Children around the world need our help.
This is the main mission of Orem-based Mothers Without Borders, a charitable organization that provides resources for orphaned and vulnerable children around the world.
To raise funds for this cause, Karyn Bunnell is producing the second annual African Sunrise Concert, which will be held Aug. 29 at the Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center.
The concert will benefit Mothers Without Borders, which was founded by Kathy Headlee Miner.
"Two years ago I was in a concert and met Kathy's sister," Bunnell said. "And at that point I was taking on a community project through a class I was taking and Mothers Without Borders just spoke to my heart.
"I've always loved Africa, children, and because I have been in a concert and know people, I thought maybe the best way I could help is to create a (benefit) concert."
Last year's concert featured headliners Jericho Road, and the Golden Voices Gospel Ensemble. Steven Kapp Perry hosted.
Bunnell worked on organizing the concert for three months before she contacted Miner.
"I was very touched because Karyn didn't even know me," Miner said. "She didn't know us. She'd never been to Africa and she hadn't met the children. And it's always a real confirmation of the goodness of people."
The concert brought in more than $13,000, even with just 150 people in the audience. In addition, Miner passed around some baskets during intermission and asked people to give whatever they feel, even if it was a dime.
They ended up raising an additional $2,000.
"A good thing doesn't cost a lot," she said. "But if we pull our resources, we can do a lot."
This year, the goal of the African Sunrise Concert is to raise $35,000.
The concert, hosted by Jericho Road's Abe Mills, will feature Cherie Call, Nancy Hanson, Cori Connors and Studio A Children's Choir, an internationally acclaimed group comprised of singers representing 17 countries from around the world.
Bunnell said it took only one phone call to set this year's lineup.
"We made a phone call to Nancy and she started the ball rolling," Bunnell said. "And we made another phone call and somehow we found the choir."
Bunnell said all the performers are donating their time and efforts.
"They are volunteering for the performance," Bunnell said.
Mothers Without Borders was established in 1990 but officially incorporated in 2000, Miner said.
"Our primary focus is in Africa," Miner said. "The reason for that being because of the AIDS pandemic; the economy of those countries are really suffering. And the primary victims of AIDS are orphans."
Mothers Without Borders is working to provide solutions for those children.
"I started the organization primarily because as a mother it hurt my heart to see how children were suffering in other parts of the world," Miner said. "I can only imagine the heartache of a mother whose last thought is 'Who will care for my children when I'm dead?' "
Miner said studies have estimated that a child in Africa loses a parent every 14 seconds to AIDS — that's more than 6,000 children a day.
"Clearly the solution is not to create orphanages and institutions. The solution is to strengthen the communities and their ability to address this crisis."
In addition, the organization has a Children's Resource Center in Zambia, its regional headquarters, where house parents and a staff of 14 "can keep children that are found in a crisis situation who have no one to care for them," Miner said.
"We know we can't stop things from happening," she said. "But you can't quantify the power that it gives people to know that someone on the other side of the world just cares about them."
Also, this year, the concert is working with the Utah Dream Center, which helps at-risk and high-risk community members resources to rise above their situations.
"This will give people a chance, a glimpse of what they can actually do here in their backyard," Bunnell said. "And how you can make a difference and you don't have to go to Africa (but) pass that on to the refugees here."
If you go...
What: African Sunrise Concert, Nancy Hanson, Cherie Call, Cori Connors, Studio A Children's Choir
Where: Rose Wagner Performing Arts Center, 138 W. 300 South
When: Aug. 29, 7:30 p.m.
How much: $12
Phone: 801-355-2787, 888-451-2787
Web: www.arttix.org, www.motherswithoutborders.org
e-mail: scott@desnews.com