CCAP Church- in joyful song

Here is a video (used with permission) that was shot at Church of Central Africa Presbyterian that we visited on a Sunday morning for worship.  It was an incredible experience and I have two other stories to post next about that morning.  But first, here is a short video of the women singing.  I cannot explain to you the absolute joy in their faces and voices as they sang.  It was one of the most beautiful spectacles I have ever seen and one of the most profound experiences that I will NEVER forget.  I had chill bumps the entire time they sang.

video © copyright Dr. Dick Butler 2009.  Used with permission

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Recent Landscapes/ Psalm 19:1

"The heavens declare the glory of God, the skies proclaim the work of his hands." Psalm 19:1    When I first started photographing, I was always drawn to landscapes. I was intrigued by the way light played on particular parts of the whole, making something otherwise ordinary become something extraordinary. I find myself equally interested in photographing people now, if not more so, but landscapes will always hold a special place in my heart. It is in the middle of the woods where I feel like I am most walking in the presence of the Lord and that He is showing me these tiny secret spaces of His handiwork.  It is amazing to me too that all these images have different feels to them, yet they all were taken in a 2 mile circumference around a lake! 












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Mosquito nets

Here's a couple of funny shots... as most people know, those pesky insects by the name of 'mosquito' carry malaria, a disease that makes people very sick, and can ultimately lead to death if not treated. The mosquitos of Malawi do carry malaria. Luckily, we travelled there in their wintertime, when mosquitos are on the low side, BUT, we still saw plenty of them. We did have to sleep under mosquito nets and we made sure to put on repellant with DEET if we went out at dusk or after dark. Here is one shot of the bed Ryan and I used, and one of Ryan with his 'hat-net', which was more of a joke than anything. We all got a good laugh out of him!

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Lake Malawi

A day of rest and relaxation. Lake Malawi is absolutely beautiful... sand, water, lots of blue. Good food and even better fellowship. I walked around while everyone was waiting for our food to be served and took a few images of these two guys and their fishing boat.








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Videos from Chimwangombe

I wanted to share these two videos shot by Dr. Butler (he has given me permission to post these!) while we were working at the feeding center of Chimwangombe. One video is the secondary kids singing to us, the second is the younger kids singing. Their singing is absolutely incredible- it filled the center and was so harmonious. They must sing with wider tonal ranges than we do here.. it is hard to describe... but there is something so lovely about the way they sing. The videos do justice, but I tell you, being there experiencing it first hand was the most amazing blessing. Still gives me chills listening to it even now!




both videos © Dr. Dick Butler 2009

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Down by the River

What is it about water, especially moving water, that melts away day to day stresses. It soothes my mind, my body and my soul instantly. One thing our family likes to do on occasional Sunday afternoons is drive down to the Mississippi River and rest, relax and play. We've found some great spots where we can throw down a blanket, toss a frisbee and watch the water steamroll by. Everyone can unwind and take it easy for awhile! Jesus says when we feel worried or anxious, to call on him, the living water. As in John 7:37b-38, He says "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scriptue has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." Also, Revelation 7:17 says, "For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." Reading these passages puts me at peace at once. These words are like water to my soul- soothing, satisfying and quenching. These words are life and are alive.
*insert deep breath here* Ahhhhhhh!


















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The Malawi team

I figured I should post an image of the Malawi team... here we are!  I've been mentioning everyone's name in past posts... now you can put a face to a name!  A passerby took this for us in the Johannasburg airport. 
             copyright Dr. Dick Butler 2009
from left to right: Ryan, Brooke, Mary Beth, Beth, Andy, Susan, Jenny, Emily, Dr. Butler
•Mary Margaret and Greg are not in this picture- they were already in Malawi, but they were definitely a HUGE part of this mission.  They will be in my next post.

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