Africa Journal {WE HAVE FAITH CARAVAN} Day 5 | Edmonton & International Photographer

November 6, 2011 | Nairobi, KenyaDay #5-  This lovely day is our first concert!  This is what the We Have Faith Caravan is all about; sharing, educating and collecting signed petitions to present to world leaders at COP17 (conference of parties).  And, in my opinion, it was a major success.  We started fairly early in the morning, piling onto the trucks for the first time ever!!... a little taste of what the upcoming weeks had in store.  We arrived outside the park to see many WHFC members already handing out petitions and performing sound checks.There was so much energy and excitement, and even though we started a couple hours late and began to really understand the saying TIA, This is Africa (often accompanied with little shoulder shrug), the concert was amazing.  All the performances were filled with passion and got the crowd so excited and engaged.  It certainly helped that we had Juliani, a HUGE star in Kenya, along for the ride.  And would you believe it when I told you that by the end of the concert WHFC participants had collected over 10,000 petitions!? 

It was just amazing to see so many young people from so many different countries coming together for such a hard-to-digest cause.  And, in truth, it is amazing to me that the whole thing was pulled off.  Just think about it, nearly 200 young people from all over the world travel by truck across Africa, camping, and hosting large concerts along the way with  'big name' artists, as well as, local artists.  This was a BIG thing!

And, in case you were wondering, here is a quote from the actual petitions.  This what everyone was signing for:

"We call on our leaders to fight for a just and legally binding climate treaty!  We call on our negotiators to treat the Earth with respect, resist disorder and live in peace with each other, including embracing a legally binding climate treaty." (www.wehavefaithactnow.org)

The concert had such an amazing turn-out and, I will say it again, the performers were amazing and truly inspiring!

I hope you enjoyed seeing a little more of my adventure!!!  I can't wait to share even more, still have 34 more crazy days to go.  As always, let me know what you think or if you have any questions!

Truly,

Karmen

Africa Journal {WE HAVE FAITH CARAVAN} Day 4 Part 2 | Edmonton & International Photographer

I promised to let you know about the rest of our fantastic day exploring Kenya, so here it is!!November 5, 2011 | Nairobi, KenyaAfter getting our fill of adorable, over-sized baby animals we traveled from the Elephant Orphanage to a place called Kitengela Glass House.  We were so happy to have an amazing driver, Martin, to take us there.  He safely took us through wonderful villages, across a couple fields and over some very… let’s call them rural roads.  When we finally arrived, we were embraced by a secret garden made of glass and concrete.There was so much to see and feel, I actually took very little photos.  Quite simply, I didn’t know where to begin.  There was building after building, path after path, animal after animal….. everything sparkled and had it’s own texture.  There is no way to capture the way it really felt in a photo.But, I did give it a shot, so here is glimpse of what we experienced:Kitengela is a fantastic place where all things wonderful are made of recycled glass.  These stunning pieces of jewelry, dishes, sculptures, etc are created by "over fifty local people who have been trained [at Kitengela] and work in various disciplines".  And to top it off, Nani, the Glass House's founder "has planted thousands of trees, granted school fees or tried to find sponsors, repaired roads and improved security, as well as, saves raw materials by using recycling glass and other resources" {www.kitengela-glass.com}

Kitengela has some AMAZING, Eco-friendly guest houses that look out across Kenya's National Park!  Ruth was so inspired she jumped into the gorgeous pool, clothes and all.  Can't say I wasn't tempted join her!

Yes, it is a pretty amazing place.  And just in case you haven't had enough, here is an awesome video from Ryan!

© Karmen Meyer Photography 2012. All images are property of Karmen Meyer.

kmeyerphotography.com….. kmeyerphotography.com/blog….. Twitter.com/KarmenMeyer

*if you would like to know more about my products and packages feel free to send an email to karmen@kmeyerphotography.com

Africa Journal {WE HAVE FAITH CARAVAN} Day 4 | Edmonton & International Photographer

Day number four, you are a special one!  My first time outside of Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, or off the University Campus.  This day was so especially spectacular and adventurous that I have decided to spread it into two parts.  So here comes Part One:November 5, 2011 | Nairobi, KenyaDay #4-  The last few days have been filled with overwhelming information sessions, and although interesting they are not quite enough to keep a writer, videographer and photographer interested for 3 straight days.  We need to get out there!!  We need to see for ourselves what is going on, not only that, we need to show others.  So we left the meetings at the convention center to search for some local stories.  We started off by visiting the elephant orphanage just down the street!! From the moment we drove in I was in love...The orphanage is called the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, and they work very hard to protect the endangered species of elephant and black rhino.  Sadly, I think it is fair to say that most of these animals are dying because of mankind;  the majority from poaching and the remainder from drought, an increasingly serious problem in Africa.  It is hard to believe that such massive, graceful, INCREDIBLE creatures could be destroyed because of our greed and laziness.  Here is a little excerpt from an interview Ruth did with Lusichi, one of the orphanage's main men (and pictured below):We Have Faith Media: What motivated you to pursue a career in conservation and animal protection?Lusichi: I think it’s a responsibility because we are God’s creatures. He gave us charge over the animals, so it is our responsibility to offer them every protection. It is unfortunate that it is human beings who cause elephants to be orphaned. We need to come to our senses. God commands us to take care of the animals.We Have Faith Media: How do most elephants become orphans?Lusichi: Increasing human population, ivory trade and drought. Drought has affected lots of animals, including the females who have young ones. We used to be able to tell the seasons—when it would rain and when it would be dry. Lately, you cannot tell the climate.We Have Faith Media: Population growth and natural disasters are complex problems that require comprehensive solutions. Is there anything simple that people can do now to help protect Africa’s elephants?Lusichi: Stop buying things made from ivory, including rhino horns. Then the poachers would not have a market.(check out the rest of the story at www.climatecaravan.com)My goodness, after you see how crazy textured their skin is and how intelligent there eyes are, it is hard not go all environmentalist on you, haha.  But seriously, every little bit helps.  So I hope as you look at the pictures of these amazing animals and people you might consider how your actions affect the animals, people and environment around you. ENJOY!!Truly,Karmen  

© Karmen Meyer Photography 2012. All images are property of Karmen Meyer.

kmeyerphotography.com….. kmeyerphotography.com/blog….. Twitter.com/KarmenMeyer

*if you would like to know more about my products and packages feel free to send an email to karmen@kmeyerphotography.com

Africa Journal {WE HAVE FAITH CARAVAN} Day 1-3 | Edmonton & International Photographer

Hello to the most patient followers EVER!  Yes, it has been nearly two months since I came home from Africa and I have hardly shared anything here on the old blog.  Many of you have been asking about my trip and I have been promising posts.  Being really unsure about how to share this unbelievable experience, I have decided to share my day-to-day(ish) journal.  To be honest something exciting didn't happen every day but it is the only way I have managed to break-down 6 weeks of amazing people, concerts, cities, countries.  I honestly can't wait to get going; I haven't read these journal entries myself yet, so I am actually really looking forward to looking back and sharing this journey with you!  So here we go... DAY 1- November 2GOOD MORNING KENYA!I have been awoken by the sounds of roosters, followed by the barking of dogs and then a plethora of sounds I have never heard before! Eeeek, I LOVE it. I cannot wait to get out there today and do a little exploring.We arrived at the Mennonite Guesthouse, in Kenya, late last night after way to many hours on planes and in airports. I kid you not, my butt is STILL sore!  So far everyone we have met has been very kind, including the two superstar Kenyan drivers, Allan & Joseph, who we traded Canada/Kenya info with on the late night drive to the Guesthouse.And wow, the Guesthouse looks gorgeous, well at night anyway (the sun is up now but I haven’t ventured outside yet).  It was so amazing to be able to walk around, shower and climb into a clean bed after more then 24 hours in transit. Although, I must admit that there was a small moment of panic as a teeny bit of water got in my mouth while showering, haha ya, I am a little paranoid.  And since there was no one here to show us around the guesthouse at night, I haven’t had any water and am so thirsty. I guess it will have to wait until breakfast.Well, some guy in a blue shirt is ringing a bell, which I can only assume means breakfast and (hopefully) safe water. So I am outta here!Day 2- November 3Well our gorgeous, care-free Africa days ended about an hour after I wrote that last journal entry.  We were picked up yesterday by Stephan, a wonderfully awesome guy from the CRWRC office here in Kenya, to go for our security briefing (due to the bombings that happened just before we arrived) and be dropped off at a university & hotel for the African Youth Conference for Climate Change.After an inspiring afternoon of listening to Stephan and Fred (another CRWRC member), we were feeling pumped about telling the story of the We Have Faith Caravan……. And then, the jet lag began to kick in and we were dropped of at a not-so-secure, not-so-clean, body-odour filled hotel & conference centre. Though we had moments of good spirits, things were suddenly not looking so bright. The bathroom was a breeding ground for mosquitoes, we had to Jerry-rig a pad-lock on the cupboard for a sense of security, and to top it off Ruth and I shared an uncomfortable night in a single bed since her mosquito net had holes in it. Needless to say not much sleep was had.Yes, our adventure has officially begun. And after talking to the very 'care-free' leader/organizers of the caravan we are thinking it is definitely not the end.Bring it on.Day#3- November 4I am happy to say that after a good nights rest, and meeting many people from the caravan I am again super excited. I am overwhelmed with all the information I have received, and by the stories and passion of both locals and foreigners participating in the caravan. I haven’t yet processed how to best tell these stories, but will just continue shooting in hopes that it will simply reveal itself.Outside of the ‘photography’ side of things, we have FINALLY found out more about the actual caravan! We will be traveling in 6 trucks (each seating 28 people) and camping along the way. Yup, camping. Although totally awesome, I am totally unprepared!The countries we will be traveling through are Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, Malawi, Zambia & South Africa. There will be days we get up, take down our tents and jump on the truck before sunrise and get in to camp long after sunset. That is a looong time for this girl to plopped in a truck, but it will be totally worth it!Well I think I am going to leave it at that, since my mind is quite literally about to crash.  Jet-lag is something else today, need a nap. Whew!  Well that is a start.  It is becoming clear to me that this is going to make me look like I was on some sort of emotional roller coaster ride, but I promise it was just the jet-lag talking!  It gets better (I hope)...... Yikes, also I just want you to know that I am not really editing these posts, I really want to share what I was actually feeling and experiencing, the good and the bad, SORRY!  And to help this along I must, of course, include some pictures!!!  ENJOY!!Truly,Karmen 

Ruth unpacking in our room and our super high security protecting thousands of dollars worth of camera and video equipment....

While this was certainly NOT the worst bathroom we encountered on our trip, the standing water on the floor and in the toilet which served as a mosquito breeding ground in our very own room was a bit of an inconvenience.  Another fun tid-bit about this specific bathroom is that we were having to take those freezing cold, take you breath away kind of showers.  We later found out that everyone else was taking steamy, hot showers; our room was the exception... sigh.

I promised my Mama I would try to take some photos of myself in Africa too! p.s.  How can one person be so pasty??

Much needed TEA TIME, between sessions at the African Youth Conference on Climate Change.

Ruth and I found a little time for a nature walk on the university campus.  Yup, on the campus alone we saw a variety of birds, bugs, warthogs, and monkeys!!!!  Also, you can picture me making a total fool of myself chasing the monkeys all over campus... turns out they are a little camera shy.

And what would an African Youth Conference be without a good ol' dance off! So Fun!

Thanks so much for stopping by and definitely let me know if you have any questions!!!  Hope you come back for more, this is just the beginning.

© Karmen Meyer Photography 2012. All images are property of Karmen Meyer.

kmeyerphotography.com….. kmeyerphotography.com/blog….. Twitter.com/KarmenMeyer

*if you would like to know more about my products and packages feel free to send an email to karmen@kmeyerphotography.com

What's To Come {AFRICA} | Edmonton & International Photographer

I am working on a bunch of blog posts from my trip to Africa!!    The first one should be up tomorrow, but in the meantime you should check out this fantastic video from the super talented, all-round rad guy and 1/3 of our little media team, Ryan Geleynse.  It is so beautiful and brings back so many amazing memories.Consider it a preview of everything that I am going to tell you about over the next couple weeks!!  Let me know what you think, and feel free to ask questions... I promise to answer anything you want to know about the trip.  ENJOY!!Truly,KarmenCheck out Ryan's other videos too.  Although, I assure you that this will not be the last time you see one of them on my blog!

CRWRC ‘We Have Faith Caravan’ | Karmen Goes to AFRICA

Hello Everyone.  For those of you who do not know me, I am Karmen Meyer.  I am a photographer, a traveler, a wife, a daughter, a big sister and a Christian.  I love adventure, laughing and the kindness of others. It is all these things that have brought me to where I am today.  And, why I have been presented with such a fantastic opportunity, the opportunity to use my passions to help bring attention to a people and a planet that is truly suffering. A little more information on this:-“Over 13 million people are affected by the crisis in the Horn of Africa. That’s six times more than those affected by the Indonesian tsunami in 2004 and four times more than those affected by the Haiti earthquake. Despite this need, attention to this most recent humanitarian crisis has been woefully inadequate.” (CRWRC website, http://hornofafrica.ngoaidmap.org/p/highlights)-“Climate change has been described as one of the biggest threats to development and livelihoods in our time. Consensus has been built among climate scientists … that the current climate crises have been caused by human action, and that urgent action is required to save the planet. The impacts of climate change in Kenya and Africa cannot be underestimated, with the recent cases of devastating droughts and floods in many parts of Africa, as well as increased intensity of tropical diseases like Malaria.” (NewsFromAfrica.org)-The 17th Conference of the Parties (COP 17) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) will take place in December in Durban, South Africa.It is against this gloomy backdrop that African youth organizations join with faith communities, faith leaders and networks from all over the world to form the We Have Faith Caravan. “There hasn’t been a similar climate caravan before. It will be challenging, tiring, time-consuming, even strenuous but most significantly, it will be enlightening, impactful and world changing; and just maybe it’s the difference we’ve all been wanting to make...” (newsfromafrica.org) I cannot begin to describe how honored I am to be a part of something so important. To use the gifts God has given me to help His people, His Creation.  It is more then I could have ever asked for.Joining me on this amazing mission is Ruth Terry (a journalist) and Ryan Geleynse (a videographer). Together we will represent the CRWRC. We will document the dancing, theatre and music used to teach, to encourage and to remind the world not to let these communities perish. We will document the African Youth meeting with leaders, as well as, signing and collecting petitions to be presented at the COP17. We will introduce you to the participants, tell their stories and share what their goals are for their countries. We will do all this in hopes that you might see it and be called to action.In order to do this we will need your prayers, encouragement, and financial support.  If you feel called you can donate by sending a cheque made out to the CRWRC (with my name in the memo) to:Iona Stewart-BuismanGlobal Volunteer & MPP Program Coordinator, CRWRC3475 Mainway PO Box 5070 Stn LCD 1Burlington, ON L7R 3Y8Or donate online at http://www.crwrc.org/pages/crwrc_donate.cfm.  Where it asks you to choose a Designee you will need to check the box ‘I would like to make a gift to a person not listed’, then type in my name, the amount you would like to donate, as well as, your information so that they can send you a receipt.Or cash can be donated directly to me.  It will be used for the purchasing of visas, extra travel costs and incidentals; any money not used will be put back to the CRWRC.Thank-you and God Bless,Karmen Meyerkarmen@kmeyerphotography.comkmeyerphotography.com780.660.0807 P.S.  Here is a downloadable version of this letter --> wehavefaithcaravan.   If you could all share this post or e-mail this letter to just one person it would help immensely!  THANKS!