30 singers from the “Jugendkantorei Esslingen” youth choir went on a choir trip to India in August. The 15 to 31 year olds travelled to the Indian subcontinent for a fortnight together with Dieter Bullard Werner, Executive Secretary of the Basel Mission – German Branch (BMDZ), and Solomon Benjamin, Asia Liaison Secretary of the Evangelical Mission in Solidarity (EMS).
The organizers made sure that the young people could experience as much as possible of everyday life in India. The tour first went to the cities of Bangalore and Mangalore in southern India before ending with a visit to Delhi. The group was hosted by congregations of the Church of South India (CSI) and the Church of North India (CNI). Both churches are members of the Evangelical Mission in Solidarity. The Basel Mission – German Branch (BMDZ) is also a member of the worldwide EMS Fellowship.
The youth choir performed several times at concerts during the trip and was welcomed with musical and dance performances by the hosts. The cultural exchange took place on many levels, including music, food, church services, lectures, sightseeing and many encounters with members of the Indian congregations. Everyone experienced moments that will remain with them forever – we would like to share some of them with you here:
“As we had the opportunity to travel through India with the youth choir and not as an ordinary tourist, we had a close-up view of the culture and what life is truly like in this country. Not only did we get the chance to visit sights like the Taj Mahal, loads of different temples or go on a train ride through the rain forest, we also really got into contact with the people who live there and found out what lies behind public opinion in India. I'm still totally blown away by the hospitality, openness and willingness to help that was shown to us everywhere we went in India." Adriana
"The India trip was not just a trip to another country, it was more like a journey to another world that we explored as a choir for a fortnight. We won't forget all the experiences we had there any time soon. The whole time, we were accompanied by our music and the never-ending Indian hospitality that greeted us everywhere we went. Thanks to the packed programme, we made the most of our time and experienced everything from temples to train rides through the jungle and safari outings to bustling flower markets. Thank you!“ Moritz
If you want to experience the programme of the Esslingen youth choir's trip to India, you can do so on 17 September 2023 at 17:00 in the Protestant St. Dionys Church in Esslingen, Germany. While the admission is free, donations are welcome.