Support Trevor!
Support local art and artists by attending RAW at the House of Blues San Diego. Our own Trevor Stolebarger is going to be showing off some of his photographs. Purchase tickets via http://www.rawartists.org/firstkiss to help support Trevor.
Choose Wisely :: Using Photography to Bless and Encourage
Our goal is to use photography to bless others, serve our fellow man, and bring glory to God in all we do. Last weekend we had the honor of photographing Military Families in San Diego. Many of the families hadn’t had formal portraits of their family in some time, due to the demands of Military life…
Dunhill has created a series of videos, Dunhill “Voices,” highlighting people who exemplify “elegance and achievement.”
This video of photographer Don McCullin is quite extraordinary. He is known in the photography world as a “war time photographer,” a term he hates. His words are haunting and compelling. A reminder of why we choose to photograph the good, the beautiful…things that encourage and bless. You don’t have to be a photographer to appreciate this little video. There a lessons to be learned on many different levels. Thanks to David Sims for creating this beautiful video.
Cooking & the Gospel
Adventures in Life Ministry is dedicated to spreading the hope that can only be found in Jesus. Dave Miller, Executive Director of Adventures in Life, will also tell you that it’s not enough to preach Jesus. In Mexico, the mortality rate for children under 5 is twice that of the United States, mostly due to malnutrition and hunger. Children can’t hear the Good News of Jesus when the “grumbling” and hunger pains are all they can think about. And when they do have an opportunity to hear about Jesus, and come to saving knowledge of Him…the question still remains, where will their next meal be coming from?
Photographing on mission with Adventures in Life in Oaxaca I have seen their work as they try and deal with these issues. At Summer Camp, the kids get 3 full meals a day, packed with tons of protein. Many of the kids who come to camp might have some sort of meat protein once a week, if that. They can have as much as they want!
This Summer they began an exciting new “culinary arts” program. Partnering with recent Le Cordon Bleu graduate Yesenia Martinez who lead the classes in our camp kitchen, she taught the first group of students in a sort of cooking boot-camp, giving them information to help them understand what a career in cooking might look like. 
On their final full day of camp the young students were brought to Oaxaca City to meet Chef Rodolfo Castellanos, Owner/Chef of Origen Restaurant. With the help of Bricia Lopez of Guelaguetza Restaurant in L.A. the kids got to visit, get to know and cook with Chef Rodolfo in his kitchen. It was a great morning and the Chef was more than gracious about sharing his story and how he worked hard in kitchens all over the world before making it back to Oaxaca to open his own restaurant. He encouraged them to dream and work hard, regardless of if they wanted to be a Chef or not.
It was a exciting to see the kids look around at his restaurant and listen to someone who is from Ocotlan, Oaxaca and think that with a lot of hard work and perseverance they might be able to be a Chef as well.
These are issues most short term missions never address. I think many of these missions trips are so focused on spreading the Good News to as many folks as possible, they never think about the physical needs of those they are trying to minister to. It’s safe to say Adventures in Life is trying to meet the physical and spiritual needs of those they are ministering to.
Thanks again to Chef Rodolfo for being such a gracious host. Thanks to Bricia Lopez of Guelaguetza Restaurant and thank you to Chef Yesenia Martinez for your willingness to come to Oaxaca and share your passion for food with the students.
Adventures in Life, Oaxaca & Photography
2010 AIL Summer Camp at Pastor Chable’s farm (Zimatlan, Oaxaca Mexico)
3 years ago I made my first trip to Oaxaca with Dave Miller and Adventures in Life. I have known Dave for quite some time and I have many friends who have been very involved with AIL over the years. I almost made it Ensenada 15 years ago, give or take a few years, with AIL but it didn’t happen.
Terry in action at 2010 AIL Summer Camp
Understanding that God’s timing is perfect, I finally made it in February of 2010. It was on that trip that I began talking with Dave about bringing more photographers to Oaxaca in order to photograph the work that AIL was doing and to take portraits of kids and families in Oaxaca.
If you have ever been on a mission trip, one thing you will notice is that everyone serving seems to have a camera. What you see is someone taking a photo, usually of kids, and then they show the image on the screen of the camera and that’s it. The folks you are serving never see the photos ever again. 
Our goal as a ministry is to fix this problem. The Summer of 2010, Terry Schwartz came to Oaxaca with me to photograph AIL Summer Camp at Pastor Chable’s farm. We brought with us 2 HP printers so each student that came to camp could take home a photo of the whole camp and a picture of themselves. The photo above is of our “command center” that week.
Cyndy has been to Oaxaca several times, like Terry, to take portraits and to photograph the work of AIL in Oaxaca.
Some of the students looking at their photos from this summers camp in Oaxaca.
One of the biggest blessings for us is knowing that we were the first photographers to take some of these students portraits! It’s something that I can never forget or take for granted. We live in a world here in the U.S. where everyone has a camera, whether its a traditional camera or a phone with one. And to think that someone has never had their photo taken? 
I took this gal’s photo in 2010. She is from San Pedro Amatlan, a small town several hours in the mountains above the city of Oaxaca. Cyndy and I visited this town with AIL’s Medical Team in March, where we had the chance to photograph families while we were there.
I recognized her from camp and I asked her if she was coming to camp in July. She was not able to make it. I also asked her if she still had the photo we took of her in 2010. She smiled and said “yes.” We took the photo above of her with some of her family…we left this and other photos we took before we headed down the mountain that evening.
These are some of the portraits we have had the privilege of taking over the past 3 years in Ensenada and Oaxaca… 
This Summer was a blessing for us as a ministry. Since we started taking portraits of students at camp in 2010, we have been able to take portraits several different times on numerous trips to Oaxaca with Adventures in Life, in a half dozen locations around Oaxaca and in Ensenada with Dios es Amor Church this summer! Praise God!
2012 AIL Summer Camp
It is our desire to help ministries like Adventures in Life by documenting in photographs the work they are doing, and help AIL and the local church in areas like Oaxaca and Ensenada extend their reach into the community through photography.
MISSION focused is now a non profit 501 (c) 3, registered with the State of California and the IRS. If you would like to support the work that we are doing in Oaxaca and in San Diego, it would be a blessing to us. At this point in time we are not set up for credit card donations, so for now you can send a check payable to “MISSION focused” to the following address: MISSION focused ~ 8030 La Mesa Blvd #326 La Mesa CA, 91942
If you are a photographer, and have a desire to use your gifts for God’s Glory and to serve others, we would love to talk with you about future trips we are planning….
All Glory to God!
Portrait Time at Dios Es Amor Summer Camp 2012
MISSION focused teamed up with Adventures in Life 3 years ago this Summer, we took photos of AIL Summer Camp. That’s where we first began taking portraits of the kids at camp and printing onsite so they could take the photo home with them.
Too often on missions trips the folks who are serving, take tons of photos but they rarely leave any. Most of the time, after taking the photo, they show the photo on the small screen of the camera and that’s it! I have been guilty of this myself.
It is our desire to use the gift of photography to bless others and bring honor and glory to Jesus. One way we can do this is by taking the portraits of the kids and printing them for them.
Adventures in Life Summer Camp 2010
The kids receiving their photos
Terry Schwartz was down in Ensenada earlier this month taking portraits of the kids who came to the Dios Es Amor Summer Camp. These are just a few of the kid portraits he took. I am sure Terry was blessed just as much, if not more, as the kids were.
If you want to join us on one of these missions trips as a photographer, let us know. We love to share the blessings.
You can see all the portraits that Terry took at our Smugmug site HERE.
Oaxaca Summer 2012 :: Locked and Loaded!
Victory Loves Preparation!
Bags are packed…ready as I will ever be. I’m heading off to Oaxaca tonight for 2 weeks of shooting with Adventures in Life Ministry. This will be my 6th trip down in 3 years, and I have learned a few things over the years.
I have learned a few things over the years…no matter how well your prepared, something will happen that will throw you off and cause you to change directions in order to “keep up!” So I basically gear up for the unexpected.
The biggest lesson of all, is that ministry in Mexico is fluid. God is in control and He knows the beginning from the end and everything in between. So if I rest in that assurance, I can go with the flow and ministry will be a lot more fun and successful.
In the end it’s not about whether I’m shooting with a Canon or Nikon camera, or if I’m using a PC or a Mac.
It’s about using the gifts that He has given me to the best of my ability.
So I prepare as best as I can, and I bring what gear I think I will need and use, and then I do my best to shoot what God shows me in a manner that brings Him the most Glory!
All Glory to God!
Photopeeps Tonite!
Bolt on over to Photopeeps tonite. We will not be in Little Italy tonite, it’s sold out 😦 So we will be meeting tonite at our usual time and usual place tonite.
7pm in Rm 353 at the Rock Church
We will have some pizza to share, it’s not the same, but it is kinda Italian. Come and join us and let’s share photos and talk about Jesus!
Free pizza, free sharing, free fun! All are welcome!
Oaxaca 2012:: Building Relationships
I’ve had the blessing to travel multiple times to photograph with Adventures in Life in Oaxaca, Mexico and each time I have learned something new about the people of Oaxaca that has blessed me and encouraged my faith. One of the biggest lessons I have learned is the need to build relationships and earn trust with the folks I am photographing. While Adventures in Life is technically an organisation that takes folks on “short term missions” to Mexico, at the heart of AIL is a desire to make a long term lasting impact in the lives of the people they minister to and with.
The only way that happens is by making and sustaining long term relationships.
Dave Miller recently shared a conversation he had with a big church in the US that was wanting to minister in Oaxaca. They had heard about Dave and the work that AIL was doing in Oaxaca, and wanted Dave to introduce them (the big US church) to his friends and contacts in Oaxaca.
Dave understands and really thinks like a Mexican when it comes to ministry and how things “get done” in Mexico. It something he has learned over the years through trial and error and much observation, and he really wants to share the Love of Christ with his friends in Mexico. Because of that, he is quick to listen and slow to move when it comes to groups coming to Oaxaca and wanting to work with him. Or in the case of the big US church, they just wanted his contacts and didn’t want to “work or partner” with him.
Dave has had other big US churches come and want to work with him, but he has had to say no, because they wanted to “do things their way” not taking into account what the local church or long term missionaries wanted or needed. He had to take a pass on working with those churches. That’s what he had to do as well with the latest big US church that wanted to meet his contacts.
At this point you might think its a pride thing and that Dave didn’t want to share his futbol with anyone, but that’s not the case. Dave really eats, drinks, and breathes Mexico! He spends half the year ministering in Mexico and working with local churches and missionaries. Much of that time is spent building new relationships and deepening old existing ones. These relationships have come over time, as he has ministered alongside local missionaries and churches. 
Dave Miller, with Pastor Chable’s Family
Having sweat, bled, cried, prayed and lived with them over the years, he has earned their trust and respect. Something Dave has come to cherish and guard. The folks he is ministering with, are his friends and he has become part of their family. This isn’t just ministry contacts they, the big US churches, want him to introduce them to, it really is his family.
Don’t know about y’all, but family really is sacred. Not something you mess with. When you meet family, and become family, it’s an honor that you don’t take lightly. Especially since it’s not something that comes easily or quickly, even with the family of Christ, both in Mexico or in the US.
In the end, it really is all about our relationship with Christ and with each other, as we seek to share Christ with those who don’t know Him yet.
Respect the family!
Dave shares a little more about the idea of family and relaltionships at his blog Notes from Dave, you can read more HERE.
If you want to come experience Oaxaca first hand, feel free to contact Dave at info@ailministry.org
Oaxaca Med Team :: Heading for Home
It’s about that time…for everyone to head for home. Before everyone leaves, wanted to share a few photos of some of the amazing folks we had the privilege to serve alongside this week. 
Pastor Rolando with his family and the Adventures in Life Medical Team, in San Felipe Guila
Pastor Chable’ with his wife Estella and her mom and their son Hiram. With the beautiful view of the valley of San Pedro Amatlan behind them. 
Team Oregon! Jolene, Fran, Arlene and Claire. Great gals from Burns, Oregon
Pastors Americo and Norma, with their children Ruth and Julian. Surrounded by the great folks on this years Medical Team.
Friday we celebrated Hermana Norma’s Birthday! Here she is with the shawl and flowers we gave her.
Can’t have a birthday without a birthday cake…and fire! 
Janet and Raquel have already left for home…but we still had a blast celebrating Hermana Norma’s birthday without them 🙂
Before I forget…It’s been a real blessing to serve alongside Cyndy Smith. She has traveled the world on many missions over the years, and she is a great addition to MISSION focused family and this week couldn’t have been possible without her. She has been a real trooper this week. Missions deep in Mexico is very different than what you may have experienced along the border towns and she has learned to be quite flexible with how things are on mission in Oaxaca.
We will be continuing to post when we get back to the states, photos and stories, so stay tuned and please visit our Facebook page for more info and photos. You can see our Facebook page HERE.
Oaxaca Med Team :: Fruit of the Loom(s)
Next door to the church in San Baltazar is a family that has a textile manufacturing business, they make knit ware on the loom, from wool, cotton, silk and other assorted materials. The father, Julian, has been a big help in the past as was part of the team of locals that helped build the church over the years.
Doug, Noemi, Elizabeth and Brian in front of the church in San Baltazar in February 2012
Doug got to know Julian during their time of working together while building the church. Doug took a photo of himself and Julian that found its way back to Julian, via Dave, and now hangs proudly in the house of Julian. Talking with Jaime, Julian’s son, he said his dad still talks about Doug and his experience helping build the church.
Jaime and Dave, who is holding the photo of Doug & Julian
Dave shares…As I walked in the door, I saw it. A picture I have seen a million times on my computer. It is one I have used on the Adventures in Life Ministry web site. It was a picture of my friend Doug and the new friend he made in Oaxaca, Julian, Jaime’s dad.
Everyone in the family remembered Doug and the day that photo was taken. I listened as they shared about their dad helping us build the church next door and his work with us alongside Doug in Tlacolula.
Oaxaca Med Team :: Notes from Dave
Dave Miller, with Adventures in Life just wrote a great blog about the power of photography. He gives us huge props as well…You can read his blog at his blog site “notes from Dave” or by going HERE.
Oaxaca Medical Team:: Bang for the Buck(or Peso)
Dave Miller, executive director of Adventures in Life (AIL), was talking with one of the men yesterday in San Felipe Guila, Oaxaca, Mexico. That’s where this years Medical Team has been ministering, today and yesterday.
He asked, “why are you guys here? Nobody comes here (to San Felipe Guila).”
If you look on the map, there really isn’t much there. Most of the men in the town have left to find work in the city, near the border or in the U.S. Folks leave the town, they don’t come here for vacation, or even for missions trips.
Dave and I were talking today about his question, and it really was a good question that opened itself up to further questions of how short term missions is done across the globe.
I don’t profess to know much about short term missions philosophy and methodology, but I know what I’ve seen over the years as a photographer for Miles Ahead ministries and other groups that do short term missions.
The idea of, “bang for the buck” is an interesting concept. Dave shared a story with me of an missions leader telling him that trips with AIL are “cheap” in comparison to other missions groups. That he loved what AIL is doing in Mexico and he could see that real help is happening through Adventures in Life ministries. Bang for the buck!
But…what AIL does isn’t flashy, fashionable or trendy. Not that short term missions should be any of those things, but that missions leader was looking for something with more “show,” that would look good to the church that sent the group. They wanted big extravagant events and projects that look good and project well when doing a power point presentation to the missions folks and pastors.
What I’ve witnessed over the last 3 years, in the time I’ve been coming to photograph AIL ministries, is relationship and community building. A belief that working with local churches and pastors, and long term missionaries like Pastor Rolando in San Felipe Guila, is smarter than trying to come to an area and “do something” big for big’s sake.
Pastor Rolando & his wife
Adventures in Life understands that those in the trenches know better than any missions director in the states. That bigger isn’t always better when it comes to doing short term missions. By asking those who are ministering long term in the field, and living alongside them in community, Adventures in Life can partner with and help these missionaries better reach those who don’t know Jesus yet.
Unfortunately, too many U.S. churches want the big dog and pony show that looks good on video and looks good when sharing from the pulpit.
That’s not what Adventures in Life is all about.
Oaxaca 2012 :: Adventures in Life Ministries
Adventures in Life Ministries was started over 15 years ago by 2 friends of mine, Grady Martine and Dave Miller. The ministry continues today… their Vision is to make known the transforming power of the Gospel through short term missions in Mexico.
They do this by developing ministry partnerships to reach the heart of Mexico(their Mission).
MISSION focused has had the honor of partnering with AIL over the last 3 years to help them, through photography, to make known the transforming power of the Gospel in Mexico.
Cyndy and brotherjoe are going to Oaxaca at the end of March to continue documenting the work of AIL in Oaxaca.
Jolene, part of the Medical Team in 2010, checking a patients heart and breathing
The Medical Team will be serving in different parts of Oaxaca, partnering with local churches and missionaries, to bring basic health care, via a small mobile clinic, to folks who might not receive any medical attention at all.
You can follow the work of Adventures in Life at their website www.AILministry.org or you can visit their Facebook page HERE. You can also view videos of recent AIL ministry trips at their YouTube channel HERE.
Of course, if your curious about what MISSION focused has been doing in Oaxaca, you can look HERE.
Photopeeps :: Intro to Photo Fun
Photopeeps:: Intro to Photo Fun! Classes begin this Wednesday
The fun is about to begin…Our 6 week Intro to Photo Fun classes are beginning this week, in Rm 353 at the Rock.
All are welcome and classes are FREE!
Requirements:
~Please bring your camera and camera manual to class with you each week.
~A digital camera is preferred, but if all you have is a Polaroid camera, your more than welcome to join us. ‘
~Each week we will be taking photos in class and you will be assigned homework assignments that you will share in class the following class session.
~Be ready to share. The class is meant to be fun and part of the fun is sharing photos we take and learning from each other as we share.
~Before you come this Wednesday, make sure your camera is ready to use and battery is fully charged with a memory card that is ready to use.
This Wednesday we will be talking about the Intro to Fun classes as a whole and what’s expected, and we will be talking about “the Camera.” No camera, no photos. No photos, no photo fun!
All are welcome, even those who don’t consider themselves as beginners. There’s something to learn for everyone.
Any questions, please leave a comment or email us at MISSION.focused@yahoo.com
Oaxaca 2012 :: Family Photos
MISSION focused began photographing military families (free of charge) 3 years ago, as a way to say thank you for serving our country. It has become one of the biggest blessings for us as a group of photographers. When I began coming down to Oaxaca with Adventures in Life in February of 2010, I started thinking that maybe we could take the concept of free family portraits to Oaxaca, as way to extend the reach of the local churches. After talking with Dave and Pastors Americo and Norma, they liked the idea…we decided to try it out and see how it went.
In this photo, I was able to gather, was 3 generations of one family, spanning 4 generations. The young girl in red was the daughter/great grand-daughter; the gal in brown was the mom to the young girl and grand-daughter of the women in native Zapotec clothing; and then there was grand-ma/great grand-mother(bis abuela). How cool was that! What a huge blessing to be able to take what most likely was their first photo of the 3 of them.
In July of 2010, Terry came with me to Oaxaca to help photograph a kids camp Adventures in Life was leading for kids who live in the mountains surrounding Oaxaca. Terry and I were able to take portraits of every kid and print them so they could take the photo home with them.
Along with a photo of themselves, we gave them a copy of the camp photo. Our plan was to go into some of the towns Americo and Norma are ministering in and take family portraits, unfortunately we got rained in. There was so much rain the first couple days we were stranded and unable to go and take photos. 
brotherjoe, Dave, Cyndy, Jim and Terry, with the owner of the famous Chaguita Nievas Oaxaquenas (ice cream like dessert) helados stand in the middle of the market in Oaxaca City.
Last February Terry came back along with Jim and Cyndy to help take portraits. Unfortunately Jim got sick and had to stay back at home base as Terry, Cyndy and I went out to take photos.
Terry in action last February
Cyndy taking photos of some of the local kids in San Baltazar, February 2011
The reality is this: In the parts of Oaxaca that Adventures in Life ministers in, family photos is a luxury item that most families can’t afford so they don’t think about it. The best example I have of this is Hermana Norma’s parents, Santiago y Julia.
This is a photo of Santiago and Julia’s wedding day in 1965. Santiago is at the head of the horse that Julia is sitting on.
Terry took this photo of Santiago and Julia last February. It wasn’t until we showed Hermana Norma this photo that we learned that this was the first photo of the two of them since their wedding day. I was in Santiago and Norma’s house yesterday and there was this photo hanging on the wall.
This is the power photography! This is why we come to Oaxaca and this is why we choose to use our gifts for God’s Glory.
**to see more portraits please visit our Facebook page HERE, and while your there please LIKE us**
Absurdity of Advertising…
I saw this ad in Time magazine on Tuesday, while sitting in the waiting room…It was an issue from October of last year. For those of y’all who don’t recognize the gal in the photo, good for you. As you can see it’s an ad for Louis Vuitton, and the gal looking all serious with her Louis Vuitton tote is Angelina Jolie. According to the text with the ad, the photo was taken in Cambodia in May 2011, by Annie Leibovitz.
I’m not second guessing the validity of the ad. The ad is just funny. Even absurd. That’s probably why Angelina looks so tepid or even embarrassed, as if she’s saying “take the photo already.”
I Google’d the tote she is schlepping in the ad…it sells anywhere from $1500-$2000 dollars. From what I’ve read, she did insist on shooting the campaign with her own clothes and wearing her own makeup. The 6 year old LV alto tote is also hers and is out of production. To which Louis Vuitton considered editing the image with a current bag still in production, I don’t know if they did or not.
It’s just silly. It would be like doing a fashion shoot of evening gowns in an orphanage. Bad taste. Cambodia still struggles economically in comparison to neighboring countries, with corruption still rampant throughout the country.
With these ads Louis Vuitton is trying to hype up their history of being the go-to luggage and bag company when it comes to luxury travel. I think there are better ways of reminding folks of their travel heritage than this ad.
As photographers, we all have to make judgement calls. Is this the best way of using your talents? Am I using photography to promote good? There is more to these questions and many ways to view the issues…I think it’s good to talk about these things and I’m just starting…
I posted some different thoughts concerning this ad, in regards to short term missions on my personal blog…feel free to take a look HERE or by visiting one1shot.wordpress.com
Sustainability Lessons from Oaxaca
This post was originally written after my first visit to Pastor Chable’s ranch in the Summer of 2010. With my recent trip to Oaxaca and spending time on Pastor Chable’s ranch, I thought it would be good to show what God is doing in the area of Sustainability….I welcome your thoughts.
In this photo, of the farm of Pastor Chable, you can see left to right…the greenhouse where tomatoes and peppers are grown, in the middle 2 buildings that house chickens, turkeys and rabbits (for food), and on the right a field waiting to be planted with corn.
This is where the rabbits are housed. The middle row of cages is where the breeding rabbits are. in an effort to maintain the integrity and health of the rabbits, the University of Guadalajara’s agriculture dept has helped catalog and register the rabbits used for breeding here. The male offspring are never introduced to any of the breeding females and unfortunately for the males, they usually are the first to be sold for food or invited to dinner…
What Pastor Chable is doing on his farm outside of Oaxaca, is selling rabbits for food to help pay for the upkeep of the rabbits, chickens, and turkeys. He is also selling breeding “sets”. A female will on average give birth to 10 rabbits, 4 times a year. And if I remember correctly, each rabbit will yield about 4 kilos of meat.
For less than $150 US dollars, a farmer can purchase 1 male and 10 females, to begin raising rabbits for food and revenue. With the formula of 1/10 a farmer will on average have 400 rabbits that he can use to feed his family, which means protein for life. The rabbits also provide the farmer a way to help support his family, by the selling of rabbits. The buzz word in missions lately is sustainability. This is what Pastor Chable is doing…providing a way for locals to support their families.
While we may find it objectionable to eat Bugs Bunny, it’s a reality. A friend recently reminded me that if we saw how most of our meat comes to the table, we would all be vegetarians. If you would like to learn more of the process…and see photos you can go to HERE and enter the password: LIFE
**warning** The images are graphic, showing rabbits that are being prepared to be slaughtered for food. If you are squeamish about that sort of thing, please dont go to the post. But if you want to learn more about the good thats happening with the rabbits, feel free to go…
What’s sad to me is what I heard shared about churches in the states who are helping support the work in Oaxaca. Some of the U.S. churches have stated that they would like Pastor Chable to only give meat to christians. On occasion, famlies will come to Pastor Chable asking for meat to help feed their families. He doesn’t turn down anyone needing help, with or without money. Those of us visiting, thought it funny that these American churches in essence are asking Pastor Chable to not feed non christians, only to feed christians. Those of us visiting thought this was funny…you want to help support the work in Oaxaca, but only to christians. This is ridiculous. But it happened. Of course Pastor Chable couldn’t abide by that request.
This opens up another can of worms that won’t be discussed here right now…that being, “do we have a right to tell those we are supporting financially how to use those funds?”
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He does raise chickens and turkeys as well. I was surprised to hear that turkeys are hard to raise…they eat lots and take too long to get big and plump (naturally), so its not worth it. He keeps a few turkeys, like the dude above, cause they look good. But the most bang for the peso (or buck) comes with the rabbits.
Pastor Chable sharing with the kids about the rabbits and the tomatoes they are growing…
This is corn that will be planted. Another way to help local farmers produce a product they can take to market and support their families.
Irrigation lines in the corn field. Adventures in Life is helping bring new farming techniques to local famers in Oaxaca to help them get the most from their crops. Dave has brought down some folks from the states who are farmers, to help them share ideas…the big picture is to help locals be self sufficient, so they can support their families while staying in Oaxaca. Like many areas in Mexico and Central and South America, the men have left their homes to search for employment to support their families…many coming to the U.S. as the local church in Oaxaca seeks to provide means for the men to produce corn and tomatoes on a small plot of land, and to raise rabbits, the hope is that they can stay with their families and keep the family together. Which is much better than having the husbands thousands of miles away.
Pastor Chable with his family (minus their oldest son)
This trip was definitely eye opening, and a blessing to see what God is doing in Oaxaca, through men like Pastor Chable. I look forward to seeing what God does as Adventures in Life continues to work in Oaxaca. If you’d like more information about Adventures in Life, you can go HERE, I’m sure Dave would love to hear from you.
If you want to see more about sustainability and rabbits, you can go HERE and enter the password: LIFE
warning…warning… these images are graphic in nature, showing the slaughter of rabbits for food. It’s real and it’s life. It may not be suitable for children.
MISSION focused 