Singing in a Dark World

From a letter to my brother Peter, who at the time was serving a Mormon mission in eastern Germany.

February 4, 1999

I have just been listening to Katie's high school choir concert on tape. She would love to send you a copy. Here are the words to one of their songs (written by a Jewish prisoner in Germany in World War II):

I believe in the sun, even when it is not shining.
And I believe in Love, even when there's no one there.
And I believe in God, even when He is silent.
I believe through any trial, there is always a way.

But sometimes in this suffering and hopeless despair
My heart cries for shelter to know someone's there.
But a voice rises within me saying, "Hold on, my child.
I'll give you strength; I'll give you hope.
Just stay a little while."

I believe in the sun, even when it is not shining.
And I believe in love, even when there's no one there.
And I believe in God, even when He is silent!
I believe through any trial, there is always a way.

May there someday be sunshine.
May there someday be happiness.
May there someday be love.
May there someday be peace.

The music for these words is magnificent. The kids raised the roof with it. They also sang, "Didn't my Lord deliver Daniel? Yes he did! Didn't my Lord deliver Daniel? Yes he did! Then why not every man?!" Many of their songs had religious substance to them. These youth are singing their hearts out in a pretty dark world.