Photography has been part of my everyday life for quite some years now. Especially here as it has become part of my job. Every day, I’m working at ministry sites to capture those shots. To freeze moments which tell a story about a person or the ministry in order to attempt at sharing with those who cannot witness life here. I have to meet a quota each month, capturing specific photos that properly demonstrate all aspects of the community and the ministry. It has become a rhythm for me. Hanging out in the communities, coordinating with site leaders when activities and events are happening so that I can be present to capture, uploading images so that the SI office has access to use images for marketing purposes and then come back and editing images and videos any spare hours I’m able to find… often in the wee hours of the night.

I love this. Working with site leaders and being a small aspect to every ministry. Communicating with and building relationships with each site leaders as I work with them on video projects. This is very much a support role and that is what I best thrive at. I love learning each ministry and knowing their needs in order to create projects that work towards raising funds or raising awareness. BUT. There are days in which I lose the wonderment of this job. Days where I’m just going through the motions and just trying to meet the quota.

Today was one of them, a tad bit overwhelmed as I juggle media site responsibilities on top of Global Bridge responsibilities. We have been working on a rather consuming video project that we’ve been trying to finish this week. I found myself spending my day more focused on my work than on the relationships built through the work I do.

As I spent the morning in the education center, crouched on my knees gathering some video content of the kids doing their schoolwork for a new video project, a woman came and stood behind me. When I turned around, I realized it was a Haitian woman whom I’ve been working towards building a relationship with for some time. Her presence and wide smile immediately caused me to pause and smile back up at her. And in that moment, I realized… I had forgotten for a moment what this work is about. I had allowed myself to get caught up in the “daily grind” and became overwhelmed by the work that I had come here to do. I made the choice to let my projects and responsibilities consume my mind, my emotions and my day.

Reality check.

There is a woman in front of me now, who’s eyes beg for my attention. She asks me to take a picture of her and her baby whom she holds in her arms. I abandon what was previously holding my attention and give her all my focus. I take a picture and tell her I’ll print it and bring it back to her. She’s delighted as she tells me she’s never had pictures of herself or her family before. I am immediately overwhelmed as the Holy Spirit humbles my heart and whispers truth into my ear.

This is why your here. For the people and the relationships. Your work consists of real-life people with real life stories which must be told.

After conversing with her for a while and coddling over her infant, I left that morning and almost didn’t want to return back to the projects I knew needed my attention.

She’s beautiful. She always has the sweetest smile and is always so patient with me as I communicate with her in my limited Spanish. She seeks me out in the streets and will sometimes even come to visit when she is near the base. She is no older than me and already has 2 children of her own. Her and her husband are here as illegal immigrants from Haiti. Her husband has been arrested by immigration on multiple occasions but has been able to either pay off the police or somehow escape to return back to his family. She lives with the knowledge that her husband could at any moment be taken and that she’ll be left to raise two children on her own while trying to bring in income to feed them. I pray that in the next couple of months I can know more about her story as I build a deeper relationship.

Lord, keep my heart and mind in tune with the people around me. The needs are plenty and my capabilities to meet them all are little. May I not lose focus in the mission you have me on. May relationships be deep and encouraging and may I have ample opportunity to speak life and Your love into those desperate for something they can cling to.