Tools of the Trade

Desktop, Iringa Style - March 2013

A couple of months ago I was interviewed for an article that will appear in my Undergrad Magazine (Go Pipers!). The piece is focused on alumni who are doing 'intriguing' work in religious fields. Apparently being a Program Coordinator/Missionary in Malaysia and, now, Tanzania fits the bill. 

In addition to an extended phone interview the article also required a photo shoot. That experience, in and of itself, is another story. Prepping for the shoot, I received the following request in my email:

We'd like to setup a portrait with you to convey your missionary work in Africa. We'd like to bring in props that help create an African setting. The backdrop may be a burnt orange or brownish color and we could have you seated on an African rug with basket weaving or blankets in the background. We'll be setting up lighting to create a dramatic light source with you holding a Bible or some item you use in your missionary work. 

It is a simple enough request but, for some reason, the last dozen or so words gave me pause.

I get the intended portrait that they desired to compose. It sounds like a classic - one that is easy to imagine. The catch is that it doesn't quite convey my reality.

One of the primary roles of being a Missionary in the 21st Century is connecting people of faith across continental and cultural borders. The Bible is already out there. It has been translated into a multiplicity of languages and is shared by indigenous and international Churches and leaders all around the world. The primary task now, at least for the roles that I've played, is stitching this diverse and global body of faith together - one image/story/message at a time. 

To do that, my MacBook Air and Smartphone are the two tools that rarely leave my hands. Through them I don't necessarily bring something new. Rather, I share and communicate what is already there (aka the presence and mission of God). Altogether, this creates a very different kind of portrait.

As it turned out the photo shoot happened, more or less, on the fly. It also happened in the middle of a massive snowstorm. The rugs and weavings didn't quite come to fruition but there were some characteristically colorful African fabrics with intricate patterns that the magazine's printer is going to 'love' (or not). I was dressed in a Chinese-styled jacket from Malaysia with a beaded Maasai stole around my neck. With neither a Bible nor Technology, my hands were open - to interpretation.

And the final result? They remain to be read and seen. 

I'll keep you posted if/when it goes to print.