The Pastoral Department in El Soto School Madrid initiated the Christmas Campaign collaborating with a very interesting Project. Last year we decided to send a Christmas Card with a CD with Christmas Carols, edited by a group called Vox Populi. The funds were donated to the “Mary Ward Foundation.”

This same group, whose objective is: solidarity through music, has presented another project this year. They have come to our School with a group of Uganda Children who sing and dance African songs and dances. The name of the Choir is:” Songs and dances Kanungu Natumayini”.

  They are a group of 20 boys and girls from 8 to 17 years old who have created their own cultural show in order to raise funds. The NGO, called “Music to save lives” has selected the more gifted children in the area of music and has prepared this concert full of colour, joy, rhythm and vitality.

  They performed for us on the 5^th December 2005, in the School Concert Hall. The Vox Populi group managed to produce a CD of the “Kanungu Natumayini” which was available for everybody after the concert. The money will go to keep up their Children Homes.

We think this is a good project to work with. We also think it is very enriching for our students to get to know children, like themselves, who need to work and fight for a living in order to keep going in their own country. They don’t beg. They work and they present us their show, their culture, their roots; and they do it to help themselves and other children in life; other children who, like themselves, have lost their parents through wars, Aids, and have nobody to look after them

Being sensible to realities of that kind, and being exposed to that kind of experiences and gatherings, is a good way for “Preparing our hearts for God, the Gift”. This is our motto for Christmas 2005

Gloria Burón

Head of Pastoral Department (El Soto)