Photojournalism/Ministry/Travelogue
I have found another tension in missions work. As I prepare to launch myself at Ukraine (an aside: there is no 'the' anymore), I'm trying to plan my approach, and I'm finding it difficult. I feel like I'm not informed with enough of the right metaphors to fully understand how to handle this assignment. I can look the part with my three camera bodies, and wide range of lenses, my camcorders, and my laptop to scribble notes on. I know my equipment well enough. I can be fully engaged, curious and alert. But...how do I put it all together?
How does one take pictures, assemble footage, and generally capture the essence of a place without falling into one of the three confining categories: decadently opportunistic (the news), superficially self-serving (marketing ministry), or slickly commercial (any vacation magazine)? How do I convey the reality of ministry in a place that is bound to be reserved and conservative, among people I am not the least bit familiar with? And how do I trust myself to find and share the truth in a place where I'm a perfect stranger? I have no idea, beyond that I have to start somewhere.
In a way I'd like this type of effort to become my whole life, or conversely I'd like to pass it off to someone like that. Juggling all the responsibility is keeping me alive, vital and aware, but I feel like I'm stretching myself too thin to be able to make the impact I urge myself to. So is my bar too high, or do I just need to push harder to achieve my lofty aims? Can I expect myself to sustain that effort for the rest of my life? Is that even a worthy goal, or is that just me co-opting the 'moreness' of North America for my faith?
That's what I'm thinking about. I'll have more on the subject (I hope) when I return.
How does one take pictures, assemble footage, and generally capture the essence of a place without falling into one of the three confining categories: decadently opportunistic (the news), superficially self-serving (marketing ministry), or slickly commercial (any vacation magazine)? How do I convey the reality of ministry in a place that is bound to be reserved and conservative, among people I am not the least bit familiar with? And how do I trust myself to find and share the truth in a place where I'm a perfect stranger? I have no idea, beyond that I have to start somewhere.
In a way I'd like this type of effort to become my whole life, or conversely I'd like to pass it off to someone like that. Juggling all the responsibility is keeping me alive, vital and aware, but I feel like I'm stretching myself too thin to be able to make the impact I urge myself to. So is my bar too high, or do I just need to push harder to achieve my lofty aims? Can I expect myself to sustain that effort for the rest of my life? Is that even a worthy goal, or is that just me co-opting the 'moreness' of North America for my faith?
That's what I'm thinking about. I'll have more on the subject (I hope) when I return.
Labels: inspiration
