Hello, everyone! We are moving to odetotheforgotten.org! This site will still be available until October 23rd. But after that date, we will be fully transitioned to odetotheforgotten.org.
Grace and peace,
the Ode team
October 5, 2011
September 3, 2011
Submissions
We want to see what you have to say, sing, draw, compose, film,... about Poverty. How has God put it on your heart to help in your community? How has God inspired you to get involved? When you hear the word poverty, what comes to mind? What do you see? What do you hear? What hope can you help give to others? We want to hear it! Send your submissions in to odetotheforgotten@yahoo.com
August 26, 2011
submission-
"Exchange me, Lord, exchange my life.
I hand You my heart as I kneel to the floor,
Knowing that my God makes all things new.
An unsightly snake He remolds, and He blesses
His new and blooming creation, His butterfly.
That is my I Am."
- K.G.
Submission- A New Thing
So this past summer, God began doing a new thing in me. And it began with a challenging situation that I had gotten myself into. I had not sought His direction, and I had rushed into something that was purely my desire. Not my desire being fulfilled by the Lord in His timing. He is so gracious. For the first time in my life (in the short 18 years I had accumulated) I was truly depressed. And I had no clue how to get out of it. Praise God for my family, and most of all just for HIM. For his mercy and goodness. In that pit was where I discovered painting. Particularly oil paints. (I love oil paints!) So on the Friday night that I had nothing to do and was wishing to be somewhere else, my mom took me to get some oil paints. And I sat in the basement of our friends’ house and painted this above painting. A NEW THING. This year, He wants to do something new in all of us. He has a vibrant plan for ALL OF US. One that is life-filling and not draining. And one that truly reflects who you are created to be IN HIM. He is bringing us back to the beginning, and it will begin with showing us a new thing. I don’t know what that is for you. I am still discovering what that looks like for me. But I know it is happening. Right before our eyes. Even though we can’t always see it. He is so gracious. All he asks is that we let him use us. Use our everything. Even the moments where we just want to go sit and sob in the basement. Even those moments. Are good enough. For our God. He will do something with anything. If we let Him. And listen to Him. So. I am praying for you this year. I am praying that God will do a new thing in you and make it boldly apparent to yourself and all who are around you in whatever way He wants, in order to bring glory and honor to His Name and to restore the peoples who watch and so desire to have that new thing as a part of their own life. He is working. He is moving. He is painting. Our Lord is so good. He takes everything we do and turns it into something beautifully, miraculously GOOD. A NEW THING.
Side note: What are you going to do with this? Pray about where to go next. About where your talents are (whether discovered or undiscovered), and just leave yourself open to whatever He has for you. Go with His flow, and don’t be afraid to jump when he asks you to. Remember- if God asks you to jump, He will always raise you up and set you in the fold of his wings and he will always be there to catch you when you fall. Always. So don’t let this new thing get you nervous or freak you out. It’s going to be beautiful. And it’s going to be great. Because it is in HIS hands, not ours.
If you need some extra inspiration, take a listen to the whole Beautiful Things album by Gungor (particularly the song called “Beautiful Things”) or check out our link to the I AM… Art Series (http://odetotheforgotten.blogspot.com/p/i-am-art-series.html).
God bless and move,
Sarah Hensley
May 27, 2011
Tim Euken (photographing the world's poverties)- update
Hey everyone, so below is an excerpt from Tim Euken, a guy who is traveling around the world documenting poverty and sharing stories and photos with Ode and many others as he goes...
by Tim Euken
Throughout this first few months God has been revealing
some unbelievable truths to me that I will walk with for the rest of
my life. With one hand God has shown me my flaws and with the
other extends grace. I believe comforting the hardest issues before
they become giants, is the only way not to burn out.
In Brazil I saw boys under twelve years old smoking some
crack and police officers just turning the back to it. I met people
that have lost there entire families to floods, I found that in those
floods the government said 900 people died but the local census
was around 12,000. In South Africa during a feeding I saw a
woman beat her three year old baby across the street as an older
man laughed. I met children from child headed homes and
helped feed children that quite possibly eat only once a week. I
have lived with a family that has no electricity and has running
water only once or twice a week, with that water they feed all 15
family members, 7 of which are adopted from dead relatives, as
well as water there crops. All this I have seen through a lens of a
camera, standing in the midst of beauty and pain I realize in
these moments I discover Jesus in a deeper way, I discover his
heart and the way he sees the broken and poor.
During my time in Brazil, in the flood zones with the farmers
I worked the fields. Many times I would just run up to farmers
that are already in there crops and say “Posso ajuda?” which
means “Can I help you?” in portuguese. While I was there one
night I went out to the fields that I had worked and it was pitch
black, no street lights and just watched the stars. It was an
amazing time with God. Here, I began to realize how I can relate
God to pretty much everything in nature. Also this is around the
time I realized how many times God spoke in the wilderness: he
spoke to Jesus, Moses, and Jacob - just a few off the top of my
head.
During my time in South Africa and Swaziland I felt like
God really talked to me on humbleness and the ability to have a
joyful spirit in the most dire situations. I learned so much from
the people I lived with that I am not sure if I’ll ever be able
express to how much it meant to me that they spent time with
me. While in South Africa and Swaziland I was very much
needing the Lord because of all the depressing stories and things
I had witnessed. It’s here when I came across the verse where
Jesus says, “Pick up your cross and follow me”. This was shocking
to me that he had said this before he was told he would be hung
on the cross. Than I thought to myself what does that look like?
Jesus picking up his cross; it wasn’t glorious, it wasn’t gracious, it
was painful and wasn’t for himself. When Jesus picked up his
cross he knew that when he got Calvary where he was going he
would be nailed too it - is this what Jesus meant by pick up your
crosses? And I asked myself “is that how far I am truly willing to
go?” Is this dream God put in my heart something that I’m
willing to pick up and walk with even if I know I will be nailed to
the issues in my heart for the rest of my life? That night I told
God that this is truly something I want to give my whole heart to,
something that seems only right after I was saved from a life of
underprivileged and given parents willing to see me go where
ever I’m called and walk like I am asked to walk and love the way
we are demanded to love.
I honestly want to thank all of you for investing in my life as
well as the lives of the people I encounter. All this couldn’t be
possible without you and I truly want to get to know all of you on
a one-on-one basis, please e-mail me whenever you just want to
chat with me. Its honestly an honor to talk to all of you guys. Plus
after traveling so much, being able to communicate with people
that speak my language well is always a plus! Also I have lost 27
lbs sense the start of this track.
Throughout this first few months God has been revealing
some unbelievable truths to me that I will walk with for the rest of
my life. With one hand God has shown me my flaws and with the
other extends grace. I believe comforting the hardest issues before
they become giants, is the only way not to burn out.
In Brazil I saw boys under twelve years old smoking some
crack and police officers just turning the back to it. I met people
that have lost there entire families to floods, I found that in those
floods the government said 900 people died but the local census
was around 12,000. In South Africa during a feeding I saw a
woman beat her three year old baby across the street as an older
man laughed. I met children from child headed homes and
helped feed children that quite possibly eat only once a week. I
have lived with a family that has no electricity and has running
water only once or twice a week, with that water they feed all 15
family members, 7 of which are adopted from dead relatives, as
well as water there crops. All this I have seen through a lens of a
camera, standing in the midst of beauty and pain I realize in
these moments I discover Jesus in a deeper way, I discover his
heart and the way he sees the broken and poor.
During my time in Brazil, in the flood zones with the farmers
I worked the fields. Many times I would just run up to farmers
that are already in there crops and say “Posso ajuda?” which
means “Can I help you?” in portuguese. While I was there one
night I went out to the fields that I had worked and it was pitch
black, no street lights and just watched the stars. It was an
amazing time with God. Here, I began to realize how I can relate
God to pretty much everything in nature. Also this is around the
time I realized how many times God spoke in the wilderness: he
spoke to Jesus, Moses, and Jacob - just a few off the top of my
head.
During my time in South Africa and Swaziland I felt like
God really talked to me on humbleness and the ability to have a
joyful spirit in the most dire situations. I learned so much from
the people I lived with that I am not sure if I’ll ever be able
express to how much it meant to me that they spent time with
me. While in South Africa and Swaziland I was very much
needing the Lord because of all the depressing stories and things
I had witnessed. It’s here when I came across the verse where
Jesus says, “Pick up your cross and follow me”. This was shocking
to me that he had said this before he was told he would be hung
on the cross. Than I thought to myself what does that look like?
Jesus picking up his cross; it wasn’t glorious, it wasn’t gracious, it
was painful and wasn’t for himself. When Jesus picked up his
cross he knew that when he got Calvary where he was going he
would be nailed too it - is this what Jesus meant by pick up your
crosses? And I asked myself “is that how far I am truly willing to
go?” Is this dream God put in my heart something that I’m
willing to pick up and walk with even if I know I will be nailed to
the issues in my heart for the rest of my life? That night I told
God that this is truly something I want to give my whole heart to,
something that seems only right after I was saved from a life of
underprivileged and given parents willing to see me go where
ever I’m called and walk like I am asked to walk and love the way
we are demanded to love.
I honestly want to thank all of you for investing in my life as
well as the lives of the people I encounter. All this couldn’t be
possible without you and I truly want to get to know all of you on
a one-on-one basis, please e-mail me whenever you just want to
chat with me. Its honestly an honor to talk to all of you guys. Plus
after traveling so much, being able to communicate with people
that speak my language well is always a plus! Also I have lost 27
lbs sense the start of this track.
May 6, 2011
What of Lazarus? (Under the Cover of Light)
A song about holding onto your faith when times get hard.
by Bill Boutin
Don't you know, your life is but a moment in flight
Don't let go, for joy is worth the pain of the night
Don't you know, the fog hides the ocean from the rain
Let them go, the tears only come to ease the pain
It's all right, the Son remembers well
Hope burns bright, as time will never tell
And someone finally fell for you, just be true
The Son brings His delight, hidden under cover of light
Without a word, you languish through the lonely years on end
And times get hard, when emptiness becomes your constant friend
It's all right, cherish all the sorrows
Don't lose sight, there may be no tomorrow,
yet someone soon may follow after you, just be true
The Son brings His delight, hidden under cover of light
Maybe when you find your body resting in the ground
Maybe then the peace you never knew will be found
It's all right, the Son remembers well
Say goodnight, your story's ended well, the one who finally fell
Was you, and you've been true
The Son brings His delight, hidden under cover of light
It's all right, the Son remembers well
Hope burns bright, as time will never tell
And someone finally fell for you, just be true
The Son brings His delight, hidden under cover of light
And It's all right
(C) 1997 Bill Boutin
April 27, 2011
Something for the Underprivileged
by Maddie P.
I look at them, and my heart breaks. I hear their stories and am hit by overwhelming pain. Although I shouldn't be the one breaking. I shouldn't be the one with a tear filled face, because I am not the one suffering here. Yet, I break all the same. I see the beaten, battered, abused, broken, distraught, and orphaned children, and my heart collapses at the sight of their despair. It hurts to know, to see, to come to realization with how much they suffer. It hurts to find that there is nothing they can do about it. After all they're just kids, mothers, fathers, forgotten people, fearful and alone. What they don't know is that they will never truly be alone. There is one greater than all who will rescue them, who has saved them, who cares for them. This is the one who will never abandon them. He will never forsake them. He's the one who made us this promise, a promise saying that he'll come back for us. Even them, those who are forgotten. In his eyes, and in mine, they are beautiful. They are treasured, sacred, and most importantly as I say again and again they are LOVED. And by him, they are remembered. He remembers them and their pain, he remembers the plans he has made for them, plans to prosper and grow. So let us remember, too. Let us love as he loves, move as he moves, and through him save those who some would say are not worth the time, the effort, or the money. Now we remember, it's time to move. To take action. To bring attention to the underprivileged and not forget through the distractions and time wasters in this world that they are still there. Broken. They still need help, and they still need to know about the overwhelming joy and salvation that their savior brings. They need to be loved, and they need to be remembered. They are our neighbors, our friends. So let us join together and pray. And serve. And run to them with arms wide open. Letting them know they are loved, and that they are remembered. Words aren't enough to capture their sorrow, their grief, and their hurt. They aren't enough to explain the help they need. But they're at least something to start a movement that had been ignored, forgotten. To start an inspiration. Enough to pull people off there couches, away from there TV's, and to get them thinking, moving. There are the so called least of these right next door, and they need to hear something. They need to hear that they are not forgotten any longer. My heart yearns to tell them this, to show them this love that surpasses knowledge. To tell them they are His beautiful creation. He needs everyone to step up, to tell them, to show them, they are loved, and now, they are remembered. I long to do this, so won't you join with me. Join with me on a journey to share with His people that he loves them. It breaks me to know that they long for this undying love, salvation, help, and they don't find out because no one remembers to pass on this radical news. He hears there sorrow filled cries for help, even when no one else cares to listen. He yearns for them to know of him, of his everlasting love. So, once again, let's remember. Let's run to them, let's move, get up out of our lives and step into one much more important, one that we were called to. So that they may know the joy that is to come. So that they know they aren't waiting for nothing. He's still coming. So let's tell them, let's show them, remember them, and now, it's time to love them. Join with me as we venture out, let's love the forgotten.
April 25, 2011
Ode's Get-Rid-of-Stuff-a-Thon!
Ode's Get-Rid-of-Stuff-a-Thon!
May 1st, 2011 - May 31st, 2011
Ode is kicking off our summer of fundraising with our Get-Rid-of-Stuff-a-thon! What is that you might ask? It's a cool way for you to get rid of stuff while, at the same time, helping Ode raise money to kick poverty to the curb more effectively!
How can you help?
Pledge a garage sale to the cause. Have a garage sale and let everyone who shops know where the profits are going- to a cool organization that is trying to use their talents to make a difference in peoples' lives and hearts.
We all know that we have excess stuff that we have been waiting to get rid of and that someone else could use! Now is the time to put that spring cleaning to a good cause!
Email us (odetotheforgotten@yahoo.com) and let us know you're having a garage sale. We'll email you flyers about Ode's mission, and you let us know if you want us to advertise the sale on the Ode blog!
Then, when the sale is over, mail your donation to us at
Ode to the Forgotten
P.O. Box 539
Fishers, IN 46037
Let's get rid of some stuff!
Your monetary donations will go to:
- 50% of every donation goes to our partner organizations.Without them, we are just talking the talk.
- Funding Ode events, where people experience poverty in a new way, and where we equip them to act on their passion for poverty and start making a difference!
- Administrative needs that keep Ode running and growing!
- Helping Ode become a 501c3 organization, so that next time you donate to us, you can write it off! :)
- Ultimately, making a difference in our local and global community by inspiring a passion for the impoverished and getting people to do something about it!
(Feel free to invite your friends to have a garage sale as well!)
April 13, 2011
Reflections from Indy Homeless Connect
super super praise God from the Indy Homeless Connect today put on by CHIP Indy! wow! what a response! so many people stopped by the I AM... display and picked up a mirror with a word on it that challenged them. just to share some highlights....
so many of the guys picked up the one that said "i am handsome" and were like so confident in it. especially the older men were like "yeah! i AM handsome! so true". i love that. alot of people took "I am bold" and "I am loved" and "I am worth it". those are the major ones. as well as "I am joyful" and "I am strong". They are truly strong. Everyone in that room was strong for being there and continuing to keep on keeping on. So encouraging. But the "loved" ones were definitely big. People really loved those. One lady we got to talk to picked the "I AM loved" one and, when she started walking away, she started crying, and the best part is that, because of that, we got to give her a big group hug and remind her that she IS loved. She is. she just cried more and it was beautiful :) she is so loved.
People were so glad that they got to take one. we actually ran out of mirrors by noon and had to get some more (5 dozen more) and had all but 5 left by the time we were done at four. Praise God- he provides so well! The smaller mirrors were what really resonated with people. the big ones on display are cool, but when talking to homeless friends, its important to have something to GIVE them that they can take with them. (We gave them the mirrors as a reminder that they ARE all of those things... loved, beautiful, handsome, worth it, joyful, hopeful, strong, etc.) So when we hand out the CHIP handbooks when walking around, we should also give people one of the mirrors to go with it. It reminds me of the verse in Acts where it's like "silver and gold i do not have but what i have i give you." Paul says that to a crippled man outside the temple gates, and then he heals the man, and the man goes out praising God. we saw that so much today. spiritual, emotional healing. True, amazing, stories of life change and courage and glory to God.
And something that resonated with me was that there were so many different faces of homelessness and different faces between the homeless neighbors and volunteers who were there. From people in suits to people who needed new clothes, everyone just looked so diverse and beautiful. Homelessness doesn't just have one face. To be cliche, we can never judge a book by its cover. Never assume that someone is or isn't homeless or does or doesn't need help. You never know until you ask.
So. That is the beautiful rundown of my perspective on the Indy Homeless Connect today. It was beautifully blessed event with beautiful people who have amazing hearts. Everyone truly did.
If you were there and have any stories to share, please, please, please comment and post them... there are an unending amount of beautiful stories of restoration and love that I know need to be shared. Today was beautiful.
If you want more info on the I AM... art series that Ode brought to the Indy Homeless Connect event today, feel free to check out this link: http://odetotheforgotten.blogspot.com/p/i-am-art-series.html
To learn more about the Coalition for Homelessness Intervention and Prevention (CHIP) Indianapolis, check out chipindy.org
Don't be hesitant to pray about it and then get involved where you're called. The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Get plugged in!
And never forget...
YOU ARE
loved
beautiful
hopeful
handsome
strong
unique
bold
named
worth it
filled
joyful
valuable
and confident.
Whether you feel like it some days or not. You are... :)
b y Sarah Hensley
so many of the guys picked up the one that said "i am handsome" and were like so confident in it. especially the older men were like "yeah! i AM handsome! so true". i love that. alot of people took "I am bold" and "I am loved" and "I am worth it". those are the major ones. as well as "I am joyful" and "I am strong". They are truly strong. Everyone in that room was strong for being there and continuing to keep on keeping on. So encouraging. But the "loved" ones were definitely big. People really loved those. One lady we got to talk to picked the "I AM loved" one and, when she started walking away, she started crying, and the best part is that, because of that, we got to give her a big group hug and remind her that she IS loved. She is. she just cried more and it was beautiful :) she is so loved.
People were so glad that they got to take one. we actually ran out of mirrors by noon and had to get some more (5 dozen more) and had all but 5 left by the time we were done at four. Praise God- he provides so well! The smaller mirrors were what really resonated with people. the big ones on display are cool, but when talking to homeless friends, its important to have something to GIVE them that they can take with them. (We gave them the mirrors as a reminder that they ARE all of those things... loved, beautiful, handsome, worth it, joyful, hopeful, strong, etc.) So when we hand out the CHIP handbooks when walking around, we should also give people one of the mirrors to go with it. It reminds me of the verse in Acts where it's like "silver and gold i do not have but what i have i give you." Paul says that to a crippled man outside the temple gates, and then he heals the man, and the man goes out praising God. we saw that so much today. spiritual, emotional healing. True, amazing, stories of life change and courage and glory to God.
And something that resonated with me was that there were so many different faces of homelessness and different faces between the homeless neighbors and volunteers who were there. From people in suits to people who needed new clothes, everyone just looked so diverse and beautiful. Homelessness doesn't just have one face. To be cliche, we can never judge a book by its cover. Never assume that someone is or isn't homeless or does or doesn't need help. You never know until you ask.
So. That is the beautiful rundown of my perspective on the Indy Homeless Connect today. It was beautifully blessed event with beautiful people who have amazing hearts. Everyone truly did.
If you were there and have any stories to share, please, please, please comment and post them... there are an unending amount of beautiful stories of restoration and love that I know need to be shared. Today was beautiful.
If you want more info on the I AM... art series that Ode brought to the Indy Homeless Connect event today, feel free to check out this link: http://odetotheforgotten.blogspot.com/p/i-am-art-series.html
To learn more about the Coalition for Homelessness Intervention and Prevention (CHIP) Indianapolis, check out chipindy.org
Don't be hesitant to pray about it and then get involved where you're called. The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Get plugged in!
And never forget...
YOU ARE
loved
beautiful
hopeful
handsome
strong
unique
bold
named
worth it
filled
joyful
valuable
and confident.
Whether you feel like it some days or not. You are... :)
b y Sarah Hensley
April 11, 2011
How Long, Not Long by Martin Luther King
- Martin Luther King Jr. "How Long, Not Long"
We have all experienced this waiting, yearning period that King describes. Shouting "HOW LONG IS THIS GOING TO TAKE, LORD?! How much more can I bear?! How can justice be so good but seem so far away?" This is the question that plagues human life. How can God allow suffering and justice to be held off for what seems like so long? Many people would look at this question and say, I don't know. I don't know. And, in many cases, there is no explanation. There is not always a specific "why" to answer why this happened. But we know there is ALWAYS a bigger purpose. Always. My sister once said that out of soot and ash come beautiful rose bushes. there's always something beautiful growing underneath destruction. If you're suffering, remember that. God promises that he will work everything out for your good because you love him (Romans 8:28). Hold onto that. Don't forget it. It might seem like your deliverance is taking forever. "JESUS WHY IS THIS TAKING SO LONG? WHEN WILL IT END?! HOW LONG?!" Not long. Just hang in there. He is pruning you, tearing down all your unstable walls so that, out of your ashes, he can create something even more beautiful and strong. How long? Not Long. Hang in there.
January 25, 2011
Interview with Tim Euken- photographing the world's poverties
Interview with Tim Euken:
Joseph Spaulding – Creative Technologies Director
January 25, 2011
Tim Euken is 19 years old and currently lives in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. He is currently traveling the world with an organization to photograph and document poverty. I recently had the chance to speak with Tim about his travels. As of today, Tim is in Brazil and will soon be heading to the flood zones in Rio.
1) Can you give us a quick run-down of what it is that you are doing and why you are doing it? How long will you be out of the country?
Tim: We are a group of photographers with a variety of passions. My personal passion, along with many others, is the pursuit of wondering why I see so many prostitutes around the world. How they became prostitutes is how we solve the problem. Meeting street children where they are is another passion of mine that will be shown in my photography.
We will be out of the country for 12 months. Countries run-down: Brazil (Rio and Sao Paulo), South Africa, Egypt, Israel (going to bible locations), Greece, Driving North to Thesselnki (Thessalonians), Italy, Ireland, Finland, Switzerland, Germany, The Czech Republic, Budapest or Croatia, Mumbai Road trip through India, Australia to the flood zones in Nov, then back to Hawaii. (The plan will probably change every once in a while).
2) What's your personal background like? - where did you come from and how did you get to where you are today?
Tim: I was adopted by Missionaries from the Philippines. Yes, my parents are white. I was raised in Hawaii. My personal skills set is geared more towards videography. However, photography has its similarities that I’m planning on mastering. Every year in high school I interned at a professional business. I took the initiative to become the best I could. After all, that’s what the Bible calls us to do. I worked for Airspace Workshop, Montaj9, Digital Edge Hawaii… you can Google them if you would like.
3) What got you into photography?
Tim: I have always been into [photography] however, while I was with a group of photographers to the Philippines (crazy story), and watched as they made a book on prostitution, it really showed me how photography can grab you so quickly. As with video, you have to actually sit and want to pay attention. You can choose to look away after a while but with a picture you can look for a second and it will always be ingrained in your mind if it is good.
4) What is it that God has placed on your heart to do with your gifts and talents?
Tim: I think the one thing that my gifts can do for the world is to make people stop and think. I have to believe in my heart that if people got a glimpse of what I saw - just once - something will move in there heart.
5) What keeps you going? - How does God inspire you or how has God inspired you?
Tim: Haha I’m trying to figure that out. On a team of three guys and six girls, God is really bringing me through. But mostly, I should never let an argument last through the night and realize every day is a new day.
6) Has there been a specific time in your life where God placed on your heart your purpose? -either immediate purpose or long-term? When did you know that you needed to get out of the country to do this?
Tim: My whole life my parents told me my purpose was to follow God in any shape or form. I just happened to find my passion to be the arts and I plan to use it to further His kingdom and improve the lives of the poor. Considering who Jesus hung out with, I figure I can’t be on the wrong track.
I can’t think of a time in my life where I didn’t want to travel. I just want my life to be an example that the world is so much bigger than any one country no matter how much you seclude yourself in it.
7) Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?
Tim: Haha! Bro, I don’t know where I see myself in 2 weeks. Sorry – it’s a super lame answer but I have no idea and I really don’t want to know or it wouldn’t be an adventure.
8) When can I buy the book that you want to publish?!
Tim: The book will be started January 2012 and finished by June. From there we will be doing a distribution tour.
9) How can we help get the word out about what you are doing?
Tim: Anything is appreciated. I honestly love it when people e-mail me because I can just chat with them about what I’m doing and hopefully influence them to follow in their own paths. If I can do it, anyone can. Also, forwarding people to my blog would be sweet.
10) Can we see some photos?! - if we could use a few photos at our events, that would phenomenal!
Tim: Of course but I’ll have to send them through e-mail.
11) How can we pray for you? - what challenges have you faced so far?
Tim: Please pray for our health. Honestly, we live on rice and beans every day. That’s it – and a piece of bread in the morning. And, if we are lucky, some butter haha. As well as safety. We are all pretty trigger-happy people and sometimes we may be in dangerous situations. We are leaving to go to the flood zones in Rio soon.
12) Is there anything you would like to say that I haven't already asked of you?
Tim: I would just like to say that everyone can use his or her skills to further the kingdom and change the quality of life for the less fortunate. You just have to want to. A Cosmetologist I know of is teaching prostitutes the art of make-up in order for the girls to work in salons instead of the street corners. I know of a Biologist that goes to Africa and fixes eco systems in order to feed hundreds of people with healthy fish. Everything can be used in one way or another. You just have to want to.
Joseph Spaulding – Creative Technologies Director
January 25, 2011
Tim Euken is 19 years old and currently lives in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. He is currently traveling the world with an organization to photograph and document poverty. I recently had the chance to speak with Tim about his travels. As of today, Tim is in Brazil and will soon be heading to the flood zones in Rio.
1) Can you give us a quick run-down of what it is that you are doing and why you are doing it? How long will you be out of the country?
Tim: We are a group of photographers with a variety of passions. My personal passion, along with many others, is the pursuit of wondering why I see so many prostitutes around the world. How they became prostitutes is how we solve the problem. Meeting street children where they are is another passion of mine that will be shown in my photography.
We will be out of the country for 12 months. Countries run-down: Brazil (Rio and Sao Paulo), South Africa, Egypt, Israel (going to bible locations), Greece, Driving North to Thesselnki (Thessalonians), Italy, Ireland, Finland, Switzerland, Germany, The Czech Republic, Budapest or Croatia, Mumbai Road trip through India, Australia to the flood zones in Nov, then back to Hawaii. (The plan will probably change every once in a while).
2) What's your personal background like? - where did you come from and how did you get to where you are today?
Tim: I was adopted by Missionaries from the Philippines. Yes, my parents are white. I was raised in Hawaii. My personal skills set is geared more towards videography. However, photography has its similarities that I’m planning on mastering. Every year in high school I interned at a professional business. I took the initiative to become the best I could. After all, that’s what the Bible calls us to do. I worked for Airspace Workshop, Montaj9, Digital Edge Hawaii… you can Google them if you would like.
3) What got you into photography?
Tim: I have always been into [photography] however, while I was with a group of photographers to the Philippines (crazy story), and watched as they made a book on prostitution, it really showed me how photography can grab you so quickly. As with video, you have to actually sit and want to pay attention. You can choose to look away after a while but with a picture you can look for a second and it will always be ingrained in your mind if it is good.
4) What is it that God has placed on your heart to do with your gifts and talents?
Tim: I think the one thing that my gifts can do for the world is to make people stop and think. I have to believe in my heart that if people got a glimpse of what I saw - just once - something will move in there heart.
5) What keeps you going? - How does God inspire you or how has God inspired you?
Tim: Haha I’m trying to figure that out. On a team of three guys and six girls, God is really bringing me through. But mostly, I should never let an argument last through the night and realize every day is a new day.
6) Has there been a specific time in your life where God placed on your heart your purpose? -either immediate purpose or long-term? When did you know that you needed to get out of the country to do this?
Tim: My whole life my parents told me my purpose was to follow God in any shape or form. I just happened to find my passion to be the arts and I plan to use it to further His kingdom and improve the lives of the poor. Considering who Jesus hung out with, I figure I can’t be on the wrong track.
I can’t think of a time in my life where I didn’t want to travel. I just want my life to be an example that the world is so much bigger than any one country no matter how much you seclude yourself in it.
7) Where do you see yourself 10 years from now?
Tim: Haha! Bro, I don’t know where I see myself in 2 weeks. Sorry – it’s a super lame answer but I have no idea and I really don’t want to know or it wouldn’t be an adventure.
8) When can I buy the book that you want to publish?!
Tim: The book will be started January 2012 and finished by June. From there we will be doing a distribution tour.
9) How can we help get the word out about what you are doing?
Tim: Anything is appreciated. I honestly love it when people e-mail me because I can just chat with them about what I’m doing and hopefully influence them to follow in their own paths. If I can do it, anyone can. Also, forwarding people to my blog would be sweet.
10) Can we see some photos?! - if we could use a few photos at our events, that would phenomenal!
Tim: Of course but I’ll have to send them through e-mail.
11) How can we pray for you? - what challenges have you faced so far?
Tim: Please pray for our health. Honestly, we live on rice and beans every day. That’s it – and a piece of bread in the morning. And, if we are lucky, some butter haha. As well as safety. We are all pretty trigger-happy people and sometimes we may be in dangerous situations. We are leaving to go to the flood zones in Rio soon.
12) Is there anything you would like to say that I haven't already asked of you?
Tim: I would just like to say that everyone can use his or her skills to further the kingdom and change the quality of life for the less fortunate. You just have to want to. A Cosmetologist I know of is teaching prostitutes the art of make-up in order for the girls to work in salons instead of the street corners. I know of a Biologist that goes to Africa and fixes eco systems in order to feed hundreds of people with healthy fish. Everything can be used in one way or another. You just have to want to.
January 17, 2011
Pure Imagination
by Joe S.
PURE IMAGINATION. - God has called each of us to use our gifts and talents. Whether that be creative talents, cooking talents, writing talents, marketing talents, construction talents, singing talents... whatever! - God has called us to use those talents for His glory and ultimately to help those in need. "...If you help the least of these you are serving me..." If you think about it, God is a creative God. Look at the colors He has given us - the world around us. GORGEOUS. And I think that is overlooked. I think it would be cool if we relate how creative and powerful He is with what He is capable of doing through us.
I was watching Charlie and the Chocolate factory the other day and the song that is sung when the kids and their parents first walk into the chocolate factory (where the water fall is and such..) just really hit home for me somehow. "Hold your breath. Make a wish. Count to three. Come with me and you'll be in a world of pure imagination. Take a look and you'll see into your imagination..." Ode is very much about melding creativity and God's work to serve the poor, the lame, and the blind. Let's emphasize that. Let's give others that same inspiration that we have. And not just by showing it through our event but let's shout it! - Let's shout that God has power to work through our imagination - through our creativity and work.
Part of the song goes like this:
"If you want to view paradise
Simply look around and view it
Anything you want to, do it
Wanna change the world?
There's nothing to it."
Those last two lines I want to really emphasize. Because changing the world isn't as hard as people make it out to be. They just need a spark of inspiration and a little imagination.
PURE IMAGINATION. - God has called each of us to use our gifts and talents. Whether that be creative talents, cooking talents, writing talents, marketing talents, construction talents, singing talents... whatever! - God has called us to use those talents for His glory and ultimately to help those in need. "...If you help the least of these you are serving me..." If you think about it, God is a creative God. Look at the colors He has given us - the world around us. GORGEOUS. And I think that is overlooked. I think it would be cool if we relate how creative and powerful He is with what He is capable of doing through us.
I was watching Charlie and the Chocolate factory the other day and the song that is sung when the kids and their parents first walk into the chocolate factory (where the water fall is and such..) just really hit home for me somehow. "Hold your breath. Make a wish. Count to three. Come with me and you'll be in a world of pure imagination. Take a look and you'll see into your imagination..." Ode is very much about melding creativity and God's work to serve the poor, the lame, and the blind. Let's emphasize that. Let's give others that same inspiration that we have. And not just by showing it through our event but let's shout it! - Let's shout that God has power to work through our imagination - through our creativity and work.
Part of the song goes like this:
"If you want to view paradise
Simply look around and view it
Anything you want to, do it
Wanna change the world?
There's nothing to it."
Those last two lines I want to really emphasize. Because changing the world isn't as hard as people make it out to be. They just need a spark of inspiration and a little imagination.
Haven't seen Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory? Her's a vid of the part we're talking about!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZ-uV72pQKI
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)