“ If you want to experience the Christ in your everyday life, the answer is very simple: serve, serve, serve. I should say, serving, serving, serving. Serving means getting up and going and doing what's in front of you to do. I think we find the Christ more readily in that serving than we do in anything else. "
- John-Roger, D.S.S.
The Troubadour Travelers
by Danny Safron
The Troubadour Travelers are a volunteer group of enthusiastic non-professional singers and musicians operating under the auspices of The HeartFelt Foundation. We provide a joy-filled, monthly performance at LA area convalescent homes for residents, staff and guests, who are free to sing-along.
Danny Safron, Matthew Van Fossan, Claire Smith (and Achilles the dog
We started this service in the spring of 2014, and it came about after a Soul Singing (now called Singing for the Joy of It) participant, Matthew Van Fossan, asked me about a group of us that sang and played instruments at convalescent homes about ten years earlier. At that time we called ourselves the Traveling Troubadours. He had recently sung for his 90 year old grandmother when visiting her in Orlando, Florida, and then thought about doing a similar service here in LA. So Matthew and I decided to reach out to some nearby facilities, and a small group of us have been entertaining at those places monthly since March, 2014!
Claire Smith
Matthew leads us vocally and on guitar as we sing a variety of popular rock, pop and folk songs, many from the 60's and 70's. The rest of us join in, and we have lyric sheets for around 30 songs that Matthew knows. Claire Smith is another enthusiastic regular who performs on her flute, drum and vocally, and plays some flute solos with CD backing tracks while Matthew, his guide dog Achilles, and I visit with residents about half way thru the hour. Claire also brings an assortment of percussion instruments for the rest of us to play.
Danny Safron, Matt Van Fossan, Peter Leighton, Claire Smith
Here's what Matthew had to say about his experience: "I love singing in a group. The people we sing for are so appreciative. I take breaks from singing to go around with Danny and connect with the residents, just to shake hands and say hi. While doing so I hold in my heart the intention to share the Light and loving. One time I was saying hello to an older woman who could barely speak. I was thinking about the Traveler's teachings and how I wanted to share them with her. She said out of nowhere in Spanish, "Yes, we know about these things, too”. I experienced very strongly the truth of what she said. It was one of those, “The Christ in me recognizes the Christ in you” moments.
Enjoy this video of the Troubadour Travelers in action!
The Troubadours outings are Light-filled and a lot of fun for the residents, staff and us, and they're held one Saturday a month from 10:45-11:45 am. We would love for YOU to join us, as it's a great way to share our loving while having fun! You can contact me at 818-203-1853 or via email, ds@safronsales.com for more information, and you may want to start such a group in your community.
God bless,
Danny Safron
Thank you for the beautiful sharing, Danny, Matt and the rest of the Troubadour Travelers.
Sent with much Love and Light,
Skyler Maryl Patton HeartFelt Director and Paul Kaye HeartFelt President
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