Composing the Vision

New Website! (finally)

eliot.gomez@theartisticvision.com (Eliot Gomez) — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 19:41:00 +0000

I am proud to announce that we have officially updated the website!! (insert a chorus of hallelujah!)

The old website was very sad and I do not think was true to the quality of the pictures and it was extremely hard to navigate. If you remember it I apologize. But we are very excited to bring this new one to you.

Thank you all who were apart of our lives and a part of this vision in 2009. Thank you to all the beautiful couples we had the opportunity to shoot for. I give you The Artistic Vision 2010:

Chad and Angela Engagement

eliot.gomez@theartisticvision.com (Eliot Gomez) — Mon, 04 May 2009 13:37:00 +0000

Thank you Chad and Angela for such a fun engagement photoshoot! I can't wait until August! Blessings!

New Wedding Website

eliot.gomez@theartisticvision.com (Eliot Gomez) — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 19:55:00 +0000

A long since needed wedding website has been made! It is separate from the main site and has its own navigation bar. This way it's easier to view the wedding portion of the Artistic Vision and you can see the packages and prices available for weddings. Check out the new wedding site!

Quarters of Beauty

eliot.gomez@theartisticvision.com (Eliot Gomez) — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 14:48:00 +0000

I love the whispers of Autumn. They bring me back to memories of my childhood. There is a certain feeling; it is the smell in the air--that cool crisp smell which freezes your nose--and the colors on the trees--those rustic oranges and ruddy splashes of the drapery--that remind me of when I was young. I am always inspired to recreate that feeling in photos, I suppose artists always do. However, photos or paintings fall short of replication only achieving a mere appropriation of the beauty; only borrowing from the text instead of scribal rewrites, for the text is too hard. Perhaps it's like the little boys who make a snowball to store in the freezer to remember come summertime. But yes, the sublimation laws of physics always seem to destroy our fun.

We try anyway. We try because we love to hold on to that which dies or that which is temporary. So much so that when the first snow falls and we get out the snow shovels and Mother's Christmas pudding, we furtively look at the pictures on the wall. Pictures of colors that we stored away to remember that which once was. And we secretly wonder if we were cheated this year from a shortened autumn, why didn't you stay like you promised you would? Why did you leave so soon?

Though I never lose hope, for maybe this wasn't the year the Promise was fulfilled, yet I know that someday that year will come. The year when I wake up and it is always Autumn.

A long needed post

eliot.gomez@theartisticvision.com (Eliot Gomez) — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 22:51:00 +0000

It's been a while since I've posted something, you can tell school is in session. But I haven't forsaken the camera. I'm actually taking a photography class this quarter so I can keep in practice. I've done a little bit of everything recently, a lot of portraits and engagement pictures.

I have a show with the International Justice Mission this Saturday at 8:00 pm at Taza. All proceeds will go to support IJM.

Enjoy:

Back in the US of A

eliot.gomez@theartisticvision.com (Eliot Gomez) — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 11:00:00 +0000

I'm back in Ohio. Getting adjusted to life as normal. I can't say that I've had reverse culture shock, yet, but I did have my Panera bread fix and I am not getting sick from the food (except maybe that McDonald's I had...yuck).

I had the wonderful opportunity to shoot an engagement session for my long time friend Amy and her fiancée Michael who will be getting married in December. It was so much fun getting to capture their personalities on camera and had some fun doing beach shots. Enjoy!

Final thoughts of Mexico

eliot.gomez@theartisticvision.com (Eliot Gomez) — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 03:14:00 +0000

My time in Mexico is coming to a close. I will have been here a total of 183 days. I have taken over 6000 pictures. I have been to well over 30 cities. I have met so many people. I have learned so much Spanish. I'm sure I have written over 50 journal entries about my trip here as well as to Colombia. I have tasted some of the finest food Latin America has to offer. I have gotten sick more than 4 times from the finest food Latin America has to offer. And now...it's time to come home.

Mexico challenges me more than anything. This year and last year might be one of the hardest experiences of my life, but it molds me into who I am more than anything previously. I can't even tell you what it is exactly. I just come back thankful I'm alive (from the times I swear I almost die from bizarre sicknesses), I come back longing to be around the people I love (for the times I swear I almost die from being alone). I come back craving really weird foods (this time it is an incredibly delicious salad topped with every type of natural organic vegetable Kroger can offer dressed in some fine creamy Italian dressing. weird.).

So as I look back at all those pictures, reread all those journal entries, remember all those "pinche fiestas" I went to in all those exotic towns ;-) I have to ask myself, what will it matter? What will change in my habits in Cincinnati that will say I changed for the better. For I do believe I have been changed for the better (all you Wicked fans out there)

Without running the risk of being too dramatic or corny (as I have a tendency to do) here is a list of things I have learned looking back through my pictures.

1) They say you are a total sum of everyone you meet. I say if this is true, invest in the lives of those around you with everything you have so at the end of your life you can say you lived.

2) Give all of yourself with love and sacrifice until you can give no more. It's about the little things

3) Make friends with people who are completely different from you. You might learn something new, or if anything you'll at least have a new friend.

4) Learn to party. Responsibly of course. But humans were created to celebrate and you'll bond with a person faster under the banner of merriment.

5) Hold fast to the things you love but also be quick to let go to share with joy.

6) Fight for peace you believe in. Die for something that is worth living for. Cry for a future of joy.

7) Let music be your vision you when you cannot see.

8) Feed those who cannot feed themselves even when you are hungry.

9) Laugh for no reason. Run until you tire. Sing until your hoarse. For the kingdom of God is such as these...

10) "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your path straight."

Latin America through a Lens

eliot.gomez@theartisticvision.com (Eliot Gomez) — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 14:29:00 +0000

6000 pictures later...and I think it's time to come home. I'll be home in less than 2 weeks! It's been a great trip though.

Meanwhile, if you are interested, check this out if you'd like to see the Best of Mexico. Blessings.

http://www.theartisticvision.com/news.html

A Cry of Freedom

eliot.gomez@theartisticvision.com (Eliot Gomez) — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 22:51:00 +0000

I believe that one of the greatest things a human can witness is the march and demand for peace and freedom. History books are bursting with stories of marches and freedom cries that have shaken the world. You wonder and doubt how a mere voice can change the course of history. You become skeptical that a simple march is able to halt the disturbing statistic of an average of 10 kidnappings a day in Mexico. They will march today, shed a few tears, send a few prayers and petitions, but by tomorrow life returns as normal and killings continue. Oh, but the cry of the human spirit is much stronger than that; petitioning their demands of unassailable rights with words that fly to the heavens reverberating and joining the choir of freedom songs echoing throughout the folds of time.

Freedom seems so fundamental to us, like breathing. Nobody has to tell us that we need freedom; somehow we just know it, like we are entitled to it, and we pursue it, even die for it. The lady leading the march I was a part of in Mexico said through the tears, “We will march, we don’t have fear, we want to end this violence…I don’t care if they kill me…” Powerful words. Incredibly powerful words. That this freedom is something worth living for—worth dying for. “Give me liberty, or give me death” is the heart’s cry that can bring a powerful British army running. Powerful words. It indicates how we were designed. Jesus once said we are “slaves to sin”. But if we “know the truth, the truth will set us free”. Somehow we know that how this life is, isn’t how it ought to be. And so we search for this freedom.

I was watching a live concert of Michael Bosé, a Spanish singer, on DVD the other day. The concert filmed in Madrid in Plaza de los Toros in Madrid, Spain, one of the largest coliseum that holds well over 20,000 people—it was packed. One of the songs, that is one of my favorites “Nada Particular” is a song that calls for peace. I was moved when I saw everyone in one voice singing this song, calling for peace. Part of the song the translation in English is this:

May my history not bring pain
May my hands work peace
And if I die may you kill me with love
Nothing particular.

Sing and fly, oh Freedom
like the dove who sings.

Give me an island
in the middle of the ocean
and call it Freedom.
Sing strong my brother,
Tell me that the wind
won’t sink it
and call it Freedom.

And with all these 25,000 of people singing this song crying for peace, certainly one could assume that the rest of the world would agree with them. With millions of people across Mexico marching for peace, certainly one could assume that the rest of the world would affirm their voice. Why can’t we all agree to throw down our swords and beat them into plowshares? Is it really just a handful of people that are ruining it for the rest of us?

Obviously this isn’t the case. We sinful creatures who cry “Freedom!” chant in the next breathe “Crucify Him!”, and we continue the cycle. But that never stops us from dreaming. That never halts the imagination from wondering what it would be like if we returned to a world without hurt, a world with freedom, a world of peace; return to a familiar way how things ought to be. Nada particular.

An Observation on Religion

eliot.gomez@theartisticvision.com (Eliot Gomez) — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 13:14:00 +0000

I've been meaning to make this journal entry for sometime now. I've been merely an observer of religion down here in Mexico. I haven't joined a church or anything, part of it because I miss my church back home and it "wouldn't be the same", but part of it is just to step away from the church for a short time to merely observe it.

My friend asked me a while back "How is God moving down in Mexico?". The answer to that I'm not really sure, and that upsets me. Most of the people here are Catholic. Catholics and Evangelicals have an interesting history, and so its hard to filter through all of that, since I consider myself an Evangelical. Our first instinct is to say, "oh look at all those idols to Mary and Jesus on the Cross instead of an empty cross". Granted, there are a lot of "statues" to various saints, but before you get to quick to judge, Evangelicals have their downfall too. We have "idols" in our Christian T-shirts, expensive cross necklaces, Christian music CD collection, and bumperstickers. To say that a Christian T-shirt or cross necklace is being a "witness" to others is to forgo the fundamental nature of the gospel--a good news spread by the people for the people (not to be confused with democracy), or in other words a Christian T-shirt isn't going help the poor down the street. We have just "sacrificed" a bunch of money to this "object" and wear it "ritualistically" that is neither God's power or salvation; sounds like an idol to me.

So I say that to say that we cannot come and judge merely by outward appearance because we have our idols too, I can't say wether the Catholic transitions and rituals are good or not. But I do say that if I were born in Mexico, my beliefs might be a lot different than they are now, and that is interesting to me. Hear me out that this does not nullify what is true and the truth of Christianity; arguments on disproving God based on cultural differences ignores fundamentally what it means to be human. Nevertheless, If I were raised in Mexico I still might know the power and salvation of the Lord God, but I might cross myself every time enter a church, or I might have my rosary, or I might go through all the ceremonies of first communion, baptism, confirmation, and whatever else they have. But I have heard of plenty of saints who have done that and still been a powerful soldier for the Lord. It all depends on the Lord's power and grace.

I can't say all is well here. I have a feeling much of the church is sleeping, merely going to church to check it off the list, and having a choir of dead souls filling the beautiful sanctuary of joyless music, but I don't know, I shouldn't go too far. I have seen a great respect for the Lord and His Holiness, however I have seen and read about what a church looks like when it is alive and I don't know if I see that here in a majority, or in a majority of America for that matter.

Nevertheless, it is so important to realize that God is moving everywhere and even in Mexico. He hasn't forgot about them or the US. He's moving quietly in the older generation, perhaps even in the newer generation, in a small quiet revolution, changing hearts just like He has been doing since the beginning of time, and we are always a part of that.

Onward Adventures to Home

eliot.gomez@theartisticvision.com (Eliot Gomez) — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 14:39:00 +0000

Sorry I don't have any pictures for you today. I am taking the week off from photography kinda like a vacation, just so I don't go crazy. Next week I should have some more stuff.

There is something special about home. I once heard that "home is not where you live, but where they understand you." I am beginning to see how true that is. I am yearning for home. To be with my girlfriend to see familiar faces to do familiar things. I'm looking forward to going back and taking classes and afterwards going to Taza, our local awesome coffeeshop. I'm looking forward to serving at my church again. But more than anything I am looking forward to laughing with those closest to me.

I love to travel. I love seeing new things, meeting new people, learning about new cultures. I love taking pictures and capturing a culture. I love trying new foods. I have tasted some exquisit foods and some pretty gross foods too. I have had some pretty crazy adventures from driving to my first Mexican wedding with an enormous floral arrangment on the hood of the car to feeding the mouths of hungry down syndrome kids in Bogota. From witnessing some of the most beautiful sights of the Mexican country side to running the equivalent of an Olympic marathon in the Panama City airport. And it has been an incredible and an unforgetable trip that most people in the world will never experience.

But the countday until I return home is 35 days, and my heart is already home. I know that when I finally step off that plane on to American soil I will finally breathe a sigh of relieve and say "home at last". Not because I am stepping on soil of the most powerful and richest nation in the world. Not because I can finally have the convinences buying whatever I want whenever I want. Not because I will get a job that makes 2 to 20 times as much money as the rest of the world. Not because I will have a fast internet connection, or finally get to use my cell phone again, or not deal with the inconviences of another country, or be with people who speak the same language, believe the same things, do things "the normal way", or dress the same way I do. If this trip has taught me anything it is that it doesn't matter to me where I live, what kind of standard of living I live under, how much I make, whether I can enjoy all those convinences or not, whether I'm safe or not, or whether or not it matters that people do things differently than I, in fact I would trash all of that to do the same thing again and might even prefer it.

The only thing that matters is that when I step off that plane and go home with my family and soon there after drive to Cincinnati, I will be greeted with open arms. People who missed me and those whom I missed. I will see familiar faces and we will continue life as it was. The only thing that will be different is that perhaps we will have a different perspective on the world. I know at least I will.

Dos and Donts of Mexico

eliot.gomez@theartisticvision.com (Eliot Gomez) — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 03:52:00 +0000

These last couple of weeks have been crazy! I've been trying to get together the wedding pictures and they are almost complete. I will put up a gallery soon.

I put together this list of dos and donts in Mexico. I enjoyed putting it together, I hope you enjoy reading it.

Don't:
· Don't Drink the Water!!! (ok I had to get this one out) Although some gringos are really paranoid about this, the water system is improving and you don't have to go to the extreme of closing your mouth in the shower. I have brushed my teeth with tab water and have not died. But in general the water they have told me that the water is filled with a lot of extra minerals which isn't good for you. Just don't go chugging it.
· Don't eat street food. If anything will get you sicker faster, it is this. I have never had a successful street food stand experience that hasn't put me on the toilet for two weeks. The hard thing about this is street food is amazing! and cheap. But don't succumb!
· Don't assume pedestrians get the right away while crossing the street or assume Mexican traffic laws are mandatory. The rule of the road is the bigger object wins. For all my engineers out there, F=MA. The bigger the M, the more screwed you are. Simple physics.
· Don't freak out when you see a bloody pig head hanging in the local market. Very common. umm, in fact, if you get queasy easily, just avoid the market altogether…
· Don't be afraid to go to the doctor if you get sick. $10 is the bill and $10 is the medicine and you'll feel better in 3 hours. No insurances necessary, it's great.
· Don't give up money change if you don't have to. Change is so rare here I don't know why, because everything requires change. If you have been given a $500 (50 USD), forget about ever using! I have seriously had taxi drivers charge me less because I didn't have the correct change and they didn't want to break a $100 (10 USD).
· Speaking of Taxi drivers, don't start screaming at your taxi driver because he just ran a red light or starts driving down a one way. You won't die, I promise, just think of it as the newest rollercoaster at King's Island…
· Don't rush anywhere. Relax! Take your time. You're in Mexico! Just pretend you are on a beach in a lawn chair with a Pina Colada and then you'll begin to see the life in the eyes of a Mexican.

Do:
• Take the international bus system. I'm telling you, you can get anywhere in Mexico for under $40 in the most comfortable seats. Half price if you are a student. They usually show really horrible B movies along the way if you're into that. But the Mexican countryside is beautiful. Way cool
• Expect a TON of fiestas. I have been to a fiesta every week I have been here. I kid you not. They often last until 4 in the morning. I'm a woose and can't stay up that late, but there is always good food and tequila.
• Bring ear plugs. Like I said fiestas until 4 in the morning? Yeah, it never fails that they are your neighbors playing Ricky Martin, Shake Your Bon Bon at hours in the morning only roosters and borrachos know about.
• Fake that you are Mexican. Ok, maybe not if your white with blond hair, but I laugh whenever I tell people that I was born in Mexico, their whole tone of voice changes as they smile and give me a wink that says, "welcome to the club". It's like telling people you're a Bengal's fan in Cincinnati…well kinda…
• Do talk in Spanish. I think it's very rude assuming everyone speaks English.
• Do go to a Mexican wedding, it's a riot!!
• Do get your shoes shined at a vendor downtown. One of the best experiences of my life. Felt like a new man. Don't judge me until you try it.
• Do try to befriend the Mexicans. Mexicans are normally very friendly, but I find it a challenge--you've gotta "break them". They are weary of foreigners but like I said, once you are in you are in. Caution: there are some who won't just like you. Don't take it personally, just move on.
• Try new foods. If you have never eaten every last morsel of the cow from butt to brains you are missing out!! Not because it is tasty, most of it is the grossest thing you'll ever try. But come on! To come back to the states and say you had cow stomach soup and lived to tell about it? What better way to make new friends standing in line waiting for burritos at Chipotle… "Can I tell you about the time I ate cow brains in Mexico?...." Great conversation starter.

My first experience with a Mexican wedding

eliot.gomez@theartisticvision.com (Eliot Gomez) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 17:08:00 +0000

This past weekend I got the priviledge to shoot a wedding, and it just happened to be a Mexican wedding! The wedding was very fast paced, as I just found out that I was the photographer 9 days before the wedding. But the couple, Gaby and Fernando, were very fun to work with and it was a fun wedding.

Some would say that there aren't a lot of differences between Mexican and American weddings. Of course they have a lot of the same things: a church, a bride, a groom, a priest. I mean there isn't much to that. I have never been to a Catholic wedding, so I don't know the differences and similiarites there. But let me just say that I think there are a lot of differences, Mexican weddings are crazy (good crazy)!

After the bride finished getting ready, we headed off to the church. They didn't have a driver, so I quickly switched from photographer to chaufer in a matter of seconds. So I drive to the church with 15 minutes until the wedding. I was worried about getting there early, but apparently that didn't matter. Driving was an adventure in in itself, as there was gigantic flower arrangement on the hood of my car! Driving in Mexico is hard to begin with, but with a gigantic flower arrangement, you are pretty much going on a prayer...

So we get there with negative 2 minutes to go, and I was nervous because I wanted to get set up and prepare and everything. I found that that was actually unnecessary because when we get there there is an entire paparazzi to escort the bride down the aisle! So this paparazzi proceeded to follow the bride even up on stage! I don't know if that's customary, but I just sort of followed the crowd. Just go with the flow. No need to "setup". haha!

But the bride was dressed very beautifully. And the ceremony went wonderfully. Maybe except for the 70 year old woman in the back who kept screaming "AMEN!" "Hallelujah" after everything the priest said. It was quite funny. And there was the dancing kids in the aisle. I figured they were part of the act. And afterwards the reception!

Receptions in Mexico are similiar like that in the states, but on a much grander scale. It was in this very fancy estate and if you didn't have a suit and a tie or a dress (for the ladies), you felt out of place. Waiters and decorations and everything dressed to the nine... I was told that the reception was a small wedding. It is very customary in Mexico to spend a lot on the wedding, even if you don't have the ability to.

And the reception was a party! That is the biggest difference between American and Mexican weddings. Americans dance at a wedding......ha! yeah right! Mexicans at 11:00 the place turned into a club! Everyone, young and old were dancing to Norteñas, Rancheras, Reggaeton, Rap, Oldies, Salsa, Tango, everything! I left at 1:30 (that's AM...) and the party was just getting started! Even the bride and the groom were still there. I was told it was probably going to last until 4am or 5am!

Let me end on one tradition that is definitely different, which I'm glad the US hasn't found out about. During the reception, it is tradition for the Bachelors to do the garder thing--same as in the states. But after that is when it gets crazy. It is tradition for the bachelors to grab the groom and haul him off to the bathroom. They then strip him of all his clothes and leave him there. After they do this cruel deed, they then present the clothes to his new bride, and she has to go rescue the poor humiliated man! It's a good thing that many traditions stay in Mexico... :-D

So many other incredible stories, I wish I could tell them all..

Thus is the story of my first experience with Mexican weddings.

Final Pictures

eliot.gomez@theartisticvision.com (Eliot Gomez) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 12:29:00 +0000

Sorry I've been a while getting these last pictures up from Colombia! Coming back to Mexico has been crazy. When I got back to Mexico, I found out I had a wedding to shoot...next week! Apparently, when it comes to parties and weddings, that's how Mexicans work--who cares about details, let's just have a party! sheesh! So I've been frantically trying to pull together loose ends. I'll let you know how it goes. Meanwhile, check out the pictures from Colombia!

Gallery 1
Gallery 2
Gallery 3

Final Thoughts on Colombia

eliot.gomez@theartisticvision.com (Eliot Gomez) — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 12:19:00 +0000

And so today I am leaving Colombia. It has been quite an adventure and this is an experience I'll never forget. I feel almost like a cop-out, as I have only been here a week. I have done very little with regards to helping out the orphanage. I have fed some mouths and I have given some hugs and I have carried a few kids with dirty diapers to be changed, but I have only been here for a few days. I will leave today but the workers who slave away for 40+ hours a week will stay and will continue to do ten times more what I have done. Though we have loved on some kids, they and Sister Valeriana are the ones who truly care about them and sacrifice their lives to create an environment for these kids where they feel loved and accepted. In comparison, we have done nothing.

But we have done something, for we did show love to these kids, and it is awesome (and sad) to see these kids cry when they know that we are leaving, for I suppose we accomplished what we came to do and that perhaps they will remember us. However, if they remember us doesn't really matter as much as they they have a place where they are continue to develop their self confidence and esteem. They are happy, and not just happy but joyful, more so than most people who have beauty, wealth, love, fame, and family. That is what matters now.

I came into this trip thinking that I was going to serve them and help them that they might be blessed. I thought they needed our help, but after the trip, I realize that wasn't the purpose of this trip. The purpose of this trip was to learn from them--the kids and the workers--and to bring back what we have learned in order to bless those around us. Sister Valeriana has had a vision and just was used as an instrument by God to help a couple of orphans some 17 years. Because of this heart and vision, it has grown to an incredible size and so many people have poured so much money and time into this place. Just because of one vision.

I can't stay forever, but since my stay I've caught a glimpse of something big coming from the actions of one person. So perhaps we can take this back to Cincinnati. If we have a desire to see our community changed, and it might seem too great a task, we only need to remember the heart cry of a little Spanish Catholic nun years ago, the persistence of these angelic workers, and the simple love and faith of these little kids and how much we are able to see the kingdom of God in them. "The kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these..."

Learning about service

eliot.gomez@theartisticvision.com (Eliot Gomez) — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 03:11:00 +0000

I think the incredible thing that has struck me these last few days is the workers who work there. See we are only a group of 10 going for a very short time. There are so many workers there. Saints. I have talked with them and some of them have worked there for years. It has been incredible to me because even after working there for 3 hours in one day, I have become absolutely exhausted. And all we have done is feed the kids and play with them (as that is what they have requested). But these workers, every...single...stinkin...day. Have come to this place to care for the kids, love these kids, feed these kids, change dirty diapers on 15 year olds, have put up with there screaming, have taken them through therapy, have put up with the emotional drainage of seeing the state of these children--every single day from 6 in the morning to 6 at night.

It is incredible and I don't know how they do it. I don't know how they wake up in the morning and continue to do what they do. Not getting much pay and not getting much vacation. I have been amazed and am ashamed at myself for getting tired after 3 measly little hours. I haven't found their secret, but I suspect that it can only be divine strength, as I cannot believe that any human is capable of such act.

These past few days we have had the opportunity to visit some of the other locations of Luz y Vida. Like the schools and the other orphanages and the rest. Sister Valeriana has done an incredible work with these children and have build them a kingdom! She has vowed not to rest until sickness or death keeps her down. And her whole family has backed her. Currently, she is trying to build a hospital in the orphanage in order to care for the children. Yesterday we got to tour another facility in a town miles away that is a huge building fit to care for many children. She has done everything and has given everything to ensure that these children have an chance for love, healing, life, and laughter. I could go on and on about what she has done but one thing I'm convinced of: I haven't found their secret, but I suspect that it can only be divine strength, as I cannot believe that any human is capable of such act.

And what is incredible is that she is working to ensure the integration of the children. Within the orphanage, there are kids helping other kids. Not so disabled children helping the disabled. And the semi disabled helping the rest. Sister is really working hard to try to integrate these children into society. By sending them to school and so that someday they might be back in the world. It is truly an incredible.

In other news, throughout the week we have battled smelly diapers, splattering food, lice, bumpy Colombian roads, gas exhaust asphyxiation from our ghetto car, backdoor of car randomly deciding to open (see picture), Colombian gringo stares, and thus... we are exhausted. Tomorrow we are going to take a rest from the orphanage but Saturday we will be back there for a little fiesta!

Redefining Love through Deformity

eliot.gomez@theartisticvision.com (Eliot Gomez) — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 12:00:00 +0000

You never know what to expect when you walk into situations that are extremely uncomfortable and not ordinary. Such as walking into a special need orphanage containing mental and physical disabilities you have never encountered before in your life. Of course you always first walk in and act like nothing is wrong with them and that you can talk to them like they are normal, but the fact of the matter is, you can't, and that isn't to discriminate but is just a fact. You walk in and you are totally shocked that actual disabilities like this exist. You wonder how they can live like that, for that is all they have ever known.

Luz y Vida is enormous. They have like 5 levels of bedrooms and rooms with various rooms equipped to handle the various needs of the children. They have the biggest kitchen with vegetables that they grow from a farm that they own. They have all these tunnel ways that weave to and fro throughout the place taking you around like a maze. They have a courtyard and also a huge playroom with every toy imaginable and many therapy type things like bikes, and weights and such things.

You walk in and you see all these kids running everywhere. Or perhaps not running because they do not have legs, or do not have legs that work. Everywhere you look you are taking aback because you cannot go anywhere without seeing something you've never seen before. Like the girl wrapped in saran wrap because she has a disease that her skin is pealing off slowly. Or like the little girl with a clef palette who is 3 years old. Almost everything is not normal and often hard to look at. A lot of the kids are quite normal but have very devastating diseases like HIV, it is very tragic because many of them are the cutest kids and will steal your heart.

But the fact of the matter is, is after you get past deformities and past the stupid fear that you might break them, you begin to see something in them that was born of a human spirit. That is personality. Each one of them has an amazing personality and shows it off to the world as a beautiful person would show off their beauty. Joan-Anna, the little girl pictured with a clef palette is very hard to look at if you have never seen that circumstance before. But she is the bravest of the bunch, and though she cannot speak she has a voice and a personality that could start a revolution. But she is the sweetest girl and will come up to you and loves to be held. Or Claudia, who has a severe retardation and is in a wheelchair, loves hot guys. And when a hot guy enters the room she has the biggest smile on her face and becomes quite shy when approached. But see that's what makes them human, despite that they happen to be often grotesque on the outside, inside they are beaming with spirit and personality and smiles. They are deformed but they still need touch and love. They aren't like everyone but they are everything like everyone else. Deformed, often broken, hurting, often crushed, but still needing love, attention, laughter, food, or maybe just a good conversation.

I think the thing that struck me the most was was something Joan-ann did, the one with the cleft-plate who is 3 years old. After she was done with lunch, she saw all of us feeding the kids and decided that she needed to help and started feeding one of the kids near her. I was hit by that moment that this little three year old who is hard to look at...got it. She understood what the life was about. She saw someone who was hungry. She fed them. She saw someone in need and did something about it. She didn't care who they were. She didn't care who she was. She didn't care what problems she had. She understood what many of us go through life and never understand. She fed the hungry. I was humbled by this act and dreamed of what the world would look like if everyone understood what Joan-Anna understood. The world wouldn't be hungry. I wonder if what we all actually need is to be deformed, then perhaps we might begin to understand the basics of humanity. I have posted more pictures of the first and second day that can be viewed here. Thank you for stopping by. More will be coming tomorrow.

Giving and Beyond

eliot.gomez@theartisticvision.com (Eliot Gomez) — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 11:23:00 +0000

Today we had a chance to go and see a little of the city. It is a very pretty city and I cannot get over how blue the sky is. It is always rainy but the sky is always blue. It is because there is a mist over the city that comes from the Andes mountains. The bluest sky I've ever see, and never knew that hue could actually exist in the sky until now. And very nice people. Everyone invites you to their house but they never tell you when, what time, or where they live. It is said that they the people will always tell you what they think you need, but never actually listen to you actual need. So for example, when we arrived at the airport, we requested a big van to load all our stuff from our guides. They were very close to bringing a school bus or two. Luckily, someone from our group told them that a van would do. They brought two vans. Oh well. :-)

(all our luggage of gifts for the children)

We went to a church today, and it was very refreshing to see other cultures in worship. When I see other people worshiping God in a different way than we do in America, it is comforting to me because I I believe in God. As odd as that sounds, if we all did "church" the same way, I would wonder if we just made this all up, but God is a very diverse God. And again wonderful people.

Tomorrow we head to Luz y Vida. It is actually a holiday tomorrow so we don't know if everyone is going to be there. Today we organized all the stuff that our church brought to give to the orphanage. It is incredible how much we have!! Everyone (10 people) packed an extra suit case which contained all the gifts and stuff for the kids. We were unloading today and we have 88 little backpacks (which was purchased through a miraculous donation), an entire suitcase of toothpaste, an entire suitcase of crayons and school supplies, there were legos, and notebooks, and soap, and toothbrushes, and pencil sharpeners, and coloring books. It is incredible! These were mostly donations from our church or friends from our church, and I was amazed of how much a little church can give. And I was moved that even though we are small, and so far away, that we can in turn bless these kids. It felt that we were getting something right.

And I say this not to boast, but rather to remember and remember how Jesus fed the 5000 and then the 4000, meeting the needs of everyone (though stomachs will go hungry again and toys be broken), our purpose for giving should 1) never be limited by the size of who you are, if you desire to give it will be given to you to give and 2) try to put a smile on a kids face and you begin to see the heart of God.

En Route

eliot.gomez@theartisticvision.com (Eliot Gomez) — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 13:16:00 +0000

June 28, 2008
I am sitting on a a bus on my way to Guadalajara, Mexico. We are about 3 hours from the city. From there I will take a plane to Mexico city, and from there to Panama City which will then direct me to Bogota, Colombia. As I sit here and think, I get excited because this is my first mission trip. I am so excited to be going with my Lord serving Him. It is exciting going on mission trips, mostly because of the thrill of the beyond. The human spirit was made for such adventures, like we were designed to do this along.

Starting off, it is my belief that everyone who is able would should go on a trip to another country in order to see how others live. And then it hits me how privileged I am to be going on such a trip. I would guess that there is only 10% of the world who has the means and the ability to go on such a trip. In Mexico, I started off by telling everyone that I was going to Colombia! How exciting, and I was sure that they would be excited for me for they speak Spanish there! But as I did, I got a sense of disappointment, a feeling like, “Why can’t I go?”. And then I asked myself. Why can’t they go? It was hit with the fact with how rich I in fact was, even I being a “poor” college student, simply because I live, and work, and play, and befriend, and eat among kings and queens, even the poorer of us. And so as I the date for Colombia grew closer, I became almost ashamed to speak of my travels in a very humble sense asking, “why me?”

There is a verse in the Bible that says this, “To whom much is given, much will be required.” I believe that is one of the most haunting verses in the Bible, because I have seen what I have, I have seen what I have done, and I’m a witness to the good life I live. And so what the Bible tells me is that I am expected to give a lot. Which is a high and heavy standard for me as a 22 year old to live out just trying to get through a college education and figure out what I want to do with the rest of my life. And how much exactly is “much”. 10%? I would have hoped so, however, I have a sneaky suspicion that it is not a fixed number that I take out of my paycheck every week, that would be too easy. CS Lewis once wrote:

“I do not believe one can settle how much we ought to give. I am afraid the only safe rule is to give more than we can spare. In other words, if out expenditure on comforts, luxuries, amusements, etc, is up to the standard common among those with the same income as our own, we are probably giving away too little. If our charities do not at all pinch or hamper us, I should say they are too small. There ought to be things we should like to do and cannot do because our charities expenditure excludes them.”

CS Lewis, Mere Christianity, pg 86

So off I go to Colombia, and will arrive in my destination in about 12 hours from now. Not (only) because I want to, and I am excited about this trip, but because I have to, for there is an insurmountable debt of blessings that I must return.

Destination Colombia: Excitements and Oppositions

eliot.gomez@theartisticvision.com (Eliot Gomez) — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 20:11:00 +0000

Something funny happens to you when your heart is caught by something that you know you need to do or by that feeling that captures you soul that tells you you ought to pour yourself into a cause. Since I am a Christian, I call this feeling the Holy Spirit, the living God flowing into my heart causing me to give myself to something which I might not exactly benefit from, but only because He told me to. Others might call it something different. Nevertheless, what's interesting about it is that I have never even met these kids who I have attempted to help over the last year at Luz y Vida. But to those who know this feeling I'm talking about, that seldom seems to matter. For you know that someone out there needs your help.

But this is all about to change, because in 7 days I will have an opportunity to meet these kids. My church and I will be traveling to Bogota, Colombia to Luz y Vida, an orphanage containing many mental and physical handicap children, as well as normal kids who have happened to be a victim of the unrest there. I'm very excited about this opportunity, and I will be bringing my camera (obviously) but more importantly, I look forward to interacting with these kids and being blessed by them, as I hope to return the blessing. Keep checking this blog daily, as I will updating it frequently when I get there and will be posting pictures as fast as I can.

One other thing I would like to touch on, which has surprised me. I am surprised about a few oppositions I have received about 1) going to another country to help orphans and 2) going to another dangerous country to help orphans. The first group of people implying that we should be focusing on our country and helping orphans there instead of spending money to go to another country to help them. The second group of people implying that there are other countries out that are much safer, why not go there, why try to be the "hero" and go to a dangerous country to help others.

I'll address the second one first. Why go to a dangerous country (a country that has over 4 million-ish refugees as a result of a 40 year war of drugs and power)? To me this really shouldn't be a question. We do not blame (well most of us) soldiers for going and doing their duty overseas, we honor them for their service. Granted, we might blame the powers at be who cause us to be in Iraq in the first place, but if anyone has fought in a war (I have not), I would assume that the issue isn't whether or not we are in danger, for we can all run from danger but it doesn't really get us anywhere. Selfishness has never been a standard for the human race. It is not a matter of becoming a hero, I don't believe that Mother Teresa would consider herself a hero, I think she would just consider herself a human being who doesn't like to see others suffer, so she did something about it by going to the people who were hurting the most. It just made sense.

So if danger isn't the question, then what is? That is whether or not we should go or not. I met a guy in Mexico who was very strong in his belief that we should only help people in our own country. I belief that this is the most ludicrous system of belief. Hear me, I'm not saying that we shouldn't help our own country, I think we should help our own country more than others because if we don't know how to serve here in America, how can we serve a people who we don't even speak the same language? But to say that we should never help other countries is completely rediculous.

First of all, from a Christian point of view, I come to the story that Jesus tells about the Good Samaritan. An expert of the law asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. It was concluded, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and love your neighbors as yourself." But then the expert of the law wanted to be justified it says, and asks, "Who is my neighbor?" Jesus proceeds to tell the story (Luke 10) about the Samaritan (who would have been in those days like a Muslim here in America) who helped the Jew. A complete foreign helping another foreign, which means that Jesus broke the boundaries of who we ought to help.

See, the expert of the law wanted to be justified, and hoped that his neighbor would only include his neighbor John Smith who he happens to get together and plays cards with every Saturday night. The expert would be in the good standings then. But that would be too easy. But Jesus lifted this idea that boundaries define our service. No it must be everyone, even our enemies.

Secondly, even if you do not have these convictions, why wouldn't you want to help others outside your boundaries? If you are most concerned about your country wouldn't developing good relationships with other countries most secure your survival? Instead of bombing them with bombs, why not bomb them with care packages? They might then desire to see your development rather than demise. But I cannot speak much on this as I'm not an expert on other world belief systems and politics, but just seeing how half the world hates the USA, I suspect I'm not far off.

Either way, we will be going for 10 days. Please stay tuned and offer your prayers and thoughts for us and the kids as we are there. I am very excited for this opportunity and look to keeping you updated. Blessings.

Composing the Vision: New Beginnings to See

eliot.gomez@theartisticvision.com (Eliot Gomez) — Tue, 24 Jun 2008 20:02:00 +0000

Welcome! Thank you for visiting my site. To those who have been with me from the start. Those I knew before I even knew all this would happen. Those who have encouraged me in my gifts and who ultimately developed me to who I am today. Who have pointed me to the Lord who gives us eyes to see with, in order to see this Vision that existed since ancient days. I thank you, from my heart, this is for you, that you might receive the blessings and not me.

Welcome! To those who maybe are just passing by. I hope that you like what you see. I never consider myself the best photographer out there, but I do like to pour my heart into what I do, and this is a result of that. My hope is that you will take time to stop and see the beauty around you, even if just for a while, and give thanks. And perhaps you will then become inspired to pour your heart into the things you do best, whatever it may be. I hope that I can encourage you to live the greatest and most fruitful life you can and create what you have been designed to do. But I hope that you may never stop there, for we have been given so much to keep it for ourselves. Learn to give some of it away and you'll begin to catch the Vision which so many quiet saints and great men and women before us did.

So this is my gift to you. Feel free to look around, leave comments, subscribe to the blog, send me favorites pictures you've taken, or contact me with questions or stories you might have. I am grateful for you being here. Thank you.