Sharing your Gifts

I truly believe that God gives us all gifts. I am so blessed to be able to create images for a living. I love holding sweet little newborns and getting them to sleep for perfect photos. I love conversations with three year olds, and teenagers.

One of the projects we do while in Guatemala is professionally photograph all the kids and house parents at Shadow of His Wings Orphanage in Monjas, Guatemala. Our team helps us, then we a print made for every child before we leave. It is not that these kids don't get pictures made of them, but 99% of the snapshots that are taken of them stay on the phone/or camera. The fact is, they will never be able to show their kids or grandkids those images on some gringo's phone.

My gift is to make images. My other gift is to make those images into something that can be passed down for several generations.

Me and my nephew Devin playing while waiting for the kids.

Mark taking photos while JT works the reflector.

Hugo and Maritza - the brave house parents to the boys home, and to whom I am so thankful for being

house parents to my Jazmín for many years.

Escaping the Abuse - Reblog From Tiffany Applegate

Have you ever watched your baby sleeping and become so overwhelmed with love that you cried? At that point it is impossible to think of ever abusing your child. But that is not the life every child lives. And THOSE children need help. I have hugged the little girls in this story, never knowing their story. As I read this, I was overwhelmed that anyone could have treated these loving, intelligent, sassy, little girls like this.  How do children come from such abuse to the trusting, loving little humans they are now and the women they will become.  Break the cycle of abuse - here, there, and everywhere.
The post below is a reblog from Shadow of His Wings Orphanage - Escaping the Abuse.  I encourage you to visit their site and learn more about the work going on in Monjas, Guatemala.

http://www.shadowofhiswingsorphanage.org/blog/2015/6/4/escaping-the-abuse

Escaping the Abuse

Tiffany Applegate

June 18, 2015

Stories

No six year old should be a hero.  At least not in normal circumstances.  But when placed in dangerous situations, it may be the difference between life and death.  When a six year old takes actions to save her life, it’s heroic.  When she also saves her baby sister in the process, it’s miraculous.
They were cast outside for the night.  This was not unusual.  They spent many nights outside braving the cold.  Huddled up together to stay warm.  Their little bodies shivering.  Their only cover and protection were the bare thin clothes on their backs.  And the hand of God.  But they were ok with the cold.  They were ok with the outside.  Inside was what they feared.  Inside was mamá.
She drank often.  Probably to ease the pain.  To deal with the past.  It didn’t matter where it came from or what she needed to do to get it.  There were always ways.  It also didn’t matter that what little she could earn wasn’t spent on food or the girls.  They could fend for themselves.  What was more important was the numbness that came with the drink.  Yes, she beat them when she was drunk.  Yes, she punished them with the burning end of her cigarettes.  But so long as she couldn’t feel, it didn’t matter.
After watching her sister receive the full fury of her mamá’s wrath she made a decision.  She had seen enough.  No longer would she allow her sister to be kicked as she crawled along the ground.  No longer would she allow her sister to be flung across the room like a thing.  No longer would she allow her sister to eat dirt and garbage.  No longer would she allow herself to cry over her unconscious sister.  No long would she allow crying themselves to sleep in the cold and rain of that mountain.  At six years old, she made the decision to not be a hero, but to save their lives.
While mamá was sleeping inside the house, she picked up her sister and started the journey down the mountain.  At 4 years old, her sister should have been walking alongside her.  But her legs hadn’t formed properly.  Lack of nutrition will do this.  Instead, she put her sister on her back and carried her down.  She didn’t know what exactly was at the bottom, but it didn’t matter.  She was determined and she was brave.  A hero and a miracle.
They are safe now and very happy.  They are fed well and loved even more.  As for the little one, the abuse, the neglect, and the malnutrition, took its toll on her little body.  It wasn’t allowed to develop properly and it’s obvious when you see her.  But she has made great gains, since coming to SOHWO and is now walking to kindergarten everyday.  Her smile so large, it appears to push her eyes closed.
As for the big sister, she still looks out for the well being of the younger.  You might notice her glancing in her sister’s direction when she’s not within reach.  That fear for her may always be there.  She doesn’t like it when her sister is far from her.  Because she remembers.  It may always be a part of their relationship.  And that’s ok.  Heroes are created when they respond to life’s situations.  Miracles are created when God responds to situations in our life.  Both are true in this story and both are true of these girls.

Break the Cycle

Most of my Blog is usually business/studio related. I love my clients and my job.
But sometimes, I just need to share a bit of my personal loves too. Parts of my heart are in Guatemala. Parts in Monjas, where Shadow of His Wings is located. Parts of it are scattered throughout the country with kids that I have met that have left the home. Some have graduated and are adults now, working, going to school, making a living and I still get to communicate with those. Some returned to their families, and I pray for them and their families. That the cycle of abuse that existed in their lives before I met them has been broken.
Abuser, abused, abuser, abused.  Lets not write these kids off as broken victims that are destined to be come abusers. Instead, lets provide a way they can learn different, be different, treat others differently.  Lets change their "norm" of a life in this cycle. Here, there, and everywhere.

Tiffany Applegate, the director of SOHWO writes about the kids, the life there, and the transformations there. Some topics are heart breaking, gut wrenching, and some are down right uncomfortable. BUT this is the life these children live in. This is the life they seek to change.
The link below is to the original post from Shadow of His Wings Orphanage in Monjas Guatemala.
http://www.shadowofhiswingsorphanage.org/blog/2015/6/4/from-victim-to-victor

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From Victim to Victor

Tiffany Applegate June 11, 2015

Tears filled his eyes, while shame filled his heart.  As he sat listening to the conversation, he knew he was guilty.  He knew he was a victim as well.  But the behavior was so common.  It had almost become normal.  He was never taught that it was wrong, though inside he knew it.  The turmoil inside was unbearable.  If he confessed he would be punished.  If he didn’t, it would kill him.  He didn’t want to be that person anymore.  But everyone would know.  They would know what he did.  They would know what he was still doing.  They would know what was done to him.  They would know who he was.
These women were saying things that he no one had said to him before.  Touching was wrong.  Victim or perpetrator, it was wrong.  Just because someone did to you doesn’t make it right.  It doesn’t give you permission to do it to others.  Something inside told him they were right.  He needed to stop.  He needed to confess.  He needed to change.
This was the moment.  Had he kept silent, he would still be the same.  Had he kept silent, he would continue to be his step-father.  He would continue the behavior.  His secrets would still be his.  But something about these women was different.  They seemed to care.  They promised a different way, a different future.  What they said actually made sense.  It is wrong to continue.  It is wrong to keep it all in.  So he let it out.
As he poured out his heart, tears poured out his eyes.  He revealed the past, and the present.  As he did, the arms came around him.  He begged for help.  He begged for forgiveness.  The arms became tighter.  As the truth spilled out, the love spilled in.  His confession was answered with encouragement, not punishment.  This was a moment of change, of repentance, of freedom.  He no longer had to carry the burden.  But he did have to change.  And change is what he did.
He was given a mentor.  Someone to counsel him through this difficult time.  And over time, he became a new person.  From perpetrator to protector.  From victim to victor.  He now lives free of the shame and guilt.  He now lives as example and leader.  No longer a hinderer, he is a helper.  He broke the cycle that is common and became the uncommon.  Leader, role model, friend, brother.  The real man inside has been revealed.  Now everyone knows who he really is. Defender, warrior, forgiven, Son of God.

InChild Abuse Prevention, Stories TagsBoys Home, Orphans, child abuse

Guatemala Part 3

The Bike crews first look at the project.

Sometimes it is hard to describe exactly what we do when we go to Shadow of His Wings in Monjas, Guatemala. It always depends on what talent we have on our team, but more importantly - what NEEDS to be done.
My husband, Mark, loves to spend his days off at the bike shop, or in his man cave barn tinkering with his bicycles - and he is good at it. He is also good at teaching, which worked out great when we assembled a group of us that had NO experience fixing bikes. The orphanage had told us in advance that there were some bikes to be repaired. Other teams had bought the kids bikes years ago, but through wear and tear of kids and weather they no longer worked. The wheels were rusty, brakes were shot, seats were demolished, tires flat, and pedals missing. I think Mark felt a little overwhelmed when he first saw them, but then we got to work. He taught Meredith and Derrick how to fix the tires, put new tubes in, new tires on. Natalia and Terri became the brake crew, testing, repairing and replacing brakes. Jane put seats on. We all took a turn at removing rust and painting wheels and baskets. One by one, each bike started to work.
The last night we presented the bikes to the kids at an ice cream party. They were so excited! They got to ride them around. The best thing - we heard later that one of our sweet girls - Clara, that had never had an opportunity to ride a bike before was learning from the other girls.  One of the many firsts that she and the others that have not been at Shadow very long will have the opportunity to experience.

But our team also had another rare talent that we could put into use - Kassen is a great welder. When we first got to Shadow, we noticed a little girl with an arm in a sling. We found out that she had fallen when the rotted teeter-totter had broken.  The four teeter-totters were dangerous, so we decided to go buy the steel beams to replace them so Kassen's welding skills could make it safer for "our" kids. Scott fashioned new seats from some beautiful local wood, and Alicia and I helped remove the old teeter-totters.
Play is important to ALL kids. For some of "our" kids, Shadow of His Wings is the first safe place they have had to play. Safe to be kids, and not caretakers of their younger siblings. Safe from abusive parents. Safe from predators. Safe from drugs. Safe under the Shadow of HIS Wings.


Kassen & Margarita
 

If you are interested in going on this mission trip, please contact me. There are 3 churches from our area that take teams to Shadow - and all are open to people outside of their own churches. First United Methodist of Russellville usually makes the trip over the New Year's holiday and spends 8 days in Guatemala. Participating in the fundraisers earlier in the year helps to offset the cost per missionary.


Guatemala 2014 part 2

The whole neighborhood was interested in how to get clean water.

I have been home for almost four weeks now, and I still miss Monjas. Not just the kids from Shadow of His Wings, but the people in general. One thing I love about this mission trip is the opportunity to get out in the community, to visit people in their homes, to talk to them and hear about their lives.

One of the school rooms in a 2 room school house, notice
the banner on the bottom is teaching about good hygiene
and how to stay healthy.

By placing clean water filters in homes and schools, we got a good look at the culture.  It was only a few years ago that I learned that most of the world's population cannot turn on a faucet and drink the water safely. This is something I have always taken for granted. I had always heard "don't drink the water in Mexico", but that was the extent of my knowledge. I guess I sort of knew that children in Africa sometimes died because they did not have clean water - but in my imagination, those were only starving children desperate enough to be drinking from mud puddles. I would not have thought that people in very modern cities like Lima, Peru would have to treat the tap water, or that children in school in Guatemala would need to worry about getting sick from the water. Thankfully, we were able to place 16 clean water filters in the town of Monjas over the past two years. The children in four schools can drink clean water, reducing their chances of being sick and missing out on education.

All the teachers gather for a faculty meeting so they
could learn how the system worked.

This was not only done by the group of people who actually went on the trip, but also by the supporters of this mission. Those that wrote checks for donations, bought cookies from bake sales, bid on silent auction items, and come to have dinner with us. 
If you have any interest at all in finding out more about this mission, please do not hesitate to call me.

Guatemala 2014 Part ONE

The Hardgraves with Jazmín
 

Two weeks ago,  a group of 9 other people and myself spent time with angels... in Guatemala. These angels bring the message of Love, Hope, and Healing. Shadow of His Wings Orphanage is located about 3 hours from Guatemala City, in a little town of Monjas, where the cowboys drive their cattle to the fields through the dirt streets of town. The open market is filled with beautiful fruits and vegetables being sold by hard working people with smiles on their faces - ready to haggle for the price.
The children of SOHWO come from all over Guatemala. Sometimes they have been removed from homes by the court system because of abuse and neglect, other times their parents have given them up because they don't have the resources to care for them. Some of the children have been at Shadow for 5 years or more - this is Home for those. Others have arrived recently and are just now getting the opportunity to attend school, learn how to read, or learn how to ride a bike. Each one has a message for the missionaries there, without even saying a word. A message of hope, of what matters, of the bigger picture of life.

When I come home from this mission trip, I am even more thankful for the parents that trust me to photograph their children, that believe their child's life is worth capturing in photos.

More posts to come about the projects we worked on while in Monjas, Jalapa, Guatemala.


These are just a few of the "Angels" from Shadow of His Wings Orphanage in Monjas, Guatemala. If you are interested in finding out more about SOHWO click here. If you are interested in finding out more about going on this mission trip in the future - call the studio. I would be happy to give you the info.
479-885-3835