Michigan—The first annual A World of Music benefit concert presented selections from around the world. Held at the Howard Performing Arts Center on the campus of Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Mich., on Tues., May 24, 2005, the concert featured local and international performers.

Mickey Kutzner and Rita Seay, members of the Ruth Murdoch Elementary School governing board, coordinated the concert to raise scholarship funds for children of international seminary students. Many international seminary students endure financial hardship when they leave their country to receive an advanced degree at Andrews University. They sacrifice to experience an Adventist education, although in many cases there are not funds for their children to experience the same.

A survey distributed to international seminary students revealed the respondents were from nine countries. None were sponsored by their home conference. Of the eleven families represented in the surveys, five were not able to send their children to Ruth Murdoch Elementary School due to lack of finances. Collectively, their ten children were deprived of an Adventist education. Our mission is to provide financial assistance to these children for the 2005–2006 school year. We hope to accomplish our mission with pledges of support in addition to an annual A World of Music benefit concert.

Dwight Nelson, Pioneer Memorial Church senior pastor, was master of ceremony for A World of Music, which helped raise over $3,000 for the International Student Scholarship Fund. The concert began with "This Is My Father’s World," sung by Talisa Gonzalez, Timmie-Ann Maturan-Lee, and Beatrice Serban, Ruth Murdoch Elementary School students. A variety of religious and folk selections followed, including a Jewish Dance Group, Malawi Singers, Southeast Asian Kids, Kutzner Family & Friends, and the Ong family from Taiwan, among others. The final performance was a rousing rendition of "God Bless the U.S.A.," sung by Jeremy McIntyre, a recent Andrews Academy graduate.

We are all a part of our Father’s world. We are all especially blessed when our American educational institution can play a role in spreading the gospel around the world. We invite you to participate. To contribute to the International Student Scholarship Fund, contact Rita Seay by e-mail at: ritaj@andrews.edu, or phone (269) 471-3225.

Rita Seay, Ruth Murdoch Elementary School principal