The heat is on...

It is almost February! Time has flown by. As winter and clean white slow graces my hometown in Canada, here in Buenos Aires the sun scorches the ground and leaves us missionaries craving cold water and a good dunk in the pool. The heat is not only rising in temperature, but in our spirit and vigor for the word of God, track team and photography.
It has only been one month since I began to lead the PhotogenX track and already I have found a new family in my team.
While home has its place in my heart, I know without a doubt that this is exactly where God wants me to be.
Through the recent leadership and teaching of my new friend Mathu Thomason I have had my eyes opened to how key it is to develop intentional relationships with people and to leave a positive influence, and a hope for a better character within each other.
Leadership is not always about seeing a need or task to be completed and making it get done, it's about developing people and sewing into them so they can see their potential and destiny and want to be a part of completing the task instead of being trampled on or forced into the project. Each team member, no matter how different they are from each other has an important role to play in the team, and can offer a point of view or suggestions that no body else would have thought of.
During the course of our track team I hope to develop even more as a leader so I can serve my team to the best of my ability. Every single team member has been an encouragement and a blessing to me. They've prayed for me when I had headaches or felt sick, and we've done the same for the whole team. It's great to know we're a team that will support each other, and pick each other up when we're down.
We're still in the midst of our photography school with Jonathan and Layne Grime, and learning a whole lot. Soon our next teacher Brett Marshall will be coming to teach us on Photo stories. By this time, my laptop should arrive, so you'll be able to see some photos I've taken so far in Argentina.
Another piece of exciting news is that the founder of PhotogenX is coming to visit our team for a few days... Suzi Childers!!! Personally, I have never met her, but I've heard so many things about her. Her heart and her vision for PhotogenX and injustices carry on in the hearts of both the students and leaders that are a part of her program. She will only visit for a few short days, but it will be a visited loved by all.
As we continue to learn in Argentina, I am hard at work planning our outreach for Peru.
We're praying that God blesses each place we stay, and each person we come in contact with.

Here is a photograph taken by Mr. David Maracle for an assignment in class. Each pair was assigned a different colour to photograph as creatively as we wanted. Of course it became a heated competition... Here's the winning photo! Enjoy.

Princess & the Pea Photoshoot

The Princess and the Pea 

 Photoshoot by Layne Grime

My good friends Jonathan and Layne Grime have been

here in Argentina teaching our team photography.  It's

great to have some friends from home.. it makes life here

super special.  They are both very talented photographers

and have shot the weddings of many close friends.

They've also done my family photos through out the year.

Layne asked me to by her "Princess" for this creative

photoshoot, and here are the results.  I hope you enjoy

them, and visit Jon and Laynes blog.. it's awesome.

www.jonoandlaynie.wordpress.com

meet TheTrackTeam2013

Hola from Argentina,

Our team has been here about 3 weeks, and we LOVE it!!

Lets talk about the weather.  

Sunny & warm. 

 Getting a tan for sure.  

Sorry to all those at home in the snow, I just needed to rub that in.

I'd like you to meet the team:

The Men: David (Canada), Andrew (USA), David (USA)

The Ladies: Anita (Canada), Cass (Canada), Kassie (USA), Rachel (USA),  Sarah (Germany)

We've been busy little bees studying photography, taking Spanish lessons, completing assignments, working at the base, getting involved in community events and attending a local little church.  The staff here at YWAM Argentina have been so welcoming, making us feel right at home.

I hope to post some photos soon of things we've been up to and people we've met.  Until then, know that I am safe, and having a grand old time here with my new little family.

Follow the PhotogenX blog...

http://thephotogenxtrack.wordpress.com/

Mocs + Snow

So much to do... so little time!

All day, these little feet have been running around finishing the "do this" and "do thats" before I board the train to Barrie in the morning.  A small snowfall graced our part of Ontario last night, just one day late for Christmas.  Here are my moccasins enjoying their first wet snow experience:

In case anyone would like to visit on my endeavors you can follow me on this itinerary:

January - February - Buenoes Aires, Argentina
 February - March - Lima, Peru
April - May - Bangkok
May - June - Jakarta
Break from June 27-July 11... visitors?!
July - August - Jordan, Isreal, Athens
August - September - Europe
September - October - Africa / Middle East
Break from October 3 - October 10... visitors?!
October - November - Cape Town, South Africa
December 19 - January = Christmas Break.. home?!
January - Texas
February - Kona
Boor Tour.
Thanks for reading my blog!  The adventure is now beginning, so the real stories will start!

Myan Calendar = My Last Day

Today was the end of the world, according to the Myan Calendar...

In my world, it was the end of one adventure, and the beginning of another.

Park View Retirement Home said their goodbyes tonight.
I said my goodbyes to everyone there through tear streaked eyes and a feeble voice.  
There were over 130 people enjoying our annual Christmas Family Dinner, who have, in ways unimaginable, touched and inspired my life.  -Till we meet again.
After 4 and a half years working alongside my family, and a team of people who are the heart of the home, to you I say - keep on smiling - Till we meet again.
I wish to thank each and every person for your support and encouragement.
Never be afraid.  Leave behind a legacy.  Till we meet again.

An Ode to Mom: The many opportunities and responsibilities you entrusted to me throughout the years have given me the courage and confidence to embark on this new adventure.  Together we've been through thick and thin.  We work well together as a team, and I am thankful that you treated me as a partner rather than an inferior.  You and I could always encourage each other, laugh, cry and help each other work through problems, or make someones day brighter.  Your ministry at Park View is an inspiration not only to me, but to so many other people.  You've helped me become the woman I am today, and in the coming years I hope you will be proud of who I've become.  You and dad have created a big impact on our small community of Brantford, and I'm honoured and proud to have helped you along in your journey.  It's my prayer that Park View Retirement Home continues to prosper.  I pray that you will take great pleasure in everything that you do.  I also pray that someone will come along who let you take a vacation (fly me home next Christmas?!).

On another note:  These last two weeks of preparation for the trip have been quite taxing.
There have been many changes and things to be done, but alas, it is all coming to an end and I can enjoy a week off before departure on Dec. 30th, 2012.
Welcome Zach to my house on Albion Street!! He's the last of four fabulous tenants who will inhabit my house whilst I'm travelling about.  Gwen, Claire, Harry and Zach... I love you all!!
Welcome Wendy to the team at Park View... you've got spunk, and the seniors will love you!!
Alisha Mann, you're married!!  Thank you for getting married before I left.  That was fantastic.  Happy honeymooning!!  Cody... Welcome to the Mann Clan.
Laura & Kitty.. thank you for letting me stay at your house for the last two weeks.  You've been very hospitable.
To all my girls, thank you for all the parties and loving things you've done for me in the past few weeks.  Thanks for our crazy dance at the Coffee House.  Thanks for the cocktails.  Thanks for the games nights and the laughs.  Thanks for always being there when I need you.
One more big fundraiser is Generations Church's Christmas Dinner.  I am making a full Turkey Dinner with all the trimmings for 130 people.  It should be labelled as a miracle if it gets pulled off.  Thanks to everyone who is helping with the dinner that day.
I love you all... countdown to Argentina = 8 days.

meet my moccs

My Moccasins, meet the world.  
World, meet my Moccs.

They're not just shoes.  Genuine leather, genuine Canadian, genuine to my feet.

When it was decided that I should leave my hometown, and trot the globe, the next decision was of course, what to wear on my feet.  Typically female of me.  I chose these shoes.

The shoes of the gospel of peace.

This is my first blog.

I don't know exactly how it works, but I thank you in advance for bearing with me.

Globe trotter... you could say.

In a little more than one month a team of trotters from the East, West, North and South will meet together in South America, at a pre-planned destination, each wearing their own shoes and each with their own ideas of what the next year and half will be like together.

Could it be that every individual coming from various backgrounds, and cultures, different families and separate lives connect on a level that is so much deeper and intimate through the unity which is Jesus Christ?  

This is whats happening!  

I get to be a part of an astonishing team ready to take their shoes of the gospel to the corners of the earth.  Corners of the earth could seem a bit scary.

"The Lord is my light and my salvation—
    whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the stronghold of my life—
    of whom shall I be afraid?"

Psalm 27:1

People need to know about salvation.

People need to know about injustice that happens day to day.

People need to make a difference.

Fear is over-rated.

Fear is limiting.

Faith is not knowing that God can, but knowing that God will.

With God, anything is possible.

Pray that God can use our team for His purposes.

Pray that we'll always be ready to spread the love of our Lord.

Pray that we'll always keep our shoes laced up, and ready for action.

Please visit www.photogenx.net to learn more about what we're all about.

Please visit www.ywamcanada.org/donations.html if you are feeling generous to donate and make this become a possibility.

If your feet can't go... send mine!