Around the World

Around the World: Greece

“photogenX round the world is a eighteen month program that consists of three major parts. The first is an around the world trip that actually started with the photogenX DTS in Kona Hawaii. So far the photogenX community has traveled through Brazil, Australia, Thailand, Cambodia and throughout various places of India and Nepal. Now you [we] are going to either continue the around the world trip or you are going to join at this point and travel through Southern and Northern Africa, the Middle East, Southern and Northern Europe and Latin America.”

The above was taken from the syllabus of the PhotogenX Around the World Track explaining the basic outline of the trip taken by about 25 students and staff. Yes, we are photographers, but more importantly, we are followers of Christ; committed to him and sharing his love with the Nations.

The itinerary for the trip is vast and so is the subject matter that we will be participating in. We have already spent a month in South Africa going over some principles of photography; exploring how to broaden our understanding of the art as well as the practical uses in missions to further the Kingdom of God. We have already had some fascinating experiences from a mini-outreach time in Capetown. The school was broken down into smaller teams of 3-6 people who researched and carried out their projects in many different spheres of life in South Africa.

Part of the team went to the Kahalari Desert on the border of South Africa and Botswana to visit the Bushmen (You may have seen them highlighted in the movie “The God’s Must Be Crazy”. Not many people know that they were heavily persecuted and hunted as animals because they are physically different in appearance to all of the other people in the surrounding areas. The teams work in photography will help in many different areas especially showing the beauty and the nobility of the people; the way that God sees them.

Another part of the team stayed around the coastal town of Muizenberg, where we were staying, to document the local homeless culture that is prevalent there. They were able to capture some intense situations and scenarios, but also some deep and personal stories that will stay with us for the rest of our lives.

There were many other locations, events, and episodes from fishing boats and clothing companies to townships and orphanages. At the end of the week we had the opportunity to come together and share our Picture Stories and Essays. It provided both valuable experience, and a way to give back to different organizations and ministries who are craving documentation of their different projects.

We flew up to Greece on the 25^th of October where we will reside for the next month. We are located in a coastal town about 40 minutes (by car) from downtown Athens. We will be learning about the New Testament even visiting the sites where Paul and Barnabas walked; getting some perspective on what they went through as we read of their experiences.

The town of Porto Rafti is beautiful in and of itself and it has been great to even walk around and enjoy God’s beauty. The water is clear and calm, and I am pretty sure everyone has been swimming a few time since we arrived. The academic work that we will partake in will be extremely tedious, but enjoyable. The setting that we are in will definitely make things more enjoyable. We look forward to everything that God has for us in this time.

I have been reminded of Jesus’ explanation of what is most important in this life and the direction that we should always be taking. “You shall love the Lord your God with all of your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.” Over the next few months, this will be our prayer as we study the book, our guide, which he has given us.

My name is John Paul, and hopefully I will be updating the blog for every week that we are away. I have a little bit of experience with blogging, and God has been using it all over the world. I hope that this will not only be an outlet for us to tell of stories and experiences, but that this will be an opportunity to share in the Kingdom of God, that you would feel free to respond to what you are hearing with your thoughts, impressions, and prayers.

In Christ
photogenX Around the World

Labels: Advocate, Missions, Photoblog, PhotogenX, Photography, the least, voice for the voiceless

posted by PhotogenX Round the World @ 7:15 AM Comments: 3