Came For a Concert, Left With a Family
Written by rockSTAR Faith Morfitt
Neon strobe lights flashing to the rhythm of the deep, percussive base, anticipation rippled through the thrilled crowd as the instruments announced the arrival of the title artist. The concert was about to begin. For the rockstars of the Melodic Caring Project, however, the performance had already begun. Backstage, she had taken a meaningful moment to speak to us individually, welcoming us by name. Now, as the booming, building melody was accompanied by the singer’s soothing tone on stage, the MCP rockstars were wrapped up in the performer’s love. Not surrounded by the enthusiastic crowd, but by their medical equipment and a laptop screen reading ‘Melodic Caring Project.’
At the beginning of February, a message popped up in my inbox from a young woman I’d never met. She asked if she could pray for me, and our conversations blossomed into chatting nearly everyday about everything from goldendoodles to running into people in our wheelchairs. One day, she introduced me to a nonprofit organization created to livestream concert to kids and teens too sick to watch in person, called Melodic Caring Project. I was shocked. Who cared enough to create this for me?
When illness battled its way into my daily life, I couldn’t dance anymore, I couldn’t sing, I couldn’t even play my ukulele. I’ve treasured music dearly since I was tiny. But as my second home shifted to my hospital instead of my theatre company, I was left behind. Unwavering as their love had been when I was the performer, the company who I’d once considered family became like distant acquaintances from childhood. Abandoned, housebound, lonely, with only a few close friends and family by my side, I struggled through the alienating suffering thrust upon me by my many illnesses.
A week after this stranger-turned-friend reached out to me, another message appeared in my inbox. Lauren Daigle, one of my favorite artists, had a concert on Valentine’s Day and MCP, Melodic Caring Project, was live streaming it! In the week leading up to my first MCP event, I couldn’t contain my excitement. Then, all at once, it was time. All the anticipatory grins and ever-building enthusiasm burst into full-fledged smiles and uncontainable laughter as Levi Ware’s voice played over the speakers. The concert exceeded all expectations, I was hooked.
Faith sent in her photo to the MCP staff to share with Lauren Daigle and got this picture back!
Faith while watching the Andy Grammer Livestream concert.
Andy Grammer during livestream concert to kids in hospitals around the world.
Over the following months, I tuned into more concerts, feeling evermore a part of this beautiful family. The suffering, hospital or house bound viewers watching the concerts from afar are given the title of “rockstars.” Watching Swtchfoot, Lukas Graham, and other awe-inspiring artists, I realized they played for US, the rocktars, the odd man out. This past summer, one particular concert stirred my heart. I anticipated Andy Grammer’s livestream with all the passionate exuberance only a theatre kid could give. When it finally arrived, the performance was life changing. Images, songs, words, emotions from the experience are all permanently etched in my being. His lyrics spur me on and resonate with the core of who I am.
Expressing my gratitude following this particular concert to the MCP family, it was received with even more generosity and sacrificial love. Enveloped in an avalanche of love from all angles, my phone would fill with their texts, a song was recorded just for me by MCP’s founder, Levi, and soon this organization felt less like simply another nonprofit and more like family. The family I’d been aching, longing for for years. No longer was the Melodic Caring Project simply a fun experience to look forward to, they became a family I love so dearly I’d fly across the country to hug if I could.
When you tune into a Melodic Caring livestream, it’s not an arena concert. The artists are performing solely for the rockstars. Strobe lights glaring, backup choir belting, and singers soaking in the spotlight and sending it out as a melody are chilling, thrilling experiences for anyone, but for us, they’re life changing. Because of MCP, we rockstars have a reason to hope. Something enormously exhilarating to anticipate. A family who won’t abandon us. Pure, unhindered joy in the form of music. Andy Grammer said it best, “Call me naive, but I believe you’re gonna be okay. And call me naive, but tomorrow will be better than today. And if it’s stupid to see the good in everything, Lord, help me please, help me to be naive.”
Because of the Melodic Caring Project, I believe tomorrow will be better than today.
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