Christmas-letter from P. Georg Sporschill SJ:

"The unanimity – or concord – of music heals many of our young adults who come from the depths of drug-use. Music helps them find their way back to the community."

Advent 2011

 

Dear Friends,

Seventy children and young adults from the street have washed-up and satisfied their appetite. They are asleep. Ruth can now turn off the lights in the house. Yet a loud and persistent knocking forces her to check the door. Her eyes fall on an excited Moise, who is late as always. Nevertheless, she lets him in. Two small figures slip in after him; they are blackened by dirt and shivering in their torn clothes. It is November and very cold. Moise shows his protégés a place to sleep and wraps them in warm blankets. The next morning, the entire house is woken by piercing screams. The new arrivals are fighting over a piece of bread. Only after they’ve had breakfast do they calm down. Finally, they let themselves be taken to be washed. Two clean Roma boys emerge from the washroom, their eyes reveal their cheekiness, their faces are identical. The twins’ names are Emanuel and Costin. After a few days they reveal more of themselves. Their parents are in jail, the little ones were left to fend for themselves on the streets. Our child care workers are especially committed to the two of them, but there are always fights: during meals, playtime and even in the chapel; towards each other and both of them against everybody else. They terrorize the entire house. Ruth soon has the perfect idea to send them to the “CONCORDIA farm for children”. The freedom and the location in nature provided there should be able to calm them down. By the spring they want to go to school. But before lunch on the first day, the teacher sends them home. They are restless and constantly overexert everyone. What can possibly be done with these troublemakers?

A surprise visit comes to the farm: a drifter from Ireland offering drum classes. This would help the children to develop their rhythm and learn to listen to each other. He brings four drums with him. The strange musician wins us over with stories he tells well into the night.

The next day, the first class begins. Suddenly, the big drum goes missing. The sound of it is heard from far away, the thief is therefore quick and easy to be found. Emanuel – the children call him Bebe – is sitting behind the lumberyard and beating the drum. It’s impossible to take it away from him. He is seemingly attached to the instrument and floating on the waves of sound he produces on it. The other children admire him and want to play the drum as well. Today, we have a big and talented drummer-group, of which Bebe is the conductor. He is especially proud to introduce his colleagues, both big and small, to guests. Bebe has stopped being loud and rowdy, he and his brother both go to school. The Irish adventurer has travelled on. But thanks to his drums, he has left an effective form of therapy behind.

This is how the CONCORDIA school of music came into being. Today, our children learn wind instruments and play in the orchestra “Rosenorchester”. A little while ago, they rehearsed the Radetzkymarsch. Most of the children sing in the choir. We also have a folk dance group. The stars among the former street children are part of the youth band called Jamoja, which means ‘Let’s go!’ in the Romani language. The highlight of the summer is the music week. For the second time, professional Austrian musicians, the Swinging Leaders, came to visit us in Bucharest this year. The group is headed by a famous Austrian entrepreneurial personality who makes music with street children. The Swinging Leaders perform together with our band Jamoja.
This is CONCORDIA: Hearts come together. The unanimity – or concord – of music heals many of our young adults who come from the depths of drug-use. Music helps them find their way back to the community.
At Christmas, the social centre becomes a house of music for street children. Our children perform for hundreds of people who come in from the streets to be part of the celebration. Like the Swinging Leaders, the choir of angels will be there to sing with the saved young adults: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.”

Dear friends, you are all part of this choir. The joyful children hold a special place in their hearts for you. Their joy shall reach your houses on Christmas Eve. For it is to you and to your gifts that our children owe the fact that they can play again: with instruments, teachers and devoted social workers.

Please help us invest in the music school for wounded souls!


Craciun fericit – Merry Christmas!

Your P. Georg Sporschill SJ