Serendipity

"A picture is worth a thousand words" 
-Arthur Brisbane
(thank you Wikipedia!)

You know when an event / a moment / a something changes your life? Profoundly? Well, for me that *something* was a series of somethings. That something birthed Loud Waterfall Photography. That something made me passionate about eradicating Malaria. That something is behind every image I now take.

2008 was a wild year for me. Total roller coaster. I filed for divorce. I traveled to Ethiopia. I spent 6 days in the ICU before doctors realized I had Malaria. I made a miraculous recovery (woo hoo!). I met the man of my dreams (woo hoo!!). I began an amazing new adventure in my life and I have never been happier.

Ok, let me introduce this week's photo. Then I'll catch you up.

This is one of the first images I took in Ethiopia. We were on our way to Lake Langano. Paved roads and cities and anything remotely commercial was well behind us. These were the first village boys I encountered. They ran along side the van as long as they could, yelling "Highland!" (the bottled water company - they wanted any empty containers we had for recycling money. We didn't have any.). The moment they saw my camera pop up it changed from a recycling mission to a photo shoot. They posed. They smiled. The laughed. Then we sped off. I would go on to take over a thousand images in the next week but this (series of) photo leaps out at me and grabs my heart every time I see it.

So we fly home and I resume my life; but sure, I see excess and vanity everywhere. I vow to return to Africa the following rainy season. I can't shake the jet lag. Turns out I actually had malaria but no one could figure it out. I only got 3 mosquito bites and I downed every single awful Doxy pill I had. We were only there 10 days and our cabins were netted. How on earth was I, not only sick, but this sick?? What about every other single person on the continent who was not afforded all the preventive care that I had? After my recovery, I began researching Malaria. I very quickly learned that prevention is by far the best and mosquito netting goes a long way in achieving that. And sending a net to Africa (and other countries) only costs $10. WHAT?! Wait, really? I go through all my photos of all those sweet faces and all I can think is "whether you live or die could hinge on a ten dollar bill". It made me both nauseated and hopeful all at once. So little money could wield such long lasting and life saving change. This very quickly becomes my personal mission. When LWP was actually opened in 2011, a dollar of every sale is donated to Nothing But Nets to help eradicate Malaria.

And wouldn't you know it? This photo was also my first sale. There was something kinda serendipity about it all.  I am giddy every time I can log on to NothingButNets.org and send another net (or two! or three!). I know I'm helping those kiddos grow up healthy and safe. I know that I am making a difference in someone's future. Every client of mine is helping me accomplish that, and I am ever so grateful.

Have a great day!

   

It's A Small World After All ....

I have to share a story with you.

I am always amazed at how teeny our great big world is. Every time. Running into someone you know when you are on holiday. Or finding out your new friend is next door neighbors to a long lost friend of yours. It knocks me over every time. But this story is beyond incredible.

I went to Ethiopia in August 2008. We (Mom + I) went with a mission organization that supports a soccer camp during the rainy season. So, there we were, deep in the heart of Ethiopia - 4 hours from Addis Ababa and 2 hours from the nearest paved road (and bottle of cold Coca Cola).

I was so giddy to be there - I was snapping photos like crazy - soccer kids, baboons, village people, trees, rain bouncing off the lake. Basically, if it held still for 1/8th of a second, I snapped it. I can home from a 10 day trip with over a thousand images.

After we got home (and I recovered from my parting gift, Malaria), I opened my Etsy shop. I filled it with Africa images and then lots of other goodies I have. For some reason, I kept this one particular image of a village family in my shop. It never sold but it was sweet. I had been meaning to remove it but never got around to it.

A couple weeks ago, I got a convo on Etsy (that's an email through Etsy). A woman in Canada wanted to know more specifics about that image. Where exactly was it taken and when? Not the normal client questions but I was more than happy to respond to her. I explained where Lake Langano was and that it was an image of a village family.

Ok, hold on to your socks.

She writes me back : their son was adopted from that area and given the information she had, there was a very good chance that this was an image of him with his biological mother and brother. Did I have any more images of the family or other villagers?

Langano family ... !

I immediately scoured my archives and contacted my aunt who works for SIM and Sports Friends (they took us to Africa and still go every year). My new Canadian friend also sent me images she took of her son and his biological father. I immediately recognized the father - he's distinctive - but I could not find an image of him. I was sure I had one. I was positive. Then I remembered we were introduced to the village elders but I was asked not to take their picture. He had to be one of them.

So, as the story goes now. My wonderful aunt is going to take copies of my photos and copies of the photos my Canadian sent me when she goes back to Langano in June. And my family snap shot is on its way to Canada.

I am so excited to see if anything else develops. But, as I told my new friend/ client, something made me not remove the photo and in my heart it is her son.

Have a great holiday weekend!

Time well spent

Through The Eyes of Children is a NPO in Rwanda that is helping to make a difference in the lives of the orphans.

Gadi

Children, ages 7-18, are given cameras to record their world. It is cathartic as well as eye opening. Images may be purchased through their website; they are stunning. Eloquent. Vibrant. Proceeds fund future projects as well education for the children. There is also a fund set up for scholarships so that these once lost orphans may attend university. A picture really does say a thousand words.  Please - if you have a moment, see them for yourself ...

Yellow Soccer

Boy Washing Feet

Thanks-