Leonard C. Corbin, Jr. is a native Washingtonian, an ordained minister of the Gospel. He was involved in Child Evangelism Fellowship, Inc., an interdenominational, worldwide, faith organization, whose purposes were to evangelize boys and girls, disciple them in the Word of God and establish them in the local church. During this time, he received instructions in how to evangelize children through use of their Good News Club and 5-Day Club Training Programs. He served on the Advisory Board of The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children.
He graduated from Rhema Bible Training Center (a.k.a. Kenneth Hagin Ministries) in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, in May 1985 & Biblical courses from Liberty University School of Lifelong Learning. He also did 4 years of training under the AME Zion Church where he was ordained Elder. He also completed the School of Puppetry and Children’s Workers workshop sponsored by Puppet Productions of Desoto, Texas.
For many years, he served as the “Children’s Pastor” under the AME Zion Church. During this time, he organized weekly Sunday worship services for over 300 children and supervised over 50 children’s church workers and trained a ministerial staff of 15 ordained preachers. He planned children’s revivals and graduation programs. He was employed as a computer instructor and after-school coordinator for a Christian School.
He has been instrumental in developing, leading and teaching several congregations with their Children’s Ministry, children activities and programs. He trained and led a local youth group in the art of puppet manipulation, which won the group first place in the AWANA Ministry regional finals for “Effective Evangelism Through Puppetry”.
In September 1992, he founded Ebony Sonshine Ministry (ESM) an intercity children’s and youth ministry presenting the Gospel of Jesus Christ through the performing arts (puppetry, dance, music, drama and storytelling). ESM has ministered from the island nation of Bermuda to a memorial tribute at the World Trade Center, in New York City after the 9-Eleven attacks. Having led thousands (children, youth and adults) to the Lord, ESM has become one of the nation’s capital premier puppet ministries that minister to children.
ESM expanded it’s vision and mission, to include all children not just those who are “in the church”, thus changing it’s name to Ebony Sonshine, Inc.