A truly amazing grace

Opinion

November 2, 2012

A truly amazing grace

The Daily Southerner Calvin Adkins The Daily Southerner Fri Nov 02, 2012, 05:18 PM EDT

TARBORO — When the Ugandan Orphanage Choir sang “Amazing Grace” Wednesday night at First Baptist Church in Tarboro, I realized at that moment I was in for a treat, but I didn’t know that treat would touch the center of my heart like it has never been touched before.

Coincidentally, “Amazing Grace” is one of my favorite hymns. I enjoy it in any genre including instrumental, a cappella, country and western, Primitive Baptist style, and even my grandmother, the late Mittie “MaMit” Adkins, humming the tune in her soprano voice. Until last night, my grandmother humming “Amazing Grace” was my favorite.

Sorry Mamit, the orphans’ version stole my heart. It wasn’t so much that the orphans sound better than the other genres, but they sang it with conviction. They made me feel as if they were singing from their personal experiences. Especially the words of third and fourth verses:

Thro’ many dangers, toils and snares,

I have already come;

‘Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far,

And grace will lead me home.

The Lord has promis’d good to me,

His word my hope secures;

He will my shield and portion be,

As long as life endures.

By the time they finished that song, those 22 orphans had captured the undivided attention of the diverse congregation that overfilled the sanctuary, but they didn’t stop there. They gave God praise through song and dance for about a hour and a half. It was an hour and a half of experiencing the best sermon in my life. The sermon was through song that told the congregation to love our neighbors, praise God for his mercy, and even if you are facing trying times, keep the faith and believe that tomorrow will be a better day. I don’t know if the most prominent of ministers could have preached a better sermon.

And from the response of the audience, I don’t believe the most prominent of ministers who preached the most prominent of sermons, could have touched as many souls as the orphans did. I witnessed grown men, including myself, fighting to hold back tears and I heard sniffles from women who gave in to the emotional moments.

My favorite moments, although there were quite a few, was when the lead singers walked out in the sanctuary and interacted with the audience. As they sang, they hugged necks and shook the hands of the parishioners. When the second soloist made her trip in the sanctuary, the parishioners had caught on. Everybody wanted to be touched by the orphans.

One lady, sitting near the middle of a row, stood up and summoned one of the orphans to give her a hug. Another orphan walked from one end of the row to the other passing out cheerful hugs. Another one hugged a boy and stuck something in his pocket. I questioned her after the show and she confessed that she gave him a monetary donation. I believe the children left that kind of impression on everybody that attended. It made us want to support the 5,000 kids who are in 11 orphanages in Uganda supported by Pennies for Posho, the group sponsoring the choir.

The orphans who visited Tarboro had the brightest of smiles, like children on Christmas day. There was no an indication they needed assistance. They have aspirations far beyond their counterparts in their native land. One said she wanted to be a lawyer, another a doctor and two wanted to be pastors. Their messages made the audience look beyond them and reflect on the hundreds of starving children in Uganda. That’s what brought the tears.

Pastor Ted “Big Daddy” Moody, the founder of Pennies for Posho, made an interesting observation. He said 100 years ago, Americans went to Africa to minister and teach them about God. Then, he asked, could it be that today, God is sending African children to teach us how to worship?

Wow! Now that’s Amazing Grace.

(Calvin Adkins is a staff writer for The Daily Southerner and may be contacted at 823-3106 or cadkins@dailysoutherner.com)

Text Only

Opinion

My 13 years have been lucky
It was 13 years Sunday that a drought was broken in Big Spring, Texas, After that, we ate Mexican for dinner with a gathering of family and friends.
The next day, a Saturday, Stephanie and I joined one another in marriage under a beautiful little gazebo by Comanche Trail Lake, fed by the historic spring from which the community draws its name.

May 20, 2013
We Salute...
Each Friday, The Daily Southerner will recognize individuals, groups and businesses in Edgecombe County who have gone “above and beyond” in their effort to make this a better place to work, play and raise a family.

May 17, 2013
Benghazi: We need the real truth
The American diplomatic mission at Benghazi, in Libya, was attacked on Sept. 11, 2012 by a heavily armed group. The attack began during the night at a compound that is meant to protect the consulate building. A second assault in the early morning the next day targeted a nearby CIA annex in a different diplomatic compound. Four people were killed including U.S. Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens. Ten others were injured.

May 15, 2013
With much thanks and love …
The past month has been interesting, to say the least.
As I grew up, my first cousins — a group of us that have simply been referred to as “The Cousins” would often joke that when we died, we knew it would be as the result of a heart attack. That’s the history of the Walker family and my Dad and his seven brothers and sisters, as heir parents had, died of heart-related issues.
But along the way, something else happened, Cousins Joyce, Dudley, Don, Kenneth, Howard and Jimmy all died after a courageous battle with cancer.
Dudley and Don and Jimmy and Howard were brothers. But we were much more than cousins. We were a true Southern family in that no matter how far away we might move, we always wound up back at Granny Walker’s.

May 6, 2013
Favoring Immigrants over Citizens
Should Immigrants ever be given more favorable treatment than those of us who are already U.S. citizens? Apparently President Obama believes this should be the case when it comes to Obamacare. When it comes to the terms of the immigration reform bill and Obamacare almost 11 million illegals will be given a provisional legal status to live and work in this country.

May 1, 2013
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Princeville, the oldest African American community in North America, through the years has had many hurdles and set backs since it was established.Yet with its resilience, it has some how, through some miracles has always bounced back to stay the course of normalcy as best as it could envision. Yet, we must be ever so reminded that our earthly job of being responsible and accountable for and to ourselves shall never cease, until our journey is finished.
This beckoning call for volunteers is being directed to all the local residents who are concerned and aware of the deplorable existing condition of the cemetery on N.C. Highway 111.
This appeal is specifically for churches, community organizations, and all concerned able body men, women and young folks to respond. The purpose of the tentative meeting is to organize a special committee of volunteers within the community, to assumed the responsibilities and duties of maintaining the cemetery. This is where our deceased loved ones are laid to rest and one day for sure some or most of us, if it’s God's will, shall lay rest in this cemetery. It's about pride and cultural respect and decency that we the living owe our beloved ones who's gone over.
Please call or respond to the contact information below and we'll get in touch and arrange a special meeting to start this project. It's no secret that it's an eyesore and a reflection of what we collectively think of ourselves as well as about of our deceased. This mindset can change. With the weather changing, the grass will be growing. Once again we'll be faced with the cosmetic upkeep. There are some simple tasks we as concerned residents can come together as a concerned unit/group to maintain the appearance of our cemetery.
Calling all concerned men and women and children residing in historic Princeville.
Those interested please call (252) 823-3740

Milton Bullock
Native of Princeville

April 17, 2013
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
Dear Editor,
Thursday, May 2, is the National Day of Prayer all over the United States. I would like to challenge every minister of the gospel to bring a group from his or her church and meet us on the Town Square across from Edgecombe County Courthouse at 11:45 p.m. Thursday for prayer and unity.
After looking through the phonebook and newspaper church page, there appears to be more than 300 churches in Edgecombe County of multiple faiths. Yet each year we barely have 25 people respond to the advertising for National Day of Prayer.
Prayer has no respective person and does not practice segregation, yet the church segregates itself every Sunday morning. As a blood bought believer in Jesus Christ, I ask all who believes that Jesus was born of virgin, died on the cross and rose on the third day to meet me with an expressive tongue of prayer for our local, state and national leaders. Are you up for the challenge.

Viola Harris

April 17, 2013
We Salute...
Each Friday, The Daily Southerner will recognize individuals, groups and businesses in Edgecombe County who have gone “above and beyond” in their effort to make this a better place to work, play and raise a family.

April 12, 2013
We Salute...
• ELLIS “BUDDY” HOOKS, on being named to receive the BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA DISTINGUISHED CITIZEN AWARD.
Hooks will be officially recognized on May 14.
• ALL PARTICIPANTS in the 76th EASTERN CAROLINA 4-H LIVESTOCK SHOW, held this week at the East Carolina Agriculture and Educational Center.
• Members of the TARBORO HIGH BOOSTERS CLUB, employees of the TOWN OF TARBORO, members of the GOLDEN K KIWANIS CLUB and all others involved in the successul staging of the 20th TARBORO EASTER CLASSIC BASEBALL TOURNAMENT, Despite chilly, wet weather on Thursday, today’s weather is forecast to improve to the point of being a perfect day at the ballpark.
• Edgecombe County businesses recognized for their efforts to promote a safe work place, including Keihin Carolina System Technology, Inc., Air System Components, ABB, Inc., Piedmont Natural Gas, Tarboro Resource Center and QVC, Rocky Mount , Edgecombe-Martin County Electric Membership Corp., Hillshire Brands-Sara Lee Bakery and N.C. Department of Commerce, Division of Workforce Solutions, Tarboro Branch Office.
• LT. FLEMING THOMPSON, a 2005graduate of Tarboro High School, on being named the United States Air Force’s 23rd Bomb Squadron NAVIGATOR OF THE YEAR.

• • •

April 5, 2013
What makes smart people do stupid?
It really gets me to see those you would think are smart people do what are obviously stupid things. I’ve just read about what has been going on in the city of Stockton, Calif. The population of Stockton is about 300,000. It is next to a beautiful downtown waterfront and sports a handsome $46 million glass hockey arena and single-A baseball team, playing in a new taxpayer-financed stadium. Sounds great, but actually this is part of the terrible financial problems the city is experiencing.

April 3, 2013
More Opinion Headlines

Opinion

Search Results

A truly amazing grace

Site Map