Tears ran down the face of the woman holding the stuffed animal at the adult group home in Glendive, Mont. It was the middle of January and the students at Valley View Christian School had gone to perform songs and short skits from their Christmas program for the residents. It didn't matter that Christmas had come and gone; the message the children had to share still made a difference.

Also, earlier in the season, hectic shoppers purchasing last-minute Christmas presents stopped and listened to a tone chimes performance at local businesses. The students played a round of Christmas songs through several times; many people thanked them for bringing them the real message of the season.

For a small school with only seven students, tone chimes and music class have been a way for them to witness in the community about God's love. They begin learning how to play just one note in kindergarten as part of the music program and by the time they graduate from 8th grade they might be juggling four notes, playing sharps and flats with complicated timing. The students give and receive a blessing as they perform throughout the school year at churches of various denominations, holiday programs, graduation, and community service events.