Dear Greece, I'll be arriving soon...

(Doreen, Charles and myself)

In the morning I leave for an airplane ride. This airplane ride will take me to Athens, via Frankfurt.

It has been a good time here in Muizenberg. I’ve been saying a lot of goodbyes today, and I would definitely say that the one that has stuck with me the most was the one I said to Charles and Doreen. It wasn’t long, but it was good. After our lunch here at the base, Naphtalie and I went to the grocery store to get some Cream Soda, (Charles’ drink of choice) and walked it over the street to where Charles and Doreen were sitting. Each time we talk with them I am taken aback by the beauty that God has placed in their hearts. It is amazing how close I feel to people that I’ve known for little over a week.

Charles was just finishing his fish, fresh out of the microwave. He was friendly as usual. They say that the sun is their microwave. Microwaving of this sort however, requires much more patience than the conventional microwave, as you must wait until the sun has heated the food to a warm-ish temperature. This usually occurs about half an hour to an hour after placing the food in the “microwave”.

Doreen said she now views us as part of her family. She also noted that she loved us. I replied that we also love them. It was a short goodbye, but one that I will remember well.

…

This week we had Ben Nimmo, a Graphic Designer from the YWAM Media Village in Kalk Bay (a few stops down from Muizenberg on the train) come to talk to us about digital workflow, archiving images, and Photoshop basics. All this can get a little boring to talk about for long periods of time, but it will definitely come in handy when dealing with large amounts of photographs.

Our team will be leaving the Muizenberg base at 3:30 this morning. Our flight leaves Cape Town at 7:00, and we’ll be flying to Frankfurt, and then to Athens. Once we arrive in Athens, which will be very early Friday Morning, we’ll be going to a smaller village called Porto Rafti, where we’ll be staying at a small convention center. They tell us it is about an hour away from Athens. I’m not too sure yet what the living situation will be like, but it doesn’t sound like there will be a lot of internet access.

So, I realized I just wrote my last update a couple days ago, but I figure I should let you all know what’s happening, just in case I’m not able to use the internet for a while. The team and I could use your prayers that all the small and big details of traveling from here to Cape Town to Frankfurt to Athens to Porto Rafti would work together in the best way possible. Once I find out more of what is happening I will hope to find some sort of access to the Internet so as to keep in touch.

Thank you all for all the various forms of support that you have been blessing me with. I have loved seeing God during my time in South Africa, and I have loved being able to grow the interest that he has placed on my heart for Photography. I feel that the more I’m learning about photography, the more I’m seeing a passion in my heart for using it as a tool to benefit God’s plan in the world. It is a pleasure to continue to let you all know what is happening with my trip, and I pray that you are all seeing God in new ways with whatever situation he may have you in.

(a sunrise near muizenberg)

.bushmen, of a different sort.

Outreach has been beautiful.

Since last Friday, myself and the two others in my group have had the privilege of spending time with the local homeless population here in Muizenberg. Monday and Wednesday we spent the mornings working with a local homeless ministry, Living Hope. We spent these mornings singing songs, leading devotions, and talking with the people that came in from the streets. I feel like God really blessed our time at this ministry. So many people come into living hope, just looking for someone to listen and be concerned about what is going on in their life. There were so many people, ranging from sad to hopeful, and I enjoyed listening, talking, praying and laughing with them.

The other part of our outreach took place in the streets, parks, beaches, bushes, parking lots, and wherever else the homeless people spend their time. Though there were a lot of ministry opportunities at living hope, I feel like our time spent outside with the people was even more fruitful, as we were able to build relationships with them in what is for them a real-life setting. We were able to witness their happiness, frustrations, arguments and quarrels, which turned out to be very interesting.

I myself spent most of this time getting to know a couple of the homeless people, or strollers as they call themselves, here in Muizenberg. Charles Jacobs, 67, has been living outside here in Muizenberg since 1981. Doreen Tofar, 58, has been living outside with him since 2001. I had some ideas in my mind for what I hoped to capture through my pictures, but in the beginning I did not realize just how closely the Lord was going to allow me to be in their lives. I was able to follow Charles and Doreen throughout most of the major parts of their day. They allowed me to meet them when they came out of their home in the bushes in the morning. They allowed me to come with them when they worked parking cars on Sunday. They allowed me to sit with them when they drank wine in the park on the afternoons. They allowed me to be in their home in the bushes as they folded the blankets on their tattered bed. They showed me where they kept their clothes, they told me how they hid their money, and they explained to me how they cooked their food by using the sun as a microwave.

I saw that their hearts are rich. One thing that stands out to me is that Charles and Doreen never asked me for money. They were happy when we would bring them milk, bread, or fruit, but they never asked us for these things. I was blessed to see their generosity at work, whether it was sharing their bread with the pigeons, giving food to other strollers in the park, or giving their extra shoes to someone in need.

With this, the beatitudes come to mind.

God blesses you who are poor, for the Kingdom of God is given to you.
God blesses you who are hungry now, for you will be satisfied.
God blesses you who weep now, for the time will come when you will laugh with joy. God blesses you who are hated and excluded and mocked and cursed because you are identified with me, the Son of Man.
When this happens, rejoice! Yes, leap for joy! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were also treated that way by your ancestors.
Luke 6:20-23 NLT

I have been so blessed by Charles and Doreen. I can now say they truly are my friends. I leave South Africa next Thursday, but I will continue them in my prayers. You can pray for them too if you would like. Here’s how:

• Charles and Doreen know about Jesus, and they certainly displayed the love of Christ in their lives, but they need God’s help to overcome the things that hold them back from knowing God on a deeper level. Alcohol sometimes seemed to be a struggle for them, so pray God would work in their lives to bring them victory in this area.

• Pray for healing in Charlie’s body, as he is recovering from a minor stab wound inflicted by one of the other strollers in the park. Also pray for healing in the relationship between Charlie and Karl, the man who stabbed Charlie. This could be a way for Charlie to see God’s grace at work in his life and in the lives of others.

FINALLY, thank you for your prayers in regards to my safety. On Wednesday when Charlie was stabbed, I was quite close to the incident, and quite close to Karl before he stabbed Charlie. Praise God for keeping me from getting sliced up!

My Photo Story is posted below for your optical enjoyment.

I Can Go Home, but It's Hard For Me to Go Home (I Didn't Have Trouble Here Before)

Doreen Tofar smiles as her friend Charlie Jacobs lies on their mattress. Doreen and Charles live together in the bushes near Sunrise Beach in Muizenberg. Referring to a hard life back with her sister and mother, Tofar says, "I can go home, but it's hard for me to go home."

Charles pauses for a moment from parking cars at the Sunrise beach flea market. Charles, one of the original car guards at the lot, has been employed here since 1984. Each Sunday he earns tips by directing and watching over cars from about 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM.

Sitting beneath the shade of a tree in Muizenberg Park, Doreen cries as she recounts stories of her married life. Her husband Karim, who died in 1999, required her to work work selling wine for him rain or shine; if not, she would be beaten.



Ibrahim, a local gardner for the City of Muizenberg takes a break in the shade of a tree in Muizenberg Park to share a laugh with Charles and Doreen.



Doreen pours herself a fresh glass of Lion's Head wine. Doreen and Charles often share a five liter bag of wine with their friends in Muizenberg Park.



From her spot in the shade in Muizenberg Park, Doreen lights a cigarette as the pigeons go about their business. Tofar appreciates the pigeons, and enjoys taking time out of her day to share her bread with them.



Sitting down in Muizenberg Park, Charles winds his clock to the proper time. He checks the clock a couple times each day, as he likes to keep it five minutes ahead of the proper time.



As the day is coming to a close, Doreen follows Charles as they make their way back to their home in the bushes near Sunrise Beach. Charles has lived in these bushes since 1981, and Doreen joined him in 2001.



Karl Green threatens Charles and Doreen as he reveals a knife concealed in his jeans. Green soon after proceeded to stab Charles Jacobs with the knife. Jacobs, though not seriously injured, proceeded to arrange for an ambulance to transport himself to a hospital in the area.



Charles and Doreen sit in the grass at the top of Muizenberg park as Charles waits for an ambulance to transport him to the hospital. Jacobs, who was moments before stabbed by Karl Green, is considering pressing charges against Green. Charles was also contemplating moving in with his sister in Wynberg. He stated, "I didn't have trouble here before...From '81 I didn't have trouble." Doreen however, believes Charles will eventually come back to the streets. She says, "One of these days he will come home (back to the streets). He will come, no matter what."

All Photographs Copyright Tim Dyk, 2007.

.outreach #1.

(Wally Nell, teaching us to use a strobe; John Vicory poses.)

It has been a wonderful week of class taught by Wally Nell. He has definitely shared with us a wealth of photographic knowledge, insight and experience. I feel like he has expanded my mind so much as to what can be done with photography, not just in regards to the pictures themselves, but also in regards to the way in which it can be used as a tool that can be used to portray ideas and issues to people.

Today begins the first day of our outreach for this portion of the trip in South Africa. Basically, for each place we go, it looks like we will be having about three weeks of lecture, and one week where we divide into smaller groups to go out and apply what we learn in lecture through our photography. For this outreach we will each be putting together a photo story consisting of eight to ten of our best photos. As a group, we will also be putting together a photo essay as a summary of the ministry we will be doing. I am in a group with two others, Naphtalie and David, who are both from Oregon.

After prayer and discussion, we feel that God has put it on our hearts to work with the homeless population here around Muizenberg. From this Friday until next Wednesday, we will have the opportunity to spend time investing in the lives of a few of the homeless people, also known as strollers who frequent a nearby park. Some of this time we will be working with Living Hope, a local church that provides daily meals and bible studies for those without food and shelter in this area of the Cape.

In addition to this, for my photo story, God has placed it on my heart to spend time documenting the lives of a couple of homeless people that I have already gotten to know a little bit before this outreach. I don’t know exactly what this will look like, but I plan on following a few of them throughout different parts of their days, seeing what it is like for them to live in this way on a daily basis. God has recently been revealing to me the beauty of these people in his eyes. Homeless people are so often misunderstood and mistreated, but when the time is taken to invest in their lives, it is easy to see why God would attach such a high value to them. One example I remember most vividly is that of one of the homeless ladies, Doreen, taking a piece of bread out of her bag to share with the birds, when she herself does not always have much to eat. I am praying and believing that God can use these pictures to accurately portray the beauty that resides in the hearts of these people, but also the difficulties that they face on a regular basis.

So, in the days to come, I would most certainly appreciate any prayers you would be willing to send my way. Some ways you can pray are:

• That God would orchestrate the people and places that he wants us to see.

• That God would give us discernment with our resources, as many people often try to ask for money, food, etc. We want to be generous, but generous in a way that will not create chaos.

• That God would grant us protection, as crime is one of the bigger issues in this country.

• That God would help us to capture pictures that portray the beauty that resides in the hearts of these people, but that also portray the difficulties that the homeless face on a daily basis.

.a good beginning.

.the view from Mount Muizenberg.

The first week of PhotogenX lecture is now complete! Basically, most of the week was spent learning about the more technical aspect of Photography. We had teaching from Suzi Childers, the Co-Leader of the PhotogenX Round the World program. It was such a blessing to have had teaching and insight from someone who is so experienced with Photography, and especially with using it as a ministry. I am excited to begin applying this new knowledge to the pictures I take.

It is a great experience to be living here at the YWAM base in Muizenberg. There are so many people from so many nations. Our PhotogenX School is here, but in addition to our school, there is also a Discipleship Training School and a Church Planting School taking place. One thing I love about YWAM is that you can meet people and hear perspectives from so many places. I’ve been talking with people from The Congo, Zimbabwe, Swaziland, and Brazil to name a few.

Outside of class time I’ve been able to explore a little bit around Muizenberg. I’ve gotten to see some penguins, which live nearby, hike some Muizenberg Mountain, and visit the waterfront of Cape Town. It is a very beautiful country, with people from many ethnicities and backgrounds, as well as very interesting landscapes and plant life as well.

.a boat docked in kalk bay.

This last Friday, we had a South African celebration. The South Africans put on for us a giant bar-b-que, which they call a braai. The lamb the cooked for us was delicious. I also learned a bit of Zulu dances afterwards. It was quite a good time.

This week our speaker will be Wally Nell. He is originally from South Africa, but he lived in Cairo, Egypt. I’ve been told he’ll be talking to us about Photojournalism. He sounds like a very accomplished photographer, as he’s received a fellowship in the Photographic Society of Southern Africa, as well as an award in the South African National Press Awards for sports photography. He has had his work published in National Geographic Traveler, Outside, New York Times, London Times, Outdoor Magazine, as well as some other publications.

Some Prayer Requests:

• That my mind will be able to process the knowledge that Wally will be sharing with us this week. It sounds like he has a wealth of information to share, and I want to do my best to retain all of it.

• Energy for all the activities throughout our days…class, work duties, small groups, etc.

• That I would be learning to apply the technical aspects of photography that we went over this week. It makes sense on paper, but it is sometimes a struggle to apply all the techniques as I’m taking pictures.