FATHERS OF THE STREETS SING FOR HOPE
In the January newsletter, we reported that the Homeless Action Committee of NCCK was planning to form a choir which would bring together people that are homeless and others. This choir would prepare for a concert, but more importantly, it would enable communities who do not often speak, to build relationships that would give life. This choir WAS formed, and on Sat., March 15, the first annual concert was held in the Memorial Hall of the National Assembly building.
The program began with author Noh Kyong Sil reading A Letter from the Fathers of the Street. This was followed by a video highlighting Seoul Station and introducing Mr. Jeong Woo Cheol, a homeless man. A moving skit followed, portraying the birth of hope in the homeless Jeong Woo Cheol and Ko Eun Jeong as communication opens up from people who want to be their friends, represented by Miss Kim Seung Cheol.
A number of well-known artists performed: the traditional Korean percussion band Do Dream, Gospel singer Song Jeong Mi, the Spring Day Band, guitarist and singer Om Tae Kun and folk singer Hong Sun Kwan. Then the Fathers of the Streets chorus sang. They presented a version of the traditional Korean song ‘Arirang’ (Arirang 2014, an arrangement by the director, Mr. Cho Woo Hyun), then a medley of children’s songs, and lastly a folk song medley. At the end there were tears and hugs shared by members of the chorus as the audience demonstrated its appreciation.
Some of the participants shared what this experience meant to them:
One of the church people said - I thought they are camping out on the street because they are lazy and aren’t willing to work. But I found it was not so once I met them. At the very first we were embarrassed but now that we have got closer we feel differently about each other… They took care of us and served us more than we thought and expected. Moreover, I am very thankful to them for opening their minds to us and becoming one team. We sing, “One day the bright day will come.” I felt their pain in this song. I pray that they will one day be able to share their painful stories with their families. Sleeping out is not a shameful thing as I realize it was just their shelter…
A second comment: I thought homeless people are different from us but they also have family and friends like us. They have their own different reasons and issues which has brought them to this point in their life where they are experiencing the name of ‘homeless’, but now I wish to call them by their own names. This music concert has been designed with wishing for all of us to be neighbors, in the way churches and Jesus became friends of lower-class people, instead of just ‘giving’ or ‘serving’. When people wept and wiped their tears away at the end of the concert, I thought we have borne the fruits of becoming neighbors to each other. From this small recovery of relationship, we can extend little by little into our society to cultivate the social safety-net.
Third, from Mr. Jeong Woo Cheol: When ‘han’ (Korean word, which in English is approximated by the concept of ‘deep sorrow’) enters into the life of the marginalized of the world, they discover they are transformed into powerlessness, being propelled forward on life’s current. However, now I believe, that if a base of acceptance is provided to them, they will quickly find confidence and grow in power and be able to overcome the painful issues of life.
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