I’m finally getting around to posting these pictures from Tanzania that I took during my Africa trip in March. The Kenya portion was posted here. Having our first baby and moving from Japan to California — all in less than 3 months — took more energy than I could have ever imagined!

I took these photos while documenting Compassion International’s Child Survival program, which is wonderful and effective outreach to marginalized young mothers and their children in Tanzania. This is how it works. Compassion Int. staff, along with community and church leaders, identify the most needy and form them into small groups. They meet at least once a week to receive encouragement, spiritual guidance, livelihood training, and enough nutrient-packed porridge to feed their baby for the week. The latter is actually prepared by the women themselves, by mixing a variety of beans, nuts, and flour and placing them in sacks to be transported to the local mill. By the next meeting, the porridge will have been milled and measured equally among the women. The allotment will provide a hearty meal for either a nursing mother, or if old enough, their baby as well.

The stories of these women were almost more than I could bear to hear. Like the first woman in these pictures. I found out after photographing her at church that only days before her husband was killed in a motorcycle accident. Widowed with such a young child, she’s facing a long and difficult journey in a country not able to provide any form of assistance. Her and the baby desperately needs the mercy and love that Compassion International is providing.

Compassion does amazing work and is by far the most effective organization I’ve seen that breaks the cycle of poverty, one family at a time. No matter your religion, if you’re not doing something about eradicating poverty, God called and said you have to. Really.

Stepping down from the soap box right…. now.

At the age of 19, this woman (above) was widowed just a few days before I took this photo. She’s being helped through Compassion International’s Child Survival Program

Down the trail from Compassion’s Child Survival project site, a young Muslim girl retrieves water for her family before school.

More pictures uploaded here

With Kyrgyzstan in the headlines today, I remembered I had some photos of the last large scale protest when I lived there in 2006. Back then, the U.S. Embassy warden sent out a emergency warning not to go near the rally in the main square. Needless to say, I grabbed my camera and ran as fast as I could.

Upon arriving in the Maasai town of Longido, I was told “no pictures” by a few villagers, even while walking without a camera. These people must feel like zoo animals with tourists constantly asking for a picture. Indeed they are often paid to sing and dance when well-heeled safari goers stop by in their Toyota Land Cruisers.

I decided to just sit at the local water spring and make friends. After a while, it was the Maasai who asked me to photograph them — and I was honored to do so. One young man even invited me to his boma (hut) to meet his 165 year-old father. Yes, 165. So he tells me anyway, and I had him right down the number on paper to make sure there wasn’t a problem understanding his english.

Maasai boy in his boma

165 year old Maasai Father

In between long meetings, we had a few hours to see the charming city of Kiev. The highlight for me was Pechersk Lavra, a Christian Orthodox monastery dating back to 1015 which features beautiful cathedrals and a complex system of underground caverns which have sleeping areas, chapels and burial tombs of monks that date back to 1100. Unfortunately photography prohibited in the caverns…

Kashgar, Xingjin Province, China

Had a wonderful night in Yosemite last week trying to photograph the stars. Thanks Zac for the tip about the “bulb” setting and using rubber bands to hold down the button. The message however came too late so my star trail picture will have to wait. Instead I got this 30 second exposure shot.

Recently had a drive through Wyoming on my way to some meetings…

Back to Kazakhstan for some meetings this month and I finally got motivated to shoot a little for fun.

The Blue Mosque in downtown Almaty, Kazakhstan

Fall colors and the Tien Shan mountain range

Doggy terrorist?

On my last trip to Kyrgyzstan I had 6 hour layover in Amsterdam where it so happened that my buddy Mele had just arrived a few days earlier for a masters program. Here I am rushing into the picture, falling over a bike while mele enjoys a hearty laugh.

We did a whirlwind tour of the city and topped it off with eating raw herring, a Dutch delight that shan’t be missed. Errr… that should be missed completely.

Keeping things random here with pictures from several years ago off the coast of Malaysia. Friends Angel and her boss Thomas from Navigators Singapore invited me for a once in a lifetime fishing adventure. Leaving Singapore at 5pm we arrived 5 hours later in the port town of Mersing for an grueling overnight trip to some islands 40 or so kilometers from shore. The seas were rough and rolled us all night, making sleep all but impossible. The following 2 1/2 days however more than made up for it with gorgeous scenery on the islands and unbeatable fishing. Among the notable fish that we caught (aside from these tuna pictured below) were maihihi, red snapper, cod and a juvenile marlin that weighed about 35 pounds.