Cars filled the school grounds, parents, grandparents and older children made their way to the school hall. There was a buzz of happy chatter and a last-minute search for a missing top hat. The Iona Convent Primary School concert began with deafening applause, as the lower primary children marched onto the stage.
The musical instruments were played with great enthusiasm
Two new music teachers had been employed in March and, in the five months, they were ready to let the children “show off” their talents. One of the teachers, Dottie Marsh, said, “It is a gift and a God-given opportunity to teach such wonderful, disciplined learners. Each child has her or his ability and talent, and in the concert they all had the opportunity to freely express and showcase what they love to do. Music teaches them to connect with their inner self and feelings.” The other teacher, Ntokoza Skhosana, said that he tried to allow the children to be creative and feel free to connect with their different cultures as well as experiencing and appreciating other cultures. These teachers – without reading our revised Constitutions – “welcomed and encouraged the diversity of persons and gifts among us, all contributing to the rich unity.” (Constitutions 10).
The performance included singing, dancing, drumming, playing the marimbas and the piano, and at the insistence of the boys, a display of karate techniques.
The concert was full of joy and energy. There were no individual “stars” – every child was a star. Each child moved to the front of the stage at some time and this was really appreciated by their parents.
Some of the girls chose to dance
The theme of the show was: It’s all about love and the words of the songs chosen were empowering and meant a lot to the children. “No matter what they take from me, they can’t take away my dignity” from Greatest Love of All, a Whitney Houston song, was sung with such conviction and understanding for primary school children.
The concert was a great success and the parents went home proud and full of joy.
A few houses down the road from the school is Mercy House, the women’s shelter. Most of the young women at this time were survivors of human trafficking and were waiting to be repatriated. There were many delays, not much communication from the investigating officers and the women were feeling the stress. The fact that none of them spoke any South African language made them feel more isolated and helpless.
Mercy House
When the teachers at Iona Convent heard that the women were in such a distressing situation, they invited them to a second performance of their concert. The women were thrilled to being going out, dressed in their best clothes and looked like they were going to a performance at Emperor’s Palace.
The joy and energy of the children soon crept into the hearts of the women who were up on their feet in no time, dancing and clapping and thoroughly enjoying themselves. Here language was no barrier.
On the way home, one of the women put her hand on her chest and said, “No stress.”
Joy is truly infectious and healing. Maybe the women had found some beauty they possess inside.
Colleen Wilkinson RSM
South African Province
