As many of you know, I have a non profit, Your Light International, and I partner with other organizations to provide free professional family portraits to those in need. For the past few years that I've done this, I've only focused on local events here in Utah. But then an opportunity came up to partner with an Organization, Philippines Humanitarian, to go give family portraits to families in the Philippines! I'm always up for adventure so I was very excited to do this.
Philippines Humanitarian is based here in Utah but their program is in the Philippines. There's a town outside of Manila, called Payatas, where there is extreme poverty and the main profession is digging through dump sites. They help fund the children there to go to school. They also have a food program where the kids get a meal once a day also. Anyone can sponsor a child and it's such a special program to be apart of! 100% of your monthly donation goes to the child and you get letters from your kid and updates. They have over 200 children in the program now so we went to take family photos for those families.
Another part of my plan is take photos for the organization we partner with so that they can use them to further promote their cause. So we did that as well while we were in the country and it was a great experience getting to meet the families and go into their homes and gain that insight into their lives.
Four other photographers wanted to join me on the adventure, and it ended up being four wonderful women who are my friends as well so I was very spoiled with the best girls' trip!
So this first post is all about the reason for the trip. To take family photos and to help out Philippines Humanitarian. In the end, as it so often is, we felt that we gained so much more than what we gave. The people of Payatas are amazing and so giving and kind. What we did felt so incredibly small in comparison to what we left with.
Along with us photographers, the director and a board member also came for the trip to take care of the business that they needed to there. We had such a warm welcome from the families when we got there!
Thank you to my friends for getting some photos of me in action! haha
One of the first days they did a welcome program for us. They did dances and a few students gave speeches of gratitude to the organization for giving them the opportunity to get an education. It was pretty emotional as they expressed their heart felt thanks with tear filled eyes.
Lots of photos were taken. haha
One of the founders. Such a kind man
They gave us flowers, thank you cards, and this flower necklace! It was so unexpected and sweet!
Buck and I signed up to sponsor a young boy a few months before my trip.
It was extra special to go there because I got to meet him and his
family! I was able to give them some stuffed animals that my grandma made and a letter from June.
We also got really close with these two sister, Divine and Diane. They ended up going with us on a few of our excursions, including overnight to the beach.
And now here's a few of the family photos that I took. There are, of course, many more from the other photographers!
It was an extra special treat to see all our photos printed and framed.
2 comments:
Such great posts! I have been waiting to see more. I am glad you could make a difference in these people's lives! What an amazing and memorable adventure.
#1 I love your fanny pack, I got one too. #2 I loved the Ms Anna sign! How special. #3 I loved the little boy you sponsor, he's such a sweetheart.
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