For the next two months, Summerland song and hymn duo Linnea Good and David Jonsson will take their music to India.
While Good, her husband David Jonsson, and their three children have travelled and performed internationally before, she said this trip will be a unique experience for them.
“The leap in cultures is huge,” she said. “In some ways, we are all out of our depth on this one. But both music and faith turn strangers into family. This is our favourite way to travel — meeting people and places while we sing.”
The Jonsson-Goods have been invited to offer their music at the Christian Medical College Hospitals of Ludhiana, Punjab, in the north and in Vellore, Tamil Nadu, South India. They will lead music and worship and participate in Bible studies, biblical storytelling, staff retreats with music, song-writing workshops and perform for staff and patients.
They also hope to sing at schools in both regions, bringing Canadian folk songs to share.
The hospitals were founded a century ago to provide health care for all who need it, regardless of means. They treat thousands of outpatients each day.
“It’s pretty exciting,” Jonsson said. “Exciting and scary at the same time.”
For Good, the preparation for the visit has been one of getting past stereotypes.
“These are world-class hospitals,” she said. “I was delighted to have an Indian bishop come up to me at a recent conference and tell me that our R&B song ‘Get on the Jesus Bus!’ would be a big hit in Vellore. Suddenly, I realized our music is going to fit.”
Good said the experience of travel is also important.
“To me, there’s a spiritual practice in travelling. It means you enter a state of radical trust,” she said. “A lot of incredible coincidences happen when you’re travelling, and you pay attention to that.”
Their three children, Patrick, Nicole and Isaac will participate as instrumentalists and technical support.
“I just want to make friends and listen to the soothing Indian music,” said Isaac, 10.
Good has been writing and performing music for more than three decades. Her latest CDs, Swimmin’ Like a Bird and Momentary Saints, were nominated children’s and gospel albums of the year by a variety of Canadian music associations.
She is inviting people to contribute to the cost of their flights. There is a donation link on her website at linneagood.com. Donations may also be dropped off at Summerland United Church.