratitude, thanked the various Prasanthi Nilayam units for their active cooperation in making the event a grand success. He then introduced the guest speaker and the ensuing programme.
Mr Ladd Bogdonoff of Los Angeles, California, then addressed the assembly narrating his ‘conscious journey with Sai’, touching upon various spiritual ‘Prasanthi’ milestones in his life towards Sai. Mr Ladd had been an active office bearer of SSIO, and has been associated with the International Children’s Choir for over a decade, actively mentoring the blossoming buds. Himself, an accomplished singer and composer, Ladd Bogdonoff then hummed a beautifully tuned English song then, strumming his guitar, singing “We All Standing On Holy Grounds…”.
The Bethlehem Procession followed next, symbolically signifying the birth of Mother Mary’s Bundle Of Joy. Children in typical periodical Bethlehem attire recreated the scene, most symbolically, in Presence Of The Supreme Father.
Themed after “A Christmas Story – Christmas In Prasanthi”, the Choir began in typical Indian fashion singing “Sarvesam Svastir Bhavatu…”, and flowed on to sing 13 more hymns, in multiple International languages, of adoration on the Story Of Divine Birth. Interspersed with commentary, some of the numbers were “Children, Go Where – I Send Thee…”, “Song Of Kings…”, “Brother Son, Sister Moon…”, “Carol Of The Bells…”, “All Is Well…”, etc. Sixty-Seven children from 19 countries participated in the Choir, conducted by Ms Gesine Strohmeier from Germany.
Bhajans continued and the session ended with Mangala Arathi.
II Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II
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