Organization helps children in poverty
By Joseph Goral
Staff Writer
jgoral@mihomepaper.com
OXFORD TWP. — Key of Hope’s senior youth choir from Durban, South Africa will perform at LakePoint Community Church as part of its biannual United States tour on Sunday, Dec. 22, at 7 p.m.
Key of Hope’s mission is to assist children impacted by poverty and AIDs through mentoring relationships. The performance will offer ways to financially support the Christian nonprofit’s mission.
According to USA Team Leader Paul Dziepak, Key of Hope takes many kids to hospitals for HIV medications, helps with transportation to school, school fees, tutoring, food, conducts weekly home visits and does more.
“Through our home visits, we find (kids) where we find out that they basically haven’t eaten in three days or whatnot,” Dziepak said. “So, we have food parcels, and I would say that has kept kids alive.”
The program visits almost 2,400 kids at home and has upwards of 150 families who receive food parcels, according to Dziepak. He also said services for each child costs around $600 per year.
According to this year’s choir overview, 30 were selected travel to the U.S. for the tour and see the world in a way Dziepak said they likely would not have otherwise. Oxford and other Michigan venues were chosen because most of Key of Hope’s support comes from Michigan.
During the concerts, audience members will be given a program listing each choir member with their photos, the story of how Key of Hope was founded by Dan and Rachel Smither who left their home in Pontiac with the goal to help children in poverty and AIDs-impacted areas, and a QR code that concert goers can use to donate to the nonprofit. It will also include translations for songs because about half of them will be performed in Zulu.
Before arriving in Michigan, the choir will have performed in Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Maryland, New York and Ohio.
Key of Hope recently expanded to Kenya. For information on Key of Hope visit keyofhope.org.
LakePoint Community Church is at 1550 W. Drahner Rd.