Merry Christmas

This year my Christmas is looking a little different than usual. Myself and three others from the track left on Wednesday night for Istanbul by bus. Twelve hours in an upright seat is not always suiting your sleeping needs so we were all pretty tired when we arrived in Istanbul. Our first morning consisted of finding a great bakery, me chilling at Starbucks for a couple hours and the rest sleeping away the afternoon. I eventually made it back to the hostel and fell asleep myself waking up at 4:30 just in time to get ready for supper. The rest of the day mostly consisted of resting.

On Friday we visited the famous Agiya Sofia. What an incredible building with so much history and significance. At one time Istanbul was named Constantinople and the Agiya Sofia was built in honor of Constantine in about 300ad. The Agiya Sofia was burnt down twice and the third building was constructed about 400ad, complete with domes, whereas the other building was more of a rectangular shape. This church was one of the largest churches in all the world and had great importance, being the capital of the Roman Empire

In the 1400’s Istanbul was conquered by an Islamic group and the Agiya Sofia was tuned into a Mosque until the 1800’s. During the mid 1900’s the plaster in the Mosque was stripped away to reveal the beautifully handcrafted mosaics from the previous church. The Agiya Sofia is now a museum in itself. It is quite incredible to stand under eight story domes, decorated with mosaics, paintings and ornaments and to think that ten thousand human hands once crafted this building.

Anyways enough about this building just thought you might be interested. Three days we spent in Istanbul and then took off to visit some people in Bulgaria for Christmas. I was quite shocked at how I pictured Bulgaria to be and how similar it was when we arrived. A fog filled land and quite cold, the snow just disappearing. Looks like I won’t be having a white Christmas for the fifth year. The town we are staying in called, Pazerdjik, has many apartment buildings remaining from the Communist era but lying just outside the city is beautiful snowy mountains. We hope to go skiing later this week!

I also wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and New Year wherever that may be this year! I hope that Jesus is close to your hearts and becomes real in this time. Thank you also for your support through this incredible journey God has been taking me on this year. It has been a wild year with many unexpected situations. For example, deciding to go to Costa Rica with my leaders Paul and Susi Childers one week before we left.
To sum up this year; I have been to seven new countries (one of those being painted in a tribe), staffed a Discipleship Training School, lead a team to Columbia, finished a Living Waters program, visited home, worked at a café for one month, had a photography exhibition; currently helping lead a team around the world studying photography, the Bible and World Views and I am now celebrating Christmas in Eastern Europe. So thank so much for being a part of it! Love you all very much and please don’t be shy to email anytime (kiwana5@gmail.com or Facebook).

Please pray that this Christmas would be very real for me as it is hard being away from my family at this time of the year. Also pray for opportunities to minister to people when we visit some of the gypsy villages here in Bulgaria. One last thing, just for this year in general, that I would grow deeper with God and he would continue to use me in leadership, photography and being Jesus to people as well as I can!

Blessings and Merry Christmas,

Aaron Harcourt
photogenX team
Around the World Track
http://www.aaronharcourt.com/
PLEASE DO NOT COPY/PASTE/SAVE PHOTOGRAPHS! THEY ARE FOR YOUR ENJOYMENT BUT NOT TO KEEP. THANKS, AARON

Agiya Sofia
























Blue Mosque






































Istanbul

Turkish Delight Anyone?

One of the most friendly and hospitable people I have ever met. A country full of Ancient wonders but nearly in the modern 'European Union'. A place of old hills and rugged villages, where the sent of burning wood and tea waft from houses and the beautiful yet empty and hopeless singing rings every couple hours from the mosques high towers. A country that is now cold with winter but jumps to a new Mediterranean beat as summer approaches. Her name is Turkey.

After leaving Greece's mainland we set out by ferry for a small Island named Chios about one hour from mainland Turkey. It was a short stop but a great one as it was our first time to see Greek Island life. On Chios we found this amazing shop dediacted to a special plant called Mastiha. Mastiha is a tree only found on Chios Island and is used as chewing gum. After being poked, it drips out sap in tear shape beads onto the ground. The gum tastes like sap at first but then has the flavor of ginger. It is good for oral hygiene, digestion, cleaning intenstines and healthy skin. Another one of those rare natural treasures. And a very random fact for you to know.

Our arrival in Selcuk, Turkey (located near Ancient Ephesus) was warm. Like I said, the people of Turkey greeted us with such warmth and hospitaltiy. And it's not just because they want you to buy their carpet or Kashmere Scarfs but because they genuinely love having people around. On my first day out with a couple others from school we were invited in for apple tea and quickly began to get to know the local people.

Our next section of study was into the Epistles and what a perfect location to do that. We as a class had the oppotunity to read the book of Ephesians in Ephesus where the people once had an uproar in the great theatre. We had a wonderful yet very busy week with David Hamilton and it was such a blessing to have him in Greece and continuing on with us in Turkey.

This week a young guy from Townsville, Australia has joined us for two weeks in Design. And this could not have come at a better time. We were searching around the community to find a way we could serve them and there didn't seem to be any door opening. Even after speaking with the Governor and Educational Director of Selcuk we still had nothing but then a photography exhibition was introduced to us. I wasn't sure about the amount of work, cost or other details, but after praying with the staff we got a go ahead. We are now one week away from the exhibition and after much intercession and planning things are on their way.

This area is so ripe with photography opportunties. For example, the other day me and a freind went to a small community called Sirnice. This community, built by the Greeks, is full of old stone houses, brightly painted walls, traditional clothes, authentic Turkish pancakes, fruit wines and wonderful people. We even stopped by a random jewelery shop that made all the jewelery for the movie 'Troy'.

During the afternoon me and my friend walked through the old stone streets and saw this beautiful old lady walking with a white horse as the sun shone of the two of them. My friend ran off to take photos and couple minutes later I heard here voice shouting, "Aaron, do you want apple tea?" I said yes and went looking for her but was comfronted with about 40 houses on all levels, all looking the same and a maze of streets. I shouted to her and after several minutes she popped her head out of a house high on the hill. All this to say we ended up having tea with this women in her house which you could see your breath in and bought some knitted socks from her. Through little English and lots of hand motions she showed us her wounded shoulder and we were able to pray for her. It was a beautiful moment as she gave my friend a kiss and warm huge for what we would say an akward amount of time. But that moment was special and she knew what we were doing despite her Muslim background. She said good bye with another hug and a couple apples from her tree and we were on our way.

I can honestly tell you that this is one of the most wonderful countries I have ever been to and hope to return to one day.

Please pray for the photography exhibition this Friday, that God would plant a seed in this community and check out our photo in the Selcuk newspaper http://www.efestenhaberler.com/index.asp?gorev=haberdetay&id=3353. Thanks again for reading and enjoy the photography.

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

Use your imagination...

It's hard to desribe the feeling you get when you stand in a place where someone who changed the world once stood. A place where the gospel was once preached and spread like wild fire into Europe. It's one of unbelief, awe and imagination. This is how I felt as I stood at the Acropolis and Mars Hill in Athens. A place that a radical man for Christ stood and proclaimed the good news of salvation and forgiveness. This is how I felt in Corinth, a city once rich and famous, possessed by the gods of immorality and idolatry. This is how I felt in Ancient Ephesus, full of beauty and the newest advances in human achievement. And it all came to ruins.

Let your mind create the seen...marble buildings beyond belief, the smell of baking bread in stone ovens, people dressed in colourful robes and gold jewelery, animals and fresh fruit being sold in the market, a temples with 10,000 prostitutes... It's hard to picture even as you stand in these ancient places. Yet you feel a sense of what once took place as you read through Acts, Corinthians, Ephesians and all the Epistles. The story came to life!

Our journey took us from beautiful Porto Rafti to Athens, to Corinth, to the Island of Chios and onto new lands.

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

Athens














Parthanon









Porto Rafti



















Corinth









Chios Island

A Thank You!

I forgot to mention that the art auction I had just before I left Canada was a huge blessing and miracle. I want to take this opportunity to thank Sheldon, who printed my photographs two days before my auction, Otti for framing several of my photographs and Beth Walker for hosting the even at her house.

In the end I don't think I spent anything on the art auction and I made about $2200. Thank you everyone for your support and any area you helped in the event. Also a big thank you to the Jman (Jesus, my friend and Savior). I really enjoyed it and was really glad to see so many people there! Oh and on another note, my photographs came to Alliston last week...random...they were lost for over a month...sorry Kodak but your performance was poor!

Anyways, there are a couple updates below with pictures from Greece. Enjoy!

On the Mediterranean

Last Monday we began our first book of the bible, Philippians. The students worked so hard on their assignments and I was so proud of them for their perseverance. I got a little bit done but with staff responsibilities it’s a little more difficult. I am hoping to get more out of this week through our second book, Mark. We begin by reading through the book out loud to get an understanding of the whole picture. Our lecture today has been incredible and I am so excited to dive in Mark with the students!
This week we had a little Halloween celebration, which we called, "Happy Harvest". It was such a blast!! We all dressed up and had a semi-professional photo shoot, games, a little dancing and movie. I wish I had pictures because I was very impressed with the costumes!
This weekend I had another opportunity to go into Athens with the school. We live about one and a half hours from down town so it is something special to go to Athens. I have included some pictures and will continue to update you quite regularly although I may only be able to respond once every one or two weeks.
We began our day at the beautiful Syntagma Square. We walked down our favorite shopping area but quickly found new streets to explore. Ancient street crowded with antique stores, souvenir shops, cheese shops, cafes and more.
Eventually we came across the Acropolis but because we are going there with the school only took pictures from underneath. What an incredible building, once used for government matters and protected by a sixty foot wall and a famous tourist attraction. We also happened to come across another large hill with a funny old structure on top. After a fifteen minute walk we found ourselves a top of a hill that overlooked the entire city.
I don’t fully know how to explain the beauty of this city. Because of minor earthquakes and probably some building codes, no houses or buildings are over eight stories. Now can you imagine four million people all living in nothing more then eight stories. This makes for a city that stretches as far as the eye can see. On one side of the city is the ocean and the rest surrounded by green mountains. And because this was at sunset, the entire city was lit up a white with houses stretching to the horizon and creeping up the hillsides.
I can totally understand why famous monuments are always built on top of hills and mountains. I think that whatever you believe in, you can feel a presence that there is something awesome that created this beauty in front of you. There is such awe to this beauty and to deny a creator is foolish. Some may say that seeing a city from a top a hill isn’t that great but for me I feel a God that has a heart and dream for this ancient place. A city where God may have been forgotten but longs to be redeemed.

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

Cafe (Espresso Freddo!)

Ancient Mosaic

Syntagma Square, Downtown Athens









Orthodox Church

Acropolis

Athens, Greece









Parthanon

I wish I new the word for hello in Greek but I have only learned efaristo, which mean thank you. So efaristo for reading.

I have been in Greece now for 6 days. I arrived on Wednesday morning after a long flight from Toronto to New York and then straight to Athens. I didn't get to see much of Athens my first day because I was so tired and once I got to the hostel I slept for 3 hours in this random smelly room. My friend was supposed to meet me there but she actually went to the airport to get me so after 6 hours in Athens sleeping and wandering the streets, eating some interesting feta pastry, I went back to the airport to meet my leader Paul.

We then met up with an American man living in Greece who took us to our accomodations in a small town called Porto Rafti. As much as I wanted to be in Athens, Porto Rafti is incredibly beautiful. It is your typical Mediterranean town, with its small harbor full of boats, white, yellow and pink square houses lining the hillsides and cafe's all along the water where you can ejoy a Greek coffee (iced with steamed milk) or Bailey's latte.

This weekend I had the chance to pop into Athens for a couple hours. What an amazing city, ancient meets modern. I can't believe that this is the place that Paul preached thousands of years ago and now there are cobble stone streets filled with people shopping for the latest European fashion.

Well the school is off to a great start, our first day and I am so stoked to dive into the word for the next 3 months in places that Jesus and the Apostles walked this earth.

Last Day in Hawaii!!ii!!

My last weekend in Hawaii was spent in the capital, Honolulu. For some random information, Hawaii is made up of 8 different islands, Hawaii (Big Island), Maui, Kaho'olawe, Lanai, Molokai, Oahu, Kauai and Ni'hau and some sandy atolls. I live on the Big Island, Hawaii in a small city called Kona. Honolulu is on Oahu and is the biggest city in the Hawaiian Islands, about a half hour flight from Kona.

I don't really know how to explain what Honlulu is like. It's one of those places that you could only spend a couple days in and then you begin to feel infected by commercialism, consumerism, and some other isms. The entire city is founded off tourism and is made 90% from hotels, restaurants, shopping centres and a beach that is impoted from the sandy shores of California. It's the ultimate place of comfort and convenience. Despite all this it was really fun!

I was only there for one day but had a blast with Nicole, Myssi and Kelsey. We spent the first day taking a walk around the shop infested city with no money, but it was nice to actually see cool clothes. We also did a lot of eating out as we didn't have groceries with us. Waikiki beach was nice but it was crawling with people, so it wasn't the most appealing beach I've been to. I kinda just went there to say I've been there...
~Honolulu

~International Market...wasn't very international


















~Waikiki Beach, Honolulu









Myssi
~Making sure the building doesn't come down...it was kinda windy!







~Out to Dinner or Supper for all you Canadians.








Nicole, Myssi and Kelsey









~First and last night in Honlulu.









~Good bye Hawaii...until July 2008

Next Step...

So it has been one year that I have lived in Kona, Hawaii and the Lord is soon taking me in a slightly new direction.

I am still working with the photogenX ministry and I am committed to the YWAM base in Kona, but my life will be taking place a little father from Kona.

On coming to Kona last Septmeber I had been presented the opportunity to take on an extended program with photogenX called the Track. This course will involve several studies through University of the Nations (brach of YWAM) including Biblical Core Course, Humanities and World View, Photography and Communications. Most of these programs will be taken overseas as it presents better opportunities for photography.

The main goal apart from these courses is to document several themes of injustice in different parts of the world. On returning to Kona next summer students will have the chance to put there pictures into use by making a publication. The purpose of this publication is to raise awareness about what is happening in our world. Parts of it may focus on God's beauty, some about what God is doing in these nations and some will be about injustice issues that are on God's heart. They are on God's heart not just to change but to raise up an army of prayer warriors and those who are willing to act against these injustices.

A few weeks ago the Lord lead me not to take this program as a student but to help lead this team with three others. I will be returning home for one month to prepare for this time and then I will be meeting my team in Greece. Here we will begin the Biblical Course as we travel through the Middle East until last winter. I will continue to keep you posted throughout my time overseas.

I will be returning home on Tuesday September 25th 2007, leaving near the end of October for Greece and returning again to Canada for a short time in July 2008. If you would like to contact me please do so by email kiwana5@gmail.com or at my home (705) 435-4530. I will be available to meet in October.

As the time approaches I will send out specific prayer needs. Until then God Bless and thank you for reading and praying.

Around Hawaii

During my past year in Kona I have been very blessed to build awesome freindships with many people on the YWAM campus. Two weekends ago me and two of my close friends decided to do something together as my time in Kona, Hawaii is coming to a close...until next summer. Two of those people are Kat Meyer (Germany) and Simon Aberg (Sweden).

On Saturday morning the three of us headed north of the island. We went through a beautiful town in the hills called Waimea and then to an area that quite resembles Scotland. Here we found several caves that you could explore. Apart from tripping on rocks, random finds of full water bottles and a slight fear of there being someone else in the cave with you, it was fun.

Our next stop took us outside a city called Hilo. We took the scenic routes through beautiful jungle and along the coast. We then made our way to an incredible waterfall called Akaka Waterfall (Look for the picture). After lunch we drove into Hilo to check out Rainbow falls and boiling pots. This was the highlight of my day as we jumped from cliffs and swam under the waterfall.

After heading back to Kona and waking early the next morning our adventure started on Sattle Road around Mouna Kea. Mouna Kea is actually one of the best star gazing stations in the world and tallest mountain in the world from the ocean floor. If you can believe it, there is evening skiing available during winter.

After swinging past Hilo we came into an area of Hawaii called Puna. This is by far the most beautiful part of the island. Mostly locals and hippies, amazing rainforest and some great natural beauty. We stopped at a hot pool made by the Hawaiian's many years ago and also a black sands beach. It was incredible, soft sand, huge waves and no one but the three of us!

After our sandwhich supper we made our way to some hot steam rooms. We had no idea that we were going to have to walk through jungle paths that split several times by flashlight, but we took the challenge. After walking for about ten minutes in the dark we came across a hill. Walking up it we ran into warm air and seconds later found a ladder going down into a small hole into a cave. Climbing down and entering we found a small room in the hill with two benches and enough room to fit four people. To our anticipation we discovered hot steam coming from another hole further into the cave, so taking the opportunity we sat there for over half an hour. We decided it was time to go after all our clothes were wet and when we were about to pass out from dehydration.

Travelling for about two hours back to Kona, our adventures ended and our beds gladly greeted us...we were beat!!

Here are some pictures of our adventure. We had decided that we would do this because it was something we would never forget...and we won't!!

Hawaiian Flag

Simon
~from the junlge vine
~Akaka Waterfall
Aaron
~Near the Botanical Gardens
~Scenic Lookout
~My best mate Simon and me!
~The Overgrowth of Puna
~Wild Guava
~Breaking Waves at Black Sands Beach
Simon and Kat

Simon
~Reminds me of Fantasia...
~Sunset over Lava Field