Picture getting off the bus to an unknown area not quite sure what you are about to do. Picture walking down alleys between houses that look like they lead to nowhere, but to your surprise you emerge in a clutter of houses made up of whatever the people dwelling inside could find. Picture looking around and realizing that this clutter of houses was surrounded by mountains of trash, and no matter where you went the smell seems to follow you. Picture walking door to door with your brothers and sisters and praying for things that break your heart. Picture looking around at your squad mates and seeing the mixture of emotions they are feeling on their faces. Picture the frustration you feel when you look around and realize this is real life and you can’t magically make it all go away. Picture the smiles on the faces of the people you pass and realize that they are truly happy for something as little as a smile back. Picture having to cross a puddle of water so polluted it was green and you only had a few unstable rocks to step on. Picture getting back on the bus to go home for the night after all you just experienced. Picture having a conversation full of frustrations and why’s with The Lord. Picture The Lord meeting you right in that place and showing you his heart for what you just experienced.
As I process through the day, I realize I didn’t take one picture during slum ministry, and I’m glad I didn’t. I know everyone at home wants to see what I am doing and what ministry looks like, but you probably won’t see many pictures from me of slum ministry this month. The pictures would be heartbreaking and inspiring, but the people I come in contact with aren’t meant to be for entertainment. For these people this is everyday life. These are their homes, these are conditions they live in everyday. I picture myself in their shoes, all these strange people coming to my home and taking pictures because of how different it is, because they aren’t used to seeing poverty to this level. I picture what runs through their mind when they know we are there to help, but we are also too busy trying to get the perfect picture.
I understand some people have a passion to capture the moment, but that can’t be me during slum ministry. So for now most of my pictures will continue to be of other ministry, my squadmates , or of coffee and landscape, because let’s be real, Nepal has both those things on point. As for pictures during slum ministry, they will be rare or none at all, because I want to be all in, and for me that just means simply putting away my camera, and being present with whoever I may come across.
