HUMANITARIAN PHOTOGRAPHY AND FILMS
Bend, or / nashville, tn humanitarian and ngo photography and films
Working with NGOs and relief agencies feeds the soul. To tell the stories of those in the trenches working for their fellow countrymen is an honor. To do this work ethically is of the utmost importance. These many trips have served as some of the best times of my life – and the worst. Moments of laughter like never before, to moments of wondering if I was ever going to see my family again. The topics covered on these humanitarian trips were always difficult, ranging from female genital mutilation, rape, malnutrition and general poverty. Though heavy topics to be sure, there was always balance. The Spirit who guided the relief workers in their relationships. The churches who came together. The children who laughed and played despite circumstance. The smiles. I always learned and was given more than I gave. Here are a few of my favorite moments from trips past.
Eastern Rwanda.
Naomi, pictured here praising God on a rock outcropping, deserves to have a book written and a film made about her life.
A Bishop in the church, she survived the genocide, saved others and was the catalyst for helping children in the eastern districts have a school to attend and food to eat.
To know her was an indescribable blessing. To think of her no longer on this Earth makes me weep.
Lake Tanganyika, Burundi.
On the shores of this lake, one may find fishermen casting off for the morning haul, children bathing and playing in the water and mamas doing wash.
The locals here know not to play, because that’s where the hippos live. We were told if a hippo chases us, to run fast and make sharp turns. Apparently, hippos are very fast land animals but they are unable to turn quickly. I’m thankful we didn’t need to find out.
Lake Tanganyika, Burundi.
Asanti Jesu. “Thank You Jesus.” Despite no adults in this image, I assure you they were around and open to our being there.
The children, as all children are, were interested in our equipment and laughed over and over as we showed them images of themselves in the boat and running around.
This is my happy place.
Kapchorwa, Eastern Uganda.
The village surgeon stands in her field with the tools she uses to perform female genital mutilation on young women.
FGM is seen in some cultures as a rite of passage, though it causes tremendous physical and psychological damage.
We were part of a storytelling team that created material that helped sway the Ugandan Parliament to ban FGM.
This surgeon feels it’s the government’s responsibility to compensate her for taking away her profession.
Ntoma, Rwanda.
Children gather in their schoolhouse, giving thanks for the roof that will soon be installed.
This building is now a church. Near it, similar buildings are used for the school, a bakery and the house of the late Mama Naomi.
Western Rwanda.
When the land is so lush, it begs to be ran on, flipped on and enjoyed.
This plot of land resided high upon a hilltop and our group was, I’m ashamed to say, very out of breath when we arrived.
These children reminded me of the local porters on Mt. Kilimanjaro who seemed undaunted and unaffected by altitude or incline.
We welcomed the opportunity to stop and capture these beautiful moments.