Around the World

Update Ethiopia! Now in Amsterdam

Our time in Ethiopia has come and gone. The internet was slow and relatively inaccessible, so this update is coming a bit late.

Overall, I think that the team has loved being in Ethiopia. Most have been going places and meeting people, coming to an understanding of more of an African Woldview. The week that we started Paul Childers, our school leader, came out with our speaker from Kona, Andy Byrd. It was honestly one of the best weeks that we have had (I seem to say that every time, but that gives you an idea of the caliber of speakers we have). Instead of a Bible Course, a Humanities Course, or a Photography Course, we has classes on intimacy with God and the importance of a strong relationship with Him above so much else. He really encouraged us to press in and reach out for God wherever we are. He gave us amazing examples of Phineas, Esther, and Daniel and how their lives reflected their passion for the Lord. It was such a great week and we really needed it as a class. Occasionally, amidst all the busyness of class and traveling, it is easy to get into a bit of a slump and even become somewhat nominal in our faith.

[Old Hamar Man enjoying a lolly in Southern Ethiopia; Photo by Jeong Heon]

We came into the next week with fire and exhilarated for whatever was next. As a team, we decided to set aside one day for a 24 hour prayer day. We each sign up for a slot with a partner and power though the late hours. We really want to see God use us in tremendous ways during our travels, while we are back in Kona, and especially while we put together a publication and take it on tour. We all have an intense desire to see change in the world and we want to pursue it passionately.

Laura Fisher and her husband David Fisher, who were previously on the PhotogenX DTS joined us for the next couple of weeks. Laura taught first on African Worldview to continue our lectures in Humanities. With over 80 tribes in Africa alone, it can be hard to generalize African Worldview, but there are some common characteristics. Most of us come from a Western perspective so much of African culture and worldview is foreign and contradictory to how we live, but it was amazing to see how much of African culture relates to the Kingdom Perspective and the way that God wants us to live. God created us to be part of community; often referred to as the Body and Bride of Christ. Much of the Western world has become extremely individualistic and in many ways, we have lost sight of what it means to be part of a larger body that cannot operate unless all of the parts are functioning as one. African culture revolves around community and the understanding that each individual is part of a collective whole. I have much to learn, but Laura really opened the floodgate to allow all of us to examine the way we thing and align it to God’s Word and the way He wants us to live.

[Life in a small Ethiopian Village; Photo Series by Anna Maria Neilson]

Dave took over the next week and taught about Documentary Photography. Dave is an excellent photographer and him and Laura have been working on starting a PhotogenX and Voice for the Voiceless hub in Cape Town, South Africa where they are both originally from. We were then challenged to go out into Ethiopia to get stories from a variety of different arenas and submit a photostory about “Life in Ethiopia”. Most of us stayed around Addis Ababa, the capital, to focus on issues such as HIV/AIDS, Street Children, Women’s Issues, and Poverty. A few of the other teams went to Southern Ethiopia; one team to the far south to work with the Hamar People, and another went to a town called Sheshemene where there is a Rastafarian community, and a couple of girls went to a remote village to spend a few days. All came back with amazing and powerful stories of how God is working, but also opportunities for God to work. For example, different tribes in the Hamar People keep their populations limited by utilizing infanticide. When the child’s first teeth are coming in they are taken to the shaman. If teeth come in from the top, the child is worthy of life, but if they start coming in from the bottom first, the child is at risk of being suffocated to death. It is a practice that is completely against the heart of God, but is intensely engrained in the culture of the Hamar. These stories need to be told and the love that God has for the lives of these children needs to be communicated clearly and in a way that the Hamar will understand.

[Se Young holding a Hamar Baby; Photo by Carmen Vaught]

[Young Hamar Girl; Photo by Jeong Heon]

[The woman who's child grandchild was killed from rabies after being attacked by a rabid dog: There is no medicine for even 'simple' infections. She poses with Takeleh, a man who has a heart for the indigenous tribes of southern Ethiopia; Photo by Carmen Vaught]

Ethiopia is a truly amazing place, rich with a variety of cultures and immense beauty. This was the second time I have come and I already can’t wait to come back. Keep an eye out for the photo stories that we did during the time in Ethiopia. There is so much that needs to be told and the tool that God has given us for this time is a camera.

[Hayat, A girl in Addis Ababa who was orphaned 10 days before Tim and his outreach group visited her; Photo by Tim Dyk]

[Amariche, A Widow and mother of 7 who is living HIV positive in a home made out of tarps in Addis Ababa; Photo by Tim Dyk]

[Ethiopian Sunrise on the road in Southern Ethiopia; Photo by Carmen Vaught]

Spotlight: Scott

[Scott in Nyanga, a township in Capetown, South Africa]

Scott’s parents are thrilled that he is following after what God has for him. Like so many that join the University of the Nation’s DTS program, Scott thought that his time in Hawaii would be short-lived and then he would be going back home to pursue another career. And, like many others, life has had its ups and downs. I was surprised to find out that we have had similar pasts ultimately finding that Christ is the only way for fulfillment.

[Cape Agullis, South Africa; Photo by Scott Martin]

Before Scott made the long flight to Hawaii for mission building and DTS, Scott had been getting more and more involved at his church, but there was still something missing. He had been watching the Travel Channel and saw that Hawaii had some of the greatest beaches in the world; which he instinctively prayed something like, “that would be nice”. Little did he know that a few days later, a staff at the mission base in Kona, Hawaii would be calling him to ask if he would like to do some mission building at the UofN campus. Scott flew out and quickly applied for a DTS as well. His father is a photographer and recently upgraded all of his old film equipment to digital, but when they were in Hawaii felt like Scott should take the new digital equipment for a spin. Once the option was available for the Round the World Track, something stirred within him. He had always had a passionate desire to travel and the Track appealed to that desire. Someone had also been praying for Scott and heavily felt Psalm 37:4 for him which says, “Delight in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” This was confirmation for Scott and he has been with the track ever since.

[Hayat, a new orphan in Addis Ababa, lost her parents 10 days before Scott and his outreach team visited her; Photo by Scott Martin]

When asked what the most difficult part of the course was, he said (like many of us) that living in a constant, close-knit community presented a bit of a challenge… he put it like this, though, “Its like washing yourself with Chore-Boy; it hurts a bit, but you end up clean.” True, community can be extremely difficult at times, but in the end, it can have amazing benefits as well.

Looking to the future of the production phase of the track and beyond, Scott has a few specifics. One of his deepest desires is to develop his leadership ability. The is a constant road that takes personal reflection, evaluation, and the gradual steps that are required of all leaders. He was hoping to also develop a greater desire to do long-term missions, but now sees his role as more of a bridge-builder, longitudinally taking short term missions teams back to the same location, building relationships that will make an impact on the Kingdom. He is a firm believer that because Jesus changed him life, part of his call now is to be a catalyst for tangible change as well. He think that’s his calling is even more specific, having a heart for the impoverished and hungry of the world.

What’s next? Who knows but our Father, who knows the end from the beginning. Scott is open to whatever his Father wants, building his faith to believe that whatever it is, God will be faithful to provide.

[The Nile by Night; Cairo, Egypt; Photo by Scott Martin]

And now, here is Scott’s final advice for the readers. “Don’t be satisfied. Find passion and get plugged in. Be involved with a ministry. You won’t look at anything the same.”

_____

Thank you for reading. I hope that you have a Blessed week. Please continue to pray for us as we are traveling, learning, and loving.
in Christ,
John Paul Vicory
for more stories and pictures visit
johnvicory.blogspot.com

Labels: Awaken, injustice, Jesus, justice, Missions, Photoblog, PhotogenX, Photography, traveling, voice for the voiceless, YWAM

posted by PhotogenX Round the World @ 7:01 AM Comments: 1

Greece to Turkey; Spotlight: Sungku

“When Gallio became governor of Achaia, some Jews rose up together against Paul and brought him before the governor for judgement.” – Acts 18:12. Paul stood before Gallio in Corinth in July of the year 51 AD, and PhotogenX stood in that same place in November of 2007. It was hard to imagine what the area of Ancient Corinth looked like with the mass and grandeur of the numerous colonnades and archways that were found in abundance. It was also hard to picture the kind of spiritual darkness that Paul was up against throughout his entire missionary career preaching to the Gentiles. Corinth was a port city, with incalculable numbers of prostitutes and sexual immorality, even kinds that would stun us today. The main temple there to Aphrodite contained 10,000 holy priestesses who basically were temple prostitutes. Being there and knowing the background behind the Word opened our eyes to so much more to the heart Paul had for the people in Corinth… When we see Chapter 13 of 1 Corinthians, we simply see it as ‘the love chapter’, but I didn’t realize that most of the people that made up the church were ex-prostitutes and that Paul was painting a picture of what love is really like, not the perverted mess that they had been involved with (many from the age of about 12).

[Columns of an ancient temple in Corinth: Photo, John Paul Vicory]

[The last remaining pillars in the temple of Apollos, Corinth: Photo, John Paul Vicory]

Another terrific experience occurred a few days after we arrived in Turkey. We are staying in a small town called Selçuk, Turkey a couple kilometers away from ancient Ephesus. Acts gives an account of a riot that occurred in the Theatre (which holds tens of thousands of people) at the end of Paul’s 2-year stay here. The stadium was at maximum capacity with tens of thousands of angry people shouting “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!!!” at the top of their lungs for 2 hours. As we were reading the account in the Theatre, we tried to picture and hear (in our minds) how impressive and loud it must have been for the Christians were standing in front of them all wondering if they would make it out alive…

[The entrance to the Celsus Library in Ephesus: Photo, John Paul Vicory]

[Carla and Tim reading an Epistle of Paul close to where it was read for the first time: Photo, John Paul Vicory]

Over the last few weeks especially, the Word has come to life for each person as we study… A few of us even had a chance to experience the power of God on the Ferry ride from Greece to Turkey. The first leg of our journey took us from Athens to a small Island just opposite Turkey called Chios. It was about a 6 hour journey, but at the tail end of it, a demon possessed boy started manifesting by shrieking over and over again. My heart started pounding because I could sense the evil tormenting the boy of about 12. One of the trackers, Kate, was the first to go and Sarah Joe and I followed after. Kate had managed to get a little bit of English out of another member of the family (who mysteriously disappeared after the event) and learned that the boy was hungry, but his body prevented him from eating.

We asked if we could pray for him, but the message wasn’t getting through. All of the sudden, the boy started wrenching on the ground, grasping for shoes or whatever he could get his hands on and started throwing them around. Once he didn’t have anything to throw, he started bashing himself in the face with his fists, shrieking all the while. When this happened, the three of us laid hands on him and commanded the evil spirit to come out of him and to torment him no longer. After a few minutes, we all (unaware of each other) started praying the peace of Jesus over the boy and his life. Kate was holding his hand and he gave one final intense squeeze and then relaxed. His entire countenance changed. He opened his tear stained eyes and we could visibly see his bloodshot glazed eyes become white and clear. A few more of the trackers were here by this time and were around him praying as well. We sat him up and gave him water, which he gulped down and a banana and some cookies. He was able to eat! We sat there with him for a few more minutes, but while everything was happening, we had arrived in our port and had to leave. We tried to explain the love of Jesus, but our translator had already taken off before we arrived.

We had been studying Acts with David Hamilton, Dan Shannon, and Andrew York that entire week learning about how the God of the Bible is still alive and moving just like he did then. He wants to use those who are willing. We should set Acts and the miraculous that happened then as our standard today. Why shouldn’t we? Why do we live our entire lives without expecting that God desires to do the same things with us as he did with Peter and Paul. I was scared to death to go over and command evil out of someone, but God taught me so much in that one experience; about his power, but also his love for all people.

So, now we are here in Selcuk for the next little while, expecting God to keep using us to show the love of Jesus with those around us. Pray that we will be bold to move where he wants us, and also for the hearts and minds of the 99% of the Turkish people who are Muslim.

Spotlight: Sungku

[Sungku on the Ferry from the Greek Island Chios to Turkey: Photo, John Paul Vicory]

Sungku and I became roommates once we got to Greece because all of the guys were rooming together, but now in Turkey it is Sungku, Scott, and I together in one room. It is good to be all together, but I like it a little bit better to have only a couple roommates. I was excited about this week’s spotlight because I didn’t know Sungku very well before now. Before DTS, he had spent five months with YWAM as a Mission Builder at the U of N, Kona.

Sungku came to a personal relationship with Jesus when he was 13 in Korea. He had a couple of friends that were Christians, but they had never invited him to their church. The first time that Sung met the youth pastor of his friends’ church, he was invited to attend a service. Sungku is still a member of that church more than 10 years later. After military service, many Korean males venture to English speaking countries to learn English in order to get a better job in Korea. One of Sungku’s friends introduced him to a guy who had been staffing in Kona, and told him and his best friend about Mission Builders. Mission Builders is a program for young people to come to Kona and work on construction, in the kitchen, and on the grounds to keep everything up to speed. Sungku had a relationship end, like so many of us, so him and his best friend decided to commit to Kona. While he was there, he was encouraged to do a DTS, but didn’t have any money for it. He even started his lecture phase without registering for the DTS because he didn’t have the funds. Ever since then, he has been on an intense roller coaster of seeing God’s provision in his life, from getting his school fees, to his outreach fees, to a digital camera and even a laptop. God has proven himself so many times to Sungku and will have more opportunities, I am sure.

Sungku’s culture teaches him that he has to work hard for everything that he has and if he doesn’t have the money to do something, he can’t do it. Sung has been hard at work, doing what the Lord tells him to do, which most of the time isn’t a walk in the park. Getting sponsors and raising support is much harder to do, so God is constantly reminding him that He is God and can provide so much more than Sung can ever think or imagine. Because of his obedience, God has taken him halfway around the world and he will take him the rest of the way as well. Before the track started, God took him to Thailand and India. Sungku received a little bit of God’s heart for the people of Thailand especially and was able to minister to the Bar-Girls of Bangkok who are trapped in a cycle of poverty. He was able to share some incredible stories from his time there and in India.

[Grandmother: Photo, Sungku0

For the Round the World portion, Sung is expecting to see God’s provision more and more, and is relying on it. He knows that his impact will be great while he is out here in the world, but trusts that through a publication and tour, that God’s heart for the world will be shown on a much more wide-scale and influential level, penetrating the Western world. For the track, he wants to trust in God more and more, stepping out in the ways that the Holy Spirit is leading. It’s easy to let doubt creep in (in all of our lives), but important to remain grounded on the promises of God.

[Crying Baby: Photo, Sungku]

When asked if he had any advice for you, the readers, he said this…

“Step out! God prepares for us. If you don’t step out, it’s not going to happen.”

[Balloons: Photo, Sungku]

Thanks for reading! Please feel free to leave any comments or respond via email. Also, if you know of people that would appreciate the email reminder for the blog, please send me their email address (after you get permission of course!).

Thank you for your faithfulness to us as we are faithful to our Father.

In Christ

John Paul

Labels: Advocate, Awaken, Photoblog, PhotogenX, traveling

posted by PhotogenX Round the World @ 7:59 AM Comments: 1