9 weeks to go

Today I'm 31 weeks into my pregnancy....its hard to believe Jude Michael Land will be joining us in just 9 short weeks. We are frantically trying to get "life together" before his expected arrival around January 25th. I'm still not sure exactly what that means but we sure are busy with meetings, planning, doctor visits, putting together a launch party for PhotogenX Seattle, and the day to day stuff of running a family.  

What a story I'll be able to tell this little guy about all the places I took him, the miracle we saw take place in preserving his life back in Kona, and the faithfulness of our God to provide for his family all along the way. It kinda makes my hormonal self want to weep just thinking about it all. Maybe because I know that the past 31 weeks were also some of the toughest of my entire life. Instead of dwelling on all that though as its over and done with and I think somehow I am better for having gone through it I thought I would share what I'm thankful for...

• I'm thankful that even though we have zero financial support that God is miraculously providing for our basic needs
• I am thankful for being able to make my own food, in my own wonderfully free apartment
  
• I am thankful that I only have 9 weeks more of Jude kicking me constantly and making my back hurt
• I am thankful for my wonderful family and friends who I missed so much while we were gone
  
• I am thankful that I'm finally not having a bad hair day everyday thanks to my hair straightener having the proper electrical input and not being in 84% humidity...kinda helps to have good hair days when you are feeling hugely pregnant
• I am thankful for Caleb and his adorable little talking self and the fact that he is in love with baby already...here is hoping he feels the same once Jude arrives
• I am thankful for the opportunity to work in Seattle as PhotogenX staff with my husband - the work I love, the place I love and the man I love all for the God I love and His voiceless children
  
• I am thankful to Gary for being willing to walk through the challenges of working together, living together and learning how to love each other more perfectly

These I am thankful for!!  I'd love to hear what your thankful for....

Beyond Just the Two of Us, What's Next?

To all those we are privileged to call friends,

It’s hard to believe we have been back in the Seattle area for three weeks now. What a blessing to be back among family and friends. Our first week was spent staying in our pre-DTS home, the Chisum Inn, Jenn’s parent’s house. We spent that first week visiting with family, going to numerous Dr.s appointments, getting winter clothes out of storage, Gary working a couple of odd jobs, visiting our new home and trying to get Caleb adjusted to the new time zone. It’s hard to tell a 2 year old that they just need to go back to sleep when they wake up at 1:30am thinking its morning. Needless to say we really did hit the ground running or at least trying to run.

On Halloween we moved into our new place, an amazing 2 bedroom mother-in-law apartment that is fully furnished. This housing is made available to missionaries who are in transition, visiting the area, or on furlough from the field by our generous hosts Gary & Pam Sanders. We are able to stay here until the end of February which is after our baby BOY arrives, whom we plan to name Jude Michael Land. We expect to welcome him into our family sometime around January 25th.

Jenn speaking at Northshore Baptist Church about our Mission trip

The day we moved in we were also busy getting prepared to share at Northshore Baptist Church about our time abroad. We were both up late pulling together the details of our presentation and Gary somehow managed to make a great slideshow in the wee hours of the morning. Our time of sharing with the missions’ class was encouraging and one of celebration. Just talking about all that God has done for us was wonderful. We also had some great conversations with a number of people that are interested in our next step.

So that brings us to what does God have in store for the Land Family? We are thrilled to share with you all that we plan to stay in the Seattle area and continue working with PhotogenX. Our goal is to launch a branch of the ministry here in the Pacific Northwest, which we plan to call Voice for the Voiceless Seattle. I’m sure many of you are now thinking oh wow…that sounds great but what does that mean? Allow us to elaborate.

Jenn & Gary in Muizenburg on our last day in South Africa

We both see that PhotogenX is very effective at raising awareness around various issues of injustice. We believe that God is calling us as a couple to continue this aspect of the ministry by supporting existing non-profit organizations (NGO’s) through media development and communication and then calling the church to take action in helping bring an end to injustice globally. That’s a bit of a mouthful but encompasses the general idea of what we hope to do.

Our first plan of action is to begin building relationships with both churches and organizations in an effort to bridge the gap between the two. We see the church at large as a mighty army for bringing about lasting change and we hope to connect them to NGO’s that are already laboring on behalf of those who suffer in silence. Not only do we plan to work with Seattle based churches and organizations but the entire West Coast of North America.

Caleb is sad to say goodbye to South Africa, or maybe the sun is in his eyes

There are so many organizations that are well established and doing amazing work on location in other countries and even within the US towards ending injustice. We want to be able to support them in any way that we can. Even if that means traveling to remote locations to photograph the work they do and the people they serve. It could also look like assisting them with their media materials including brochures, website, etc. There is a lot of potential to serve them free of charge which would then enable them to put more of their budget towards the work they do.

Jenn & Caleb walking back to the store to get a few snacks
for our 30 hours of travel back to the U.S.

As Photogenxers we will also be continuing to raise awareness about issues of infjustice wherever we go. Gary would love to be able to set up booths at our local farmers markets with his photography and use it as a platform to talk about voicelessness and God’s heart for those who suffer in silence. Jenn plans to continue doing live painting in various venues using it as an opportunity to share about the work we are beginning. We are both very passionate about using the media that PhotogenX has already put out, including the 30 days of Prayer booklet to call the church to prayer and action. As you know we were able to launch the Spanish edition of the prayer book, while we were in Central America and we would love to begin getting it into the hands of Spanish speaking believers in North America.

Caleb upset that he had to pose for this picture. He wanted down so he could play.
We were at the water front in Cape Town

Obviously this is a huge vision beyond just the two of us and there is much work to be done. We are currently in the foundation building stage of getting the ministry going which includes revamping our communication network, building a website, creating and printing business cards and brochures, establishing relationships with churches and NGO’s, building our prayer and financial support network and recruiting workers to help us.

Jenn, Caleb, & Gary posing for our last picture in South Africa
We have to give credit to our friend Cale for taking a great shot

We are thrilled about the vision God has laid before us and we would like to ask that you prayerfully consider if He is asking you to partner with us in any way. If so we want to connect with you and hear what that might look for you. We are so excited to be jumping into ministry as a family even if it is terrifying at times. We know this is why God had us go through DTS together with a 2 year old and now we are on the other side beginning a new ministry.

In faith and hope of all that is to come,

Gary, Jennifer, Caleb & soon to be Jude Land



Prayer Requests
• To establish a strong foundation over the next six months of the Voice for the Voiceless Seattle ministry
• For the delivery of our baby boy – due January 25, 2010
• The formation of a faithful group of prayer and financial partners that are committed to the long term vision

Current Needs
• $4000 of monthly support to cover both ministry and personal income.
• Adobe Suite Software program
• New Camera equipment including lenses, tripod, Nikon D700 body, reflector

Our Last Post Until Arrival

Our last update…

It is sad that we have come to the end of this journey, but we are so excited to be on our way home. In so many ways we have grown as a family. We have been strengthened, challenged, and unified. We come home with a new vision and new mandate upon our lives. We eagerly await our arrival so we can begin.

I (Gary) have grown accustomed to sending out photo essays. So in keeping with this theme, I have decided to end with one last set of photos.

Can anyone say cheese! Yes, our amazing son has begun to mimic his father’s passion for photography. Caleb’s latest attempt to take pictures is with his camera, made from one of his toys. He has gone from setting up our tripod and pretending to take pictures, to his blocks. We found out, from one of the staff working with Voice for the Voiceless, they make a real camera that is indestructible for preschoolers. We’re thinking this should go on Caleb’s Christmas gift list this year.

The next best thing to taking pictures is playing in the rocks and sea shells that have washed up onto the shore. On one of our Sunday walks, we walked on a trail that went along the ocean. We stopped for a few minutes to let Caleb play and Jenn was busy finding interesting sea shells to bring back with her, for future art projects. She has come to realize how much she loves painting and has been inspired by her travels, to come home and take up where she left off, with a renewed passion.

A wonderful combination of this boat washed up on shore and Jenn & Caleb walking on the beach. We are going to miss this wonderful place called Fish Hoek. It has been one of the best times for our family to rest and hear God's voice for the next step of our lives. We will never forget the amazing beauty of this side of the world.

See, Caleb is watching his father working hard at getting the perfect shot. No wonder he wants to take up photography at an early age.

For all of you who have wanted to see a picture of Jenn’s belly, here it is! Jenn has walked so many places while being in South Africa. She is staying fit for being pregnant. She told me that she's going to have to not eat as much when she gets home. It’s going to be cold out, so getting around will be by car and not feet.

Enjoying the wild life of Simons Town. The safest city of all South Africa. Jenn is attempting to take a picture of her shoes. She is done trying to get the perfect penguin picture. Yes, South Africa has penguins, which I bet most of you didn’t know. As we were told, a couple of penguins some how found their way to Simons Town and decided not to leave. From their offspring, a large population of Jack Ass penguins has emerged. They have become a huge tourist attraction for many to come and see.

Here’s the proof that penguins truly do live in South Africa naturally. Honestly, not all penguins live on the ice of Antarctica. Caleb had the time of his life seeing all the “Happy Feet” as he calls them. If only you could have seen and heard the excitement from him. Each time Caleb would see a penguin along the walking path, with the loudest excited voice possible, he would repeat “Happy Feet” “Happy Feet” We thought for sure Caleb might scare the penguins away, but he didn’t.

This picture is the reward of hiking up a mountain at 5:30 in the morning and being able to catch the sunrise. Elsie’s Peak, as it is called, can be climbed to give you a spectacular view of False Bay. I was told that you do need to be careful when you hike up any of the mountains in the area. They have two poisonous snakes to watch out for, The Puff Adder and The Cape Cobra. Most fortunate for us, it was early in the morning, blowing cold wind, and praying not to see any crawling creatures, that we never saw one. On the other hand we saw a whale in the ocean, which was cool.

Here I am with the three of us that climbed Elsie’s Peak. Jenn wanted to climb the mountain, but she was in a lot pain from her back, so she didn’t come. Good thing, because the wind was so cold. After seeing the sunrise and getting our photos, we didn’t stick around for very long. We hiked up the mountain for about an hour, took pictures for about 25 minutes, and then quickly made our way back down to get something hot in our stomachs to warm us up. Thanks Cathy for leading the way and Lindsey for joining us to embark on this most amazing view to write home and tell my friends and family about.

The waterfront in Cape Town! O.K. I have to say, after going to a lot of the tourist spots in a city on the water, I think they are all like. They have their unique landscape, but all shopping stores you would typically see are pretty much the same. I think I am getting to the point where I don’t want to go to the typical tourist spot, because once you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all. Don’t get me wrong, Cape Town is a beautiful city because of the surrounding mountains, but I think the next time I go to visit a city in a foreign country, I will think twice before walking to a hotspot for tourists. Ultimately, going to these places you’ll end up buying overpriced souvenirs, where if you went to the places that were really worth seeing, you’d end up with souvenirs that were cheaper and helping the people who really need the business.

Many of you will never know what it means to walk into a township in South Africa, but if you do, you will see a large community of thousands living in a remote area just outside from the surrounding city. It was Apartheid that segregated the whites from the coloreds and blacks. It was the ruling party up until Nelson Mandela that made all non-white South African live in townships. Now coloreds and blacks can live in any community they want, but many still live in townships, because of poverty. Capricorn, one of the local townships in the area where we visited quite often, is the home of 20,000 people. The homes there are made from whatever material can be found. Some of the homes are better than others. I was told that a family of four living in a township could live off 20RAND a day. This is almost $3.00. Sadly though, what they would eat is not that healthy. For the three of us, we thought we were doing well if we could go to the store and make a simple meal for $7.00. Poverty is real; the hard part is to know how to best serve these people, because giving money to problem in many ways, makes it worse.

This wonderful woman, who went by Sister Margaret, was one of the most faithful in coming to the home groups in the town ship of Capricorn. I mention and include her in our photo essay, because this past week she went home to be with the Lord. She was a sweet and wonderful woman who had a passion for the Lord and deep desire to see her daughter saved. You would've loved her tenderness and the joy she had in meeting new people. May she be remembered for her heart to see her community change for the kingdom! She will be missed by many.

Will you keep us in your prayers as we transition home and get back to the life of being in United States! We have an exciting adventure ahead of us as we start the process of planning the next step of what we believe God is calling us to do as a family. There is going to be much work for us and we are going to need help. We look forward to soon revealing our plans and hope that many of you will want to join in our adventure also.

Until we see each other soon


Gary, Jenn, Caleb & soon baby Land.

Are You Ready When A Loved One Leaves?

It is a strange reality to witness the death of someone and realize in some form or manner everyone will die. For me, I witness the death of a staff member from the YWAM base here in South Africa. It was very tragic to walk out from the office to see a young Brazilian man on ground with his face lying in a pool of blood. He had fallen from the rooftop of the YWAM Building next door, to the pavement of driveway of house where the voice for the voiceless office is.

In the moment, I calmly tried to help, but there wasn't much I could do. I was left to pray and ask God to grant this man mercy by sparing his life. The next thirty minutes I watched as each different emergency agency from South Africa came to aid in trying to revive back to life this staff member. In the last moments of the CPR, I watched to see if the medical team was getting a pulse. It was when they call out the time of death; a sigh of sadness overtook me. It was going back upstairs into the office to give Jennifer the horrible news that the tears began to well up in my eyes. “He didn’t make it,” was my reply to Jennifer. Honestly this was the first time to see someone die before my eyes. In retrospect, I wished I’d stayed home with Caleb and hadn’t gone out to witness the tragic event, but in the moment I was doing what I thought was needed.

Needless to say, what I had planned to do that day didn’t get done. All I wanted to do was drown my brain by watching movies, just so I could forget what happened. It took me a day or two after the event to reconcile what I witness, but it left a deeper sense of the future reality for everyone. Death has a date with all of us, none us know when, but inevitably it’s going to take place.

The question that needs to be asked is, Are you ready for it and are you ready for your loved ones to be gone when death comes knocking? I know for myself, when I die, Heaven will be welcoming me in because I’ve called upon the resurrected Lord and Savior of humanity. The harder question is being ready to let go of the ones I love when it’s there time to go. Witnessing this death was hard, but not as hard, if I had received the call saying that my love one had fallen to their death. The relationships you and I have with family are such a huge part of our lives and when they leave and never come back, it will leave a spot of emptiness and loneliness that can never be replaced.

The pain of losing someone will be experience by every human living and I pray for all those who are experiencing such grief that they will have peace from God and rest in knowing that if their love one knew the savior, they are experiencing life in the fullness and they are in a place of pure paradise.

I rest in knowing that the gentleman that died is in a much better place, but for those who called him son, brother, grandchild, nephew, uncle; I pray that they are comforted with relief. Life is short, it is but vapor that it is here one day and gone the next. May we all place our fate and lives in the mighty hand of God who is able to keep us, both in this life and the next one to come!

The exciting adventures of South Africa

Hi everyone,

Did you know South Africa has 11 official languages; that’s more than anywhere else in the world. When we sit on a train I hear English, Africaans and Klosa which involves a few clicks. Yesterday on the train we had a funny experience. We have been traveling in 3^rd class instead of 1^st class as it is cheaper and usually the train cars are fuller which is good for safety. There is safety in numbers. Anyway we were taking the 10 minute ride into Muizenburg from our place in Fish Hoek with our friend Dave. Before the train left the station the man next to Dave asked him if we were lost and meant to be in first class. This may seem funny to you but you have to understand we were the only white people in our car – which is usually the case. In South Africa the blacks and coloreds ride in Metro and the whites ride in Metro Plus.

Catching the sunset light of a beautiful ocean view in Fish Hoek. South Africa is truly a gorgeous place

You may be shocked by my use of the words black, colored and white to describe the people but it is the way that all South African’s distinguish one another. They are after all the Rainbow Nation. Blacks are Africans while Coloreds are a mix often with some Malay her in Cape Town and Whites are anyone of white skin color. I must say it is very strange to use these terms to describe people but within this culture it is the norm. I suppose that this attitude is a remnant of the pre-apartide culture which has yet to work its way out. On the other side of the spectrum we have had many “helpful” white people telling us how dangerous the blacks and coloreds are. It’s hard to hear this knowing that we have met so many amazing South African’s of all colors and ethnicities.

Over the past few weeks we have been going into a township about 15 minutes walk from downtown Muizenburg called Capricorn. The townships are where a huge percentage of the black and colored people live. They don’t live there because they have to by law anymore as they did prior before but most of them can’t get out. They find themselves now stuck in the poverty and dangers of the townships. Our friend and fellow DTSer Lydia has been co-leading a number of house groups with an African named Clinton. Gary has had the opportunity to speak at the home groups and will be teaching every Thursday from tomorrow forward until we leave the 24^th. We are so encouraged by the growth and fruit of these home groups and are reminded of the early church from the book of Acts. One of the best aspects of attending with Clinton and Lydia is that we are able to pray, encourage and feed all those attending. The meals are simple but such a powerful example of feeding the hungry both in spirit and in body.

Caleb walking to the beach to enjoy the sand and the sea shell that lying around for him to play with.

The home groups were started by a group of students from our DTS that did their outreach here in South Africa. It is so encouraging to see the fruit of their labors and we are thrilled to be a part of what God is doing. It is through this experience that we have been able to see yet again the beauty of God’s diverse creation through the faces of his children. There truly is beauty all around us.

Additionally we have been working on a project for Voice for the Voiceless surrounding the topic of alcohol abuse in South Africa. I have been working on researching statistics, awareness programs, support groups, education, etc. Interestingly there is not a lot of education about the dangers of alcohol abuse here despite having one of the highest documented incidents of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, FAS, and a culture largely built around alcohol. Alcohol abuse is wrapped up in a lot of other social problems in South Africa such as domestic violence, risky sexual practices which increases one’s risk of contracting STD’s including HIV/AIDS, incredibly high incidence of motor vehicle accidents, increased violence and abuse. It is a problem for teens, young adults, parents, grand parents and great grandparents and nearly every family in South Africa is affected by it regardless of their religion, color or how much they make.

This is Clifford and Clinton, at the home group in Capricorn. Clinton is the leader and Clifford is one of faithful follower who comes to every meeting.

Gary has been focusing on a different part of the research which is personal stories. He developed a survey and through the questions has been engaging with people he meets on the streets, trains, shops, church groups and restaurants. One of the great contacts he has made is with a woman from Nero’s pizza where we get coffee in the mornings. Her mother is a foster mom for a two year old boy with FAS. Late last week he and two of our team mates interviewed her and this morning they had a photo shoot with the family at their home. At this time our goal is to use all that we have found in our research to clearly outline the issue and be able to produce an article, photo essay and or exhibit of some sort about alcohol abuse with the intention of bringing awareness and educating.

This is Khayletisha, one of the largest townships in South Africa. There is at least a million people who live here. (Capricorn, the township where we have our home groups, looks much like this)

Please join us in praying for open doors, effective words and images that capture the heart of what we are trying to communicate to this, the Rainbow Nation. We have a little over two weeks left here in South Africa and we want to use our time effectively. We are headed home in just 17 days and we know the time will fly by. Despite the exciting things we are doing and the beauty that surrounds us I was ready like yesterday to fly home. We are definitely ready to move forward in sharing all that we have learned, experienced and captured with our cameras. This has indeed been a fruitful and ripe year for us as a family and we are bursting with it all.

Again this is Khayletisha, but this is an overview of what one little area of it look like. What a interesting place to call home.

Likewise we want to know all that you are up too. We feel in many ways we have missed out on some significant events this year; friends having children, our nephew turning 1, my brother Matt & his wife Whitney moving back to Colorado, changes in our church Mill Creek Foursquare, my mom turning 50. These are just a few of the changes and we are definitely ready to be a part of life with you again. We can’t wait!!!

Love,

Jenn, Gary & Caleb Land

A picture of us coming back from the beach. Don't we look cute.

Update from South Africa

Greetings friend,

It’s hard to believe we’ve already been in Africa for nearly 3 weeks. Our trip here was long but miraculous in that Caleb slept for the majority of 3 flights. This was especially miraculous for our 16 hour flight from Atlanta to Johannesburg, South Africa. The woman in the seat behind Caleb asked where he had been the entire flight…this was with 2 hours left till arrival. Thank you to all those who were praying for us as we journeyed halfway around the world, we know the Lord answered those prayers!

Upon arrival we spent 2 nights in Fish Hoek, Vishoek in Africaans, which is on False Bay – famous for its great white sharks and Seal Island. Those of you who watch shark week on the Discovery channel should know what we mean. (Gary pretty much thinks its amazing and terrible all at the same time…paranoia of snakes in Panama has morphed into sharks and the Cape cobras that live up in the near by hills) Fish Hoek is a lovely town on a great sandy bay and for our tired family it felt like a safe haven. For the first time in 3 months I was able to cook in the little flat where we’re staying, which was amazing. We also have a million dollar view of the bay and town from our hillside perch. I was a bit reluctant to leave this slice of heaven for our next journey.

From Fish Hoek we joined the rest of our team, who had been staying in a Youth Hostel. Together we would journey up to Worchester, where we would be staying for a week long Uof N Conference, which is held in different locations every 2 years. We drove up along the coast for a stretch through the sand dunes which were covered in low lying bushes and calla lilies. I was able to enjoy the beauty despite being frozen. The first week in South Africa was so cold especially as we had just come from Panama with 90 degree weather and 84% humidity.

The conference for us was about getting over jet lag, reconnecting as a family in our Rondovel (round house), attending the general sessions of the conference and swimming in the hot pools. This was the only way we could be warm as apparently they don’t heat their homes/buildings in South Africa….again….freezing!!! The conference finished up on Saturday night and Sunday morning we headed to our next destination.

Paarl is wine country and we were staying at a Christian retreat center for our DTS Debrief. Unfortunately Caleb was very sick during debrief with the flu. He had a horrible croupy cough and no energy. In fact he spent most of his time bundled in blankets in his stroller drifting in and out of sleep. The only benefit for us is that we could both attend the debrief sessions together and he wasn’t a disturbance. Our last night together as team, we had a great graduation ceremony and we were given official graduation certificates. Pretty fancy! It’s hard to believe we survived DTS as a couple, with a 2 year old and being pregnant. This also marked our first contact with the “outside world” via internet thanks to a café in town. I was able to get a very brief birthday greeting to my mom who turned 50. Sorry Jon…50 trumped 28! Happy birthday though!!!

On Thursday we left Paarl amongst tearful goodbyes knowing that we most likely will not see most of our now ex-classmates again this side of heaven. About half of the students went straight to the airport in Cape Town and the rest of us drove back to Cape Town where we would be staying for various amounts of time in locations in and around the Muizenburg YWAM base. We are fortunate enough to be back in Fish Hoek, which is a beautiful 10 minute train ride from Muizenburg. We are staying in a little beach cottage that has two bedrooms. For the first time since April our son is sleeping in a separate bedroom…I thought it would never happen.

We had a long weekend to adjust to our new surrounding, stock our cupboards & fridge for the month ahead, and generally enjoy being a family of 3. It’s such a relief to be parenting in our own home…or the closest thing to it in the past 18 months. The beach is just a short walk through the sand dunes and so far we have enjoyed the sun, rain, whales, seals, surfers and walking barefoot in the sand; life’s simple pleasures. Fortunately for us the weather has improved greatly which is wonderful. We still had to purchase some winter clothing for Caleb but thankfully we found some amazing deals and were able to get jeans and 3 long sleeve shirts for about 100 rand (Which is around $15 currently thanks to the dollar decreasing even since we arrived).

Monday we met with Dave Fisher who runs Voice for the Voiceless South Africa, along with his wife Laura. We will be working with them for the month along with 3 of our fellow DTS classmates. The ministry in South Africa is much more hands on than the international ministry of PhotogenX/Voice for the Voiceless in Kona. We have a lot of freedom to pursue whatever interests us but they have asked if we would consider focusing on the issue of alcohol abuse as that is a major problem here. It is in all spheres of society and is linked to violence, rape, incest, unusually high car accident rates, etc.

At this point we are generating ideas about how to encompass this issue within a month long project. We will be back in the office today for a meeting to talk through our ideas, etc. Dave and Laura are very busy helping get the first leg of the track program up and running as it starts within the week. I’m not entirely sure how much they will be involved with this project, other than to provide oversight and some direction with contacts. Please join us in praying and believing that our little band of photographers can leave something behind that will positively impact change in and around Cape Town.

During this month in South Africa we are also considering what the next step is for us as a family. We have of course been kicking around different ideas and opportunities for the past few months. It would be impossible not to in the context of “what are you going to do after DTS?” questions. We know for a fact we will be in Seattle till at least the end of February but beyond that nothing is set. Again we ask you to join us in seeking direction for our future as a family in ministry. The decisions ahead of us will greatly impact the course of our future and we want to be planted where we will both be used within the scope of our gifting for the sake of the kingdom.

On a final note we wanted to report an amazing answer to prayer. As many of you know we had expressed our need for around $2000 to see us through to the time of our arrival back in Seattle. Within hours of leaving Panama we received an email saying a donation of $1000 was coming in. Then when we were in Paarl we received an email from Colink indicating that not just $1000 but actually $2100 in donations had come in. You would think I would be done being amazing at God’s amazing provision during this season, but alas I am not. I am repeatedly blown away by the generosity of friends, acquaintances, family, and how the Lord uses them to bless us abundantly. Indeed the Lord is faithful to complete a good work.

We will keep you posted on how the work with Voice for the Voiceless goes and if there are any developments on our future plans. Our internet access is limited still so it probably will not be frequent communication. We will just have to catch up when we get back in the states. We can’t wait to hear all the Lord has been doing in your lives over the past 8 months.

Love,

Jenn ( Gary & Caleb)

Good Bye Central America with Love (Photo Essay)

In writing one final update from Central America, I decided to recap with some photos and ultimately do a photo essay from my (Gary's) perspective of our time in Panama and Costa Rica.

(Imagine walking out your door at any time and seeing large cargo ships being escorted by a tug boat either up or down the water way. This is where we found ourselves in the small American build town of Gamboa. If you were wondering where the ships go from the Port of Seattle, f0r those who live in Washington, this is where they go.)

(For you this is a train, for me, this is a memory of a lifetime that will go with me to the grave. I am taking the joys of watching my son getting up in the morning to the sound of the blowing whistle. With an expression of joy and excitement only a little boy can have, he would run to our door and open it up to see the train blazing down the track. I can still picture Caleb jumping up and down waving at the people on it)

(Caleb and I went for a walk one day as Mommy and the rest of our team had a meeting. At first we found ourselves in our room, with me being frustrated that I couldn't be in the meeting. As I prayed, God spoke to me that I could spend quality time with Caleb and He would bless me even more than being in the meeting. As we walked we came to a what is known in America, "As a relic," The Telephone booth. Caleb posed for me and pretended he was talking to his Grandma's, wasn't he so cute)



(This is Panama City at night. The night this picture was taken, our team went out for ice cream. Near by was this amazing sight of the city. Now all of us as photographers wanted to get the best picture we could of the skyline, so we went as close as we could to the water to get it. Now as soon as we got there, we were yelled at in Spanish. We were told that we couldn't be there. Most of us were upset, including myself. We had to back up quite a bit in order to take pictures without being yelled at. About a week after being at this location, I found out that the newly elected President, took this property over. It was because the business on this land, owed the government a lot of money and had refused to pay it back. In a way for me, this was pay backs for not letting us take picture of this incredible skyline.)



(In our travels around Panama we found ourselves at the local mall on a number of occasions. In the middle of the food court was carousel and a play area for kids. Caleb spent plenty of time there. I think every time we went, he rode the carousel. It was $50 so I didn't think it was too much to spurge each time we went to the mall.)




(These two pictures are of the old part of Panama. These are the ruins of the first establishment of the Spanish settlers. We were told that this area was where all the gold came to from Central America, before it was put on boats and shipped to Spain. The funny thing about the bottom pictures was the fact that it took a lot to get it. With 40+ photographers in the way, I had to wait until they moved to get it. I know why many photographers prefer to take photos by themselves)



(The local bridge to get in and out of our community! Two problems. The first is that it was designed for conditions in Alaska. "No Joke" The bridge had wooden slats that went across it and then above that was two sections of cement that were 6 inches height and about 2 feet wide. We were told that it was for the icy conditions, which I here Panama get a lot of. The second is that it's a single lane bridge. So on each side there is a stop light to let you know when it's your turn to come over. Now the bridge is fairly long and depending when you get the light, you can spend 5 minutes waiting your turn. On a better note, the picture is rather beautiful of the water and bridge.)



(After being on the computer in the church, trying to stay connected to the internet, which proved to be futile, because the rain and thunder. I heard the laughter of my son. So I decided to go outside to find out what he was doing. To my surprise, I found him running around in front of the church in the pouring down rain. It's a good thing its a tropical rain, you won't catch a cold. Now as I looked out I notice Jenn was filling up a bucket from the rain and attempting to throw it on Caleb as he would run by. So in an attempts to catch the moment I pulled out the Camera and took some pictures. As you can see Jenn and Caleb were enjoying themselves.)



(The first Sunday we were here in Panama, we had a really bad rain storm. During it I look out from the door and notice this huge creature trumping through the soaking wet grass. We found out that this was the local iguana that lived in the drainage at the church. So throughout our stay we had plenty of time to watch this creature sun bathe. Caleb and I tried to get as close as we possibly could to the iguana without it scampering back down the drainage hole. You would have been amazed on how close we got. I think we were about 5 feet away. I tried to get Caleb to walk up by himself, knowing that the iguana was more afraid of him, and if Caleb got to close the iguana would go in the hole, but Caleb wouldn't. He wanted to go with his daddy. Caleb loves iguanas, because he saw this picture and wanted to look at it.)



(These three girls are indigenous to Panama and they live at the YWAM base and go to public school. During our brief stay at the base these girls fell in love with Caleb and wanted to always play with him. In fact when we got ready to leave to go back to Gamboa, these wonderful girls hopped in the van to go back and drop us off. It was cute during the arts festival. These girls came and immediately came over to Caleb. They wanted to take him and walk around with him. Caleb had himself a small fan club.)



(This is Tulio with his wife Norela. They are the amazing Embera couple who live at the YWAM base. I took this picture during our visit to Tulio's dad's village, Errebache. I got the chance to take their picture. This is just one of many great picture I took of them. I am happy that our team was able to bless them with a website. If you haven't checked it out you should. The website is www.errebache.com.



(Is this my son, or did we trade him for a Embera boy? No it's our beautiful boy who got the chance to spend the weekend in a indigenous village and be painted. I wish you all could have been there to enjoy watching Caleb interact with the surroundings of Errebache. I will never forget when I watched him chasing the ducks and chickens. Caleb had the opportunity of a lifetime and I was glad I could be there to watch him enjoy it.)


Our Time in Costa Rica

(I took this picture just outside the Salvation Army where we went an fed the homeless. It is a shocking picture when you realize that this person is using a cardboard box to sleep in. What is more deeply sad, is they covered themselves to keep from being seen. I really like this picture, because it give a face to homelessness and poverty, without shaming one specifically. May we remember to give to the poor and know that we lend to the Lord.)

(This is Arenal, the active volcano in Costa Rica. We happened to go there on a clear sunny day and I got the rare opportunity capture the mountain without it being cloudy. When I get back home I have a set of pictures that I want to photo-merge in Photoshop. How I miss my CS3 program and can't wait to get home. "Yes, I look forward to seeing all of you too, when I get home.")

(Caleb is going to be just like his daddy, A fish in water. When we went to the mountain in Costa Rica we stayed at a lodge that had a pool. We got the opportunity to go swimming and Caleb pick up right where he left off at in Hawaii. With his water wings, he's invincible in the water. Look at his smile and soon to be laughter as he get ready to touch the edge of the pool after swimming across all by himself.)

(This is Jaco beach, which is known for two things, surfing and prostitution. We went there for the day and walked around and did some prayer walking. It is very upsetting to know that 80% of the sex tourist that come to Costa Rica are Americans. In San Jose alone, the capital city, there are at least 3000 child prostitutes. This doesn't include all the child prostitutes who are being used as a part of the sex tour packages for foreign pedophiles that come to Costa Rica. In my last days, in Costa Rica I believe I met the face of one of those pedophiles. Luckily for the children of Costa Rica, he should be on his way being deported back to the U.S.)

(This is at one of the corners in Jaco. See what I mean surfing and prostitution. I find it sicking to see a Quiznos sign, along with a KFC, to go with all the Erotica in town. In one of the meeting I shared about the "Voice for the Voiceless" I asked the group of Costa Rican's to forgive me for my country. We are exploiting innocence of another nation. I challenge the group to defend their child from those American's who have been abused.)

(This beautiful girl caught the attention of our point person during our stay in Costa Rica. The first thing she asked this girl was, "Are your eyes real!" For a young girl that was a silly question, but for us in the age of color contacts, we had to make sure. It rare to see a Costa Rican with this color of blue eyes. I think it is rare in general. God gifted this girl with beautiful eyes and we had the amazing opportunity to capture them. This beautiful girl lives in the ghetto, where drug use it high, where shooting happen, and the only way to go and visit, is to know someone who lives there. Otherwise you run the risk of being attacked. What beauty amongst the down and out. May we remember those who are precious in God's sight.)

(Caleb is growing up to see his mommy and daddy take pictures. It would only be natural that he would want to take them too. During our time in Costa Rica, Caleb asked us to take some pictures. In the moment as we actually taking photos of Jenn, I grabbed the other camera and captured the little photographer in action. Caleb was so cute, he was trying to look in the viewer and then push the button to take the photo. As you can see he had so much fun with the camera and as parents we had much more fun seeing our son enjoy what we enjoy. May Caleb grow up to be just as or even more creative as his parents.

It's off to South Africa. May God grant us the privilege to be a blessing there and may he provide what we have need of as we go in faith believing for all the provisions to be provided for.

With lots of love

Gary.