Back in July, I packed my camera gear and joined a group of Comfort Supporters at Edinburgh Airport as we prepared to spend 2 weeks together visiting some of Comfort International’s partners and projects in Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
When I visited last year, I travelled myself and met with the partners over there. I expected that travelling with a large group would be slightly different…I was not wrong! Being with a large group gives a very different experience and perspective of the projects than visiting solo does – it’s busier, faster and louder, in all respects! But not at all in a negative way.
Eric Liddell was quoted as saying “God made me fast. And when I run, I feel his pleasure”. This is exactly how I feel about Digital Storytelling – I can see clearly the path God has taken me on to reach this point for serving him through my cameras. From prophecies 21 years ago before I had ever picked up a camera, to how at home I feel when I visit places like Rwanda and DRC.
One of the great things about visiting Rwanda and DRC is how vibrant everything is. The houses, the streets, the clothes, the people… It makes creating images there so much more interesting and fun. The best thing is how happy most people are to talk to you and have their photo taken.
I often say when I talk about trips like this that I have the best role – my job is to spend time with people and communities, talking to them, hearing their story and then taking photos and videos of them in amazing settings. I won’t go into much detail in this blog about specific images – I’ll be writing more blogs in the future doing that – I just want to share some of the images from my recent visit for just now.
This was my first experience visiting as part of a Comfort Team, it was an incredible experience to be a part of. To see the depth of partnership and relationship between Comfort and our partners was beautiful; to see the bonds forming between those visiting and those we visited was incredible.
Anytime you visit partners and projects to create photos and videos, you need to be ready to capture the unexpected and mundane. A plate of food may not always seem like the most photogenic thing to capture in Rwanda or DRC…but it often is! My natural curiosity is always on overdrive on these trips, never wanting to miss a moment or something interesting…
Great pictures. On my first trip the thing that struck me was the reality of the people I met – it was no longer pictures but real people – I can see here how capturing people in a special way can help bridge that gap.
Superb! Captivating! Magical, in the best sense of the word. Everything is enlivened and brought close through your camera work. Thank you.
So inspiring to read this and see your photographs, Chris.
God bless you and every member of the teams that do such incredible work, bringing comfort and hope to these beautiful people. xx
It’s encouraging to read God gave you this gift and you are using it, following his will with pleasure:)