For the cost of a potluck dish, anyone can enjoy a free concert by African gospel group Afrizo, with its catchy rhythms and activity. Audiences catch laughter, singing, dancing, clapping, stomping, and good times. Wearing vibrant yellows, blues, reds, and oranges, the singers dance and sway as they sing, giving a performance that makes the audience want to get up and dance too.
On November 20, music lovers can catch Afrizo at 7:30 pm at the First Presbyterian Church, 24317 Newhall Avenue in Newhall.
Afrizo will bring African gospel style music to their concert. The group’s concert is being held in the church’s sanctuary, and before the concert, a potluck dinner will be held in the Fellowship Hall at 6:00 pm. The entry cost for the potluck dinner is a salad or hot dish.
After the potluck, Afrizo will give a short program for children in the Fellowship Hall. Then, Arizo starts its musical show, and this concert is free to the public. The performance by Afrizo will include stories, Christian gospel, and folk music. Singing in English and Swahili, the group’s performance is lyrical and moving. Many songs are stories of faith. The group draws it songs from rich African traditions from south, central, and east Africa.
Daystar University, one of the largest African Christian Universities, sponsors Afrizo. With 2400 students attending from 20 African countries, many from poor families, Daystar is constantly raising funds, and it uses Afrizo to raise money to pay education costs of these students. The university is located in Nairobi, Kenya. Daystar emphasizes “servant” leadership, and most graduates of the university enter government, business,
journalism, community development, and education.
“This university is educating the next generation of African leaders,” emphasizes Jack Irwin, church elder at First Presbyterian Church. “Afrizo is a phenomenal group, and by touring the United States giving concerts, Afrizo raises money to help pay the tuition of students unable to pay for their education.” According to Irwin, this year Afrizo hopes to raise $350,000 for scholarships.