Thank you, Pat. What a blessing to be here
in the spirit of resilience and hope.
Standing next to me is my dear friend, Robert Makatengae.
(Applause)
This song was inspired by a television program I watched,
about women and war.
And sometimes there's no place to turn
when something hits you so hard, other than music
or a song,
or something you create, a prayer.
The chorus is inspired by Aung San Suu Kyi.
In 2003 she was released
from house arrest for 24 hours.
And the military there, the hunta, thought maybe a few hundred people
would come and hear her.
And see her.
But over a million people came to hear what she had to say.
And out of that big group of people, one person stood forward and said,
"We're feeling so helpless,
living under this dictatorship,
what can we do, we have nothing?"
And she said, "If you're feeling helpless
help someone."
Women of hope.
(Music)
They stood together
under a tree in tall grass
on TV
telling the world
their story
We will be left to wander
and fade away
Soldiers came and took our husbands
at the break of day
We will live on
then fade away
Soldiers came and killed our children
at the break of day
Women of hope
Women of change
Women of war and pain
I believe the almighty knows each and every one of you
by your name
Women of hope
Women of change
Women of love, joy, no shame
You've got something this little life
can never take away
Running through the darkness of night
with a child by her side
Oh Lord, won't you give them
a shining armor of light
Oh Lord, won't you give them
a shining armor of light
Daybreak brings a sign of new life
with the power to stand
Crossing the border
she said, "You will grow free on this land"
Women of hope
Women of change
Women of war and pain
I can feel your power
in these words she said
If you're feeling helpless
help someone
If you're feeling helpless
help someone
Nobody really knows
how far they will go
to keep on living
Nobody really knows
how far they will go
to keep on giving
and forgiving
Aung San Suu Kyi
living under house arrest
for her peaceful protest
under house arrest
for her peaceful protest
When her people asked her for a message
she said
If you're feeling helpless
help someone
If you're feeling helpless
help someone
If you're feeling helpless
help someone
If you're feeling helpless
help someone
Now we know the words, let's sing.
If you're feeling helpless
help someone
If you're feeling helpless
help someone
If you're feeling helpless
help someone
If you're feeling helpless
help someone
People of hope
People of change
People of love, joy, no shame
I believe the almighty
knows each and every one of you
by your name
Thank you.
(Applause)