Hope for the future

Last nights I attended a screening of a documentary on the Los Angeles Childrens' Chorus on their singing tour of China in 2008. I was part of a larger adult chorus that was joining forces with them to perform in Shanghei and Beijing. I was so impressed by the way in which these young people, some of whom were only 8 years of age, conducted themselves throughout the tour. They had been told by their conductor that they were serving as ambassadors of our country. Not only were they at all times professional in performing, but the film showed the personal side of many of them as they interacted with the Chinese people they met. One young lady from the chorus shared how she had been in an orphanage in China before being adopted by American parents. As she shared her story in Mandarin with her audiences, people were moved to tears. These young people so beautifully articulated their experiences and were bound to have left a positive impression on anyone with whom they came in contact. Two years after their tour, their story is being shared with millions through this documentary. When we focus on this type of behavior among young people, we know they are so much more than what we hear on the news about what they are doing wrong. What hope do you see for a brighter future among the young people you know ?