Sisi Ni Moja

by Rey Lambatin, Choir Director
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As part of the special celebration worship we did this past Sunday with Christ Community Church, one of our choirs, the Keynote Vocal Group, sang “Sisi Ni Moja,” a song partly in Swahili and partly in English. Composed by Jacob Narverud, the title translates "We Are One," the theme being that all human beings have much in common. I believe this rings especially true in CGS where quite a number of our members come from varied cultures with different languages, backgrounds, and personal stories. Yet in spite of our differences, we are one in our needs and wants: to experience the joy of fellowship with one another, and to be encompassed with love and support from each other, our community, and our God. To help us understand more the song’s message, here is its full text:
 

We all laugh, we all cry, we all feel hunger, we all feel pain.
We all love, we all hate, we all hope, and we all dream.
We are one world, one people, and we all breathe the same.
A tribe of many languages, a group of many heartaches,
fighting for peace among the land.
Heja, heja, sisi ni moja. Heja, heja, sisi ni moja.
Heja, heja, sisi ni moja. Heja, heja, we are one.
We all want, we all need, we all seek passion, we all seek joy.
We all bruise, we all scar, we all fail, but learn to thrive.
We are one world, one people, and we all breathe the same.
In the darkness of the night and in the glory of the morning,
we walk along the path and find our way.
Heja, heja, sisi ni moja. Heja, heja, sisi ni moja.
Heja, heja, sisi ni moja. Heja, heja
Now we stand here together and lift our heats in song
To the rhythm of this moment in our lives:
Heja, heja, sisi ni moja. Heja, heja, sisi ni moja.
Heja, heja, sisi ni moja. Heja, heja, we are one.
 

About the composer: Jacob "Jake" Narverud was born in 1986 and is an American composer, arranger, and conductor. Holding degrees from the Conservatory of Music at University of Missouri - Kansas City (Doctor of Musical Arts, Master of Music, Choral Conducting) and Emporia State University (Bachelor of Music, Voice Performance), he has taught at both secondary and collegiate levels. A native of Meriden, Kansas, Narverud is the Founder and Artistic Director of the Tallgrass Chamber Choir since it was established in 2009. He is currently based in New York and is an active guest conductor for district, regional, and all-state choirs across the country.