The year was 1942.  My mom was 26 and expecting her second child, a son.  She, my dad and I were living in Kalimpong, India, which bordered Tibet.  Prior to this after I was born in Maymio, Burma my parents had gone to China just as they had planned.  But then the Japanese began bombing China and my parents, as well as many other decided that they had to leave.  I am not going to tell all of this part of the story except to say that at one point, my mom who was 26 had to travel by herself with me at one point, with me in a basket carried by a coolie on this back.  They were reunited in Rangoon, Burma and flew over the hump, the Himalayas, and into Kalimpong.   What I didn't learn until three years before she died, is this.  The guest house in which she and my dad and I were living had the same kind of rule that many homeless shelters housed in churches had.  Once breakfast was eaten, my dad went to work and my mom had to leave and go to parks or shops, etc.  One day she began to fall apart as she was sitting on a park bench.  It was World War II; she had one baby and another on the way.  She had had to run to the rice paddies daily to hide during the day from the Japenese bombings.  Then she had had to travel, part of the way by herself, from China to Burma.  She was tired and afraid for her babies more than herself.  In the middle of the fear and the tears, she heard chimes from one of the churches and headed to the church.  As she sat down in the back,  a choir came in and began to sing the song that I am posting here:  "Come Ye Disconsolate."   While I have been thinking a lot about you, April, throughout this day, there are, I am sure, other sisters who are also having to deal with difficult situations.  We are all at different places on the matter of faith.  My hope is that no matter what your beliefs may be that you will find this song peaceful and healing.  I am posting two versions of the song.  What is interesting is there were far more you tube renditions of this song from African Americans, including some famous performers, compared to white performers.  

This first video is the traditional melody to "Come Ye Disconsolate"[url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RniAYJ7YVbk]The Stars of Faith: Come Ye DisconsolatePurpleSnowman2911,806 views


"Come Ye Disconsolate"  new melody[/url]WATCHED[color=#ffffff !important]6:31[/color] 

 

Last edited by KeepOnSinging (2/23/2016 9:10 pm)