Muizenberg

CapeTown, South Africa has been one of those countries where it truly feels like home, second only to New Zealand.

 We are staying in Muizenburg, a small surf town on the coast of Cape Peninsula, just a 25 minute drive from the city.  Muizenburg is a vibrant place, mixed with black, coloured, white, Indian and Asian people along with a variety of tourists, missionaries, hipsters, surfers, hobos and security guards. 

Mountains stretch along the coastline creating one of the most stunning horizon lines I have ever seen, especially when looking at it from the water as I bob on a surf board waiting to catch a wave.

My new shoes - special thanks to Saucony - climbing up the Muizenberg mountain.

Skate and surf competition at the infamous Surfers Corner.  An attempt for the world record of 'most surfers riding a wave' was made on this day as well.

A train runs along the shoreline, stopping at all the neighbouring towns and goes all the way to Simonstown, where you can visit penguins.  I often run along the beach in the mornings or to Kalk Bay, and up Boyes Drive which runs along Muizenberg Mountain and offers a spectacular view of the ocean and the towns down below.  I am priviledged to be staying amongst some of CapeTown's finest artists and coolest surf crew.  If schooling and work didn't take up most of my time, I would be painting and surfing and climbing mountains everyday and having a braai (BBQ) with them every night.

Meet Martin.

His talent and friendly personality has brought him around the world leaving creative masterpieces on walls, canvases, wood and most any other paintable surface.  

He's prepping for a big expo coming up in December.  Marti is passionate about art, and for good reason - he's good at it!

An idea called "low-brow" amoung local artists, including Marti is making art accessable to everyone - not just the elite, deep-pocketed art connoisseur.  

Everyone can enjoy art, no matter your budget and go home with something - even if it's just a postcard.

Visit his  Onine Portfolio

Masiphumelele

 The apartheid laws, a huge part in the history of this nation, forced segregation between the races of its citizens and created barriers and unjust land laws between them.  The majority of the black South Africans were made to live in Townships and were disadvantaged by almost every standard including income, education and housing.


 Although Nelson Mandella and the "freedom charter" have done wonders in reconciling the nation, many blacks still live in these townships.  I had the privilege of visiting a township called Masiphumelele and was taken aback by how many people lived in such a tight place but had a plethora of joy and laughter streaming into the streets.  Masi is amazing - it's alive - you can feel the heart and soul of the people as soon as you step foot there but the history of Masi's residents is one of pain and suffering by the hands of their fellow citizens.

The townships can get hectic with gang related activities, drugs and crime.  Youth there are particularly at risk for adopting bad behaviours and getting themselves into trouble.  This is where guys like Apish Tshepsha can make a real difference and help to change the cycle.

Meet Apish. (left)

Apish is a certified surf instructor and life coach through a program called Waves For Change.  

 When Waves for Change opened in Masiphumelele in 2011, surfing had never existed in the township.  The goal in the program is to use surfing to create jobs, connect with young adults in need of assistance and to bring new skills to a community where 60% of it's population is unemployed.

Apish mentors 28 young adults from his community and uses surfing to connect with kids from vulnerable backgrounds.

I loved spending time on the waves with these kids and getting to know them.  I only wish there was more time!

Creating local solutions to national problems - by riding waves!  STOKED!!

-taken from Waves for Chage facebook page. 

Chillin at Bailey's Surf Shack

This is Bailey.  Baxter is in the background.

David, Sarah, Rachel, David and Bailey

Little grom heading out for a surf. 

What a great place to be!!

Special thanks go to 
1 - Jonathan and Layne Grime - for their special visit, and teamwork skills  
2  - Steven Schallert - for teaching and sharing your heart  
3 - Mathu Thomason and his crew for lessons on leadership and bringing refreshment and love to us!

-Christmas soon-

Athens and Amsterdam

This blog post is being written on a train ride to Paris.  Europe has really left it’s mark on  me.  I’ve fallen in love with this culture, and it’s people.  Greece and The Netherlands came as a welcomed change from the previous countries we visited this year.

The public transportation is a real step-up.  I’d even go as far as to say that a European train ride is rather enjoyable.  After many trips from Amsterdam to up north or down south almost every weekend I never got bored or uncomfortable.  There is even a quiet section, and section you can take your bike.  These things would never be possible in the over-crowded trains and buses of South America or Indonesia.  However, a two hour bus ride in Peru costs maybe two soles, but a two hour train ride in Europe is about twenty-three Euros.  Yikes!

 Sarah and I at the molen (windmill) in Harkstede during a weekend visit with my family.

 This is my bicycle, Herman.  He was a necessity in Amsterdam.

 Rachel patiently waiting for our boat to get fixed up for our ride through the canals of Amsterdam.

 Cars and cyclists waiting as a lift bridge allows boats to pass by.

The Three Sister's Pub in Groningen.

Greece is a beautiful country.  It is currently in a debt-crisis, and therefore mostly everything is cheap.  We stayed in downtown Athens for two weeks and ventured south to the Temple of Poseidon and to Corinth on weekends.  Adam King, from my home-town Brantford, came to teach us.  We learned about marketing, made a magazine, further developed our website, and made a promo-video for Amsterdam.  Every student also developed relationships with people and wrote a photo-story on that person.

The debt crisis in Greece has left the country and it’s people in a hopeless situation.  We met with closed-doors and boarded up windows where what used to be a thriving local business.  People live on the streets everywhere you turn not to mention most of the downtown streets were used as the public toilet.  Our bed and breakfast was on the corner where the prostitutes ran their business.  The days were hot, and the nights were cozy warm, but there was this lingering sense of uneasiness in the air.

The population of homeless people astounded me.  I felt sympathy for those living on the streets who could have been forced there through financial difficulties.  I wondered what it would be like to go from the top of the heap to sleeping on the street.  So, one night, we decided to experience it for ourselves.  We went out late at night armed with only one thing in our pockets, and vowed not to return to our residence until 8am.  We found a park, and some benches.  When the temperature took an unexpected drop, the item in my pocket turned out to be very useful - a pair of socks.  We tried to find card-board or plastic or an assortment of items to keep us warm.  I laughed at the predicament we were in when, while rooting through trash at a restaurant, we found a jackpot... there was a pre-loaded grocery cart with a bunch of warm looking card board and other fun things.  Then as we tried to free some of the cardboard from it’s bonds the thought occurred that we might be looting some other poor guys cart, and laughed as we walked away defeated.  Long story short, sleep was sparse that night and I woke up to a dog licking my face.  To those homeless people who experience this night after night, I have a new respect for you.  

Amsterdam was a new city altogether.  I have never seen a city so clean and put-together.  Every piece of land and space is used to it’s maximum potential, but not in a squishy way.  I would describe it using the Dutch word “hazelleg”  meaning cozy, quaint, comfortable (or something like that).  The canals weave their way through the city and flowers bloom in the window boxes.  Everyone rides bicycles, rain or shine.  In Amsterdam we lived a two minute walk from Central Station and a one minute walk from the largest red light district.  It was the perfect spot to work on our documentary, “Behind the Curtain”.

As new “video-producers” this documentary on Amsterdam’s notorious Red Light District was a large under-taking.  We met with people who shed some light on what really goes on ‘behind the curtain’ in this seemingly free-choice and tolerant lifestyle.  Day after day while editing the video, I heard the stories of a trafficking victim and an ex-pimp describing the horrors of how deceiving the freedom of legalized prostitution can be.  My heart broke for the girls standing behind the windows.  Personally, for me, this video was tough.  The more I thought about it, the bigger the problem got with no resolve or solution in sight.  At one point I caught myself asking, “What is the point of making this documentary?  Will it even change anything?  How can a documentary help the girls who are trapped in the sex industry?”

Adam King wrote me some encouragement about the subject.  He compared our documentary to being one brick in an entire wall of change.  It’s not up to us to build the entire wall in one shot — that view would leave anyone defeated.  Instead, the wall is built one brick at a time, and each little bit counts.

We called the documentary
"Behind the Curtain"

Music is by IAM studios in Brantford, ON.

Amsterdam

Working Hard On Making Change

Team Amsterdam is working on making an mini documentary about the pending law changes regarding prostitution in the Netherlands.

We also created a new team website.  It features stories that we have collected throughout our travels.

www.what-is-missing.com

The Middle East

   After spending two weeks in Jerusalem and two weeks in Bethlehem we took flight to Greece.
I have to admit, I was more than ready to leave the Middle East.

   As much as I loved to experience and see with my own eyes the biblical history and places where Jesus had walked, it became tiresome to be inbetween the constant religious tensions.
The old city is divided into 4 unequal "quarters" making separations between the Muslims, Christians, Armenians and Jews.  From a street running between one section and another you could notice a drastic difference in the atmosphere of that area.
   There were also some disappointments in the way some monumental places looked compared to my imaginative "Sunday School" depiction.  Jesus' tomb looked nothing like a carved out cave in a stone wall with an angel sitting atop the giant stone rolled to the side of the entrance.  There was no garden, no path, no cave, no stone and certianly no angels.  Instead, a giant church was erected upon the 'supposed site' and the grave was made into a shrine sort of thing with candles, insense, paintings of the apostles and gold-lined carvings.  People lined up to go inside for their spiritual experience.  I wanted so badly to tell them that Jesus is alive now and they could have an encounter with Him anywhere and anytime they want, but in a place such as Jerusalem, this ancient argument - as old as it is - would be as pointless as fighting fire with gasoline.  The Mount of Olives also looked much different than what I saw in my mind's eye.  Instead of mountain peaks of green grass with random grazing sheep and a few rocks and olive trees here and there, the Mount of Olives was more of a large hill and was covered in graves.

   Through out the time in the Middle East, I learned so much.  My eyes were opened to how real the continual spiritual battle is.  Caleb Thomason taught us firstly about Jesus in the Old Testament, and secondly of Jesus in the New Testament.  Here are some photos from Israel.

The Western Wall (Wailing Wall) with the Dome of the Rock in the background.  The Dome is the Muslim's third most holy place, and the Western Wall is the last remaining wall of the temple built by King Herod.

Caleb Thomason leans against an Olive tree while teaching outside the Old City of Jerusalem.  Outdoor classes were pretty distracting, but so cool.

Our group sits near Jaffa gate for class.  It was pretty cool to study the Bible in a place like Jerusalem.

The Dome of the Rock with the Mount of Olives in the background.  This was the view from the "New  Petra Hostel" in the Old City, Jerusalem.

Yasif was very friendly and offered for me to take a photo of him.

Some encouragement from a fellow monk outside the Garden of Gathsemane.

The Garden of Gathsemane.

A Jewish man visits some graves on the Mount of Olives.

Three Muslim ladies walk throughout the Old City of Jerusalem.

In the Muslim quarter we found many kids playing with toy guns.

In the Church of the Holy Sepulchre a woman lights candles near the place where Mary Met Jesus after the resurection.

Walking throughout the Old City, Jerusalem.  People watching was one of my favourite things to do.

 mmm.. good food!

 Having a traditional Shabbot meal with some people we met at the wailing wall.

 Visitng the nativity church in Bethlehem.

 Some relics from inside the nativity church.

 Streets of the Old City, Jerusalem.

 On their way to the synagogue.

 Walking to our hostel at night.  This is the outside wall of the Old City, near Jaffa gate.

 Some more streets of the Old City in Jerusalem.

 Nearing the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

 The Dead Sea on the Jordan side.

 Ancient Ruins of Jerash.

 Visiting the Citadel in Amman, Jordan.

Walking the streets of Amman, Jordan.

Blog post about Greece coming up soon!!

Home Is Where The Heart Is.

It was called "The Albion Dream"

I bought my first house in Brantford Ontario at the age of 21.  My parents taught me to work hard and save my money so when I bought my first house it was my pride and joy.  It's a home modelled after the unique 'Brantford Cottage' and was built about 100 years ago during the economic industrial 'boom' in the city.  My cute little house needed some work though.

Over my life I have learned some 'handy-man' skills from my dad and my guy friends, so I put these skills to use.  I made Lowes and Home Depot my go-to stores.  While other women my age shopped for clothes and jewelry I was shopping for power tools, drywall, lumber, screws and sandpaper.  It was probably entertaining for the stores people to watch me haul out 40 bags of cement and massive packages of blow-in insulation.

I had a vision to use the house to bless people.  People who needed a home had one there, people who needed help or friendship or anything could come over knowing that they'd get it.  Looking back at everything, my house was a huge blessing in itself because SO many people helped to make it home.
Every person who came ended up blessing me more than I can imagine.  Let me tell you a list of the great people who entered through the doors: (in no particular order)

1 - Ko & Helene (aka Dad & Mom).  Mom came with me to the bank when I signed my first mortgage.  She also squeeled with delight along with me when I got the keys to my first house.  Dad installed a fake security camera so he felt better leaving me there.  Mom and dad helped with everything, starting with encouragement right down to grunt work.  My dad is the best handy-man in the world and was always there whenever I needed him.  My mom has impecable interior decorating skills and great advice.  Honestly I couldn't have done any of this without both of you.

2 - Gwen.  If tenant awards could be given out, she deserves first place.  Not only did she help with everything from chopping down trees, building patios, gardening, lifting heavy drywall, mudding, sanding, building kitchen cupboards to creating crazy chandeliers, her and I built a friendship that I cherish so deeply.  I am so thankful for my house, because it led us to eachother.  I love you!

3 - Stevie-steve.  My favourite brother.  In his Ford F-150, he proudly moved me out of mom and dads house and made sure everyone knew it by blowing his 'Dukes of Hazzard' horn while we sat atop piles of stuff in the truck bed.  He is so smart.  So much of the basement construction was thanks to him.  Even a broken arm didn't stop him from helping out.  He chopped down two trees.  He ate my food.  Yup, Steve... my favourite brother.

4 -Adrian.  He always offered help whenever I needed it.  He even came over when no-one was home, and rototilled the lawn.  He brought seed.  He barbecued.  He made campfires.

5 - Laura.  She got the Mustang stuck in her garage, forcing me to tough out my first night at the house alone.  I'm thankful for that, and eventually got used to the weird new sounds.  She came over to help with many random things including hauling cement buckets through the basement window.  She loved my tea cupboard.  She always visited or stopped by with a little surprise.

6 - Alisha.  My first interior decorator consultant.  She conviced me not to throw out some beautiful old fashioned mirriors (what was I thinking?).  She got me the cutest housewarming gifts.  She laughed along with me while I engineered home-made mouse traps and bravely threw the dead mouse (trap and all) into the snow.  She prayed for my house.

7 - Claire.  She carried drywall almost 5x her weight.  She dumped buckets of cement.  Mowed the lawn, shovelled snow.  We picked out Christmas trees two years in a row.  She was a great holiday decorator and Christmas parties were so much fun.  She helped to build Muskoka chairs.  She helped to save animals.

8 - Rachel. She lives up the hill and is one of the best neighbours in the world.  She always offered to help.  It's guaranteed to be fun when she comes over.  She helped to build some kitchen cupboards.  She helped paint.  She helped move things and clean things.  Rachel was always encouraging even though sometimes she though I was crazy.

9 - Renee.  My best friend.  Mi casa es su casa.  She was at home when she came.  We shared my bed for an entire summer.  She worked in the desert-like HOT attic, enduring nasty smells and performing a balancing act while scooping out old insulation.  She scrapped old wood and paint from my windows and fixed them right up.  She painted.  She spring-cleaned my entire house once.  Thats true best-friendship right there.

10 - Malcolm.  Painted the amazing mural downstairs.  He's a very good artist.  He also made the most wonderful music in my house.

11 - Dallas.  He installed a sliding patio door leading to the back yard.

12 - Justin. He bought a house years before I did.  He was young too.  He's the second most skilled Jack of all trades (of course second to my dad)that I know.  By helping him at his house, I learned lots about taking care of a home and maintaining it.  When he was in the country I got to borrow lots of tools from him.  He helped with cementing the basement wall.  He also helped by giving tenant advice.

13 - Layne. She stayed at my house one summer for a little while (not long enough) and also endured a hot stinky attic cleaning.  When her and Jon married, I could spot her taking a walk past the house.  It is always pleasant to see Layne.  She also helped out with the "Big Backyard Clothing Exchange"

14 - Jamie. He taught me something so important.  How to cook.  He also fixed our ancient television more than once.

15 - Harry. He caught a mouse with his barehands.  Enough said.

16 - Alisa. She brought so much laughter.  She came to many parties and girls nights.  She helped with moving stuff.

17 - Kristina.  We worked out in the yard.  She drove me to dance lessons.  She looked after my house-affairs after I left on this track.  She is a great friend, sticking through it all.

18 - Denise. Epitome of who a good neighbour is.  She bbq'd my salmon when I didn't know what I was doing.  My first few days, she lent me her water sprinkler and hose.  We talked over the fence.  She lent me her car.  I dog-sat.  She was trusting and encouraging.  She made great food.  She discovered a mole under her bush, we were both too scared to chase it away until Steve, the neighbour came to the rescue.  She visited my work.  She invited me to family Christmas.  Like I said, the epitome of what a good neighbour should be.

19 - Theo. He and my brother helped to install french double doors to make a third bedroom in the upstairs.  He owns a great renovation company.

20 - Melissa.  I always remember that day we lugged that one tonne television into the living room.  She was so strong as I struggled to get the door open and then makes a run for it just before it almost dropped while yelling get out of my way!  She helped with the move and with so much.  She trimmed my way over grown bushes.  She is a great sister.  Together with her husband Andrew, Melissa cleaned the house and took away so much of the nastiness from the dirty tenants.  I am forever thankful.  I hope you find a good place to stay.

21 - Reuben. He engineered a brick patio with me.  We ran together almost every morning.  He tried to rectify my failed attempt at an icerink in the back yard.

22 - Tamarah. She came to help me settle in.  She helped to dig and create the first vegetable garden.  She came to play games.  She's always fun.

23 - Everyone. You know, all your names are written on the kitchen acrostic poem decoration.  

To everyone, thanks for the help and thanks for the memories!

My house was planned to be my main source of income to fund this photogenX track.  There were many trials with the tenants, and my house was left in bad condition.  It was so sad to hear that my pride and joy had been so mistreated by individuals.  With my funds running out, I appealed to Mike Holmes and his new TV show, "Holmes, making it right" to help me out with this situation.  With it being a pressing issue, time forced me to make a decision before Mike responded.

It has now come to a season where God has new things in store for me.  Shortly my dearly beloved house will go on the market.  It was sad to let it go, but I'm also so excited for what God has in my future, with nothing to tie me down.  A house is only temporary, but really it's eternity that counts.  I have learned that more than ever on this journey I am currently taking.  I am thankful that God blessed me with the opportunity to be a steward of this cute little home and all the memories made there.



















If you are interested in this cottage please contact my Remax representative: Denise Benoit



To all of those helping to prepare my house for sale, especially my lovely sister Leanne and my family and Renee.  You are amazing, and what you are doing is appreciated so much.  Thank you for helping me to continue with the work God has called me to!

Team Video

Here is a little team update video made by David Maracle.  Enjoy!  Also, thanks for your support.

Jerusalem, the Holy City

We have been in Jerusalem for a week and a half, enjoying the sights and learning biblical history through Caleb Thomason.

Here's what I read about in the news this morning.

The U.S. closed down 22 of their embassies across the Middle East and North Africa this week due to "credible threats" from al Qaeda...

Welcome to the Middle East PhotogenX!!!

Our time here has been a little challenging with riots, flash bombs, aggressive people, bed bugs and people who cheat with money.  On the contrary we've also experienced great food, comfy cafe's, good teaching, fantastic sights, bonding time at the laundry mat and met a whole variety of lovely people.