NZ first westerner country to experience Sowers

The Evangelical Alliance Relief Fund

PRESS RELEASE

February 24 2009

NZ first westerner country to experience Sowers

New Zealand audiences will be the first outside of Africa to experience the joyful and rhythmic sounds of the talented East African gospel group; The Sowers.

The Sowers will play three free concerts highlighting child poverty on behalf of aid agency TEAR Fund. The opening concert will be in Auckland on March 5, followed by concerts in Tauranga and Hamilton on March 6 and 7.

Having fled the Congo and Rwanda, the band members have a powerful story of survival which has inspired thousands as they have overcome poverty and the scars of conflict, said TEAR Fund events manager, Andrew Robinson.

As children, band members Mike Matumaini, Oswald Basoka and Kosto Zahinda fled their hometown of Bukavu to escape the wars. They grabbed what possessions they could carry and on foot set out for a safe haven towards Kinshasa. Thirty days and more than 600km later, they found themselves deep in the Equatorial Jungle, injured, held at gunpoint and praying for their lives.

Inexplicably, the bandits who held them up executed others around them, but spared them. The Sowers Group believe they were delivered from that situation in order to tell the story of their people.

“Sowers has a unique sound, fusing beautiful East African gospel with contemporary grooves and traditional rhythms from Rwanda, DR Congo and Tanzania, and their outstanding vocal harmonies are as rich as their message is vital,” said Mr Robinson

But although the group’s music has been `forged in the fires of conflict’, their music remains full of hope. “The Sowers’ beautiful heart-felt songs of personal triumph bring the listener a message of great hope. “Not a shiny, untouchable hope but a hope born out of hardship and determined belief,” said Mr Robinson.

“This is the group's first tour to a western country so don't miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience this remarkable band.”

Concert details

• Auckland: 7.30pm, Thursday 5th March, Windsor Park Baptist, 550 East Coast Bays Road, Mairangi Bay
• Tauranga: 7.30pm, Friday 6th March, Bethlehem Baptist Church, 90 Bethlehem Road, Bethlehem.
• Hamilton: 7.30pm, Saturday 7th March, Hamilton Central Baptist, 33 Charlemont Street, Hamilton.

Ends .

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