Who: Hilde Girls with Susan Lincoln
What: Celebration Concert
Where: Unity of the Hills Church, 9905 Anderson Mill Road, Austin
When: Saturday, April 12 at 8 p.m. Doors open at 7:30 p.m.
Why: To support Global Camps Africa and HIV/AIDS affected children in South Africa
Cost: $15 donation
Contact: Sherry Scott/Susan Lincoln 512.473.3804

“Through this celebration concert, the Hilde Girls are generously sharing their gift of music with the Austin community and expressing the spirit of ‘umbutu’ to children half a world away” said Jean White of Global Camps Africa. “We are extremely grateful.” Umbutu is the Zulu word for ‘humanity.’

A minimum donation of $15 is recommended at the door. The proceeds will benefit children who have lost one or both parents to HIV/AIDS or HIV positive themselves by supporting Global Camps Africa, a camp that works with children between the ages of 10-15 years old living in South Africa.

The magical evening of song will be uplifting as 80 women of the Hilde Girls sing a performance of celebration and love. Everyone is invited to come enjoy the songs and participate in their celebration of sharing.

Hilde Girls was founded by Susan Lincoln, an inspiring singer, teacher, and visionary from Austin, Texas. In 1998 Lincoln, a trained opera singer, visited Germany and Hildegard of Bingen’s Abbey. Hildegard was a 12th Century visionary Nun who received and wrote her music through meditation. Lincoln found the music to be so spiritually inspiring that she was determined to come back to Texas and teach the songs to other women.

Now, nine years later these songs along with others written by more contemporary artists are sung regularly with Lincoln’s leadership by the Hilde Girls, named after Hildegard.

Once or twice a year, the Hilde Girls host celebrations and donate proceeds to a charity. Previous gifts have been given to Safe Place, GEN Austin and Save Our Springs Alliance.

“This spring we want to focus on healing the Africa within each of us and the heart and soul of our planet by singing for children affected by AIDS, “said Lincoln. “One of our songs features awareness brought to the attention of the world by Nkosi Johnson, a young African boy who died of AIDS.”

Global Camps Africa (GCA) is a U.S. based not for profit organization that provides a 10-day residential camp experience for children affected by HIV/AIDS.

The children who attend camp may have lost one or both parents to AIDS or may be HIV positive themselves. GCA’s flagship camp, Camp Sizanani, is located in the mountains outside of Johannesburg. Sizanani means ‘to help each other’ in Zulu.

“At Global Camps, children learn that they matter - they are beautiful and radiant beings of light that deserve to have good lives and good things happen to them” said Lincoln. “The children have fun, they learn to swim and they learn music, poetry, theater. They are celebrated. They also learn to respect and protect themselves and each other and they talk about sex and AIDS, many for the first time in their lives…lives that have been devastated by the very thing they can't even talk about.”

Global Camps Africa was started in 2004 by Phil Lilienthal of Reston, Virginia. An attorney by profession, Lilienthal also had been the owner of Camp Winnebago in Maine for 30 years. At 62 years of age, he decided to give up his life as he knew it and do something about the HIV/AIDS devastation in South Africa. He believed that the camp experience was so strong and had such a positive impact on children, that it could help HIV/AIDS affected children in South Africa.

He flew to South Africa, rented land, partnered with a South African social services agency, hired and trained counselors and, within a few short months, was off and running his experimental first 10-day camp for 130 boys. Within months he ran his first camp for girls. Twenty-seven camps and 3,200 children later, GCA is making a difference in the lives of the children who attend camp as well as the lives of those whom the children touch.

The camp is part education, part HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention and part crucial life skills all wrapped up in a spirit of fun and camaraderie. Three 10-day camps are held each year for 135 to 270 children each time. The children range in age from 11-16 years and are largely from the Soweto area of Johannesburg.

The camps provide a safe, positive environment for children to learn, to gain self-esteem, to have fun, to meet other children in similar situations and to inspire in them the confidence to positively impact their own lives as well as family, friends, their community and their country.

In 2007, GCA expanded its efforts by sponsoring two additional camp programs in partnership with two South African non profits: one for orphans in Limpopo Province--one of the poorest regions of South Africa, and one in KwaZulu Natal--the province with the highest HIV/AIDS infection rate in South Africa.

The children themselves are the testament to the success of the camp. Thirteen year old Busi writes: “I came here empty, but now I’m full.” Mmabatho, age 13, from Soweto writes “I never expected to find a place full of mountains and trees. It is quiet and gentle. I will never forget this place.” Fourteen year old Elizabeth writes “Camp Sizanani is a home to me, a place of birth. It changed my life. You taught me to believe in myself.”

Following camp, children can attend weekly Kids Clubs gatherings in Soweto sponsored by GCA. Kids Clubs provide meals, a safe, fun environment and mentors and counselors to reinforce the camp experience and build on it. More than 700 children attend these weekly gatherings.

“In a country where it is estimated that one half of all 15-year olds will die of AIDS, each of us has it in our power to take a step to help stem the tide of children being affected and infected with this disease” Lilienthal said. “The Hilde Girls efforts are inspirational and we hope will inspire others across the United States to follow their lead in showing that talents can be combined with a humanitarian heart to help save children’s lives in South Africa.”

“I cannot say enough good things about this camp and what it provides for these children” Lincoln said. “It is a true testament to the power of love and the power of One that each of us has within ourselves.”

Contact information

April 12, 2008 Celebration

Sherry Scott/Susan Lincoln 512.473.3804
Unity Church of the Hills 512.335.4449

http://www.unityhills.org

Hilde Girls

Founder/Director Susan Lincoln
www.hildegirls.com
512.473.3804

Global Camps Africa

703.437.0808

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www.GlobalCampsAfrica.org