Tagged with uganda …

Jul 22 2011
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Journal

Today was Haul Water From the Well Day :: Friday Feet

Yes, we are so far out of town that we don’t even have access to city water, and we love our well. Every time I go down to my well to get water I think about our friends in Uganda getting water from their well. I see it photos every time one of our teams comes back home and I’m sure I will see it myself in person next week. Of course we don’t haul our water from miles away for daily use, but I do haul about 50 gallons of water (that’s 400 pounds) by hand from about a 100 yards away, about once a month. It is somewhat self imposed because we could always just drink it out of the facet but our well water is slightly acidic and when it sits in our copper pipes during the day it tends to turn things green from the copper. So about once a month we haul water, specifically for drinking, from our well up to our house. The water straight out of the well some 300 feet down comes out so crystal clear, untouched by any city or chemicals and about stays about 50*F all year round.

I know it’s not the same situation or life altering access to water our friends in Uganda are sustained upon but it still reminds me of them every day and I feel like I have an ever so slight understand what it means to have to haul water to your house to drink. I want to overemphasize “slight” because it isn’t even a close comparison at all. We have a well for our house and they have a well for their entire community. But before we moved out here I had ZERO understanding of what it meant to have a well at all, I always just turned on the faucet and water came out. Still, the basic concept is the same all over the world. When our house was built we had no access to water so the only option was to drill a well. I can’t wait to see the well our church helped drill with our friends in Uganda, I know it’s going to remind me of my well here in Auburn. Today, it my Friday Feet, maybe next Friday I will be able to take a shot of their well and do another Friday Feet with a well from Buloba.

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Jul 18 2011
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Journal

This Time Next Week We’ll Be Over the Atlantic

I’m still finding it hard to believe that in less than a week our team will be en-route to Uganda to the scene pictured above. Our church has a team in Uganda right now that comes home on Thursday and that photo was one that was taken and posted a few days ago when they arrived.

I know our culture, church, and climate are worlds apart (well maybe not the climate, it can’t be any hotter there than it is in the south in the summer) but we share the same faith in the same God and I can’t wait to see how that translates from southern speak to African. As I write this post I’m sitting in the electrical closet in our church office desperately trying to get our Internet connection to behave properly after multiple lightning strikes. After working on this issue for what seems like an eternity it got me thinking about where that connection between our two churches resides when not having the Internet shuts down all our work and productivity here and they don’t even have electricity in their church building let alone an Internet connection. Each church reaches a different culture and a different individual and we can no more pretend we are a church in Uganda than Buloba Community Church can pretend they are us.

The one constant is God. It says throughout scripture that God never changes… but you [God] are the same and your years will have no end (Hebrews 1:12 among many other places). The same God we serve here in Auburn Alabama is the same in Uganda and was the same for the Israelites as they marched into the Promise Land. This week is so crazy and for some reason my to-do list just keeps getting bigger and bigger the closer it comes time to leave so I would appreciate all your prayers and your prayers for our team. This is an all-guy trip, their names are below, and I know they would all appreciate your continued prayers.

Bo Morrissey
Christopher Mills
Fred Riggs
Graham Hill
Jason Welstead
Jordan Ross
Mark Fuller
Scott Fillmer
Myron West
Brian Johnson

As always, Thanks so much for your prayers and your continued support for this trip and my upcoming October trip as well.

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Jul 16 2011
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Photography

Outtake Photos from the Week of July 10th :: Saturday Summary

I love how different every single week of life is, even if you work from home and rarely leave, each week presents it’s own challenges and smiles. I LOVE my nephews smile in the photo above. This is such a typical summer afternoon for a 5 year old in Alabama. This short recap of the week below saw everything from a wedding to meetings on multisite and church planning to rain. I find the more I make the effort to actually carry my camera with me the more I remember about what actually did happen throughout the week. One of my favorite shots from the last 7 days besides my Nephew Isaac is from the wedding I shot last weekend in Opelika. The shot below where she is walking out the door of the church is almost mesmerizing to me. It’s like she is walking out of the church and into heaven. The huge difference in light between the inside and outside of the front of the church makes for, to me, a great blend of blown out light and minute detail (see more details on Flickr).

One more week here in Auburn before our team leaves for Uganda so after that I’m not sure what my blog posts will look like. The camera shot of the camera, a Fujifilm Finepix x100, below is something I got for my trip to Uganda. This is my first small compact camera I have ever owned, and I hope it’s worth it since I traded in two of my Nikon camera bodies to get it (although one was a film camera and I’m not sure I still count that one). For those x100 enthusiest out there you can follow x100 pics from the x100 tag from now on. Have a great weekend everyone.

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Jul 11 2011
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Faith

First July Mission Team Uganda 11-21 Heads to Atlanta

Cornerstone has two teams headed to Uganda in July (I’m on the second trip that leaves in two weeks), and the first team left today for Atlanta and then almost 8,000 miles and two 9 hour flights to Kampala, Uganda. I love being around people who are following their faith not just with words but with actions. Our salvation is not ever tied to our works, but we are called to action not just words, and I love that about these people leaving today. Imperfect people following a perfect Savior as best they can. They were all very excited about the days ahead, and if you want to follow their trip, two of them will be blogging as they can from here and here. Please be praying for our team members as they begin to arrive and get settled into their routine. Here is who is on the mission trip in that photo above:

RJ Harris
Dan Harris
Jonathan Savage
Amy Coxwell
April Brown
Jennifer Robinson
Davis Robinson
Casey Huff
Josh Cumberland

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Jul 10 2011
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Faith

Final Uganda Meeting Before We Leave in Two Weeks

We had our last full team meeting today before we leave for Uganda in two weeks. This meeting was all about soccer, and we played and/or practiced with the team, in conditions that have to be much like we will see in Uganda, 95*F and 100% humidity. Since soccer is such a big sport, as far as the rest of the world goes, this team was put together with soccer in mind, and has several very talented coaches, and then there’s the rest of us. The rest of us, me being one, are the ones hoping not to be trounced by 10 year old Ugandan kids on the soccer field.

As it gets closer and closer to our departure I seem to have more and more questions rolling around in my mind, but none that really need answering. I’m excited to see how God is going to use our team, how He is going to use our individual gifts to impact those we come into contact with throughout the entire trip. Brian (team lead) put it to us like this today. We are not going over there to continue the western transactional mission field of old where we show up and try to hand over the prosperity gospel to someone. We are going as partners in Christ, to come alongside other Christian brothers and sisters, to worship with them, to do what our scripture commands, to love one another (John 13:34).

I’m not sure what that looks like at this point, but that’s fine. I’m preparing best I can and not going with any specific expectation other than for God to be there, come along side us, and guide us. We are walking where others have prepared a way, and in this case literally, we follow a team leaving tomorrow who arrive back about the time we leave.

I’m taking a book along I bought back in 2009 and just haven’t had time to read yet called The Life and Diary of David Brainerd. Brainerd was an early American missionary to the American Indians in New York, New Jersey, and eastern Pennsylvania and someone Jonathan Edwards often wrote about as an example of a true, selfless, missionary for Christ. While I don’t really consider our lives similar in almost any way, I do hope to learn more about the history of those who went before us.

As always, I am still trying to raise support for the trip. You can always make an online donation to the church here, even $10 helps. Thanks!

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Jul 01 2011
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Journal, Photography

Starting the 4th of July Holiday Weekend :: Friday Feet

This 4th of July holiday weekend seems to have snuck up on me. I didn’t realize it was the holiday weekend until about mid-week, days just seem to be flying by at such a fast pace, can’t believe we are already basically mid-summer. I tried out some test shots on Deb tonight, something she is always thrilled about. I picked up this used lens (10-12 years old by the serial number) for my Uganda trip. I decided last year that I was going to forgo the big expensive, heavy, pro, zoom lenses and opt for shooting with prime lenses (a fixed focal length lens). They are cheap, fast, and extremely sharp, when you shoot them well.

This is Nikon’s Nikkor 20mm f/2.8D classic prime that came out back in the late 1980′s (see photo below), which converts to about 30mm on my DX crop sensor. Not the best portrait focal length in the bag for a crop sensor but it worked pretty well. Not so sure about the focus, it seems like it might be off front or back a bit but it will do the job. I shot some black and white film with it too but of course I can’t see that yet. It hasn’t been easy getting use to using primes, but it has forced me to look at shooting more creatively. Somehow shooting those big fat pro zoom lenses years back made me lazy. Primes may take a bit more work but I love the end result.

Hope everyone is going to have a chance to relax and enjoy the 4th of July weekend. As hot as it was today we may not leave the air conditioned house until the fireworks go off on Monday. Have a great weekend.

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Jun 27 2011
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Journal, Photography

Patience Results in a Magnificent Sunset :: Saturday Summary

Above is how my day ended yesterday, but what was in between was almost a blur. I know today is Sunday, but I’m doing my photo Saturday Summary today. Sunday’s in the summer are usually a little more laid back but they haven’t been so far, and yesterday was pretty incredible, and exhausting. Within two services we had more baptisms than I could count (pics here), a Uganda team trip meeting (for the October trip), four video sessions shot for our small groups (see April’s blog), a quick trip to Starbucks in severe lightning storms (see photo below), then another Uganda trip meeting (July trip), which was semi-rained out but still took place.

Uganda 2011 July trip update: So our Uganda team is leaving at the end of July (details here), just four short weeks away now, and is commissioned to (among other things) put together a soccer camp of sorts for the kids. The team is all guys this time, and for the most part, skilled in coaching soccer, except for me who will be behind the camera. We follow a full mission team that leaves the U.S. mid-July and we arrive in Uganda about the same time they leave to come back home. We have been meeting together as a team to get to know each other and plan the trip, and yesterday was one of those this-is-what-we-planned but this-is-what-happened-meeting. We were going to meet at a local soccer field and everyone was going to get some practice in, including me with my camera. As lightning bolts rained down we all ran for cover, stood around for an hour getting to know each other better, got out on the field, kicked the ball approximately two times each and scattered when the next lightning bolt came down in close proximity. I did manage to get one shot of Jason kicking a soccer ball to prove that we both got our practice in, sorta.

Driving home about 8pm last night I was so tired I couldn’t really think straight at that point and then all of a sudden the sun burst out of the storm bank just above the horizon line and I pulled over to the side of the road where I could see the horizon (not an easy thing to do in Alabama where you can’t see more than 20 feet because of all the trees) and got the shot at the top. The beauty that only God can produce in the sky with a mix of clouds, rain, lightning, and sun was a truly magnificent end to the day (it didn’t matter that the storm had fried my gate and I couldn’t get into my own property when I got home… but that’s another story).

As some of you may know I am still trying to raise money for these two mission trips, and every single donation helps no matter the amount, even $10 will go a long way when combined with everyone else’s donation. If you would like to help visit the info page or make an online donation here. Thanks!

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Jun 24 2011
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Journal

The Late-Late Edition of Friday Feet

So this is still Friday for another 5 minutes, meaning I just did get this post in before it would be totally irrelevant… well maybe that’s already the case anyway, but after reading my rss feeds tonight I realized I hadn’t finished this post. This week has been so busy, or maybe just off kilter a bit, and this coming week seems to be shaping up to be about the same. I never did seem to get any time to get out and shoot at all. I felt like I spent most of the week in my car driving back and forth between the house, Auburn, Columbus, work, etc, and any photos ended up being either in the car or in the house. It was a draining week to say the least. Finally today around 4pm the troubles of the week felt like they faded into the past after reading 2 Corinthians 12:7 when Jesus said to Paul “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” That was an amazing statement to me. Paul was praying that God would take away the thorn in his side and He basically tells Paul no, but, my power resides in you, and is perfect just the way it is. Not sure why that stuck with me today but it did, and I’m thankful.

One cool thing I accomplished this week was to get some prints ordered (photo #3 in line above) and they arrived today. So what you say. Well this is probably the first time in 20 years I have had 4-6 prints made just to put on my own wall. As a photographer one of the great joys of photography is getting to see the finished product, I just wish I had been getting prints made for the last 20 years, a little at a time, but I just never had the time or the money. This year I was determined not to put off stuff like that and it only took me until July to get them ordered. The frames I bought in June 2009 and have been sitting on my floor, literally collecting dust, since I brought them home. Now all I have to do is get them up on the wall. Hopefully I can get that done before the holidays show up.

Planning for my July Uganda trip is in full swing, we will be leaving one month from tomorrow. I can’t believe it’s only 4 weeks before our team leaves for Africa and there seems to be so much left to do before we leave. I am still trying to raise money for both this trip and the October trip so if you are willing to help fund our mission team please check out the details here or you can just make an online donation here. I really really appreciate all those who have given so far, it really does means a lot to me and to our whole team. Trying to prepare all my photography gear to be hauled halfway across the world is a little overwhelming but it’s coming along. I just about have everything put together at this point minus two lenses. One, a used 20mm prime I should have in the next week or two, hopefully, the other (an older classic from Nikon, their 80-200mm) seems to be a total long shot at this point, but who knows. I am really looking forward to the trip, can’t wait to see God at work through so many people.

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Jun 17 2011
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Faith

I’m Going to Uganda Africa and I Would Love Your Help

It’s finally set. I’m now scheduled for two trips to Buloba Uganda in 2011, one on July 25th and the other (tentatively) on October 1st, with two great teams from Cornerstone Church. Going on a trip like this has been on my heart for many many years, but up until this point, everything I tried just didn’t seem to work. My heart wasn’t prepared to actually “go”, and consequently, the opportunities never materialized. Right now scriptures abound in my head as to why now is the “right” time but Proverbs 3:5-6 stands out. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.”

One of the aspects of a trip like this of course is the costs associated with travel to Uganda, and both our teams are committed to raising the funds needed to make these trips happen. For each team that means collectively raising over $30,000, and individually, it means raising more money than I have ever attempted to raise by myself in my life to date. For me, that means $6,500 for two trips plus another $1,000 minimum for expenses directly related to photography while in Uganda. This seems like an overwhelming and impossible task to me, but I know God will provide for everyone on these two trips.

I have organized the information associated with these two trips as best I can on my blog so my readers and supporters can find what they are looking for as easy as possible. This is the first official Uganda 2011 blog post, and the blow by blow will come here on my blog, but below are the two main areas where you can find information about Uganda 2011.

The July trip is already well advanced in the planning process since we leave in a little over a month so I will start posting for that trip very soon. The October trip is just getting started so information about that trip will be posted as the planning develops.

The Cost Rundown…

We are traveling as a team of 10. That said, we are responsible to one another to collectively raise approximately $35,000 per trip – our teams total needs. At a bare minimum, I am personally trying to raise $6,500 for my part for both trips ($3,250 per trip), but the added expense of photographing the trip is noted. Below is a look at the per trip costs involved:

  • $2,500 – Flight from Atlanta, GA to Kampala, Uganda, Africa
  • $500 – in country travel, housing, food, and on the ground ministry costs
  • $250 – medical costs (vaccinations)
  • $500 – costs specifically related to photography on the trip ** Please see my Uganda 2011 page for more info

I looked at the traffic on my blog over the last few years and, on average, it receives 350 unique views per day, every day. That means if every visitor gave the very minimum of $10 the entire cost would be covered in less than 2 days. Or, if you look at one single month, if just 6% of my monthly visitors gave $10 over the course of one month, the cost would be covered as well.

I ask that your support of our team starts and centers on your prayers for our time there and the advancing the Kingdom of God on a continent that desperately needs healing and restoration. That being said, I ask that you would not only pray for our travels and ministry but also consider supporting Cornerstone’s work in Uganda financially. As a staff member of Cornerstone Church please know that your gift will go toward our team needs and our Church’s mission in Buloba of “Leading People to Know and Serve Jesus”.

What Can You Do?

I believe this is the first time I have ever made a solicitation on my own blog. I do not use paid advertising, I offer my photography for free to my readers for their personal use, and I have never asked for a financial commitment from my readers… until now. I am trying to raise money for these trips between now and October, so I will be periodically posting support updates and asking for your support. Beyond that everything on my blog will remain commercial free and advertising free. Below is what I prayerfully ask you to consider.

Make an Online Donation

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Mar 27 2011
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Journal

Mwangaza Children's Choir Today at Cornerstone

Worship today was a little different at Cornerstone, Brian was teaching this morning, and the Mwangaza Children’s Choir (also on Twitter) was here in Auburn visiting from Uganda. Cornerstone has been partnering with a nearby community church in Uganda, Buloba Community Church, for several years now and this choir hosted by Africa Renewal Ministries was the catalyst for that partnership. The children leave Uganda in January to do a sort of reverse missionary trip to the United States for 6 months, and to bring awareness to the children in need in Uganda.

If you missed worship this morning at Cornerstone Church this is a quick look at what you missed, but they are also going to be here tonight for a concert at 6:30. Hope to see everyone there, if you are in Auburn you are more than welcome to come.

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