out of our minds...

salam from mazar-e-sharif. i will try my best to explain the other-worldliness of this place, but I do suggest that if at all possible in your lifetime you visit afghanistan (at least once!). I can attest to the fact that it is, afterall, only a hop, skip and a jump away. after eight days of hopping, skipping and jumping from kona to tokyo (for one night) to india (delhi for four days), to kabul (long enough to live through a bombing) and finally an eight hour van ride through some of afghanistans finest dirt roads and mountain passes, we have arrived in MAZAR. seven days of travel brought us a day ahead of the western world and back to the year 1347 (according to the afghan calendar). 

it only seems fitting that it is the year 1347 because geographically, i'm sure this place has not changed much since then. close your eyes and imagine mary and joseph riding on donkeys through “that little town of Bethlehem”. what do you picture? perhaps dust flying about in the dry air, camels, sheep and goats wandering through the rocky, dry roads, women with faces framed by scarves chasing after children, men in long cloaks selling fruit from wooden carts, clay houses built into mountainsides….if this is the picture you had in your mind know that you were actually picturing [mazar-e-sharif] in all its charming simplicity.

no matter how super-human we have tried to be, or how hard we try to force the shell that encompasses our person to snap into shape and adjust to the blazing heat (usually about 130 degrees) or the time-change or the unfamiliar foods, our entire team was sick for about the first week that we were here. we are recovering (some of us more slowly than others..) 

the physical discomfort is a constant reminder that we were created for another world. the physical change echoes what my heart feels of the constant pull between the world that I live in and the one that I was designed to live in. as long as I walk this earth my soul will ache for its home.

 life here is simple. there are none of the comforts of the western world or the familiarities of home to distract me from this truth.  we present the gospel plainly, as it should be presented. there is no room for a candy coated gospel concocted in a la-la land prayer meeting. we do not bend the truth or complicate the story of the God Man for the sake of relevancy. we are not fluent in Dari (although I am excited to report that we are becoming quite conversational) so there is no option of fluffing up Christ’s love with fancy veils of enticement. 

we have learned to operate strictly in the practicality that IS the kingdom come. in simple acts of mercy. the kingdom is here. in loving embrace. the kingdom is here. with dancing. the kingdom is here. with warm smiles. the kingdom is here. coloring with crayons. the kingdom is here. In patient understanding. the kingdom is here. with broken english. the kingdom is here. in the eyes of the orphan. the kingdom is here.

we are living out the ministry of reconciliation. drawing our new friends into the relationship with their Father that they were intended to live out , one practical act at a time. “not regarding anyone from a worldy point of view”, but loving unconditionally. despite culture. despite circumstance. despite convienience.

these are the mustard seeds that we are sowing into this dry land. 

“ …in a distracting, violent and tempting world, keep sowing the seed of love. sow it even when it is seemingly being choked or seems too small to make a difference…” -shane claibourne

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echoes of grace...

{may the ground beneath our feet be an echo of His grace}

i am so proud to be [mrs. schallert]! words cannot express how thankful i am to each and every one of you that celebrated with us (both near and far away) on our wedding day. we truly feel your prayers and are so thankful for your support. i am blown away at how every single detail for the ceremony fell into place, so {perfectly orchestrated} in Grace. God's provision streches beyond our physical needs into the hidden places of our hearts and dreams. 

It was such an unreal day and the perfect start to this beautiful, reckless adventure together.  I am so excited to walk out life's questions beside Steve, drawing ever-closer to the heart of the Father. 

our hearts are itching to travel and to start putting some of our training into action...in one week we trek to [kabul] (via japan and india...a few days of travel) and than will be living in [mazar-i-sharif] for the next few months; we will be learning their language so that we can build relationships and will be distributing food to those affected in the severe famine that is taking place in afghanistan right now. we will also be using our art to capture the beauty and culture of these unique people. 

contact via phone and e-mail will be limited for the 3 months that we are there, so please get in touch sometime this week before we head out ( yes, we are "honeymooning", but we are so eager to hear from you! call/write anyway!).

after [afghanistan] we are headed onward for the {'round the world track}! 

 diane.byrnes@gmail.com|908.227.1886

 

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Wearing justice like a turban...

hello my dear family&friends. i hope that you are all doing well. i am really starting to miss you and will be glad to have a new phone next week so that i can hear about what's going on in your lives and share what is going on in mine. i fear if I don't tell you soon my heart will EXPLODE. i am once again overwhelmed by God's grace and provision...in every.single.area of my life. i have been really busy this past week and have been stealing away every moment that i can to hideout and just BE. i am being challenged physically and emotionally and i really value the time where i can get away to process all of it and just melt in the peace of God.

[because we serve a God who takes care of His kids] wedding plans have been literally falling into place. thank you for your continued prayers for steve & i as we prepare our hearts for the next 100 years (so what if i want to be 122 years old...)

photogenX as a group has established a definite outline of where we will be traveling within the next two years (whereas before we had more of a general outline) we are going to have the opportunity to develop some amazing projects to make some changes in this world through visual media...not just taking photographs for the sake of art or to evoke PITY. but, creating art that CAPTURES the beauty and individuality of the subject and exposing desperate situations so that there can be JUSTICE. as i prepare to do this, every part of me is aching for to meet and photograph these people and this has been my hearts cry this past week;

job 29:12-16 

"...I rescued the poor who cried for help and the fatherless who had none to assist him. the man who was dying blessed me, I made the widows heart sing. I put on righteousness as my clothing; justice was my robe and my turban. I was eyes to the blind. and feet to the lame. I was a father to the needy; I took up the case of the stranger..."

love,

diane.

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the fusion of faith and photography.

Aloha! I am currently living in Kona, Hawaii where I have roommates from Zimbabwe, California, England, Wisconsin, New Zealand and Denmark. 7 Sisters living under one roof. We are all part of a group called photogenX, a team of photographers seeking to make a change in the world with their art. There are artists and missionaries representing 41+ nations here; it is such an amazing experience to work and worship together despite cultural and denominational differnces. The people of Hawaii are so gracious and held a protocol ceremony for us upon our arrival, inviting us into their land and into their "Ohana", which means family.

They are not the only ones who gained a new "Ohana". On April 12th Steve and I were with the team at Pololu Valley (never heard of it? Ever seen Jurassic Park? You know that opening helicopter shot...yeah, THAT valley). As we sat on a rock wall in the parking lot of the valley we were overwhelmed by God's grace and the plans that He has for his children. Steve asked me to be his wife, and ...on June 14th I will become just that ; ) (Yes, June 2008...God's timing defies human logic sometimes...)

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Venturing Out.

"We get one story, you and I, and one story alone. God has established the elements, the setting, and the climax and the resolution. It would be a crime not to venture out, wouldn't it? It might be time for you to go. It might be time to change, to shine out. I want to repeat one word for you: Leave. Roll the word around on your tongue for a bit. It is a beautiful word, isn't it? So strong and forceful, the way you have always wanted to be. And you will not be alone. You have never been alone. Don't worry. Everything will still be here when you get back. It is you who will have changed."- Donald Miller



Over the next two years I will be traveling with a group of artists,photojournalists and missionaries through the Pacific, China, Cambodia, India, Israel, Egypt, Turkey, Greece, South Africa, Chad, Germany, and Venezuela capturing the beauty and culture of each nation and unmasking the desperate issues at hand (human trafficking, sexual slavery, female genital mutilation,gender discrimination and female suicide bombers to name a few). This project will then work towards developing and distributing communication tools to raise social awareness about these issues, hoping to make a dent, through print media, by educating and informing those who have little or no knowledge of the "voiceless".

I am so excited to be a part of this project. I could not do it without YOUR love and support. It means so much to know that I have such an awesome group of family and friends backing me as I venture out. THANK YOU to every single person who has contributed, both financially and prayerfully. I am overwhelmed with graditude and feel so blessed to have you in my life. Your continued support is needed.

From April until June 2008 I can be reached at this address in Hawaii:
Please send any mail "Airmail" (not "ground" or "surface")

Diane Byrnes
PhotogenX DTS
University of the Nations
75-5851 Kuakini Hwy Box 432
Kailua-Kona, HI 96740
USA



www.voiceforthevoiceless.co.za
www.myspace.com/dianebyrnesphotography
diane.byrnes@gmail.com

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Go.

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