The Bereaved

Deandra Pensini

Category: Landscapes

South Africa Term

Khayelitsha, South Africa

The window at Baphumelele Orphanage was a symbol that represented the lives of the orphans who looked through them every day. The orphans learn very early in life that they are neglected, unwanted, and ostracized from their families and the rest of society. They can forgive, but how can they learn to trust the people around them, especially when encompassed in a culture that communicates a lack of love or care? During our service learning experience at the orphanage, I was able to hear their cries for love and acceptance. The cries however, were silent, as they ran around with other children not knowing the opportunities that stand waiting beyond their bedroom windows. It was at this window that I stopped and was overwhelmed, as I could only imagine how this window would serve as a means to remind them every day of the harsh realities of their lives. My prayer is that children- all around the world- will never cease to dream, and not allow situations to color their world and opportunities.  “With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” - Matthew 19:26

The Book Keeper

Paul Rheingans

Category: People

Middle East Studies Program

Istanbul, Turkey

A mysterious shopkeeper mans his post in this hole-in-the-wall Turkish bookstore. The hand motion captured at the last second and the self-portrait in the background adds to his rich character.

No Room for You and Me

Miriam Lindquist

Category: People

NYCAMS

Brooklyn Heights, NY

It was a crisp day as I walked through Brooklyn Heights. Little rays of sun peeked through the winter sky. I walked past the bustle of people, hurrying along their way, and kept to myself. I came upon this man sitting ever so still, alone. It was apparent that he had his spot on the bench well worn in. I had to stand and watch him for a moment. There was something so intriguing to me about him as he sat there in deep reflection amidst the business around. Caught up in his world, I knew, there was no room for him and me on that bench.

Little Treasures

Patty Lin

Category: Nature

Creation Care Study Program

Glover's Atoll, Belize

We spent a week at Glover's Atoll for our marine ecology class. More than once I'd stop in my tracks, look down at the hermit crabs scampering over the white sand, look up at the abundance of coconuts dangling from the palm trees, look around at the ocean secluding us, and remind myself "I live here!" (for the week at least).

Glover's Atoll is a World Heritage Site and marine reserve off the east coast of mainland Belize. It was wonderful being able to study there, where - after a lecture on the intimate relationship between sea grass beds and coral reefs - we'd get in the water and snorkel to see for ourselves until the sun went down. The opportunity to have such a hands-on experience, where we saw the things we were learning firsthand, impacted me greatly.

One afternoon our professor took us on a Rubble Walk (we were walking along the reef crest- the part of the coral reef that rises above the water and is therefore dead). We came upon many little treasures including a variety of brittle sea stars, sea cucumbers, and a Magnificent Urchin (yes, that's its name). One of my favorite finds was this Slate Pencil Urchin (Eucidaris tribuloides), which clearly screamed "God made me special!"

An Unexpected Home

Lindsey Smith

Category: Nature

South Africa Term

Cape Town, South Africa

On Boulders Beach, in Cape Town, African penguins grace the sand and marvel their audience. To tourists they seem out of place next to the crashing waves, but to the penguins this is simply home.

Day Breaking on an Honored Tradition

Amanda Bartness

Category: Nature

Guatemala Term

Antigua, Guatemala

After a 3 a.m. wake up call and a morning full of experiencing the honored Easter traditions in Antigua, I noticed this man walking towards us just as the sun was starting to rise. We had seen many Guatemalan men dressed like him throughout the hallowed week of Semana Santa carrying enormous, wood-carved monuments that depicted the Stations of the Cross. These monuments took around 100 men each to support and carry them through the cobblestone streets, and well over 100 more surrounding them waiting their turn to bear the burden. This man had probably just finished one of these all-night processions that traveled from town to town. Exhausted, but clearly proud to have been involved in the honored tradition, he slowly walked towards home with the day breaking on his back.

Leslie Jordan & Friends

Kelsey Houle

Category: Cultural Texture

NYCAMS

Manhattan, NYC, NY

The Easter Parade of New York City isn't your typical parade. There are no elaborate floats, or sweaty marching bands, or progression of police cars and fire trucks. Rather, the parade is people; voluntary participants and fascinated on-lookers mingle together, walking among each other in the middle of 5th Avenue, interacting with and observing each other. The man picture in the center is a Broadway actor, and the group of people around him is civilians - just a few participants of the parade dressed in Easter garb.

Guatemalan Buses

Ryann Adkins

Category: Cultural Texture

Guatemala Term

Antigua, Guatemala

It is impossible to visit Guatemala without noticing the buses. Every bus is painted a multitude of different colors, has a headline in the front window, is filled well beyond capacity, and has a man who stands on the steps shouting out the bus's final stop. My fellow students and I spent several hours riding these buses and enjoying this unique cultural experience. On every bus ride we learned something new about the Guatemalan culture.

Mother Mary

Heather Haag

Category: Cultural Interaction

Cross Cultural Solutions: Costa Rica internship

Playa Samara, Costa Rica

Early Sunday morning I was strolling down the beach and came to a small-town religious festival. Traditionally in Costa Rica, oxen would pull wooden carts to haul coffee, cocoa, and other local agricultural products. Today these carts remain a symbolic, historical icon. Many of the carts in the festival were intricately painted, but this man kept his simple, focusing on the Mother Mary flower dedication piece in the center. The townspeople paraded, in caravan, to the point of rocks at the end of the beach. The Mother Mary silhouette was then placed on the rocks, for the ocean water to take the floral arrangement out to sea.

Emerging Tides

Levi Tijerina

Category: Landscape

LCC International University

Palanga, Lithuania

Lithuania is nestled up against the Baltic Sea, next to Russia, Latvia and Belarus. Lithuania has recently emerged as an independent country, free from Soviet authority. While this political freedom is vitally important, there is still a lot of rebuilding that needs to take place on political, social, and spiritual levels. This photo represents the climate of Lithuanian stability in the modern world. There is a certain fairy-tale aspect to Lithuania, both beautiful and mysterious; however, at the same time there still remains a certain degree of uncertainty about what it means to be an independent state in the emerging context of Eastern Europe.