By AIC Timothy Espinoza
It was a Sunday morning, and I was sitting in the unit’s day room doing math homework and listening with one ear to the TV on the wall.
A good friend approached, holding his MP3 player out to me with a big smile on his face. “Dale and Sandy”, he said, motioning for me to listen. I was momentarily confused, as only music is available in the MP3’s. It only took four seconds to determine it must be the song, “A New Hallelujah“. Through the years at chapel service, this song has become Visions of Hope’s unofficial theme song. I can’t remember how it started, but we sing it every time they visit us here at SRCI. It makes me wonder if it’s sung in every other institution visits as well.
What a blessing! I plugged in my headphones and began to hear the familiar voice of Michael W. Smith, but my favorite part was coming. My anticipation had to wait for a few seconds. The African Children’s Choir is featured on this song, and it plays so well to what we are all about. Listening to them sing, how could I not think of my sponsored kids and the wonderful connection I have to them, through Visions of Hope?
A New Hallelujah
Hearing the worshipful hope, joy, and purpose in the voices of the song, I couldn’t help but to compare it to some of the tragic things I’d recently read about concerning African history in a book about Dr. David Livingstone. Outwardly, Michael W. Smith and the young members of the African Children’s Choir, have little in common. As an AIC sponsor of Otino Waa children, it makes perfect sense. We worship the same redeeming God and long for the day when His healing will touch all nations and praise will resound through all the earth, Hallelujah!
I thank God for the opportunity to be a sponsor and hear from my Otino Waa kids. I also thank God for His reminders of the blessing each time I hear that song.
“Music… will help dissolve your perplexities and purify your character and sensibilities, and in time of care and sorrow, will keep a fountain of joy alive in you.”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
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Come, let’s shout praises to God,
raise the roof for the Rock who saved us!
Let’s march into his presence singing praises,
lifting the rafters with our hymns!
Psalm 95:1-2
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3 THINGS TO REMEMBER
- Our promise to the AIC sponsors is to match their $5/mo. sponsorship of their Otino Waa kids. We rely on YOU to complete that promise.
PLEASE GO HERE to help
Would you like to personally meet Timothy Espinoza and thank him for his stories? Prisons are beginning to open, and you can be included in a visit!
ASK HERE
Pray for Timothy and ALL the AICs who are completing the massive amounts of paperwork to apply for clemency this year with the governor and staff.