Inconsistency...

not OSHA approved

Sun, 22 Feb 2009 12:49:57 -0600

one of the projects we help with in Ghana is the digging of wells for villages. most people do not have running water in there residence. most households haul water in buckets on their heads from the closest source (i saw one village that the closest water source was 1 mile away).

the trouble with this system is that
often it is too far to walk for fresh “clean”
water, so corners are cut and a closer, but
less pure water source is often used.

results? severe intestinal distress.
also worms. it is a very ugly thing.
children die. old people die.

the only solution is to locate a pure
source of water close to the village.

for around $3200 a well can be dug
by hand...yes...by hand.

i was able to visit several villages
where the wells were being dug.
some were 20 feet deep, but some were
over 100 feet deep....yes, a 100 foot, hand-dug well.

in the u.s. we have a government agency called OSHA to make sure that workplace safety is a priority. hard hats, safety harnesses, steel-toed boots...etc...

let’s just say that i really don’t think OSHA gets much attention in ghana. the photo at the top of the page shows a man lining a 100 foot well with concrete. no harness, no shoes...just his feet keep him from plunging 100 feet into the well.

stories were told of men digging wells, hitting a fracture in the earth, the ground opening up, and them never being found.....i say....maybe a safety harness isn’t such a bad thing after all....

but for all the risk, the reward of seeing fresh water come from a new well to serve a whole community is pretty great.

i have been hearing about well projects for the last few years, but the joy of being able to personally see the first drops of water come from a new well is unexplainable.

so i guess doing great things that impact people isn’t always safe....

travel update #2

Sat, 21 Feb 2009 13:56:50 -0600

on feb 10th at 10pm i arrived back in dallas....after a rapid laundry assault and a re-pack, i boarded a delta flight at 8:00am on feb 12th bound for NYC and then on to Accra, Ghana in west africa. 30 hours at home....

the mission of this trip was to gather stories about the impact that the people of our church have made over the past 9 years in the country of Ghana....

i think it is easy to feel like there is so much poverty and hurt in the world that you can’t make a difference. but what i saw was that individual people have made a significant impact on many lives.

over the next few days, i hope to be able to share some of the stories that i heard and some of the experiences that i had...there are many!

one of the key lessons i learned was the power of meeting people’s basic needs. once the basic needs of life...clean water, shelter, medicine, love....are met, it is amazing how open people are to hearing about how their spiritual needs can be met through the power of Jesus Christ.

this trip was extremely difficult. hot, long days, rough roads, dirt and dust, heavy bags....but it was all worth it if i can somehow spur people into action.

my prayer now is for wisdom to know how best to put the footage together to help tell the stories in a compelling and engaging way.

If you would like to see more photos of my time in Ghana, click on the word link.

travel update #1

Sat, 21 Feb 2009 13:28:48 -0600

where should i begin? cuba, i think....

on feb 2nd, i flew from dallas to toronto to begin an 8 day trip to cuba. i’m not certain if you know this, but there are no direct flights from the u.s. to cuba because of a long-standing embargo the u.s. has against cuba (fidel). thus, in order for me to get to cuba, i had to route through canada.

on feb 3rd, i arrived in cuba. forget jet lag, this was time travel. cars from the 50’s, horse and buggy combos, and lots of old bicycles.

our group worked with a fantastic group of pastors and believers. we did leadership development and worked hard to encourage them.

i also was able to bring in a powered mixer to help a church out. praise God, the customs officials never even saw it!! it was a real miracle. the church that the mixer went to had custom-made a mixer...see the photo.

i also was able to bring in a couple channels of wirelesses that we can no longer use in the u.s. so it was really great to take gear that we could no longer use and keep it in service to further the Kingdom!

the trip was long and exhausting, but completely rewarding and a real blessing! because of the sensitive nature of the work we are doing in cuba, i am not including many details....thanks for understanding.

If you would like to see more photos from the trip, follow this link.

third world or bust

Fri, 30 Jan 2009 18:30:02 -0600

on monday I begin the first of 2 back-to-back trips.

first...cuba. i am more uneasy about this particular trip than normal for a variety of reasons...some logical and some not. cuba is not exactly a free country...clearing customs is not a formality...

i am also going to be traveling with the largest piece of luggage I have ever checked...weighing in at just over 110 pounds. just the basic acts of getting the case checked in, hauled aboard a shuttle bus, rolled through customs...nothing will be easy.

also....i have never been to cuba....so the unknown factors are there as well.

i am really looking forward to shooting some compelling video and stills of the cuban people while i am there....just uneasy....

then i head out to ghana in west africa. this is pure story-telling. i get to find the stories and tell the stories of how real people have been impacted by the sacrifice and work of a normal, everyday man who saw the need of a country and decided to do something about it.

it is the height of summer in ghana...everyday is showing 95+ degrees...we are only planning to be in the “city” a short amount time...the rest of the time is in the boonies, visiting villages that now how clean water, meeting people that got medical care...so my clothes should smell great by the time i get back.

i have the feeling upon my return, i will have an unexplainable gratitude for small things like toilet seats....

blame it on my brother

Sun, 11 Jan 2009 11:55:18 -0600

on friday i did something that was completely my brother’s fault....i purchased a Nikon D90 digital SLR camera.

now this may surprise you...but i actually know very little about still photography. video...lots of experience, but still photos...nothin’ but a hacker.

i have always loved looking at life through the lens of a camera, but the trouble with video is that it becomes very hard to share the moments i see with my friends and family without hours of editing.

a couple of weeks i was able to experience a concert through the lens of my brother’s D90 camera....and i was hooked....the speed and quality of the camera allowed me to focus on the content of the photo rather than fight the mechanics of the camera....

so blame it on my brother....or give him credit if you like what you see....

below are a couple of my first attempts....