Some of my blogs.... tales from the road, deep thoughts and everything in between.
Extraordinary Love
April 11, 2013
Starting a bright new day.... I have to admit, I've been meditating deeply on one important concept: LOVE. It's really the only thing we're commanded to do - love God, love others as ourselves. Yet I personally feel like I fall so far short of that commandment everyday. Love my enemies? It's hard enough to love those who love me in the way that I should. But if there is one thing I've seen here, it's the incredible power of unconditional love to completely transform a life. I talked to an orphan yesterday who was filled with hate for everyone because of his mom's abandonment. If left alone, who would that man have grown up to be? But the seminary students here visited him, and loved him no matter what he did. And he tested that love in every conceivable way. They never wavered and that commitment completely transformed his life. HE'S now a seminary student, training to pour out love on the world in the same way. You can see the joy on his face now to have discovered GOD'S love, but it could only happen through people who showed it to him. That boy is now going to be part of changing this cold, lonely world. May God change each one of us to authentically love, in the way that He loves.
You Never Know Who You're Going to Meet in Urkaine!
April 8, 2013
I wasn't sure if this Eagle photo op was a scam - and there certainly weren't any safety precautions - but it seemed like too extraordinary an opportunity to pass up!
An Orphan Transformed by Love
April 8, 2013
Yesterday we did a very powerful interview with an orphan who was born without a hand or foot. His mother abandoned him in hospital with a note saying she didn't want him. He was put into awful orphanages where he lived in hope that someone would choose him. It never happened. Finally at 23, the seminary students began a ministry there literally cleaning the filthy orphanages, kids, and spoiled mattresses. The kids were amazed that anyone would serve THEM, the throwaways of society. That love completely transformed his life. I can't wait to air this story as there's so much more, including meeting his mother finally at 29. VERY MOVING! God is at work all over the world. I'm so glad I get to find those stories and tell them!
Dancing in the Desert
September, 2012
The strangest thing happened to me today: I was sitting on a water can among thorn bushes in the desert of Northern Kenya doing an interview with a very emaciated couple. They had suffered severely in the East African drought here, and were unable to grow food to feed themselves. The good news? They were to be the recipient of a permanent drought proofing project initiated by Crossroads Relief & Development. I will never forget Margaret's words to me that day - "My dream is to be fat". Of course that made me smile, as that is not the dream of anyone I know here in North America. But by fat, she means healthy, and that is rare sight in her part of the world.
In the middle of this interview - in the middle of absolutely nowhere in the desert - we saw a Turkana wedding party come dancing over the horizon. They came and danced all around us, put their hats on our heads, and invited us to join them. It was one of the most random and amazing events I've ever experienced.
When you embark on God's adventure, you never know what will happen next!
The Joy and Challenge of Shooting in Africa
September 2012
The first thing you encounter in many parts of Africa are the curious and joyful children. From trying to touch your strange coloured skin and hair, to running alongside your vehicle yelling "Mzungu" (swahili for 'someone with white skin') and "How Are You?" , they instantly capture your heart. No matter what they're circumstances, these kids seem to be able to find joy in the everyday - something both convicting and challenging.
But from the perspective of my cameraman, they can also present great challenges! They will crowd in front of his camera, so he cannot take a shot. Of stand behind the person we are interviewing and stare into the camera. I once tried to bring some candy to distract them all away from him and almost got trampled by their enthusiasm! Now add to that the fact that most don't understand English so they couldn't follow your instructions to stay back even if they wanted to. I've also tried taking pictures of them with my camera and showing it back to them - which did work! But only with some of them because there are usually just so many children around!
I loved this shot because it shows the mobbing of my co-worker as he tries to concentrate on his work.
