Written by Kylie Akins
Many musicians at Harding feel their talents are not their own and the gifts they have serve a greater purpose than bringing fame upon themselves. 17 artists performed in the Smiles for Christ talent show Friday night—but no one was there to win.
As junior Flor Ramos, member of the Walton Scholar’s benefit organization Smiles for Christ, took the stage at the Underground Coffeehouse she revealed the reason for the talent show that night with a story.
“There’s a community of people who live in the dump, like in the trash, in Tegucigalpa, the capital city of Honduras,” Ramos said. “Many of you are from capital cities. Do you have any idea how much trash a capital city can produce? And can you imagine 2,000 people living out of it? Out of recycling, eating from trash? We do, because we have been there.”
Senior Tadeo Sequeira, founder of Smiles for Christ, reported that out of the 2,000 people living in the dump, 250 to 300 are children. Before Sequeira came to Harding, he witnessed the desperate situation of those living in poverty in the capital city through a high school service project. He brought to the university his passion to aid these people and created Smiles for Christ in 2007. Smiles for Christ supports an organization called Amor, Fe, Esperanza, translated “Love, Faith, Hope,” which created a school that provides education and food for the impoverished children of families living in the dump in Tegucigalpa.
For $1 a vote, those attending the talent show could vote for their favorite artist of the night. Though this event was not one of the organization’s major fundraisers, Smiles for Christ was able to raise $168 through nine performances that night. Ramos said this is a small amount of money compared to the $400 to $500 they raise through their cookouts during the school year, but this event’s primary goal was to draw attention to the situation.
“We just want to create awareness that there are less fortunate people around the world, especially outside of America,” Ramos said. “Everybody else outside the states-we don’t have the same opportunities that you do. We want to show the world that there is extreme poverty going on and that we can do something about it.”
Senior Thomas Hill, guitarist and singer in the talent show, said he saw the talent show as a creative way to support the Smiles for Christ cause.
“Unfortunately, a lot of times, without incentive, people have a hard time participating in charitable events,” Hill said. “Music is such a major unifying factor among people. If we can get people interested in the event and get them there by advertising a musical lineup, then we can get them in a position where they will have an opportunity to donate money and do some good.”
Another singer/songwriter, sophomore April Souza, has seen the poverty of the dumps in Mexico and said the cause of the talent show was personal to her. Performing original songs in front of the Friday night audience, Souza said she was excited to be able to help through her talent.
“You can use [talent] for selfish reasons-to pump yourself up, feed your own ego and become rich,” Souza said. “But none of that stuff is in the long term fulfilling, and it’s not what Jesus has asked us to do. If you can do the same but accomplish something good, you might as well. I feel like I’m doing what I need to do: using what God has given to give back to his children.”
A range of musical styles was displayed by the participants, from covers to original songs, English to Spanish and guitars to keyboards. Bilingual performers Josh Davila and Cesar Batia came in first place, and Souza placed second. By the end of the show, the Underground could no longer seat the overflow of the talent show’s audience.
Senior Ben Comier and those who played with him performed not only at the talent show that night but also later at the Harding Tents and Tarps event. As soon as they finished their last song, they left to set up at the event’s site in the Ganus Athletic Center.
“There were a lot of talented people,” Ramos said. “I was amazed by some of them. We have some very talented people, especially here at Harding.”
