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Mission Explorers Africa

The Musical

Songbook

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FUNGA ALAFIA (Song #1) – Directions for Singers This is a traditional African welcome song. It begins the opening scene, where the lead character, Hillary, first arrives in Africa and a group of local children are there to welcome her. The pronunciation is as follows: “foon-gah ah-lah-fyah, ah-shay ah-shay.” Please instruct this so that all the children will pronounce it alike. It starts slowly. Begin with a soloist and add a voice at a time for the first two lines. After that, there is a 2-bar instrumental break to establish the double-time tempo. Then, all the children sing until the very last line, which should be sung loudly by the strongest solo voice.

FUNGA ALAFIA – Lyrics (1 voice) Funga alafia, ah-shay, ah-shay. (2 voices) Funga alafia, ah-shay, ah-shay. (3 voices) Funga alafia, ah-shay, ah-shay. (4 voices) Funga alafia, ah-shay, ah-shay. (two bars of instrumental to set the faster tempo; all kids join in) (ALL children sing) We’re here to greet you, ah-shay, ah-shay. We’re here to greet you, ah-shay, ah-shay. We’re here to greet you, ah-shay, ah-shay. We’re here to greet you, ah-shay, ah-shay. (16-bar instrumental break with heavy percussion; high-energy, joyful choreography; this is a song to welcome Hillary and company) (hushed, breathless staccato) Funga alafia, ah-shay, ah-shay. Funga alafia, ah-shay, ah-shay. Funga alafia, ah-shay, ah-shay. Funga alafia, ah-shay, ah-shay. (suddenly loud again; full-out) Funga alafia, ah-shay, ah-shay. Funga alafia, ah-shay, ah-shay. Funga alafia, ah-shay, ah-shay. Funga alafia, ah-shay, ah-shay. Funga alafia, ah-shay, ah-shay. Funga alafia, ah-shay, ah-shay. (2-bar percussion break) (strong solo voice) Funga alafia, ah-shay, ah-shay.

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THE WATER OF LIFE (Song #2) – Directions for Singers This is a responsive song. The soloist should be a child with a strong, clear, confident voice. The soloist is the leader of this song. The other children sing the responses, where it says “all.”

THE WATER OF LIFE – Lyrics (solo) Jesus will give you the water of life, (all) freely, freely. (solo) Jesus will give you the water of life, (all) you’ll never be thirsty again. (solo) Drink from that fountain and you will live, (all) freely freely. (solo) Drink from that fountain and you will live, (all) sing, “Hallelujah! Amen!” (all) Water of life (clap-clap), water of life (clap-clap), you’ll never be thirsty again. Water of life (clap-clap), water of life (clap-clap), sing, “Hallelujah! Amen!” (solo) Nothing sustains like the water of life, (all) freely, freely. (solo) Nothing sustains like the water of life, (all) you’ll never be thirsty again. (solo) Life-giving water for all who believe, (all) freely, freely. (solo) Life-giving water for all who believe, (all) sing, “Hallelujah! Amen!” (all) Water of life (clap-clap), water of life (clap-clap), you’ll never be thirsty again. Water of life (clap-clap), water of life (clap-clap), sing, “Hallelujah! Amen!” Water of life (clap-clap), water of life (clap-clap), you’ll never be thirsty again. Water of life (clap-clap), water of life (clap-clap), sing, “Hallelujah! Amen!” Sing, “Hallelujah! Amen!” Sing, “Hallelujah! Amen!”

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ANYWHERE! ANYONE! (SONG #3) – Directions for Singers The following song is sung only by the five leads in that scene. See below where I have indicated which lines are sung by which character(s). ANYWHERE! ANYONE! – Lyrics (Mr. R) Anywhere He calls you, whether near or far, Anyone you meet, no matter where you are, (Mrs. R) Anywhere you’re going in your life today, Anyone you see, they need to know the way. (Mr. & Mrs. R) Anywhere! Anyone! Let the good news flow. Share the love of Jesus everywhere you go. (Hillary) Anywhere with Jesus I can safely go. Anyone around me, I can let them know. Anywhere He leads me, I will never fear. Anyone He shows me, I will volunteer. (Hillary, Carey, Mr. & Mrs. R, Mrs. W) Anywhere! Anyone! Let the good news flow. Share the love of Jesus everywhere you go. Anywhere! Anyone! People need to know. Share the love of Jesus everywhere you go. Share the love of Jesus everywhere you go.

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WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? (SONG #4) – Directions for Singers This song has a very strong rhythm, as the music is intended to depict hard work. The scene in the musical is in a gold mine. If possible have a few of the boys onstage with hammers and chisels, pounding them on the first three beats of every measure except during the chorus. Not as loud on the second verse, and never so loud that you can’t hear the singers. There should be NO hammering during the chorus, as the rhythm changes there. Also stop the hammering right before the very last measure. Please include the clap-clap right before the very end of the song. Be sure to instruct the children who will sing to enunciate the “k” sound in “ask” and “seek” so it doesn’t sound like “ass” and “see”! WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING FOR? – Lyrics VERSE 1 Tap, tap, tap, people look for buried treasure. Dig, dig, dig, finding gold beneath the ground. Work, work, work, does it really give you pleasure? Drill, drill, drill, down and down until it’s found. CHORUS What are you looking for, way down in the dark? Let Jesus shine His light right into your heart! He is the Treasure that nobody can steal. Only His eternal life is true and real. VERSE 2 Knock, knock, knock, He will wait for you to open. Ask, ask, ask, Jesus helps you when you pray. Yes, yes, yes, He will heal you when you’re broken. Seek, seek, seek, you will find Him day by day. CHORUS What are you looking for, way down in the dark? Let Jesus shine His light right into your heart! He is the Treasure that nobody can steal. Only His eternal life is true and real. CHORUS What are you looking for, way down in the dark? Let Jesus shine His light right into your heart! He is the Treasure that nobody can steal. Only His eternal life is true and real. (half-time) Only His eternal life is (quarter-time) true… and… real. (shouted) (clap-clap) True and real!

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CELEBRATE CREATION (SONG #5) – Directions for Singers The following song is sung mainly by a boy soloist and a girl soloist (in the script as Jason & Emma), with the group coming in on the responses and choruses, starting with the second chorus. Most of the children will appear onstage as wild animals during this safari scene. You will see below where I designated a certain part in the song for them to spend six bars of the last chorus making wild animal noises!

CELEBRATE CREATION – Lyrics (Jason & Emma) Celebrate! Celebrate! Celebrate creation! Celebrate! Celebrate! The Lord God, He made them all. Join the song! Sing His praise! Celebrate creation! Lift your voice, night and day! The Lord God, He made them all. (Jason) He made the hippopotamus. (all) Celebrate creation! (Emma) And also the rhinoceros. (all) The Lord God, He made them all. (Jason) The zebra with its stripes so bold. (all) Celebrate creation! (Emma) The lion with its mane of gold. (all) The Lord God, He made them all. (all) Celebrate! Celebrate! Celebrate creation! Celebrate! Celebrate! The Lord God, He made them all. Join the song! Sing His praise! Celebrate creation! Lift your voice, night and day! The Lord God, He made them all. (Emma) Giraffes can reach up to the sky. (all) Celebrate creation! (Jason) The monkey’s swinging way up high. (all) The Lord God, He made them all. (Emma) Elephants have those crazy trunks. (all) Celebrate creation! (Jason) The wildebeest can run and jump. (all) The Lord God, He made them all. (all) Celebrate! Celebrate! Celebrate creation! Celebrate! Celebrate! The Lord God, He made them all. Join the song! Sing His praise! Celebrate creation! Lift your voice, night and day! The Lord God, He made them all. (Repeat chorus, but instead of lyrics, the kids do wild animal sounds for the first six bars. Please avoid farm animal sounds. The crossed-out words below are where they should substitute the wild animal sounds. After that, they should go back to singing the words.) (wild animal noises) Celebrate! Celebrate! Celebrate creation! Celebrate! Celebrate! The Lord God, He made them all. Join the song! Sing His praise! Celebrate creation! Lift your voice, night and day! The Lord God, He made them all. The Lord God, He made them all. The Lord God, He made them all. (shouted) He made them all!

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TRUST AND OBEY (SONG #6) – Directions for Singers This song involves two boy soloists (shown in the script as Richard and Carey) and two girl soloists (shown in the script as Hillary and Mrs. W), plus the whole group singing on certain parts. I have noted in parentheses which lines are sung by whom. TRUST AND OBEY – Lyrics (Hillary) When we start to feel bored, In our walk with the Lord, And we don’t think He knows when we pray, (Richard) Though we can’t hear His voice, Still we must make the choice, And remember to trust and obey. (all) Trust and obey, let the Lord lead the way, Even though you can’t see how He will use you today. Trust and obey, He will not run away. He will stay by your side while you are serving each day. (Hillary & Richard) When we’re planting good seeds, But we see only weeds, And we don’t think the hard work will pay, (Carey & Mrs. W) We should stick with His plan, Finish what we began, And continue to trust and obey. (all) Trust and obey, let the Lord lead the way, Even though you can’t see how He will use you today. Trust and obey, He will not run away. He will stay by your side while you are serving each day. (spoken with strict rhythm, as in rap music) Trust and obey! He’ll show you the way! Trust and obey! Serve Him today! Trust and obey! He’ll show you the way! Trust and obey! Serve Him today! (two bars of strong percussion only) (joyfully shouted in rhythm) Trust and obey! Trust and obey!

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BY GRACE ALONE (SONG #7) – Directions for Singer This is perhaps the simplest song of all. The entire song is sung by Hillary alone. BY GRACE ALONE By grace alone, through faith alone, It’s something we could never earn. With Jesus near, we’re right at home, The best thing we could ever learn. The grace of God, though we don’t deserve. The grace of God, I’m so glad you heard. Through faith in Christ, we just believe, We’re now God’s children, you and me. It’s God’s free gift we must receive. His gift is what has set us free. The grace of God, though we don’t deserve. The grace of God, I’m so glad you heard. The grace of God, we believe it’s true. The grace of God, free for me and you.

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AFRICA FINALE (SONG #8) – Directions for Singers This is the grand finale and it recaps four of the songs as a medley. In between the songs are percussion segments. The children onstage will be doing some dance moves during these sections, so give us some nice strong rhythm. AFRICA FINALE (all children sing) Water of life (clap-clap), water of life (clap-clap), you’ll never be thirsty again. Water of life (clap-clap), water of life (clap-clap), sing, “Hallelujah! Amen!” Percussion break: 12 bars, including melodic lead-in for next song What are you looking for, way down in the dark? Let Jesus shine His light right into your heart! He is the Treasure that nobody can steal. Only His eternal life is true and real. Percussion break: 12 bars, including melodic lead-in for next song; key change from F major to D major Celebrate! Celebrate! Celebrate creation! Celebrate! Celebrate! The Lord God, He made them all. Join the song! Sing His praise! Celebrate creation! Lift your voice, night and day! The Lord God, He made them all. Percussion break: 12 bars, including melodic lead-in for next song (spoken with strict rhythm, as in rap music) Trust and obey! There’s no other way! Trust and obey! Serve Him today! Trust and obey! There’s no other way! Trust and obey! Serve Him today! (two bars of percussion only) (shouted in rhythm) Trust and obey! Trust and obey!

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