Going through my photos I'm struck by the directness of the gaze of so many children. While there were a few who would ham it up for the camera or insist I took their picture, most, like the girls at center here, looked at me unflinchingly. I realized later that it was the same way the adults looked at me...until, that is, I was able to work my way through the language barrier and find some way to connect. I appreciate the fact that, both children and adults alike, made me work to earn their trust. It wasn't--and shouldn't have been--a given. Yes, we were there to provide a service and they were there to receive it, but that didn't mean they owed us anything, especially when they have no idea or assurances that we will ever be back. This realization has completely reformed and reorganized my thoughts on short-term missions. Helping is not enough--anyone can do that, particularly as a one-time deal. What is needed, I think, are relationships that build trust and empower people to believe, not only that things will get better, but that they will be the primary drivers of that change. And that requires a commitment to keep going back.
@joemuli@heather4528@paul10 Thank you! It's been a month since my trip and I find myself going back again and again to my photos and finding new things, new stories. It is quite a thing to try and tell a story without feeling like you're exploiting someone's circumstances.
