International Humanitarian To Present at Local Benefit Concert
International humanitarian and Director of Mercy Partners, Tom Kilian, will be traveling from North Carolina to present in Ferndale, MI on Sunday October 23, 2011 for With One Voice: Medicine Mission. Benefit-concert organizer, Sarah Dalton said, “Our goal will be to raise money for …Mercy Partners. Mr. Kilian will share a hopeful message on what has been accomplished through the work the organization is doing, as well as, the current needs in Darfur, Sudan and Kenya.” Mercy Partners uses an unusual approach to holistic humanitarian aid that believes in providing a “hand up and not a hand out.”
The artists uniting their voices for the benefit concert include: Rufus Harris, Rockisha, Laura McCandliss, Mick Ives, Lakietha Perry, Sean Flatley, Theresa Dalton, Carrie Dalton and Sarah Dalton. This concert will be held on Sunday, October 23rd, from 4 pm – 7 pm , at AJs Music Café, 240 W. 9 Mile Rd., Ferndale, MI 48220,
(248) 399-3946 http://ajsmusiccafe.com/ .
The majority of the $5 cover charge will be donated to Mercy Partners. All of the musicians, poets, sound crew, etc. are participating on a volunteer basis. Additional donations will also be accepted that evening,
or go to www.mercy-partners.org
In 2010, after reading Imaculee Ilabagiza’s autobiographical story, Left To Tell, about the Rwandan genocide, Sarah felt she needed to put on a benefit concert to help those who were being affected by the current genocide in Darfur, Sudan. She was especially alarmed by the number of women who had been raped by militias. Sarah contacted Mercy Partners through their website with her hope of a benefit concert to aid the people they serve.
Tom, a visual artist, stated “Ironically, the name of her concert “With One Voice” was in line with the thought I had originally had when I sculpted the monument that I had entitled “One.” Her artistic temperament, coupled with the ambition that one person could really make a difference, harmonized with my belief that each individual has an opportunity to change the world if we get off the soapbox of ‘awareness’ and become ‘active’.”
Sarah empowered other musical artists with that same spirit. Last year, “With One Voice” spearheaded a water-well initiative for clean drinking water that raised over $1700.00 that is now being used to repair clean water wells on the south border of Darfur. This year 100% of the funds donated will go directly to medicine, inoculations and treatments. Diseases that we have conquered long ago such as Yellow Fever, Malaria and Typhoid are still alive and well In Darfur, South Sudan and the Rift Valley.
The needs are great and any amount is truly put to use in a powerful way. Last April in the village of Gudele, Mercy Partners treated up to 84 people for as little as $300 USD – That’s only $3.50 per person! That is cheaper than a latte! Yet, it goes a long way towards peoples’ survival. For more information about the organization, or to donate, go to www.mercy-partners.org
