Mexico Bound!

One more sleep and I'm ready to go!  


I can't believe that my trip to Mexico is already here!  We will be on our way on Saturday afternoon.  As always, I never feel quite prepared to go on one of these trips, but I am just praying that I will be able to "speak a word in season" to my wonderful friends down there, and just relax and enjoy this unique opportunity that the Lord has given to me again.  Not sure how many updates I'll be able to post, but I'll try!  


Looking forward to trying out my new camera lens.  
Adios amigos!

The Way We See

I'm stealing some words from one of my favorite photographers today - I was just reading David duChemin's blog about his trip to Africa, and he said the following:

"I’m coming home inspired. After this time with these nomads, people who re-define the lower limits of poverty for me, it’ll be easier to take less on the road with me. It’ll be easier to live on less. It’ll be harder to withhold help where I can give it. These trips always change me.



I’m often asked if I get culture shock when I go away. My stock answer is that I get culture disappointment when I come home. When I get home people stop looking others in the eye and smiling. They stop shaking hands and asking who I am, how I am, and how my family is doing. They stop offering me tea. We’re either too busy chasing the trivial or we just don’t care. One of my guides during the safari workshop said to me: “Westerners all have watches, but we Africans have time”. It’s true. For people who believe time is money, we sure spend it in some strange ways and on things that will not last. There’s a pace in Kenya that I love, that I’m already beginning to miss, knowing I’m back to schedules and itineraries so soon."

If you substituted the word Mexico for Kenya, it would describe exactly how I feel about the trips I've taken there, and how it has changed my life.  The things that mattered to me before don't matter so much anymore.  I live in an apartment the size of a postage stamp, and I love it.  I have no desire to be anywhere else right now.  When I think about the way some of my friends in Mexico live, I realize I am blessed beyond measure.  And the quote the man made about time describes exactly the way it is in Mexico.  I remember thinking during the ten weeks that I spent there that I had never seen time go by so slowly in all my life.  Some days it felt never ending, and some days it was a gift.  One thing was for certain, everything in Mexico took time, and there was time for everything.  Some days when I am going about my frantic life I really, really miss that.    

This trip is coming up so fast, and most of the time I feel totally unprepared for it.  Sometimes I wonder if I will feel the same way when I return, because many times I forget about the fact that I am actually going back.  The busyness of our North American lives has a way of stealing those things away like that.  It's something that you have to be intentional about maintaining.  But whenever I take the time to look back at pictures, or things that I had written while I was in Mexico, or talk to someone about my experiences there, that same fire begins to burn again deep inside of me.  I think I know that the embers are always there, they just have to be fanned into life every once in a while.

30 More Sleeps Til Mexico!

Can't wait!  Brilliant sunshine, azure blue skies...a little bit of heaven...

Props to my sister Brenda for this awesome background she designed - it's a picture that I took while in Mexico.  I was absolutely fascinated with the doors and windows there - maybe I'll do a book some time about the doors and windows in Mexico! 

Great job Bem, thanks!!!

Mexico Pics

I actually managed to find some pictures of my friends in Mexico! The last time I was there was in 2007 for 10 weeks, and we spent the last week doing a children's program with my friends Martha and Paco at their church.  They have been working tirelessly in a small community near them for years; cooking meals in their own home and distributing them to the children in the area, reaching out to the people in whatever way they can.  They have been trying to get their church built for the last ten years, and have suffered many setbacks in trying to do so.  It will be a thrill and an honor beyond belief to go and help them to reach this goal in whatever way we can. 

Sometimes the memories I have of Mexico begin to fade a little bit, but when I start to look at the pictures of my friends, I can feel the excitement starting to build all over again.   I can hardly wait to hear the rolling sounds of Spanish floating around me again, to hug the children with their beautiful brown eyes and shy smiles, to stand beneath the most brilliant, clear blue skies I have ever seen in my life, and the food, oh the food...mole, carne asada, and the delicious fresh salsa that the Mexican ladies make.  I remember just before I left Mexico in 2007 that Tim (the missionary I worked with) took me to say goodbye to this wonderful Mexican lady that we had met - when he told her I was leaving, she was expressed how disappointed she was to hear that, and Tim said to her "Oh, she'll be back, Mexico is in her blood."  And he was right. 

                                  My friends Martha, Paco and her beautiful sister Edith.

Paco & Martha's son Misael - he was 15 years old at the time and was already working with the fire department and training to be a paramedic.

Their church at the time consisted only of brick walls with no windows or doors, or roof.  The blazing hot Mexican sun was beating down on our heads, but we put up some tarps and used umbrellas and managed to make it work.  Maybe we can get a roof on that church while we are there...

Copyright Kellie Graham

Zacatecas Here I Come!

I've been meaning to share my exciting news, I'm returning to Zacatecas, Mexico for another missions trip! I'm so looking forward to returning to a place I have come to love and it's people.  I leave mid-March and will be once again working with Martha & Paco.  My heart just soars at the thought.

Hope to find time to fill you all in a little more and share some other photos.

Xmas on the Farm

And a shiny New Year to all!

My Gracie

Bailey at rest...finally!

It's Christmas!

Yahoo!!!  I've been flying around like crazy trying to get ready, but I am so glad it's here!!!  Can hardly wait to get home with my family.  One last post and the girls and I are going to hit the road.  My sister Brenda has been asking to see some pics of my Charlie Brown Christmas tree, so here they are.  (I saw this cute little pine tree on the side of the road and decided to cut it down.  It's tacky, but I love it!)  Merry Christmas everyone!!!!

Life Is Short

I just finished reading a post by David DuChemin on his blog called "Life Is Short".  Please, please take a moment to read it.  It is one of the most profound things I have read in a long time, and it has caused me to stop and take stock of my life once again:  http://www.pixelatedimage.com/blog/:

Photo Magic

Went home for the weekend and had fun taking pictures, eating good food and enjoying my family.  Doreen (Ree), Bren and I spent hours pouring over photos on Bren's Mac, both ones I'd taken and then Ree's as well.   A great bonding time among sisters I might add.

(These first two are ones I took of random things that caught my interest)

I didn't have a lot that I'd taken of this trip home (got more on Sunday but unfortunately they are still on my camera)  It was Ree who got the jaw dropping shots this weekend.  Just take a look at these uncensored sunset shots at the farm!

Would you look at those hues, she's really working on applying all that knowledge from our Workshop and the books she's reading :-)

Ree would also tell you it's finding that one extraordinary sunset/sunrise.  Waiting for just those right moments of lighting can really make the shot.  There are so many more from this weekend that I'd love to show you but first I'll have to see if Ree wants to share them :-)  I think she needs her own blog to show the amazing things she is doing with her love of photography too.

Now the day isn't done until I show you a couple of shots of the girls.  My bro-in-law and I took our dogs out for a run in the fields, free of leashes.  Oh did they love the freedom, here is one frame of Bailey full tilt booggie.  Gracie was doing the same until she caught wind of my sister Deb outside at her home. (Deb and Al build a beautiful home right beside the family farm, I often take photos of her flower gardens) she took off like a shot with Paul and I screaming behind her.

Deb grabbed her up, and as you can see Gracie has that look of adoration in her sweet doggie face, she just loves to be cuddled.

What a great time all round, now I can't wait for Christmas on the farm!