Laughter is the global speech that binds us together, defying all language and social barriers.
Someone once said that laughter is the best medicine; studies have even proven that laughing is indeed beneficial to our health. Laughter releases positive chemical endorphins into our bloodstreams that bring a sense of relief, relieving stress and bringing comfort.
At Sozo this month, we celebrate the gift of laughter.
It was such a privilege to have twenty-two of our Sozo Children in America for five months. They met new faces and touched many lives as they traveled from city to city, sharing their love for Jesus everywhere they went. However, the tour didn’t just impact the individuals in churches they visited, but also shaped their own personal character and growth. From the feedback we’ve received, the tour fostered new confidence in our kids, and at the same time allowed them to be vessels for the Gospel.
Amidst the crazy choir tour schedule of the past few months, a sense of relief—some laughter—is just what these kids gave to each other and those around them. This laughter was energizing and like medicine to the kids.
As you can imagine, the choir kids experienced a full range of emotions and human experiences while in America for several months: friendship, homesickness, anticipation, teamwork, frustration, success, and laughter. And while, on any given day, any of our kids could have experienced one or all of these emotions, something that remained constant was their continual laughter.
Our staff got an inside look into these new experiences that come with visiting a foreign country. New experiences, new phrases and cultural norms, and new technology all brought a sense of joy around the office as our kids tangibly and socially discovered America.
Even though the kids are back at home in Uganda, their stories continue to bring us joy and laughter, and that’s a testament of the Gospel-joy they have and have used to testify to the glory of God. We want to share with you some moments from the choir tour that made us all laugh and brought us joy!
New Adventures
While at the Hargis Retreat Center, Janet and some of the other choir members tried paddling in a canoe for the first time — the end result, hilarious. Watch this video to hear about the event that made Janet laugh the hardest all choir tour.
New Cultural Norms
The choir quickly adjusted to the new phrases, words, and social queues we are so accustomed to, and frequently used their favorites.
- At Sozo’s home base in Alabama, they learned the southern slang “y’all”, “roll tide” and “war eagle”.
- The kids embraced the pop-culture reference “Bye, Felicia“, which makes Dennis laugh every single time you say it to him.
- They learned what it meant to “dab” and quickly added it to the freestyle portion of the choir performance.
New Technology
Benja pretending to work at the Sozo office.
Two words: Google Home. The choir kids were mesmerized by Siri and the Google Home features and loved taking advantage of the fun technology. They got a kick out of asking Google all kinds of questions. Here are two of Hannington’s most frequent requests:
- “Google, play The Greatest Showman soundtrack, volume 10!”
- “Google, what is the fastest/slowest/most expensive car in America right now?”
So whether it’s jump roping under a Ugandan sunset or dancing around an office, laughter continues to bind us together as one. Laughter is universal, it is unifying, and it creates community and camaraderie. Laughter is a gift from God and we are so thankful that we have been able to spend the past few months laughing with our Sozo Choir kids!
And we want to hear from YOU! If you had an interaction with our choir kids or got to see them perform, share with us ways in which they brought you happiness of made you laugh. We are so thankful for these crazy fun kiddos! Comment below or share with us @sozochildren!