Come For The Children was probably my favorite tape blasting through the speakers of my 1949 Mercury pickup truck as I raced from Canada to San Diego for my freshman year of college in 1979. A couple of decades and five kids later, the LP I had used to make that tape was converted into a CD. Despite a few crackles and pops, it was great to hear those songs that meant so much in my teen years. Then, just days ago, I had the thrill of getting an "official" Come For The Children CD from Oden Fong. I've finally got a true CD-quality version of one of my all-time favorite records, and I can't wipe the smile off my face.

Oden Fong was the lead singer and primary songwriter for Mustard Seed Faith, one of the early Jesus Music bands. I believe their first recording was Happy in Jesus, found on 1973's Maranatha! 3, but I discovered them in 1975 when my best friend returned from a trip with Sail on Sailor. It had the coolest cover painting we'd ever seen on a Christian album (by Rick Griffin), and although we were into heavier secular rock at the time, we were captivated by Mustard Seed Faith and Oden Fong's vocals and lyrics. Once I realized that artists like Larry Norman, Randy Stonehill, Phil Keaggy, and the Maranatha! groups were making music that was enjoyable musically, yet had the added benefit of spiritual lyrics, it was easy to make a commitment to buy only Christian music.

A few years later I saw another great looking album cover painting; not surprisingly, it was also by Rick Griffin. The artist's name was "Oden," and I immediately guessed it was Oden Fong's latest effort and purchased the record. Come For The Children has been a favorite since that day. The mostly rock style varies from a beautiful and gentle ballad about heaven (She Begins to Sing), to the rock anthem title track, which checks in at over seven minutes long. My favorite song is White Eagle, the story of a young man's mythic quest, with the eagle representing Christ; I've always pictured it as a Native American version of Jesus as the rider on the white horse. It would have made a great video!

Oden put out a second solo album called Invisible Man in the 80s, and Mustard Seed Faith reunited for a second album called Limited Edition; it vanished quickly due to financial problems at the record company. All is not lost, though; Oden will burn CDs of his solo albums or Limited Edition for a donation to his Hollywood street ministry. Read the interview listed in the link below for details, then place your order for a taste of Christian music history that will bless you! (And let Oden know Randy sent you.)

Visit: One-Way.org's interview with Oden Fong