Saturday Night Soul A Huge Success

by Nathan Clendenin on October 3rd, 2006

With more than 300 lbs. of meat, more than 100 volunteers and months of prior planning, the first annual Saturday Night Soul benefit went off without a hitch. More than 250 people from around the country showed up for some amazing food (smoked brisket, smoked ribs, corn and sweet potatoes for starters), great music from the New Soul Survivors and an exhibit from HIV Stories, all outdoors in a beautiful park in Will’s neighborhood.

We met lots of great people, mostly from Atlanta, but many came from elsewhere. My father, sister and friend Bill Ross, came from Arkansas and Rebecca's parents and a friend came from Birmingham, AL. Not to mention a posse from Chapel Hill. We had a great time setting up, enjoying the evening, and most of all raising more than $7,000 for Vincent's church, The Powerhouse! Vincent will be able to finish the building his church hopes to use for the next few years as their permanent location goes through a long process involving endless paperwork and bureacracy.

Check out the video below, shot just a month ago in Mamelodi by a team from Chapel Hill Biblechurch visiting. Vincent discusses the site and their hopes for it. In the video with Vincent is Andy Smoak.

We said goodbye to Vincent on Monday night. He's off to Chicago for a bit, then Germany with missonary Bill Rapier, then home to Mamelodi. It was sad to see him go, but we know we'll see him again, hopefully soon in Mamelodi.