Updates.

A LOT has happened since my most recent video blog.  The most important being I’ve entered into the final count down.  7 days from now, I’ll be in Cambodia!  I’ve officially started packing my suitcase (though I’ve been packing my camera bag for three weeks!  I’m going to be doing a LOT of filming while in country, at least I hope so.  It’s fully loaded, and the only thing left on my list to acquire is this lens:  Olympus 12mm f/2.0.  If you’re interested in helping me out with that, let me know!).

This should be a video (and you should be able to hear “The Final Countdown” music playing in your head the whole time you’re reading this), but one my my hard drives started to crash today, which meant 1hr+ on the phone fighting my warranty.  I’ll have a new drive tomorrow!

Awareness.

This past Sunday, we had over 70 people attend a Sex Trafficking Awareness event.  Dr. Cyndi Romine from Called To Rescue shared with us about the growing problems in our area.  We’re about two months away from launching a local Anti-Trafficking Task Force.  Here is the video if you’re interested, it’s GREAT stuff (though a little, long, so grab a drink and some kettle chips.  The audio is great!):

 

Foodage.

We went to a local Vietnamese restaurant last night (Yi Shen) to let the kids experience a small piece of what the food will be like in Cambodia (the two countries share a lot of culinary similarities… at least that’s what Wikipedia tells me).  We ate pretty basic, but the phở was terrific. They had a really nice market as well, I’m going to swing by tomorrow to grab some snacks for youth group to give them a “taste” of Cambodia.

Documentary.

I met an independent film maker who primarily does documentaries at one of the trafficking meetings I went to on Sunday.  He had some great advice, that has helped to relieve a lot of stress:  Don’t worry about the story, just shoot, and shoot a lot, but only when I want to.  If I try to force a story on my experience before I get there, I’m going to frustrate myself the whole time.  But, if I allow the story to write itself, and allow myself to enter into the experience, rather than just observe from a distance, what I do film will be more worth while.

What’s left?

I’ve got quite a bit left to do:

• Youth Group on Wednesday
• Prep for, and launch Sticky Faith on Sunday
• Pack EVERYTHING into on suitcase
• Make sure all my camera gear is ready to go.
• Recheck all my camera stuff, eliminating 1/4 of it
• Take my own Visa photos
• Get my anti-malaria medication (my Dr. is being weird about prescribing travel meds)
• Load all my homework onto my iPad (20 hours on the airplane each way should let me get a LOT done!)
• Spend every moment I can squeezing my wife and kids.  I already miss them.  It’s going to be tough being away from them!  Why?  Because they are awesome!  And my favorite people… EVER!