Annual Church Christmas Show 2011

Herod's military receiving orders from the King.

Dec. 31, 2011 Text and Photos by Anjara RAJAONARIVELO 
Edited by Chad Lebo

Every year Akany Avoko performs a Christmas show and each year it is better than the last.

On the night of the 19th of December, Akany Avoko had their Christmas show at the FJKM church in Ambohidratrimo where the children regularly attend. Usually Akany Avoko shares the church Christmas show with another group like a scout troop or sunday school organization, but this year only Akany Avoko was engaged for the opening night that began a week of Christmas shows at the church.

The Akany Avoko kids prepared quite hard for their two hour Christmas show that included: singing, storytelling, choreographed dancing and poems about Christmas. The show went very well and the public clapped for the kids especially for the youngest children when they recited their little poem. The best part of the show was the Nativity play, the story about Jesus' birth.  The Akany Avoko teenagers acted well and wore the fashions of the time of Herod, the king when Jesus was born.

All the children performed beautifully in the show thanks to their practice lead by the staff of Akany Avoko and the choir from the Lutheran church in Ambatovinaky.

Christmas Extravaganza

Any celebration that involves homemade paper hats is bound to be fun.

Dec. 27, 2011 Text and Photos by Chad Lebo

What would Christmas be at a children's home without a Christmas show? And not just a show. It was an extravaganza of singing, dancing and acting. This fantastic day took a tremendous amount of work that all in attendance were greatly appreciative of.

But talking about singing and dancing is not terribly effective, so please click below and let the rest of the photos tell the story. And stay tuned for a video compilation of the show later in the week.

Merry Christmas.

Christmas Feast and Gifts

Really? Don't smiles like these say it all?

Dec. 27, 2011 Text and Photos by Chad Lebo

Many of our children came from lives of little. Little love. Little education. Little food. Christmas for these children becomes a truly special occasion. For some of the children it is the first time they have ever received a Christmas gift.

For all of Akany Avoko, the staff, the volunteers, the kids, the Christmas meal is a particularly special part of Christmas. It is a chance for us to sit down to a wonderful meal as one large, loving family. All the staff join the children for the meal and the children all receive their gifts from a staff member or volunteer. It is a night of great love, appreciation and joy.

Please click the link below (as always) to enjoy all the photos that show the special night. They are large photos, so you may click one them to see them even bigger and better.

It's Beginning to Smell a Lot Like Christmas

The CAM girls baking up a Christmas storm.

Dec. 23, 2011 Text and Photos by Chad Lebo

Christmas is almost here. And Christmas at Akany means singing, dancing, laughing, gifts and eating. The feasting starts tonight. Thanks to generous donors the children are able to get a very special and very delicious meal. Having a feast takes work, but work is not a problem the staff, children and volunteers spent today washing, peeling, cutting, frying stirring.

More about the celebration tomorrow, so please check back in. And don't forget to click below to see all the photos.

Music Maker

Sammy playing one of the more than 20 different instruments used in the concert.

Nov. 3, 2011 Text and Photos by Chad Lebo

If people start asking for our children's autographs soon, we will understand. 

As part of a 6 month music project, our children will be recording a music CD. They actually "hit the studio" for the first time yesterday. But they are not alone on the CD. They are being led by the famed Malagasy musician Sammy Andriamalalaharijaona. 

Sammy is a virtuosic instrumentalist of international renown. Not only can he play all the traditional instruments of Madagascar, he can also make them. As part of the project with Akany Avoko, he has made 10 valiha and 10 kabosy that our children will learn to play. He will also be working with our kids to producing several more valiha and flutes with our kids using our own homegrown bamboo.