Surprise Sing & Serve Opportunities in DC
From Singing for a March for Life Prayer Service to Blessing a Museum Staffer with Cancer
My Delta Youth Chorale recently returned from six days in our nation’s capitol, where we sang for several inaugural balls and toured some of the historic sites. We called this trip our “Sing & Serve Tour” because we wanted to go not just to sight-see or be receivers of something but to sing and serve. And that’s precisely what happened.
Singing for Steve
While we did not meet the President or Vice President while we were there, we did get to minister in some unexpected ways through singing. On Sunday afternoon, we flexed our schedule after a last-minute singing opportunity did not materialize. We decided to take the singers to Dulles Airport and the other half of the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum there. A kind gentleman helped us on the phone and met us there when we arrived. His name was Steve, and he helped us get in, gave us some gifts, and showed us where to take the best group photo and how to start the tour. We offered to sing for him, and he said that he would love that, but he said we had to sing outside because it would break some rules for us to sing in the museum. So, as the museum closed and the snow fell, we gathered outside, and Steve called his two brothers, and we serenaded him. He had told us that it’s been a hard few months because of some tough cancer news and upcoming treatment. We gathered around him, sang “God Bless America” and the Doxology, and prayed for him.
A Friend, Fifer, and Fellow Louisianian at Mount Vernon
We brought our choir to George Washington’s Mount Vernon on Tuesday morning to see the beautiful estate. It was a crisp, cold morning, but we soon felt the warmth of a fellow Louisianian who was giving a music demonstration on the fife (a small, flute-like instrument). Donald was his name, and he quickly took us under his wing. He played Louisiana tunes for us, and we sang for him. He then marched us down to General Washington’s tomb in rows of four while he played his fife. At the tomb, he led us in a wreath-laying ceremony where the students sang the National Anthem and even the Doxology there. It was a very moving experience. Before leaving, we told him we brought some artisan King Cakes from Louisiana. As our students perused the gift shop, we brought in some treats for Don. He was so thankful and asked if we would sing for the workers in the gift shop and food court. So, we serenaded them with an a cappella version of “God Bless America.” You can see and hear it in the video below:
It was a joy to meet Don and to have him warm our hearts even if our fingertips were cold. If you visit Mount Vernon, be sure to ask for Donald Francisco. Our whole crew loved his energy and enthusiasm. It was a pleasure to meet and sing for him!
This trip was made possible by generous donations from friends from all over the country. It’s not too late to chip in and help us as we pay our expenses off from this glorious trip. All donations are tax-deductible. And 100% of your donation makes it to our trip fund without processing fees. Plus, you’ll have an automatic giving receipt generated as soon as you donate. Here’s the link if you want to support the Delta Youth Chorale with a one-time gift of any amount:
Father Frank Pavone & a Pro-Life Prayer Service at the Supreme Court
Our last day in DC was filled with the Library of Congress and the US Capitol. Between those two stops, we decided to walk the students over to the Supreme Court building so they could see it and get a picture. As we approached, we noticed that there was some assembly happening there. At first, we were not sure what the event's nature was. But as we approached, we realized that those gathered were offering prayers for the victims of abortions in the US. It was a prayer service before the March for Life events kicked off later that week. One of our chaperones walked over to the emcee and told them that we would be willing to sing a song or two if it would be helpful. So we sang for them there and I got to say a few words about how we agreed with their cause. It was yet another impromptu way that we were able to sing and serve, even on our last day in DC.
Final Thoughts
Those of you who are regular readers here at Musically Speaking will know that I believe that we need to correct the overemphasis that singing is a celebrity activity and balance that out with service. What a wonderful way the Lord allowed us to balance out this trip by meeting some high-profile people at several events but also keeping us grounded and aware through some impromptu ways to sing and serve while we were touring. These weren’t the only events. We sang for some Secret Service patrol officers outside the White House, and we even sang for a McDonald’s in Fort Payne, Alabama, on the way back. It was a blessing, and I hope these kids will remember and cherish all these opportunities going forward.
So fun to follow your trip—what an amazing experience for all of you!!!