Why Muskoka?
Because the crackle of the fireside, the crisp,
clean air, and the beauty of rocks, trees and lakes soothe me. The
roads move with the land and weave through forest floors freshly
carpeted with the colours of fall. Life moves at a slower pace. The
beauty of the land is only surpassed by the beauty of it's people. Compared
to many places in this world Muskoka is one of those where I
feel at home. Its rugged surface and nature makes me feel grounded and
rooted in something much bigger than myself. It's a place of peace,
serenity and rare appreciation of the life we've been given. When I sit
at the end of a dock, or on a lookout point to witness the vast
creation I live in, the problems of the world seem to get smaller. I
moved to Muskoka for all of these reasons.
In my home town of Brantford, Ontario I lacked nothing and was strangely naive to the bleak circumstances of over 50% of the world's population. Monstrosities of extreme poverty were far away from the comforts of my couch. I would offer a gasp, a sigh, maybe even a tear when I heard tragic news. But last year that all changed.
As a beginner photo
journalist, I set out on a mission to document injustice in January 2013. With my team
of eight I traveled to over twenty countries to aide in humanitarian
work, develop community projects and document injustice issues through
photography and video. We met people that poverty has landed under
bridges, on the streets, in orphanages, behind red-lit windows and for twenty months we heard their stories. The face of suffering became real when I met hungry kids who could
be fed for a few days at the cost of one Starbucks Latte. The
struggles of humanity aired on the six o'clock news became my reality.
We wanted to do something, but how could we, a
young group of journalists, help to end this world wide problem? What could I, a
young Canadian woman really do to make a lasting impact? Our
photos weren't clothing the poor or feeding the hungry. We had set out eager to make waves of change, but we were drops in a bucket.
Sometimes it's easy to get discouraged. Many hopes and dreams within the hearts of man have died before taking the daunting first step. At home, at work or within your social circle making a change can be difficult and hard work can go unnoticed. Take the sun, for example. The sun in all of it's splendor rises every morning, yet most of it's audience still sleeps. A simple leaf, from flower to fall, dedicates itself entirely to its tree then is cast away upon the billows of the wind in autumn. Yet the simple, beautiful spectacle of both, although overlooked by many, bring life and light to humanity. Likewise, our efforts, no matter how small, can make this world a better place. Mother Theresa said, "Not all of us can do great things. But we can all do small things with great love."
In Peru we met Bud Lenz, known in those parts as the 'loco gringo'. Bud took a Kabota tractor from Texas to Peru and cleared part of the Amazon jungle to make a self sustaining orphanage for abandoned children. In Thailand we met Emmi, who was rejected by her own family and at risk of being trafficked. She now runs a cafe and helps girls transition out of prostitution through giving them work and counseling. In Indonesia we met doctors, nurses and members of the community who take care of and feed people in the slums. I used to believe that poor countries will always stay poor, until I met the poor. I witnessed a movement of generosity and care. There is always an opportunity to make this world a better place, and now, more than ever we are starting to see it. Bill Gates
said in his annual news letter, "By 2035 there will be almost no poor
countries left in the world." In fact, global poverty can be solved
with just 1% of global income.
I
can't say that we found a solution to end world poverty, but we want to
do our part. As photojournalists we published a book that tells stories of people around the world affected by poverty and stories of people helping to pull them up to higher ground. The book, called "Rags and Riches" inspired a tour through Europe and North America that raised awareness of everyone's power over poverty. It was our way of giving back to the people we met, who truly showed us that some people are so poor, all they have is money.
It
was an incredible journey - one so intense that I have come to
beautiful Muskoka to reflect upon. Two years of packed bags and
scribbled journals, two years of documenting injustice and an entire
world of people permanently etched into my heart - that is why I chose
Muskoka to be my resting place. For now.
To you, dear
reader, I have a challenge. Right here, in our own neighbourhood there are
people who have needs. Everyone has something to offer wether that be resources, skills, time or relationship. You don't need to travel the world to find
people who need help. What skills and resources do you have to respond
to the needs in your community? I find myself getting lost in the wild beauty of everything Muskoka that I forget about the one thing that matters most - other people. Remember, you don't have to do great
things, but you can do small things with great love.
