Photo of the Week-3/23-3/30

i love this photo. and i loved this week. this group from canada came down and did a tremendous job. they were so polite and so kind and well-behaved. we never had to worry about them or wonder if they were going to get into trouble. they were just a great group of kids. but most of all they were such an encouragement to romano.

partnership is what our ministry is all about. relationships. encouragement. discipleship. and this team loved on romano like they had known him their whole lives.

romano is an incredible guy. not quite 30 and a pastor, soccer coach, counselor, translator. he wears so many hats and truly is a man after god's heart and his people. after starting his journey as an illegal immigrant from haiti, he worked hard, educated himself and found a place in the G.O. Ministries family. his dedication to god's word and desire to bring more Christ followers into God's kingdom is such an inspiration to me and probably most that have come in contact with him.

you could see how revived romano was this week. its not an easy job, what he does, and even the most sold out soldier for Christ needs a little pick-me-up now and then. and that is exactly what westside was for him. he already has an infectious smile but this week it was beaming.

Photo of the Week-3/6-3/13

there's always been a special little place in my heart for brisas de ocampo and for cross point christian church. cross point was the very first church mike and i worked with when we joined G.O.. they support fellow missionaries, jeff and vicki rogers, as well as partner with moise jean. they put missions in their church's dna from the very beginning and its been incredible to see the fruit of that decision.

i remember i was so nervous. i wasn't sure if being a missionary was what i wanted to be. i didn't think i was deserving of so much responsibility as the "ministry's photographer." but the people at cross point made me feel at home. made me not feel so much like a fish out of water. made me realize that i wasn't capable, but God was. it was like a team of big brothers that somehow made me feel like i could do this. i could be a missionary photographer.

this picture is so special to me because i was there when cross point broke ground on the church and nutrition center in brisas de ocampo. i remember staring at the trenches in the ground thinking, "how on earth will we turn that into a building?" but here we are. five years later and it is a building. and it is feeding kids.

on the first day the kids didn't really know what to do with all of us staring at them, trying to help where we could, sitting next to them as they ate. it was awkward and bumpy and uncomfortable at times. i barely got a single picture of any kids smiling. in fact, most of them shied away from my camera.

but on the second day you could see the thick air, thinning. they smiled when the member's of cross point came into the church. they laughed when the guys made funny faces. the little one's welcomed the help when they just couldn't figure out how to feed themselves. it was like i was watching my time here on this island go full circle, played out right in front of me. i saw the change from doubt and concern to joy and completeness. which is exactly what god does. complete.

Wendoli's Quinceanera

I could not believe it when I found out Wendoli was having her Quinceanera party. I've known her since she was 10!!! Although the word quinceanera probably doesn't mean much to the average American, to a Dominican it is a BIG deal. When a girl turns fifteen it is equivalent to your sweet sixteen in America. There are elaborate dresses and tiaras, lots of friends and family and a very big party. I wanted to do something special for Wendoli. Something besides a gift. Mike and I are pretty close to her family and I knew one thing would be sufficient for Wendoli's big day. A photoshoot! What fifteen-year-old girl doesn't LOVE a photoshoot in a beautiful dress. So we headed for a nearby park and clicked away. It was so much fun. And her mom was just in awe at the fact that her baby girl was now a woman. I'm sure in 14 years, I'll feel exactly the same way :)