Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current, November 14, 2001, Page 6, Image 6

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    November 14, 2001
Page A6
Twenty-Two Foot Children’s Mosaic Flag Celebrates Liberty
A giant American flag, created
by weaving the artwork of school
children together, stopped in Port­
land last week, the second stop on
its national tour.
The 42-foot by 22-foot AT&T
Broadband Freedom Flag is the
creation of more than a thousand
children from across the country,
expressing their visions of free­
dom with canvas, paint and glit­
ter.
The banner consists of 1,034
deco rated sq uares including
those from 83 fourth-grade stu­
dents from southeast Portland’s
Buckman Elementary School.
The flag was unveiled during
a ceremony at Pioneer Place, in
downtown.
“We are quite excited to have
Buckman Elementary represented
in this nationwide project,” said
school principal, Helen Nolen.
“For our students to have an op­
portunity to share their ideas of
freedom with other children all
over the country is an honor, and
something that the kids have re­
ally enjoyed.”
C h ie f o f P o lice M ark A.
Kroeker. AT&T Broadband and
representatives from Vancouver
National Historic Reserve Trust’s
“Celebrate Freedom” campaign
also attended the event.
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Kids from inner-southeast
Portland's Buckman
Elementary School join
Portland Police Chief Mark
Kroeker in a salute to liberty
at Pioneer Place in
downtown.
Liberian Choir Brings Message of Hope
W orsh ip w it h u s a t th e:
A lb in a
C h ristian
Life C en ter
C h u re li o f G od
(C leveland T ennessee)
Worship Opportunities
A Services
Sundays
Sunday School: 9:45 AM
Morning Worship: 11 AM
Evening Worship: 6 PM
Wednesday
Family Training Hour, 7PM
5522 A. A lbina
Portland« Oregon
»72 1 7
* 503 283-1635
Please call fo r information or counciling.
Other Church of
God Location:
Center o f Praise
Ministries
3402 R St.
Vancouver, Washington
Pastor Marcus J. Irving
Looking For a Smart Move?
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Annual Thanksgiving Dinner Set
Studio apartments start at just $950 a month with housekeeping, meals,
cable and all utilities.
A free community Thanksgiving dinner will be
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at the Mallory Avenue Christian Church, 126
N.E. Alberta, in partnership with the Neigh­
borhood Church o f God.
Call Candy f o r a tou r a n d lunch a t 503-234-8271
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1400 N.E. Second Avenue, Portland, Oregon 97232
Portland’s Premier Retirement Community
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vocal percussion and complex
harmonies.
The group will be giving sev­
eral p e rfo rm a n c e s in the
Vancouver/Portland area, begin­
ning Nov. 19 and continuing
through December.
In addition, all families with
Liberian children or families plan- t
ning to adopt Liberian children, are
welcome to attend a reunion event
of adopted children from Liberia, '
with the Liberian Acapella Choir
performing as special guests.
Since January of 1997, five fami­
lies from C lark County area
adopted six brothers and sisters
from an orphanage in Monrovia,
Liberia. There are now over 70
Liberian children that have been
adopted in Washington and O r­
egon alone.
The get-together is being held
at the Green Mountain School,
located at 13105 N.E. Grinnel Rd.
in Woodland, Wash, on Satur­
day, Nov. 24, from 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
For a more information on the
Liberian Acapella Choir and their
schedule of events, call 360-263-
2951.
Liberia has recently emerged
from a horrific civil war, which has
cruelly affected the lives of all,
especially the children.
The birth of a child in the after-
math of a devastating civil war
may be cause for anxiety rather
than joy. But what of a child bom
blind into these circumstances?
In Liberia, customs consider a
child bom blind a curse from God.
Children bom blind are almost al­
ways abandoned by their family.
But a courageous and resilient
group of men, members of the
Liberian Acapella Choir, have
emerged to bring hope and oppor­
tunity to these and other needy
children.
What makes this group note­
worthy is that five of the seven
men themselves are blind.
In conjunction with African
C hristian Fellow ship Interna­
tional. an indigenous African min­
istry, the group has come to the
United States to champion the
cause of all suffering Liberian
children.
The choir’s sound is a unique
mix of traditional African rhythms.
Area residents are invited to join the chuch
congregation fo r a time o f community fellow ­
ship, great food and music.
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