Reviewed by Liz Knowles

I had reservations about this DVD before I even viewed it. For a concert in Johannesburg, there's a remarkable lack of black artists on stage and black Africans in the audience. In fact, of the 23 tracks only three feature black lead singers, plus the undoubted highlight of the show - the African Children's Choir. It's Gaither's typical slick, shiny razzamatazz version of Southern gospel, with an incongruously sparkly winter branches set. Besides the African Children's Choir, the best bits are undoubtedly the scenes of children, many of them orphaned by AIDS and HIV positive themselves, as they open their Christmas shoe boxes. Aside from the good work done by Samaritan's Purse in this venture, this was all a bit too smug, sentimental, triumphalist and white for my sensibilities - kinda Southern Baptist meets selected South Africa.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

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