My Voice, Our Voice

In April 2008, group members were asked to write a paragraph titled, "My Voice, Our Voice" as part of the trip preparation. Here are some of the early submissions.

My Voice, Our Voice

As a journalist, it is my job to give a voice to those who may not otherwise have one in our 24/7 world. When Keith Porter and I first visited Gjakove in 2002, our goal was to give child survivors of the Kosovo conflict a voice. It wasn’t hard to capture the angelic voices of the Slovene Village participants in the Shropshire Music Foundation’s Kosovo Children’s Music Initiative. Their voices were loud and clear and carried well beyond the cold, white walls of Slovene’s recreation center. This collective voice was full of hope, not despair. More importantly this collective voice inspired my words, Keith’s words, and ultimately a youth choir half a world away. Six years, three cross-Atlantic summer trips, and six exchange students later, our voices are intertwined in a way that can never be separated. My voice is their voice and their voice is our voice. And what a wonderful voice it is!

---Kristin McHugh-Johnston

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Music is a magical art form. It exists in its purest form only at the moment it is created and heard. Even more miraculous is the creation of music with only the human voice. Using the human voice to create music is universal. People across the globe and throughout history have done this. When we join with others to sing, it connects us. We share a magical moment. We create something that in its entirety is greater than the sum of the parts. We produce the sound and listen to our voices coming back to us. The opportunity to raise one's voice in song and join with others is a transcendental experience. It allows us to catch a glimpse of the truly divine.

---Jo Drahos

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I was born in… I have lived in… I have traveled to… I am related to… I am married to… I talk to… I laugh with… I sing about… I am very small and a very big part of the world. I was born everywhere. I have lived everywhere. I have traveled to everywhere. I am related to everyone. I am married to everyone. I talk to everyone. I laugh with everyone. I sing about everything and everyone and everyplace. We are the world.

---Lori Carroll

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Traveling with the Muscatine Children's Choir to Kosovo in 2005 was a real joy. As an accompanist, I've been involved with the organization and with Wesley Church's Music Camp for several years. My duties with the group tour included acting as photographer. As such, I was privy to interaction between the Muscatine choir and the Shropshire Music Foundation volunteers and pupils. Children are children no matter their location, and music can be a very real connection; singing together and living together for two weeks. We Americans were subjected to much lower standards of living, because of the political situation in the war-torn country of Kosovo. We found that the pupils were eager for classroom study, even though it was their summer vacation. Living through war and oppression; not having opportunities of study in many ways seemed to evoke a desire that we don't find with many American children who take education for granted. The group exchanges to and from Kosovo have strengthened the ties between both groups. Many of the 2005 travelers are eager to return to Kosovo and work our Music Mission there once again. We thank the community for supporting us. Watch for new photographs and new tales of our experiences this summer. As a result of our group exchanges, Ereza, Bujeta, Kaltrina, Nita, Lum and Ali have journeyed to Muscatine to study in our local high school and community college, have lived with local families and have participated with the Muscatine Children's and Youth Choirs. We've been blessed by this new aspect of exchange.

---Anne Olson

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The talents and skills God has given us, are our voice - how we use these talents to help others is our song. And we want our song to be one of compassion and love for others. My voice is soft on it's own - you would have to be real quiet and really paying attention to hear it - but when blended together with other voices the message is easier to hear and can be heard by more people from a greater distance. Putting these voices together can form a choir that is not only beautiful to behold, but hopefully will inspire others to use their voices as well, as well as bringing comfort to those we are trying to help.

---Pete Korpi

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Of all the rewarding things about my involvement with the Kosovo group (and there are many), the thing I quietly enjoy the most is seeing our Kosovars performing and participating in other community groups. When I first saw Erza and Bujeta sing with the Muscatine High School choir, it hit me that our efforts were having ripple effects right here in Muscatine. I watched Nita and Kaltrina sing in an awesome community-wide Messiah performance last year. Afterwards, Nita said I was smiling through the whole show. Why? Because I am still amazed that they are here, singing in my church, defying war, making peace, proving the sensible world wrong. Ali reading to 2nd and 3rd graders at local schools. Lum wearing his MHS soccer jacket. It all makes my head spin. I was in the thick of all the group planning and activities, but I still cannot explain how it all happened and continues to unfold. Liz says the most important lesson to learn is that in this world there is no "us and them." There is only "us." And when I see our group, Kosovars and Americans, living that reality, I start to believe "our voice" can make a difference.

----Keith Porter

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My voice standing out in a crowd of people Lost in the chatter of day-to-day talk. One figure standing alone in the woods With no compass or anything to guide him. Yet, as the pitter-patter of rain falls on the rooftops Our voice can be heard for miles around, Lifting high and clear We know that the greatest power in the world That exceeds any mortal weapon Is the power of friendship. For the man alone in the woods Will find a friend to guide him. And my solitary voice in the crowd of people Will be heard. And still our voice lifts high and clear, Guiding all and all who will listen With the power of Friendship.

----Marina Calzaretta

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USA United singing abroad KOSOVO

Keep on singing our voices orating My voice, your voice, mingling in singing makes a joyful noise unto the Lord. I am telling people about the great program we have with the Liz Shropshire Music Foundation to help war-torn Kosovo youth. They are coming to the US telling about the atrocities of the war to their people. Talking brings healing. Action brings change. Voices against hardening of the heart seldom work. Maybe, just maybe, a tiny little word will ignite a spark in someone’s heart to change their way of thinking. Voices, voices, voices……I can’t understand you. You can’t understand me. Who cares? Smiles and hugs are even more important than voices in the air.

----Karen Morgan

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What I can not wait for, going to Kosovo, is to meet new people. What I have learned is that it is beautiful and the people are nice. I have heard they can speak a lot of languages that makes them smart (at least in my opinion). I hope I meet a lot of awesome friends just like my older sister, Halie, did when she was there. I wonder who I am staying with. I know it will be fun so I am happy!

---- ABBIE M. GRAY

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I’m looking forward, with some anxiety, to our return to Kosovo. Not due to the risk of security, but because I fear the fresh idea of freedom that I experienced, with the Kosovars, during our first trip will have begun to fade. Kind of like watching a movie sequel, it just isn’t as good as the original series. My hope is that the citizens of Gjakova will still be happy and friendly, and that the self-indulgence and urgency of our 20th century have not caused a negative effect on their society. Seems like when we help others we sometimes influence them with our “take it for granted” lifestyles. One thing I’m sure of is that the kids and young adults in the Shropshire program will have a head start, in the process, for the future of a free Kosovo.

----Dan Gray

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“Voices” brings to mind children singing, their accents blending to create music that knows no color, race or religion, and tells a story of happy endings. My first experience with the Kosovo project was the year the kids from the Shropshire Foundation traveled to Muscatine. As I watched them perform their concert with the kids from the US, I asked the person standing beside me to choose the Muscatine Youth Choir singers in the group. They couldn’t. And that’s as it should be. Although from entirely different backgrounds, those young singers had more in common than not. And when singing together, they formed bonds of friendship through music that can’t be broken. As they finished the song “We Sing for the Children,” I thought “and this is what this project is all about.” I am looking forward to the trip to Kosovo this summer to experience the hope that seems to be so prevalent in a nation that has experienced so many trials, and discover from them how to learn from the past but always look to the future.

----Margie Gray

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I can’t wait to go back to Kosovo I had a great time there last time. I’m looking forward to seeing all the kids again. It will be fun to help out again too. I am looking forward to singing and meeting new people.

----Halie Gray