1. Easter smiles and egg dying (egg dying is an art, right?)

       

2. 100 Things Photography List. My personal favs: 

*Always shoot in RAW. Always.

*Print out your photos big. They will make you happy.
*Candid>Posed.
*The best photographs tell stories that beg the viewer for more.

I've been thinking about how I need to spend some time expanding my learning on all things photog – i.e. lighting, exposure, etc. This list got me really excited about that.

3. For the first time, I find myself on the other side of the design process: I have become "the client". This has been a good thing for me, a good area of growth and learning. But I also find it challenging to give feedback without design directing. Note to self: There's a very good reason why you're not the designer on this project. And repeat. Here's hoping I can remember that and not be categorized as "one of those" clients.

4. On the coattails of #3, I love getting to know other brilliant designers. It makes me want to push my own work further and better my skills. It encourages my creativity and gets me excited about being artistic. Sometimes that's hard to come by when I'm not immersed in the creative world on a day-to-day basis.

5. On the coattails of #4, I have come to the conclusion that it's ok to not be designing/painting/creating every single day. That was one of my greatest fears in leaving Dallas, but I have realized that it simply makes me want to do a better job on the projects I do undertake. It's incredibly affirming.

6. Gearing up for our next fundraising event – our 2nd Annual Art Auction in mid-June. I am rounding up artists and planning a few of my own pieces/photographs for the event. As hectic (insert: overwhelming) as this event was for me last year – as I planned in addition to a full-time job – I am stoked about having more time to devote to the event this year. Know any artists? Send 'em my way!

7. I would like to come up with something like this. My track record for keeping plants alive is pretty sketchy, but who's to say I shouldn't keep trying? Plus these are just awesome; expensive, but awesome. I'm thinking more along the lines of a Goodwill or garage sale container in lieu of these $150+ pieces of work. One of these days that will be a weekend project. Because I don't currently have enough weekend projects.

8. I stumbled across illustrator Brian Hubble the other day. Wow. Love his work. This style is one idea I have for an auction piece, though I doubt it would turn out anywhere near the same. I'd like to know how many layers he's got on this one:



9. The latest project of mine: a paper mobile made out of Degas images. Nothing fancy, but I really like his work and amazing figure studies. Brilliant leader in the Impressionist era, though he preferred to be categorized as a realist. He also worked in photography and sculpture. Just a little art history for ya.



10. Not art related, but because I can't end on #9, I've been reading this book called 7. It's humorous and convicting and really good. "We cannot carry the gospel to the poor and lonely while emulating the practices of the rich and powerful."

 

Guinness World Record #3! The 49-hour baseball game was a huge hit (pun intended),

and we could not have been happier with the support and success of the event.

Here are a few shots for those of you who weren't able to make it. 

This is what the field looked like Thursday afternoon...

...but after a load of sand, a slew of volunteers, and lots of raking, we were ready

to play ball. (And by "we", I really mean "they"!)

Team Kojo took on Team Kwasi. These are two of the boys we met on the lake in March.

Tent City set up and ready for rest time.

Chris addressing the players and me trying to look slightly professional.
Don't be deceived; I was only taking attendance. I won't mention the fact
that there were a good 6-8 players I didn't know...

The Bomber Ballpark...

Ceremonial first pitch thrown out by our friend Jayson Fogle. Jayson is the

same age as many of the boys on the lake; he is also a great pitcher! 

Custom-made bats by Warstic...

49:00:20...

... and the closing Gatorade dump.

I tried to add an awesome video here, but it didn't work. So just imagine all the players
gathered on the pitcher's mound celebrating and yelling "Strike Out Slavery", and you'll
get the idea. Strike Out Slavery indeed, with a grand total of $49,000!

Photos courtesy of Larry Field.

Wrapping up the travel log, here's a little insight into my psyche. Once again, for those with a strong aversion to novel posts, feel free to skip ahead.

One of the biggest things I've wrestled with this trip is being "ok" with shooting pictures of the children on the lake. I'm not sure why this hasn't bothered me as much in the past. Maybe with the addition of the video camera this trip, it was more of a primary focus? Hard to say. I generally am able to shut off emotionally, get behind the camera, and go. There's a small window of time in which to get good shots alongside the boats on the lake, so that helps me focus on the task rather than what's really in front of me. That all sounds very calloused, but I naturally tend to internalize emotions. That said, these children trigger my heart strings in profound ways. And so, several times during this trip, I found myself in situations in which I couldn't shoot at all... 

This morning we encountered Kwabena, a boy of about 6. His master told him to hide before we came alongside the boat, and he quickly laid down on a pile of raw fish and covered himself with a flour sack. He was sobbing uncontrollably out of fear. I have no words for this that are repeatable. 

I did manage one shot of Kwabena hiding, but I felt like such an intruder. Yet, these are the pictures that people are drawn to, that evoke emotion and response. It's this weird juxtaposition.

So here's where I've landed: I am committed to and have the responsibility to tell the story of these children. My job – not just for MP – but as a Jesus-follower is to speak on their behalf. If you know me, you know that public speaking is not one of my talents. But (although I'm no professional), I do think God has given me the ability to speak in other ways – through creative outlets. I'm trying to embrace that, but it's challenging. There are heart-breaking moments. Sometimes it means zooming in and focusing on a child who has no name, no hope, and no future. But if I don't tell their story and show people "this is not right, this is not how God intended his children to live, that we have a responsibility to make it right", how will they know? Who will tell them? And so, it's not about me and my feelings; it's about them and the Kingdom.

One last thing I'll tag on to the above, and then I'll cease the ranting: I love finding out the names of the children on the lake. Those simple exchanges provide us with an opportunity to restore dignity and identity, even for a brief moment; we pray for that to permanently be restored one day. Each of these children are unique and special and hand-picked by their Creator. I'd like you to meet a few of our new friends.

Kwame & Kojo:

 

Agabe:

Kwasi:

John:

Would you please pray for these boys by name?

Commence the journal snippets, in no certain order. If words bore you, feel free to skip a few posts.

Things have started out well: I got busted for trying to carry on peanut butter before we even left the College Station airport. (Apparently it's considered a liquid.) We arrived sans two bags which housed video equipment, a laptop, snacks, candy, and paint for a little art project. But don't worry, we submitted a form to the Accra airport officials detailing a lost Nike athletic bag and a lost equipment case that looks "like a firearm case but doesn't really have firearms in it". I feel as if this is the start to a very good adventure.

********

I am currently sitting in a little room in Salaga. I share this room with 200+ gnats and at least one lizard. I think I would not have dealt well with the 10 Plagues. But then, I am in Africa; I am not supposed to be comfortable nor do I really want to be. The Salaga Baths are the town's claim to fame, which was a stop in the old slave route before masters sent their slaves down to the Elmina Castle on the southern coast. Here the slaves were held before exiting through the infamous "Door of No Return" to be transported and resold in other colonies. Ironic, much? But I digress...

********

Drove to Makango and met with the Chief. It was the real deal, a take-your-shoes-off and greet-with-a-bow situation. Later we drove "10 minutes" to Awou., which turned into a 30 minute bush hike. We finally reached the school and everything started looking familiar. And, oh, the sweet smiling faces that greeted us! Strangers have become friends.

********

We passed a boat today that held two boys without clothes. As if being made to work all day isn't enough, their dignity has been stolen as well.

********

This morning we took a tro-tro (Ghanaian public transport) driven by a guy named Fish. Chris described the vehicle as "not fit to pass inspection in Mexico". Fish has to pick the sliding door up and move it over to let us in and out. The top is completely rusted out, but no worries, "new" roll bars have been welded in... at least twice. When in Ghana...

********

Best dinner yet. Tonight we ate outside: noodles, tilapia, red sauce, and pineapple. I also drank 2 liters of water. We watched some of Brandon's video, which is just amazing. I looked through some of my lake shots from the day as well and discovered a bit of a tension: I get excited to find a few good ones, yet at the same time, wish I didn't have to take them at all. (More on that in the next post.)

********

Today's theme has been one of God moving and shaking. I don't feel a lot of emotion at this point in the trip, but big things are happening for MP and for God's Kingdom on earth. Brandon made a comment earlier (which I have actually heard in other discussions as of late) that has really stuck with me. He mentioned an issue with the screen door on his house back in CS but then followed it with "that's a First World problem", as in, no biggie compared to what we see here in front of us. I need to keep that perspective, to recognize that a lot of my seemingly big issues are so very insignificant.

********

"If only I had a spreadsheet right now!" This exclamation has been made several times this week. While I am merely wishing for a bowl of chocolate ice cream, Josh and Brandon crave Excel. It's great to have economically minded people as we brainstorm and calculate quantities of fish, market values, and material costs for our next project of aquaculture. I love seeing these guys using their talents and passions for the Kingdom. It's refreshing and encouraging.

Oh, and yes, we did get the Nike and "firearm" bags back!

We've been back from Ghana for 3 weeks now, this being my 4th trip over. So much has happened just in those 3 weeks that I think instead of coming up with new thoughts at this point, I'm better off just sharing some snippets of the trip from my journal pages over the course of the week in-country.

Exhibit A: The below, super random-and-not-like-me... poem? I don't know what it is. I read some similar lines the day we got back and liked the expressive format. I needed an outlet for saying things that I just couldn't express otherwise, so I matched the number of words and lines and just changed them out to what I wanted to say. It seems a little over the top now, but... here goes.

risky dreams. great passion. deep hunger.

dusty roads. head-carried. simple living.

smiling faces. O'bruni cheers. many stares.

open markets. brown faces. beautiful spirits.

fried rice. whole fish. spicy red.

open water. countless boats. cloudy sky.

small child. wary glances. empty eyes.

forgotten childhood. hands working. paddling away.

waving grass. thatched huts. curious questions.

mango trees. rich conversation. better way.

hard work. community effort. strangers to friends.

lives changed. childhood return. hopeful eyes.

lost in a story.

never thought to be here.

floating through the bush, unafraid;

confidence, hope, and life pour in.

questions and uncertainties sent up.

but i venture the road and come alive.

my story looks too different.

the road is rocky and uncertain.

choices to conform. choices to lean in.

i choose the later; it leads to Him.

unsure, I wake up, and inquire.

a calming feeling crawls over me; i relax.

i remember what was said:

"least of these. light in darkness.

freedom proclaimed. Kingdom on earth."

my responsibility.

believe in the power of story.

weave threads that only you can intertwine.

write on the pages; color the canvas.

join the journey. change the world.

*************

I think one of the most powerful things we can do as Jesus-followers is to tell our story and learn the stories of each other. A lot of times it's messy and unknown and ordinary and just plain hard. But there are also moments of beauty and joy and redemption. All worth the telling.

Confession: The 'ole blog is the first thing to get neglected when life gets a bit busy. Full acknowledgement. That's just what happens when one goes from Ghana to a World Record and up to the Panhandle in a matter of 3 short weeks. That said, here's a sneak peak of the upcoming catch-up posts. 

The boys and I hit the streets of Makongo...

... and the waters of Lake Volta.

Wait, can't leave out Brandon, the master documentarian.

Mercy Project supporters claim their 3rd Guinness World Record in
an epic 49 hour battle between Team Kojo and Team Kwasi. Epic.

Springtime at the Ranch (photo courtesy of my dear Mom)