I Different Look at Things

The other day I listened to a podcast interview from one of the photojournalists that I follow, Esther Havens. She is a brilliant photographer, wise innovator, and overall amazing person. She had some interesting things to say about how she selects the people that she actually works for and how she choses to portray issues in the world.
To me, the most amazing thing that she talked about was how she actually works to tell stories. Often times photographers go out looking for "that shot," the Pulitzer Prize winners, the tear-jerker of a starving kid. The problem with so many of the pictures is that yeah, there's a starving kid but do you even know their name? Their story? Did you do anything about their situation? If you just snapped a picture to make someone feel bad about the way they live their life in excess, are you really fixing anything? People are only motivated by guilt for so long. They are not going to really invest in an organization or ministry because of guilt. They might give some money when they see a sad image but to really communicate the stories, you have to go beyond that snapshot image. This concept of choosing to see the good that is happening and telling stories of hopeful life-change has rocked the way that I want to take pictures. I don't want you just to see the terrible statistics of billions of people that are living life without Jesus, the millions of people in the slave trade today, the thousands of child laborers, I want to help you see what people are actually doing to change those things.

I chose hope.

http://www.thedigitaltrekker.com/2011/05/depth-of-field-esther-havens/

“And it’s going home on furlough when you feel like you have just begun.”

“And it’s going home on furlough when you feel like you have just begun.”

I think I had just begun to settle into my new way of life in India when it was time for me to come back home. The roads didn’t freak me out. The smells were just normal. The food was yummy and cook-able. I think one day I could actually do this myself.

It’s not that the country is the best in the world. They government is corrupt. The people are not always the most welcoming and honest to outsiders. It smells and trash is piled u everywhere. There are major population control problems. The largest population of orphans in the world live within its borders.

You have to go where God is calling you. If you try to fight that, even if means going to a smelly, corrupt country, you will never get over it. Trying to deny what God is calling you to do or to run from it just doesn’t work out. Take it all in stride. Whether it is learning to love someone when it’s hard, giving up a luxury, or moving to a foreign country, if He has called you there, He will prepare the way.

The same promise that God gives to Abraham, He has given to us:

“The LORD had said to Abram, “Go from your country, your people and your father’s household to the land I will show you.”

Genesis 12:1

Why in the World?

When I was reentering the USA I had to answer some immigration questions. I had talked with the officer and left him quite confused.

I’m sure his thoughts were something like:
Why would an 18 year-old girl travel to India for 3 weeks by herself? Why would she go and not really purchase that much stuff? What could one do to fill 3 whole weeks ‘touring’ a country?

Thankfully what I have to tell that officer is not al

l there was to my trip.

I got to do so much more. He probably wouldn’t have understood, actually I’m pretty sure he wouldn’t.

“Where there is no vision the people cast off restraint”

He could not understand.

I got to be part of a move of God. I saw people being

transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit. Lives were changed and destinies altered.

Foreigners entered a land that they had never given thought to before. They will never be the same. How could they? They left their country, their families, and gave up their idea of a regular Christmas to experience India and begin a partnership. Forever their lives will be tied to God’s work in India. They can no longer pretend that all they know is their own country and lifestyle.

The nearly 30 visitors to Nagpur, India, have seen part of how God is working in India. They now carry the vision of this ministry. I pray that all of us, me included, will fervently lift up the work of God and that we would join with the body of Christ, that we would never be able to forget what we saw during our trip, and that we could accurately portray the vision of this ministry.

Kyle

During my time this year in India, I got to interact with and get to know the Crossroads team that was there. One of the people I came to know better was Kyle Wilkinson. If you don't know him, you probably should. He is a true worshipper in so many senses of the word. He leads worship through music but he also uses his everyday life interactions to express his worship.

He recently wrote a blog about his experience while being in India.

Please take the time to watch his videos and check out some of his pictures (which are partially mine). He will help you see a fresh, new perspective on this whole thing.

http://kylewilkinson.tumblr.com/

Time to Learn Pt 4

• This section of the Hinduism documentary discusses some of the influences of Islam. It is really interesting to see how one religion can influence another and how they migrate within a region.
• Another interesting point is how the Krishna of Hinduism relates to Jesus in Christianity.
• It also begins telling the story of Mahatma Gandhi, the leader of non-violent revolution in India.

Check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x1302EhyCf4&feature=related

CNN Hero

"Food is one part. Love is the other part."

Think about what he said: "What is the ultimate purpose of life? It is to give. Start giving."

This man comes from a Hindu family of high society. He doesn't have to care for these people, in fact his religion and culture discourage it. Yet, he sees that there is a gap between what 'they' say and our normal human nature. This man who has no reason to serve, does. Why is the Christian church, who has everything to give and the best reason of all to serve, not?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_3BEwpv0dM&feature=player_embedded

To Me

Hope is:

Belief in what you can't see.

Looking for a better tomorrow.

Seeing a problem as a project to take on.

Pursuing peace.

Loving people.

Acting on what you say.

Being more than a face.

Getting down and dirty.

Touching the least of these.

Never giving up.

Knowing what you do makes tomorrow better than today.

Laughing at politics.

Leveraging all you've got.

The power of a simple word.

Working your hardest and being satisfied with that.

Taking time for the little things.

Blood. Sweat. Tears.

The love of the Father.

Are you listening?

You have so much to be thankful for. You may not drive the nicest car or have the biggest house but God is meeting your needs, isn't he? Just a thought for you today: There is always a need around you. Are you taking notice AND doing something about it or do you just pass by like it is nothing?

"Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor will also cry out and not be answered."

Proverbs 21:13

TIme to Learn pt. 2

Alrighty here is the second part of the Hinduism documentary.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lEJNbdn9t20

What Should I Do With My Life?

Ever wonder how I came up with the crazy idea of using photography to tell stories overseas? Well that would be a really long story and maybe one day I will blog about it but I will show you someone who has inspired me to believe that my dreams really are possible.

Esther Havens is a super talented humanitarian photography. I could go on and on about her but I would just rather if you would take a few minutes to check out some of her work and read her story:

When I was a little girl I was always snapping photos with my pink and blue 110 film camera. At 12 years old, I took "studio" photos of my cats by positioning them the way I wanted. I also dressed up my brother and sister and made them pose and smile while I clicked away. I bought my first Canon digital Rebel in high school and started learning about f-stop's and shutter speed. Since I was home schooled, I graduated early at the age of 16 and started a junior college in Dallas. While there, I fell in love with the darkroom and black and white images. I had some amazing professors who challenged me to see light and shadow differently. I remember seeing Mary Ellen Mark's work in India and being in awe of how she captured the essence of people.

When I was 18, I traveled to India with Youth With a Mission (YWAM). A group of us lived in a village and volunteered with the local charities, including the local Mother Teresa house. India shaped my vision for what I wanted to do. I really fell in love with the people there and for the first time I knew that I would pursue photography. I came back from that trip and wanted nothing more than to photograph for magazines while traveling the world. I knew that travel and fame alone wouldn't satisfy me because I really wanted to help those in need.

The following year I met an inspiring group of people doing exactly what I envisioned - using photography for global change. I started volunteering for nonprofits at first and slowly got jobs with them. At one point I was photographing in the Democratic Republic of Congo when a severely malnourished child walked by. I snapped an image and thought, "What a great shot." I suddenly realized with a horrified feeling that I was photographing for me and not for them. I had started out wanting to help people, but deep inside I was still looking for that image that would make me the best photographer. After that, I vowed to myself to never again take an image for my own sake, but instead to capture images that empower the individuals I'm photographing. While the child's situation was desperate, he could be photographed in a way that would help tell his story in a positive light. To do this, you have to ponder how that image will affect your audience. I could take the image of a child with flies on his face eating dirt, or I could wait till his mom comes lifts him up and maybe a small smile breaks out on his little face.

I've seen some of the worst and most miserable situations on earth but have still found people with hope and joy. Though they have little to give, they greet me with a smile and offer me a place in their home. I have chosen to search for those stories and document them to challenge viewers to not simply view but to act. In my mind, acting can best be done in the form of giving - giving time, giving resources, giving hope. World change can happen if we would all be willing to give up a piece of ourselves to another. It doesn't have to be on a global scale; giving can happen in your neighborhood. Through my photography and my travels, I have learned that in giving you find more of yourself than anywhere else.

http://estherhavens.com/

Time to Learn pt. 1

This is the first of several videos that documents Hinduism. It is rich in history but also gives good insight into the peoples' lives by their religion. It's about 9 minutes but worth the time (be glad I didn't post all of the documentary here at once).

Enjoy! There will be more to come...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKE7enkhZyo&feature=related

In honor of my dinner outing tonight:

I had the chance to TrySomethingDifferent (we call them TSDs) tonight with a group of Honors students. We visited a South Indian restaurant near Charlotte. The food was very authentic and delicious. Here are some images of just a few meals that I had while visiting India in 2009.

Where all the magic is made:

Who ever said you couldn't have chicken curry and birthday cake?

Some of the best times were spent just sitting on the floor, drinking chai, and hearing the Family tell stories.

Chokardani: a fun outing with a plate of food filled like this:

A dosa with my adventurous teammates

A second lunch of the day: PB&J with chai and masala flavor chips.

Ransom

"A man who was completely innocent, offered himself as a sacrifice for the good of others, including his enemies, and became the ransom of the world. It was a perfect act."

Mohandas Gandhi

I don't know what Gandhi meant by this but I love it. For all I know he was talking about himself but either way, I think about Jesus. Jesus came to earth to become the ransom for us, his creation. He is the best and most perfect example of love.

Message from Hillsong

"How often do we see something then just simply just change the channel?"

"Who are we to judge as if we were any better?"

"We say that's not right. That's not fair. All too often that's all we do because to do anymore is actually going to cost us something."

"When we ignore the orphan and the widow in their distress we actually add to their pain."

http://www.theiheartfilm.com/

What are you waiting for? DO what it SAYS

"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does. If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world."

James 1:22-27

Feet

I have always hated the way that my feet look. One verse that was brought to my attention over and over again in India was Romans 10:15. I had a hard time really grasping that feet even humanly ugly ones, can be the instrument of God. It is so true though. God really does love to use unlikely tools and people to do his work.

Here is that scripture. Read it and think, what are you doing to use your beautiful feet? Where do they take you?

Romans 10:14-15

How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans%2010:14-15&version=NIV

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah+52:7&version=NIV

The World of Stolen Women

The New Internationalist magazine tells a story of a girl, trafficked into India from Nepal by close friends, but rescued by the Rescue Foundation. It is a powerful story. I don't know much about the organization but from what I have read thus far, they are going some great work. Check out the article (below) from a few years ago of a rescued girl and the dark world she lived in for a time.

http://www.newint.org/columns/makingwaves/2006/06/02/rescue-foundation/

Skyline

It can be so powerful to take some time and pray over a city. One time during my first trip to India, for our group morning devotions, we had a time of worship and then spread out around our rooftop and prayed over all corners of the city. We took time to pray for God to move mightily in the people of Nagpur. It was amazing individually and as a team to pour our hearts out over the city. That can cause you to really fall in love with a skyline.

www.crosspointofindia.org

Love146

I was reading a friend's blog the other day about her recent travels and some of the things that she had seen and how they were really affecting her. She posted a link for an organization called Love146. I was very curious to see what their work was. The first thing I did was watch a video, an overview of the organization. I was blown away, yet again by the massive amounts of people TODAY being enslaved and trafficked.

This book that they have put together sums up lots of the information and stories in order to be easily found. The stuff in it can be very hard to believe. One page that blew my mind was when I learned that menus for girls in brothels are sometimes used. A picture of the girl is given along with her services and charges. Children are being treated like a hair salon.

Love146 works in prevention and aftercare "to combat the issue of child sex slavery and exploitation." If you are at all moved by hearing about slavery and human exploitation, you need to check this organization out. They are doing some great work across the world.

www.love146.org

The Power of Your Heart

Pooja is a sweet-spirited girl that I met on my first trip to India. She, at the time, was one of the children in the children's home and was attending school. She had been in the children's home since very close to the opening of it. Her English was good, which made it much easier to talk to her. One of the best things that I learned quickly about Pooja was her giving heart. She could have done what most kids would have and just used her English to hog the time of the team members by talking us herself. Instead, she became a bit of a translator for us. When we were in a group setting, she would gladly help interface between the languages. She gave the chance to many of the girls to talk with us and us with them, that wouldn't have happened before.

When I returned the next year, Pooja was still living in the children's home but had completed her regular schooling (our equivalent of graduating high school) and had started her year in the Bible school. Her English was better than ever and because of her willingness to serve, the ministry had given her a job that utilized her gifts. I know God has blessed her because of her servant's heart.

I am also thankful for the insight I gained while getting to know Pooja. She has a quite voice but leads the girls that live in the children's home. She allowed me to ask quite a few questions in our time together. Oddly enough, her name Pooja means worship. Right now I don't remember all the specifics of her story, maybe I'll tell it sometime. I do know that it is amazing how her given name reflects her total attitude of worship, even in the small tasks.

www.crosspointofindia.org