PSALM 30:11
Cateura is a small slum in Paraguay, South America. They are well known for two things – their collection of scraps from refuse dumps to survive (because of poverty) and good music.
The Recycled Orchestra of Cateura, also known as the Recycled Orchestra, was formed in 2012. It is an orchestra made up of children who play musical instruments made from scrap materials collected from refuse dumps.
With a violin costing more than a house in Cateura, the orchestra had to become creative, forming its own instruments from their garbage supply. The orchestra has gone on tour in many countries, performed internationally with Stevie Wonder and the American heavy-metal bands Metallica and Megadeth.
Favio Chávez, a musician and an environmental engineer, who began the Recycled Orchestra, decided to try fulfilling lives instead of filling landfills. He offered local children who knew nothing about music the opportunity to learn. The lessons became so popular that demand for instruments outran supply. So he stumble upon an idea with a garbage picker – they decided to make their own instruments from trash. They used cans, forks, bottles, wires – whatever would work.
In explaining this innovation, Favio said, “The world sends us garbage, we send back music.”
This story challenges us to consider how we respond to the situations we find ourselves in. Every garbage (our pains, disappointments, struggles, sicknesses, etc.) can become music – not just for us to dance away our sorrows, but to bless others too and give glory to God.
Photo: TheNational
