Update Nov. 2010 - Feb. 2011
Symphonies of Hope– Choirs of Faith
Orchestras & Choirs Serving in God's Love
Update # 22
If the sound in the video is
choppy...Pause the video and wait
for it to load before viewing it.
Quick Summary
Over the past several months we have had a chance to continually encourage the group of students in
Pharr, Tx while at the same time preparing to leave again for Mexico and Guatemala.  They are really
coming along well and we very much enjoy being with them all.  We Prepared several Christmas
hymns and had a mini concert at the mall to encourage tired shoppers.  The students of Pharr, Tx have
also been part of a recent effort to construct better violin shoulder rests for all of the
students we have in different places.  There are still bugs to work out but some
of the shoulder rests have been working very well.  
We had a very generous quantity of heirloom seeds donated to farming families in the locations where
we visit,and we are anxious to see how these work in Mexico and Guatemala.  To enable the families
to use the seeds again and again there is a bit of education and training that needs to be done, but
some families are very welcoming of the challenge.  
Whether violins, shoulder rests, seeds, or water tanks,  we are very thankful for the various little ways
that God has made possible to bring some blessings to others.   With prayers of thanks, simple verses,
and service we hope that He is honored in what we do.    
Lately Grandmother Anderson has been having more difficulty as her cancer has progressed.    We
are very thankful that Noah, Joseph, and Elizabeth have all had opportunities to spend some time with
her.  As her days may be very short, we may all soon make a quick journey to Missouri to be with her
yet once more.  We are very thankful for all the days she has.
We have now moved on into Mexico.  We again visited students and families that we have been
working with over the past 3 years in Monterrey and now we are beginning another group in Gomez
Palacio.  -  more about that in the next update-hopefully to be out soon.
All Together Again for a Short Time
Surprise Birthday
Christmas
Building Shoulder Rests
We visited Joseph and Pattijane for Christmas and were able to spend a little time with
Hannah. She has grown a lot and is starting to walk already. She is a very easy going
sweet baby! We made gingerbread houses and discovered that the type of frosting really
matters! The frosting we bought wasn't strong enough and all the houses fell down!
Yes, the years have passed quickly! The children and the Bradfords got together and planned a little
surprise birthday party for us. Chris's birthday is on Christmas Day, and mine two days after, so
they planned it for the 26th. We had no idea... We loved the cake! It was very festive. The children
enjoyed working on "Operation 321" as they called it while they were working on their secret.
The Pharr Orchestra wanted to do something special for Christmas... Our family played at the
church Christmas concert as well as in the hospital lobby for several weekends in December. We
asked at the mall, and though at first it appeared that we might have a problem because we were
handing out buttons with Bible verses on them to passersby, in the end they allowed us to come
with the whole group. It is rather unnerving to be playing a song with many people milling around
and looking over your shoulder! But it was good practice. We enjoyed meeting people there and
having a chance to play the Christmas music we had been working on with the group.
Consider how the lilies
grow. They do not labor or
spin. Yet I tell you, not even
Solomon in all his splendor
was dressed like one of
these. If that is how God
clothes the grass of the
field,which tomorrow is
thrown into the fire, how
much more will he clothe
you, O you of little faith! And
do not set your heart on what
you will eat or drink: do not
worry about it. For the
pagan world runs after all
such things, and your Father
knows that you need them.
But seek His kingdom and
these things will be given to
you as well. Luke 12:27-31
Chris & Coleen Anderson
P.O. Box 1061, Pharr, TX  78577
In the U.S. :  608 -  313 - HOPE
Message phone in U.S. :  956-781-5133
Email: chriscoleen@symphoniesofhope.org
Email: chriscoleen@choirsoffaith.org
SymphoniesOfHope.Org
ChoirsOfFaith.Org

SinfoniasDeEsperanza.Org
CorosDeFe.Org
Noah & Elizabeth's Bus Adventures
Christmas Concert at the Mall
Shoulder rests are an essential piece of hardware when playing violin. In the past several years the
company we buy violins from always sent a good quality shoulder rest with each violin, but maybe
because of recent economic changes or who knows what, the rests that come with the violins now are very
low quality and break really easily. So... My inventor husband set out to make the better shoulder rest!
With help from the Bradfords we have been working on several shoulder rests for the students in Pharr. I
am sure there are still little improvements to make but we are really happy with the finished shoulder
rests and it makes it possible to have a good rest without the exorbitant price! A regular one from a music
store costs about 30 to 50 dollars. We can build one for a few dollars in parts and a couple of hours time.
In December we sent both Noah and Elizabeth off on separate bus trips. Noah had to go to Houston to
get his visa for his Columbia trip and Elizabeth went to spend 2 weeks with her Grandmother. It was
during the days of snowstorms that both of them went, so there were some snow delays, but neither of
them were stuck in the bus station for too long. Samuel had heard the song "Leaving on a jet Plane"
recently so when he went to the bus station with Noah to see him off he had to serenade him with his
own version of "I'm Leaving on a Big Bus" to say goodbye. This provided some of the fellow
passengers with entertainment as they waited to board their buses.
The Heirloom Seed Project
Conclusion
Leaving McAllen & Returning to
Monterrey, Mexico
When I wrote to a few seed companies in  November I wasn't expecting much of a response. I had
been asked several times in Guatemala about seeds from the U.S. Their selection of seeds there is
nothing like what we have here. They have one kind of corn, one kind of broccoli, one kind of carrot,
etc. in enormous boxes of seeds. We were suddenly in the seed sorting business for a few weeks. We
wrote down all the types and names of seeds and made packages for several groups to use. We are
looking forward to taking these with us to Guatemala and helping the people in some of the villages
we visit start them and teaching the how to save seed to share with others and to plant again next year.
There are many varieties of squash and beans as well as many other vegetable and melon seeds.
We were in McAllen much longer than we originally planned for but it turned out to be a good thing as
there were many little repairs to do on the van before we travelled. We also desperately needed new tires
for the camper as we travel over some very rough terrain and a flat tire is a show-stopper! Chris worked
some more on refining and adding to the computer program he wrote for the chicken plant last time we
were in McAllen. The children had lots of opportunity to get some schoolwork done. And I had an
opportunity to get a lot of organizing done. During the time in McAllen we were able to work with the
Pharr Orchestra Group on several new songs and on shoulder rests. We also had lots of orders to make...
new schoolbooks for the children, shoes, bow-hair to repair bows, violin parts and strings, printer ink,
transfer paper and t shirts for students, etc.  In March we were finally ready to go. When we are in a
place for so long it is always a monumental task to pack and get the camper ready to go! Joseph came and
helped us repair the trailer brakes just before we left. We packed and repacked and finally had it down
and ready to travel. Just before we got in the van to pull out of the parking lot the cloudy sky let loose
with a downpour of rain that was incredible! We had only seen a few sprinkles in the 6 months that we
had been in McAllen. We were so thankful that we had finished packing up before the rain began! We said
a prayer for protection as we waited for the rain to calm down before we drove away. It is always a little
sad to leave a place but at the same time exciting as we move on to new things.
During our time in McAllen we accomplished many things we needed to do. But now we are back
in Mexico and there is much more to accomplish. We hope to work with a new group of young
musicians in the Gomez Palacio area for a few months and then to travel on to Guatemala. We may
need to spend a little time in Missouri with Grandmother Beverly depending on how she is doing. It
is all in the Lord's hands and we are willing to follow his timing.

 Please pray for us... that we may make the best decisions possible in all things that we do, that we
may be able to bless the people that we are working with, that we may teach others to in turn bless
others, and for our continued protection in this time of heightened danger. Please pray also for
Domingo and his family in Guatemala... His Parkinson's disease continues to worsen and he
continues to try to work to provide for his family despite his physical difficulties. Pray for strength
for their family as they face this illness together. They are struggling during this time.
Thank you all for your prayers and for your interest in what we do. Please keep in touch. We love
to hear from you... even a few words to know that you are praying for us and thinking of us.

Blessings to All,

Chris, Coleen, Elizabeth, Sarah, Jonathan, Samuel... and Zuki too
Shortly before Christmas Noah returned to be with us for a couple of months before beginning
describes Columbia as being similar to Guatemala but it is very hot and humid there. He will be
working with the Organization 'Kids Alive' for at least 6 months. He will be teaching English,
Computer, and violin classes while also filling the position of sponsorship coordinator.
While there were adjustments to make in having him back at home, it was very nice to spend
some time with everyone together again. Joseph lived near too so we were able to spend some
time together as a family.
Counter