Hey, Dalian Laowai!

Today we would like to introduce you to one guy known as a talented photographer. Previously, he helped us to make the project called “Dalian on Frames”, but this time we have decided to tell his story as a singer.  

今天要向大家介绍一位才华横溢的摄影师，曾为我们拍摄过两期“大连印象”，不过，今天却是以一位歌手的身份介绍给大家的。

Links: 

Humans of Dalian - Dalian on Frames（中英文版）

Humans of Dalian - Dalian on Frames（中英文版）

Daniel Lukogho Banamuhere, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Daniel，来自刚果共和国

I grew up in a Christian family made up of 8 people, 4 men and 4 ladies. Among them, I am the youngest. My father is a good pianist and singer; my mother is a very good singer; the eldest of the family is a good composer; and my 3 other big sisters are also involved in music with one of them already completing her studies at the National Institute of Arts. Therefore, both art and music flow in our veins. Until the age of 15, I was not able to sing or play any instrument because I was busy with other things. While sisters were performing with great Gospel singers in Congo, I was really in my own world …

我们家是一个八口之家，四男四女，我是家中的老幺。我的父亲既是一位钢琴家，也是一位出色的歌手，母亲同样是一位歌手，家中最大的哥哥是一位优秀的作曲家，我的三位姐姐也都从事与音乐相关的工作，其中一位姐姐毕业于国立艺术学院。很显然，我们的血液中共同流淌着音乐与艺术的细胞。不过在我15岁之前，一直沉浸在自己的世界里，没有接触任何与音乐相关的事物，即使是我的姐姐们与刚果最优秀的福音歌手同台演出时，我也无动于衷。

It was the year 2008 when, after receiving Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, my art gift started to show up. I began playing the piano and my sister Michelle showed me some basic techniques. Then, I took some lessons from a teacher for only one month: indeed, he had to leave the country for another job opportunity, so I had to keep learning alone. I started trying to combine some singing while playing the piano, but my sisters were always laughing at me so I used to run in the car and cry.  

不过在2008年的时候，我似乎是受到了上帝的指引，我的音乐天赋显现出来了。在米歇尔姐姐教会了我一些基本技巧后，我开始学着弹奏钢琴。后来，我曾跟随一位老师学习了一个月的钢琴，后来他因为工作的关系，不得不离开刚果去了另外一个国家工作，从那之后，我只能自学钢琴。刚开始时我试着边弹边唱，但因为我的功底不够，经常受到姐姐们的嘲笑，有时太过伤自尊心，我还会躲到车里偷偷哭泣。

I didn't have the opportunity to learn how to read music. Now you will probably be asking: "How can you play the piano without being able to read the music sheet?" I think it's a gift because I can just listen to a song to know how to play it. So, I can play a melody at the piano without having the music sheet in front of me...

我没有机会学习如何读乐谱，那么你可能要问了，我是如何在没有乐谱的情况下弹奏钢琴的？这也许就是一种与生俱来的天赋，一首歌曲我听过一遍后便会弹奏了，所以我在演奏曲目时并不需要乐谱。

And, instead of crying every time, I took this as an encouragement to go further with music. At the beginning, it was not meant to glorify God but just to prove something to my sisters. 

代替哭泣，我觉得化悲愤为前进的动力，通过努力，向姐姐们证明自己。

2 years later, God opened doors to my Father as he got a job as ambassador of the DRC in Burundi. I was the youngest so I had to go with them, and that's where God started working in me. I joined the choir of a French church and I was a second pianist. After a few months, I asked if I could try singing while playing piano so, during a Tuesday rehearsal, I was asked to present a song to see if I had the voice for singing. Since I was really shy, I had to close my eyes and sing. When I had finished singing, not only everyone was so surprised and shocked, but our leader also directly scheduled me for the Sunday service to present a solo song. 

两年后，我的父亲很荣幸能够作为大使到布隆迪工作。作为家里最小的孩子，我必须和家人一起到布隆迪。我加入了当地的一个法国教堂的合唱团，在那里作为后补钢琴演奏家，几个月后，我问他们是否可以在弹奏钢琴的时候尝试着唱歌，之后在周二的时候，被要求演唱一首歌，那个时候我很害羞，全程是闭着眼唱的，但是在我睁开眼的时候，看到了大家脸上震惊的表情，我很是激动，领导当时就安排我参加周日的演出，表演独唱。

I was telling myself: "Wow I'm going to be standing in front of more than 3000 people," and honestly, I was really, really afraid that day but many people were blessed.

我对我自己说，“天呐！你要站在3000多人面前唱歌了！”老实说，我那天真的很紧张，不过很多人在听我唱歌的时候都在虔诚的祈祷。

Since that day, I realized that there is more than just singing and people cheering. In music, there is a greater, deeper level. While acquiring this awareness, I went to my country several times for holiday. Here, I was invited to a lot of churches and even to a big church women's conference for all the country to give a testimony and present a song. After singing, it was incredible to see everybody moved and in tears because of my performance.

从那天起，我意识到有比唱歌和人们的欢呼更有意义的事情，当我意识到这一点后，我去了很多国家，也被邀请去了很多个教堂，甚至还参加了一个全国性的教会妇女的集会，并为大家献上一首歌，很多人在看过我的演出后，会感动的流泪。

I have made my choice, and understood that God gave me these talents to change the world, to glorify his name because lives are being transformed, people are sending me messages saying "I was listening to your song and I can't stop feelling such a peace when you sing , hope by listening to you..." 

我做出了自己的选择，希望能够通过自己的歌声使得这个世界变得更加安宁。

Before coming to Dalian I was wondering if I would have been able to find a full Gospel church in the city. In this occasion, I had proof God loves his children so much that he plans everything ahead for them. After arriving here in Dalian, I was blessed to be welcomed by such a big family as the DICF Church where I am one of the song leaders, as well as pianist and bassist.

在来大连之前，我很担心这里没有一座真正的福音教堂，因为在教堂中，我有机会证明上帝的存在，幸好在来到大连之后，我能够有机会成为DICF教堂的一员，作为其中一位歌唱家，同样也是乐队的钢琴家和贝斯手。

And, as I like to say, I've seen so many things with God that I am not ashamed of my identity as a Christian artist , I am not ashamed to say that I love Jesus, I am not ashamed to serve in the church as a young person because 7 years ago, all these gifts were not manifested in me. It was only after my conversion that the Lord began to bring them all out on the surface, so WITHOUT JESUS I AM NOTHING, WITHOUT JESUS I CAN NOTHING, without him I HAVE NOTHING.

我相信上帝的存在，我从未因为自己是一名基督教徒而感到羞愧，也不会吝啬于表达我对耶稣的敬意，如果没有耶稣的指引，不会成就今天的我。

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