In The Name Of Love: Artists United For Africa

The U2 CCM tribute CD, In The Name Of Love: Artists United For Africa, in which Christian musicians such as Sixpence None The Richer, Audio Adrenaline, Delirious?, Nichole Nordeman, and Pillar cover U2 songs with some proceeds going to AIDS in Africa, now has its own dedicated website. You can even listen to excerpts of several of the tracks. (And incidentally, if you're going to visit that site, Grassroots Music, they have a large selection of free MP3s of indie artists.)

It's hard not to be just a tad wistful about the huge financial and savvy personnel resources backing projects like this compared to the very modest ones behind ours. But I'm totally behind this CD -- it's a great idea, a very positive step, and deserves lots of support as part of a Christian call to respond to the African AIDS crisis. You can preorder it at 38% off.

Most of their money (50 cents per CD) is going to the Mwakankomba Village in Zambia, Africa, through World Vision. That village has 75 households and a population of 729 - 246 of whom are children, 55 of them orphans. The annual income ranges from $20 to $120 per household. Since they have a track on the album (All I Want is You), some of the money will also go through Jars of Clay's foundation "Blood:Water Mission" which assists The Living Hope Center, an AIDS medical center, in Cape Town, South Africa.

It sounds like Sparrow Records and several retailers (Parable, Borders, Circuit City, Family Christian Stores, etc.) have already given over $50,000. Incredible.