That's a wrap for the Photo Storytelling Seminar 2019! What a fun bunch!! We had 3 students for this pioneering year. I have learnt A LOT. It was a season of growth; in learning the practical in lectures time, in leadership, in discipleship, in knowing myself, in dreaming with God, and many more.
Before we started the seminar, I had a country in mind for outreach. But for some reason, I prayed and felt it's not for us to go right after the Seminar (I felt God said February and we are going, but that's for another newsletter). I felt strongly to do stories of refugees here in Perth and doing an exhibition event with it. We partnered with the refugee ministry on base, but in the first week of the seminar, all the interviews we set up was falling through. It was quite impossible with the amount of work as our seminar only running for 4 weeks. We need to do to pull off an exhibition and then we also need to find people to be interviewed by us. As the staff team, we felt to go into one of the malls here and just asked people. Fast forward, we did it! Through some more connections, we were able to showcase stories from 7 refugees we met. We put a lot of hard work in it, and it was such a great night! One of the people we interviewed was these girls from Somalia. Devoted Muslims and they were super excited about Beauty of Perth (another project I'm heading - https://www.instagram.com/beauty_of_perth/). They came to our base, probably one of the first time they ever been to a place with a lot of Christians around them. One of the girls said to me, "Wow, everybody is so nice here." It really showed me how much photography and storytelling can open up the doors! We stepped out in faith and trusting God to put things together as we heard from Him about the exhibition, and He was with us! Our hope through photo storytelling is to impact people; for the interviewees to see their values, to inspired the people attending the exhibition to love on others - or even get the calling to serve the refugees!
The students were SO GREAT, they were ready to challenge themselves to grow and they did grow a lot in their skill to do photography or storytelling, or in their relationship and trust with God. We had a lot of fun, just laughing around and working together for one purpose: for God to be glorified.
Before we started the seminar, I had a country in mind for outreach. But for some reason, I prayed and felt it's not for us to go right after the Seminar (I felt God said February and we are going, but that's for another newsletter). I felt strongly to do stories of refugees here in Perth and doing an exhibition event with it. We partnered with the refugee ministry on base, but in the first week of the seminar, all the interviews we set up was falling through. It was quite impossible with the amount of work as our seminar only running for 4 weeks. We need to do to pull off an exhibition and then we also need to find people to be interviewed by us. As the staff team, we felt to go into one of the malls here and just asked people. Fast forward, we did it! Through some more connections, we were able to showcase stories from 7 refugees we met. We put a lot of hard work in it, and it was such a great night! One of the people we interviewed was these girls from Somalia. Devoted Muslims and they were super excited about Beauty of Perth (another project I'm heading - https://www.instagram.com/beauty_of_perth/). They came to our base, probably one of the first time they ever been to a place with a lot of Christians around them. One of the girls said to me, "Wow, everybody is so nice here." It really showed me how much photography and storytelling can open up the doors! We stepped out in faith and trusting God to put things together as we heard from Him about the exhibition, and He was with us! Our hope through photo storytelling is to impact people; for the interviewees to see their values, to inspired the people attending the exhibition to love on others - or even get the calling to serve the refugees!
The students were SO GREAT, they were ready to challenge themselves to grow and they did grow a lot in their skill to do photography or storytelling, or in their relationship and trust with God. We had a lot of fun, just laughing around and working together for one purpose: for God to be glorified.
In the second week of the seminar, I felt God spoke to me about a school in Kona, Hawaii. It was out of the blue, nothing I expected at all, but felt God keep on speaking about it. I just can't shake it off.. In a lot of ways, it just not convenient to do the school. But I felt God just keep on saying to trust Him... So here I am, saying yes to it! (I am actually so scared about this...) It's a 9 months school called Téleios: an ancient Greek word that means complete or mature (https://centreforchristianformation.com/event/teleios/). I can do all the reading and homework from Perth and only need to travel to Kona every quarter for a week (3x separate weeks - November, March, August). This school is for me to go deeper with God, to equip me as I disciple others. For the practical, I am trusting God for a new USA visa, a few flights to go Kona every quarter, and also the school fees! At this moment, I am looking in raising $7,000 for the course. #letsdothis #inbetweenalltheothertrips
But in everything, I am trusting God to go deep with me. There is SO MUCH to learn! And I am trusting that I will be as open as I can be with the school and with what God wants to do during this time. Another thing God spoke is about my role in discipling creatives! In this sphere of society with so many influence all around us, we need to go deep with God and find our foundation in Him. I want a greater understanding in how to lead creative people into the calling and the identity that God has for them!
But in everything, I am trusting God to go deep with me. There is SO MUCH to learn! And I am trusting that I will be as open as I can be with the school and with what God wants to do during this time. Another thing God spoke is about my role in discipling creatives! In this sphere of society with so many influence all around us, we need to go deep with God and find our foundation in Him. I want a greater understanding in how to lead creative people into the calling and the identity that God has for them!
A long newsletter, indeed! A lot is happening! But I am expectant for God to move. I will need to be in Kona from the 16th of November until the 23rd of November. And then repack, hopping into another plane to Bali on the 25th of November for the family holiday! This whole Bali holiday has been an amazing story of God's faithfulness and about how people around me really care for me... As I said, God spoke to me to take my family for a holiday, which means I need to trust Him to provide the finances. My family don't have much and my parents never been to Bali. I felt God said that He wants to bring breakthrough over our relationship in the family, and I am really trusting for this. If you saw my last newsletter, it was in the last part of the update and it was in a small section! But people saw it, and they gave towards it! One of them even said that a few months ago, he was praying for me and felt some sense about Bali. I really, really appreciates your prayers! It is a powerful!!!
ALSO, pioneering the Photo Journalism ministry which been happening for a while now and here's us (photo of us above)!!! I would love your prayers as I am trusting great things for this next season. I am trusting God for (+) a lot of wisdom in leading the vision of photo journalism ministry (+) finances for the Teleios School and for deeper understanding of who God is and who I am in Him, letting God to dig deep into my heart 😬 (+) greater friendship in my family as we'll be in Bali together! #blessed
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Nothing is impossible for Him, and let us trust in His words alone!
Tirza
ALSO, pioneering the Photo Journalism ministry which been happening for a while now and here's us (photo of us above)!!! I would love your prayers as I am trusting great things for this next season. I am trusting God for (+) a lot of wisdom in leading the vision of photo journalism ministry (+) finances for the Teleios School and for deeper understanding of who God is and who I am in Him, letting God to dig deep into my heart 😬 (+) greater friendship in my family as we'll be in Bali together! #blessed
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Nothing is impossible for Him, and let us trust in His words alone!
Tirza