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Parker Hill Church plans Daraja Choir visit

By LAURA BONAWITS Times Leader Intern

The Daraja Children’s Choir of Africa will perform at the Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Theatre in the Scranton Cultural Center on Friday, Oct. 18, at 6 p.m.

Parker Hill Community Church, based in Clarks Summit, arranged for the choir to make a stop in Scranton as part of its fall tour, said Paul McGuinness, pastor of global outreach.

The choir, composed of 24 Kenyan children and orphans ages 8 to 13, will entertain the audience with a blend of traditional African song and dance and contemporary Christian music.

“Daraja” means “bridge” in Swahili, and the children’s choir serves as a bridge between the people of Africa and the United States.

In addition to music, the children will also weave in some of their own stories, according to McGuinness. “The audience gets a better glimpse of what is going on in that part of the world that we’re immune to,” he said.

This is the second year for the Daraja Children’s Choir performance at the Scranton Cultural Center.

Approximately 1,700 people attended last year show in November, McGuinness said, adding he is expecting a similar, if not larger, turnout for this year’s performance.

The performance is free to the public. Donations will be accepted and go directly to The 410 Bridge, a non-profit organization based in Atlanta, Ga., that works directly with several councils of Kenyan leaders.

For details, visit the Web site at www.410bridge.org or www.darajachildrenschoir.com.