Founded in July 2012, the Chinese Evangelical Alliance for the Blind devotes to preach the gospel to more than 17 million physically disadvantaged young people in China. Recently the alliance has launched a 2017 hymn contest to be held for three seasons in March, June and September on a social network for online chatting and broadcasting in China. The final will be conducted on Dec 7, 2017.
This competition will be hosted by Light of Life, an art troupe of the alliance. The introduction of the troupe released by the alliance's official account says, "The light of Life Troupe consists of a group of blind people who have music dreams with gratefulness to God. Because they know that their blindness didn't stem from the parents' sins or theirs, but the work of God might be displayed in their lives. As a result, they want to break through darkness with songs, hymns and spiritual song of victory."
Lin Dechang, the leader of the troupe, who has earned a master degree in the Bible from China Evangelical Seminary, has joined in thousands of music evangelistic meetings and been to more than 30 countries.
The associate leader Chen Yong, an actor who signs with the Sichuan Disabled People's Performing Art Troupe, published the first-ever provincial original album made by the blind in 2002. He also won several prizes in the national song competitions for the blind.
Translated by Karen Luo
