Be prepared

Since my last blog I have been doing a variety of things photographic. I have spent more time with Monoromb teaching the basics of camera settings and have also had the opportunity to put those skills into practice myself by accompanying Matt, Ellie and David to the Safe Haven school

where I was just in the right place and at the right time with camera pre-set to take this lovely picture of one of the children sneaking a peek at what I was doing, a good example of shallow depth of field which really draws your eye to the subject. Monoromb now has the knowledge and equipment to produce similar photographs so I look forward to seeing them in the future. I have seen my role very much as teaching basic skills, encouraging good practice and showing what can be done as well as documenting our trip for the team and to share back at BRBC when we return.

Whilst I have been working on my own to a degree I have still very much felt part of the whole team, as well as the bigger work that God is doing here in Cambodia. It is a privilege to be part of that picture and perhaps being one of the tiny cogs without which the whole would not work as efficiently.

I have also been bowled over by the way the CHO team work so well together, putting in long hours whilst remaining cheerful and loving at all times. It has been wonderful getting to know them. They have fun together whilst having a real heart for extending the gospel in their locality. Their ‘frontline’ is a true part of their daily living and the reason they do all they do. There is much we can learn from their attitude, tenacity, and times of prayer and devotion.

I titled this blog ‘Be prepared’ and you will have read this far and wondered for what?

Well in Sue’s work with Andy and Katie she has been working at providing resources to give the local health professionals material to help in the prevention of disease. One of the resources that Sue was missing was culturally relevant photographs of tooth decay and gum disease so I found myself filling the gap by going with her to Safe Haven school and photographing teeth close up, not something I had imagined doing at the start of the trip and certainly not a subject area I have ever covered before.

We did a practice run photographing Graham’s teeth to confirm we could do it and then went to the school today to do it for real. The children were very patient with us and we had an excellent translator with us to explain all that was going on. The result has been a very useful resource so I am glad I was prepared enough to bring some close-up lenses, without which I couldn’t have attempted what we did.

I will just finish with another picture of the children here who have a ready smile, beautiful hair and often wear bright colours - a photographers’ paradise!

Our time is going very quickly but the memories will last a long time.

Rod