We met David and Lisa Sprinkle at the last ever Cornerstone Festival this past summer. Lisa introduced herself to us after our performance, sharing her journey and deep felt connection to Craig’s previous band, Ballydowse. She was inspired by their radical message to really care for the widow, orphan and poor. Just prior, her husband Dave was inspired by an idea that Rich Mullins presented to start a traveling music school. And so, the couple began to explore that idea and eventually founded Hope in Transit. Hope In Transit’s primary program is a traveling music school that travels in a weekly cycle to work with Navajo and White Mountain Apache students. They teach bass, drums, keyboard, and guitar at each location, in both individual and group lessons. The Traveling Music School seeks to provide a healthy pastime to young people who are often in a position to choose between dangerous and self-destructive or healthy and productive behavioral patterns.
The Sprinkles invited us to come visit them in the White Mountains of Arizona and we accepted their invitation. Our time together was so inspiring and educational. They shared their story and many cultural insights about the population that they participate in community with. Our first experience was with the Apache children and we learned how to make Cigar Box Guitars. Craig assisted with the power tools, I helped with the art and design and our children were invited to make their own instruments. Below are photos from the Cigar Box Guitar Workshop.
Later that week we visted at the Red Sands Navajo School. We were invited to share our Australian Folklore Workshop as well as teach some of the individual lessons through out the day. The coolest moment was watching Graciana teach a young student Uke/Bass and Banjo share his knowledge of Cajun with fellow percussionist. As much as we are happy to serve and share our gifts and talents, it’s these moments that we are truly blessed by the opportunities to learn from others.
How to Donate
If you are looking for a way to lend a helping hand, we highly recommend donating to Hope in Transit. They are a federally recognized 501(c)3 non-profit.
You can donate through PAYPAL, or by sending a check to:
Hope in Transit
PO Box 2096
Lakeside, AZ 85929
Tillers & Travelers 
Jana, that is a great article about the traveling music school. I love it! Where I teach, we are going to start teaching the dulcimer. They have kits we can buy to make the dulcimer out of cardboard and then learn to play it. Some of the schools have done this and it has been very successful. I learned to play the dulcimer when we had our store because we sold them there–the carved wooden ones, I had to learn to play it to demonstrate it. Very fun!
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