Around the World

Sunday, November 30, 2008

Last days in Hawaii

Well my time has come to an end in YWAM Kona, Hawaii...for now.

A couple weeks ago I made the decision to move back to Canada for a while. I am still committed to YWAM, Kona until March but I will be helping with some office work for the photogenX ministry via Canada. So this coming December, the 17th to be exact, I arrive in Toronto and will spend about a month at home with my family and friends processing the last couple years, working on photography and maybe taking the odd shift at Groundswell! I am really looking forward to this time to spend not only with those closest to me but also the Lord in seeking the next steps. I already have the idea that I will be moving to Toronto and working there but nothing specific yet. My desire is that God will continue to use me and my gifts wherever I am.

The last couple years has been such an incredible journey for me. It has been full of adventure, growth in leadership, learning the Bible, world view and photography, deeper relationship with the Lord, challenges of many kinds, friendships, lots of good byes and traveling the world that God has so wonderfully created. To experience culture with the people, get to know their traditions and ways of life, their food and beautiful country has been a priceless blessing. I pray that God will allow me to continue you this in the years to come. I also pray that God will continue to use my gifts in photography to capture beauty and pain and to raise up a voice that will reach the nations about what is happening in our world. We live in a time where there is almost no limit to where we can go or what we can see but we also live in a time of great pain, sin and ugliness. To see this pain and hear about these injustices deeply impacted me to level where I can never say I am finished. I hope to continue to connect and join with the photogenX ministry in their mission to put an end to these injustices and see transformation happen around the world. That people would not only have a revelation of the evil that is occurring but they would come to know of the loving and forgiving Father that we have. That would be see that we are called to administer justice or all kinds whether that be in our own home, our communities, our nations or around the world. We can all play apart, which is so beautiful.

Speaking of playing apart I want to thank you all for partnering with me in seeing that I continued working with YWAM. Whether you were able to give financially or praying for me, it made the biggest difference! Without either of these two things I would not have been able to carry on. Your friendship and belief in what I do has also been an amazing blessing. To know that you support what I do and who I work for. Thank you to the YWAM community that has been a great encouragement spiritually, in friendships, growth and starting to find my calling. Thank you to all those in YWAM who have stood with me the last couple years (Paul and Susi, Dawn and Peter, Deni, Anna, Carla, Simon).

I am so excited for this next season and can't wait to connect with many of you over the Christmas season. If you would like to get a hold of me you can contact me via email (kiwana5@gmail.com) or phone (705)435-4530. Or you can just drop by my house!

I have included a summary of the last two and half years through photos. I hope you enjoy!

Much love from Hawaii,

Aaron

Last two and a half years...in photos!

PLEASE DO NOT COPY/PASTE/SAVE PHOTOGRAPHS! THEY ARE FOR YOUR ENJOYMENT BUT NOT TO KEEP. THANKS, AARON

YWAM, Prince Edward Island

YWAM, Kona, Hawaii

Outreach, Cambodia

Outreach Costa Rica and Panama

Staffing Discipleship Training School

DTS Outreach, Columbia

Staffing Round the World Track

Greece

Turkey

Christmas in Bulgaria

Egypt

Jordan

Israel

Ethiopia

Spring Break, Ireland

Amsterdam

England

Spain

Morocco

Costa Rica

Kona, Hawaii and beyond

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Happy Thanksgiving Canada!

Another quarter just flew by as time seems to be in warp speed out in the Pacific. I know this year I was hoping around but believe it or not I am still here on the Big Island of Hawaii and I haven’t gone anywhere. As much as it is such a blessing to live on this tropical island I do miss traveling and seeing God’s world. I guess I am having a bit of “cabin fever” which I like to call “island fever”. Fact, Hawaii is 4105km from Los Angeles, which is another 5 ½ hours in a plane from my home in Toronto. So you can imagine how I feel sometimes being on the most isolated islands in the world. Ok, don't feel to bad for me.

On another note, the quarter ended with little time and much stress as we finished off the publication. If you don’t remember my team is designing a book that will raise awareness about various injustice issues around the world such as prostitution, aids, rape, poverty and trafficking. We also want this book to be an avenue for people to get connected with ministries that reach out to these issues and get involved, whether that is financially, prayerfully or physically. It was a crunch at the end but the final product is full of powerful and beautiful stories and photographs. I am really looking forward to sharing this book with you in the coming months!

One more exciting piece of information is that my parents came to visit me for two weeks. It was my Mom’s 50^th birthday in September and also my parents 30^th anniversary this coming December. This time away was there way of celebrating these occasions as well as seeing what I do and where I live. We had such an adventure together as I took them to coffee shacks, hot springs, mountains, jungles, a black sand beach, snorkeling, a lava plume spurting into the ocean, natural steam vents and loads more. Thanks Mom and Dad for coming out!

As for the future…I am continuing to staff here in Hawaii until the end of December. I have currently stepped away from the photogenX track program that I was previously staffing to give my self a break. I am still fully connected with the students and love them all very much. This next three months I am working in the photogenX office in the morning and working in an area called the ATV in the afternoon. The ATV (Appropriate Technology Village) is basically a garden area that tests different growing methods, toilet systems, wells, fish ponds and more and then brings them out to developing nations. All I want to say is that I love it!

In December I will be making a trip home to Canada for a couple weeks and then off to Hawaii again to do another school, the SOP (School of Photography). I actually applied last year and was accepted so have been preparing for this time for a while. I feel that God has called me to pursue excellence in my gifts, this being photography. Although I have a lot of experience having been able to travel and use photography in photogenX and various projects, I am doing this school to get the further training. I know that this school is an investment in my career as a photographer and missionary together. I hope to continue to use photography throughout my life to serve others.

Well, I send my love, Mahalo (thanks) and blessings from the jewels of the Pacific, yes that’s Hawaii.

Oh and also check out my website, I have new photos and you can now purchase on line!

www.aaronharcourt.com

Oh and, “Happy Thanksgiving Canada!”

Photos of Hawaii underneath! Please do not copy/save/paste photographs. Thank You.

Lam. 3:22 Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail!

PLEASE DO NOT COPY/PASTE/SAVE PHOTOGRAPHS! THEY ARE FOR YOUR ENJOYMENT BUT NOT TO KEEP. THANKS, AARON