CONGRESS: An Exchange of Culture through Music
By Elijah Brown
“Hear the Spirit,” the theme of this year’s congress, took on new meaning for those who at any given time
filled the auditorium during the International Music Fest that was held Thursday through Saturday during the
congress. Those who attended were blessed to hear a wide-ranging exhibit that included artists from Canada,
India, Latvia, Niger, Trinidad, the United States, and elsewhere.
Music arrangements included African contemporary blends, classical, choir and traditional music.
Commenting on how much he enjoyed the talent on display as well as the great variety of style of music,
Peter Mugabe from Uganda was particularly impressed with the Dawson Memorial Baptist Church Choir of
the United States as in Africa, according to Mugabe, it is unusual to see adults of more senior age remaining
committed to public group singing.
Other notable groups included the Nagaland Baptist Church Council’s Male Choir from India, which
received rousing applause for their rendition of I Have Decided; Krystaal, a Democratic Republic of Congo
refugee who migrated to Canada and who also participated in the 2005 congress in Birmingham; and the
Redeemed Messengers from Trinidad. Additional singers and groups included Yevgeniy Dovgalyuk from
Latvia, Lot Bruno from Niger, Manuvel Sarwatkar from India, the Berean District Music Auxiliary from the USA
and the Pomaika’imaikalani Hula Signing Team from Hawai‘i.
In the midst of an often worshipful and joyful atmosphere, at times the artists themselves gave witness
to the way in which the Spirit had moved through their ministry in various ways. Lot Bruno from Niger, for
example, noted a song he had used in an AIDS-related ministry. Originally from Latvia and currently the
concert master of the Fairfax Symphony in the United States, Yevgeniy Dovgalyuk briefly mentioned how he
had helped participate in the ministry of the Liya Dovgalyuk Foundation.
Founded in 2007 the Liya Dovgalyuk Foundation helps lead international music camps for children. In 2010
the Liya Dovgalyuk Foundation accepted an invitation by the Union of Evangelical Christian Baptists of Belarus
to host a camp in the city of Kobrin located near the border of Poland. The camp had 116 participants with six
countries represented: Belarus, Latvia, Moldova, Russia, Ukraine and the United States.
Many participants in the International Music Fest might quickly affirm the response of Carol Causey of the
BWA Congress Program Committee to a query regarding the aim of the event: “a way to exchange culture
through music.”
Within the diverse multiplicity of languages present at the congress, there was a beautiful unity in the
corporate worship experience that was exemplified in the congress gatherings and during the International
Music Fest.
Kyle Kelley with the choir of True Spirit of the USA succinctly summarized this reality, commenting that
participating in the Music Fest was “a great opportunity. It is one thing to share with our country but here you
get to share with the world.”


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