"A Hand to Hold" - Guatemala12/28/2015 Many times I sat in front of the computer, attempting to continue the story I had promised. But each time I failed, I found myself getting lost in the emotion of memories that it was almost impossible to bear. I walked out of the Calgary airport with mixed emotions, having left part of my heart behind, but the other half was anxious to get home....I think I was secretly hoping to get distracted and forget the memories that had remained thousands of miles away. But I was wrong, as the days have gone by, the more memories flood my mind, and although it can be painful at times, it is all part of keeping a moment alive, as well as the hope to someday return. Thank you for your patience! I hope today is the day when I can finally continue to share those memories with you. At the beginning of this trip I was feeling pretty grown up about it all, but my proud "almost 20" feeling faded as I confronted many things for the first time on my own. I don't think I was ready for what was ahead. But if we waited until we were ready to do everything in life, would we do anything at all? God often calls us to do things before we feel ready, to teach us to depend on His strength alone. That's what was on my mind one beautiful day at the mission, before God sent another quite remarkable moment where I had to learn to depend on Him. my side whom I recognized as one I had tried to talk to previously, but she had always shied away when I tried to go near. One of our main goals during the trip was getting to know more about the children and getting them to open up with us, but that also became one of the biggest challenges for me. Some were extremely shy, others scared and withdrawn, but each of them quietly communicating that they needed someone to be there for them. Unlike the girl at the village I shared about last time, this one was clean, well dressed, and her dark eyes held a bright light of hope. I said hello and tightened her hand, but there was no response. We stood there for quite a while...still no word, only her hand firmly holding mine. We continued watching the kids play, once in a while I glanced down and saw her smiling, but when I asked her if she wanted to play, she held me tighter. A few minutes later, a teacher came out and called some of the children that where nearby. she grasped my arm quickly. I leaned down and asked her if she had to go. But for the first time I heard her voice, barely a whisper: "Please don't let me go, I want to be with you, I need you." I stared at the child in front of me, I was but a stranger to her, yet through her pleading eyes I could see she needed someone to hold her, to make her feel loved, to tell her she was special, and for a peculiar reason, that someone happened to be me.
While I had tried to offer all the comfort I could give, she was really the one who gave me so much more in return. She taught me how God's love shines through His children, she helped me to see how our attitude should be when we are broken and come to God to find refuge, and she reminded me that people walk into our lives for a special purpose. We might live in a place where poverty isn't a main problem, or we may be around people who do not suffer the way this young girl has. Yet, every person walking on this earth will, sooner or later, need someone to be there for them, someone to comfort them, to make them feel needed and special. Every time we come into God's presence to reach up and touch the hem of His garment, He is there to give every bit of His love to us, and listen to us when no one else would, are we not called to be like Him? Should we not try to do the same when someone is in need of us? And who knows....you might be surprised, like I was, when you find that who really needed that person in the first place was you! “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." John 15:12 Being welcomed for the first time at the mission. Singing for the childrens' devotionals at the AOJ chapel. Sharing with the high school students. Playing volleyball! Getting to work as a translator was a wonderful experience. House building days were different than days spent at the mission, at the school you encounter people who already have support. hope, and love in their lives. The villages where we went to build houses were full of people that still have no hope, but because of their need, their hearts are full of unique thankfulness, and they appreciate things in such a different way than we do. A place where one handmade toy is enough to entertain a boy, and where a tiny hut is enough to hold a happy family of nine. The most special time of the day came when the house was all finished and the house was dedicated. It was a very emotional moment for both the family and the team. The family was presented with bags of food, clothing, and a personal gift especially picked out for each family member. Then the leader would say a few words, which they all listened attentively, and afterwards we would spend precious moments in prayer with the family. Don't miss the next post!
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"A Dream Come True"10/17/2015 The sun was fiercely burning, the so-called trail was wet and muddy from past weeks of non-stop heavy rain, and there was a horrible stench that filled the air which made the hike through the village more difficult to bear.
Soaring High9/30/2015 "You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands." Isaiah 55:12 This month I had the amazing opportunity of spending some days in Banff National Park and getting to capture the majestic beauty of the Rocky Mountains like never before! Here's a video of our adventure, take a look! Next Thursday I will be Adventure Bound once again, soaring high through North America and making my way to my homeland, Guatemala! To read more about how it this new adventure all came to be, go to: My Mission. It is amazing how life takes certain turns and spins sometimes, I am excited for this new experience, and I am thrilled to be able to share it with you! So stay tuned during the next months, as I will be sharing my favorite moments of this part of my journey on here with you! Making a difference together,
Welcome to the Journey9/20/2015 I was once told that power is found on our fingertips. I initially assumed that it referred to someone who shakes the world by doing something extremely powerful, and then that person becomes somebody significant and powerful. But later I began to understand that this actually refers to every little one of us. We were each created with unique fingerprints.....just imagine! Out of millions of people, you are the only person with that ONE exceptional pattern. In the same way, your life was designed for a distinctive purpose, a unique calling, and a remarkable journey. As photographers, there is evident power on our fingertips, we have the ability to freeze a moment in time, to take someone on an imaginary journey across the world, to share with others what our eyes are seeing and beyond what our eyes can see, we even have the potential to express our thoughts and beliefs through a photo. Yes, there is power in an image, and yes, there is extraordinary power on our fingertips. But does this power belong to us? "Know that the LORD Himself is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture." Psalm 100:3 We simply cannot brag about something that isn't rightfully ours. When God created us, He gave us that power to be used for His glory and praise. And that is the main reason of The Journey, to produce and share meaningful photographs that glorify, not our own fingertips, but the fingertips of the God who created us. I strongly believe that a journey is better when accompanied with others that have the same vision, we cannot journey through this life on our own, that is why I would like to invite other creative enthusiasts like yourself to join me on this journey. Photography is a pretty vast and endless world to discover, and together we can triumphantly make it flourish to exalt our Creator! I will be sharing with you tips and things that have helped me to advance in photography through the years. We can talk about the pros and cons of certain products, the importance of different camera settings, the best times to shoot during the day, and really, the list of possibilities is countless. So if you have any questions regarding photography, or would like to suggest a topic, feel free to comment below or write me an email to [email protected] Looking forward to seeing where this journey will take us. Together, we will make a difference! This Wanderful Journey
"I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus."
Philippians 3:14 Blog Archive
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