CNN Photo Blog-Gary S. Chapman 2011-Persecution in Pakistan

Few people know about the plight of Pakistani Christians. My photos on the persecuted community living there are on CNN’s photo blog. Vivian’s reflections on our experiences are linked on the Belief Blog. Please go to the links below and feel free to comment and share to get the word out.

CNN Photo Blog

CNN Belief Blog

A worker feeds a child with disabilities.

A child brushes his teeth at the children's home.

Children play in the shadow of the Bal Bhavan children's home.

Children at Bal Bhavan praying before bedtime.

“We’ve found babies in the trash dumps.”

“We’ve found babies in the train toilets, on the train tracks.”

“We’ve found babies at our doorsteps.”

“People leave babies at the hospital sometimes.”

“In Hindi, the word orphan means ‘a godless child.’  So we call this place a children’s home. Bal Bhavan (the name of the home) literally means ‘children’s palace.’ We want them to be able to call this place their own home.”

–Lashi Lall Howard–Director of Bal Bhavan Children’s Home.

We have all seen them…ads asking us to support orphaned kids. Who do you believe? Who do you support? Well, I have seen these kids CICM helps. Their workers are amazing. Your money won’t be wasted here. CICM–Central India Christian Mission supports around 4,500 children throughout India, Nepal and Bangladesh. Bal Bhavan is home to 98 children.  Click CICM to help. NEWS UPDATE**Just found out another 350 kids were supported yesterday after people viewed video and photos produced by Andrew Tucciarone, Jon Sturdevant and myself. A few weeks ago 225 people stepped up to help kids too. This should be very encouraging to all photographers and workers in this field.

All Photographs copyright Gary S. Chapman

(Nikon D3s, 50mm f1.4, 1/400 sec, f1.4, ISO 2500)

(Nikon D3s, 24mm f1.4, 1/6400 sec, f1.4, ISO 200)

(Nikon D3s, 70-200mm f2.8 @85mm, 1/320 sec, f7.1, ISO 200)

(Nikon D3s, 24mm f1.4, 1/125 sec, f2.5, ISO 4000)

Buddhism: A Buddhist monk circles Boudanath Stupa in Nepal while spinning his prayer wheel.

Hinduism: Hindu Sadu at Pashupatinah, Nepal

Islam: Muslim men praying at Jama Masjid in Delhi, India.

Christianity: New Christian believer being baptized in Delhi, India.

Four faiths all leading to the same place? The same end? Can everyone be right? Are there multiple roads to eternity that all join together as they near a place called heaven? Can I do enough good works to merit a place in heaven? What do I really deserve? Is it us vs them…a fight to the death? Can I neglect every faith and still be right with God? Are there millions of gods? How do I chose one? Can a modern intellectual really believe in a god? Am I a god? Are we asking enough questions? Are we giving up on God, eternity, heaven and the pursuit of truth because it is all too confusing?

My intent with this post is to encourage readers to continue asking questions about faith and not to offend anyone.

All Photographs copyright Gary S. Chapman

(Nikon D3s, 70-200mm f2.8 @145mm, 1/1600 sec, f2.8, ISO 3200)

(Nikon D3s, 70-200mm f2.8 @122mm, 1/800 sec, f2.8, ISO 400)

(Nikon D3s, 70-200mm f2.8 @180mm, 1/400 sec, f2.8, ISO 400)

(Nikon D3s, 24mm f1.4, 1/6400 sec, f1.4, ISO 200)

One newborn of twins abandoned at railway station in India.

This child is more fortunate than many babies abandoned in India. She and her twin sibling were found in a railway station and immediately rushed to the Mission Hospital run by CICM, Central India Christian Mission. Just two days old in this photo, the twins will become part of the growing family of children given shelter in the home run by CICM once they gain their strength and can leave the hospital.

The home has taken in many children abandoned for different reasons — an unwed mother fearing the stigma of raising a child alone, birth defects, extreme poverty or couples wanting a boy instead of a girl. Should you care to help any of the orphans being helped by CICM, please check out their site: Central India Christian Mission.

Photograph ©Copyright Gary S. Chapman 2011
(Nikon D3s, 50mm 1.4, 1/400 sec, f1.4, ISO 250)

Brian, known as the "Preacher under the Bridges" has lived on the streets for over 20 years.

A young volunteer navigates the steep grade of an underpass to deliver a lunch.

Reta, comforted and prayed for by a young volunteer bringing food.

Touch and sincere interaction are trademarks of the 7Bridges volunteers.

Matt Brandon of The Digital Trekker once asked me during an interview if I ever did any humanitarian photographic work in my own backyard, Atlanta. I was stumped. I have traveled days to get to a remote village in many of the 60+ countries I have photographed in. But I have never had  an assignment with a local organization that helps the hurting living under bridges just 45 minutes from my comfortable rural home.

That changed this weekend as I was asked to photograph for The Do Good Experience, billed as a conference to inspire and equip students to serve  daily through acts of love and service to at-risk communities. Hundreds of students fanned out across the metro area to serve with local non-profits.

One of these non-profits is 7 Bridges to Recovery, a faith-based group that goes out in the streets and under the bridges of downtown Atlanta every week, regardless of weather.

I am looking forward to linking up with other non-profits in my own backyard…not too many frequent flyer reward points…but rewarding none the less.

All Photographs copyright Gary S. Chapman

(Nikon D3s, 24mm f1.4, 1/1000 sec, f1.4, ISO200)

(Nikon D3s, 24mm f1.4, 1/400 sec, f2, ISO800)

(Nikon D3s, 70-200 f2.8 @120mm, 1/160 sec, f2.8, ISO800)

(Nikon D3s, 24mm f1.4, 1/250 sec, f5.0, ISO200)

Please consider supporting these organizations:

The Do Good Experience and 7 Bridges to Recovery

 

Jonathan Golden, Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee

Drink coffee. Do good.

This is not just a catchy phrase, but the premise by which Jonathan Golden started Land of a Thousand Hills Coffee Company just north of Atlanta in Roswell. An Anglican priest by vocation, he started a coffee growing business that also fosters healing among warring tribes in Rwanda. Former enemies during the 1994 genocide now work side-by-side to produce specialty coffees that are then served in USA coffee shops, restaurants, and churches. Thousand Hills pays higher than fair trade wages and says that  investment in the farming community is their “top priority.”

Two children at the orphanage air out their bedding.

Queen receives a toothbrush in 2008.

Queen in the hospital a few days ago.

A few days ago I received an email from a friend in Kenya telling of an emergency need for food and hospital care for several orphans. Vivian and I gave some, but knew more would be needed. I decided to share the need via Twitter and Facebook and within hours the immediate emergency need was met. You continued to give and now we have enough in reserve to provide food and care for several months. Vivian and I are grateful, but the 40 children at the home are even more grateful.

Emergency need met! Several months in reserve! But what happens next? How do we help them for future needs? Is there anyway to help the children become at least partially self-sustainable? It is the age old question of giving a man a fish or teaching him how to fish. If someone has wisdom on this, share your ideas and questions.

We hope to travel to the orphanage  to do individual photo stories on as many children as we can so that we can help match the children with families around the world that would like to “adopt” them by giving monthly support.

Thanks again for the tremendous generosity. Now, come together with us to help them help themselves.

And thousands did come, carrying crosses down the Via Dolorosa (Top and middle photos) as they tried to empathize with Jesus as he carried His cross to Golgotha, the place of crucifixion. But tradition conflicts as to the exact location of His crucifixion and burial: The Church of the Holy Sepulchre (bottom photo) or the Garden Tomb. So some Christians go one way to worship and some another.

In my eyes, the holy was made mundane even as we sat in a cafe eating pizza and drinking mint lemonade. The enterprising waiter called out to those walking the Stations of the Cross on the Via Dolorosa, “Come eat pizza where Jesus ate pizza.” Other shop owners nearby hawked their Christian wares of crosses made of olive wood and intricately painted icons. But I suppose this is really nothing compared to hundreds of years ago when merchants promised the faithful a “real piece of the cross” for a fee.

Surprisingly, I was still moved by walking where Jesus walked. To be standing on the Temple Mount, Knowing that Jesus had visited the Temple as a child and adult…well…I was moved. I stood on the Mount of Olives where Jesus took in the magnificent view of the city and wept…and I was moved. I stood alone in the Garden Tomb that could have been where Jesus rose from the dead…and I was moved.

I want to go back, but still not on a tour bus.

(Canon 5D2, 24-105mm, 1/100 sec, f5.6, ISO400)

(Canon 5D2, 70-200mm @180mm , 1/640 sec, f2.8, ISO320)

(Canon 5D2, 35mm f1.4 , 1/200 sec, f1.4, ISO1250)

Photos ©Copyright Gary S. Chapman 2010

My greatest desire was to be able to doctor and heal, or at least relieve, the physical suffering or raise the morale of all the people I could treat. However, my friends insisted that in only a week I wasn’t going to be able to do much. Therefore, what was important wasn’t so much the physical help, but sharing joy and Christian hope and making the most of the experience to learn from them how to be more humble, thankful, generous…in short, to value what is truly important in my life: God and others.

The best gift of this trip has been receiving the thanks and love of the people I was attending to, even though in some cases I wasn’t able to help alleviate their physical need or sickness. I was only able to offer a smile, a hug or words of encouragement and with that they were happy.

The director of the orphanage (several hours outside Port au Prince), his family and the people that work there have taught me what it is to be happy and optimistic in spite of the difficulties. Some mothers of the children I attended mentioned to me that the worst thing for them was that some days they have nothing to give their children to eat. However, they don’t lose hope that God always provides, even though sometimes they need to fool their small stomachs with “mud pies.”

This has been one of the best experiences of my life and if God allows, I will return…

(All images Canon 5D2, 24-105mm)

Photos ©Copyright Gary S. Chapman 2010

Dr. Espallargas examines a very sick child.

A child waits her turn to see the doctor.

Dr. Espallargas speaks to families about health care.

After examination, this woman was sent to a hospital for further tests.

Dr. Espallargas spends time in prayer before starting another day.

"I was only able to offer a smile, a hug or words of encouragement and with that they were happy"

A young girl leads Dr. Espallargas by the hand to see the home the aid group is building for her and her eight brothers and sisters.

(Canon 5D2, 24-105mm @24mm , 1/800 sec, f4.5, ISO320)

Photo ©Copyright Gary S. Chapman 2010