There has to be hope in this world, otherwise what the hell are we all doing here on this planet? Yet sometimes there seems to be to many people in need and not enough of us caring or doing anything about it.
After all we are only one person, but if we all got together as one we become many! On Tuesday afternoon I was in a mad dash to get everything organised in our Motorhome (lunches made, motorhome cleaned etc) and to drop of Kyle to the baby sitters until David got home from work.
There was an evening for bloggers to attend the Ken Duncan Art Gallery with World Vision in Sydney – a book launch for the amazing project “Vision of Hope – Mother and Child“
To be honest I had no idea who Ken Duncan was before the night…
Yes I am embarrassed to say that I was walking blind into a evening that turned out so well…
A room full of beautiful people, a room full of talented Photographers and I was drooling at all of the photos on the walls!!
There are no words to put together to go with the amazing book that Ken Duncan and (friends) two other incredible Photographers produced (I think that there was more behind the scenes that made the book possible?).
Its a hard cover book full of photos of Mothers all around their world with their Children.
It still takes my breath away ~ each time you turn a page you are sucked into the surroundings of where the image was taken. Its almost as if you were there standing alongside the Photographers.
Almost like you were standing next to the Mother in the pictures. Each one tells a story, and each one connects you to them.
It makes our world become smaller, no matter where you live, no matter your lifestyle, no matter your circumstances you will feel exactly what that Mother experiences.
“Our vision for every child, life in all its fullness,
our prayer for every heart, the will to make it so”
Dr Bob Pierce, founder of World Vision
They say Australia is the lucky Country.
The country of land and Dreams.
Where you can become whatever you want to as long as you set your goals high enough.
And its true.
We are damn lucky – we have electricity. We have food. We have choices and we can provide for our children.
Imagine not being able to do that?
On the night Mel from Sunrise Channel 7 Morning show was there (sorry to say I didn’t even have a clue who she was either – we don’t have a TV!!) and her story, shared from the heart, touched me in so many ways.
She went over seas and meet with those that do not have the easiest choices in life. Where it got so cold it was minus 50 degrees in Winter. Those families over there have to make two choices….
Eat
or
Keep Warm
Could you ever imagine having to face that with your family?
Making that choice…..do we buy food or do we buy fuel to keep us warm through winter?
Never
ever
in my wildest Dreams would I want to be in that situation.
Then there was Ken Duncan.
Ken Story ::
He was photographing families where there seemed like there was no hope for them. And then the following week he was photographing Movie Stars who had Cubby houses the size of Houses for their Children.
To say he was affected by the two contrasts is a little understatement.
It played with his head big time. And still does…..but with his “Vision Of Hope” Book Launch you can see his vision is to help World Vision, to give back to those that need.
Each Book Sale goes into Supporting World Vision Work Around The World.
Where the statement “We are only one, but we are many. Together we can make the World a better Place” comes into effect. If every person helped in whatever way they could, then those in need would be given choices that we here take for granted.
And to me that makes the world a better place.
After hearing Mel and Ken Speak Tim Costello shared his support to the book lunch.
Tim Costello (CEO of World Vision) was up next ::
He is a Man who speaks gently yet in his time has seen so much.
Tim shared how Women die giving birth in Papua New Guinea. Not because of giving birth, but because of no health care access during labour.
Did you know there is only 744.03 miles between PNG and Cairns Australia?
How Can That Be?
That
In This Day and Age
Women Die giving birth
Yet here in Australia we have access to free care in Hospitals with Midwifes/Doctors? Surely every Mum across the world should have the same rights?
He then went onto stating how a Mother feels the same, no matter where they come from, losing a child breaks their heart. Yet people think (not you or me!) that because they come from Africa(or famine countries) that they don’t grieve like we do…..
That losing their baby or losing their child doesn’t affect them like it does to women who live in the lucky countries.
Gosh what I would love to say to the person who thinks a Mothers Heart would beat the same if they lost a child – losing a child would break a mothers heart and it would beat differently for ever more. NO. Matter. Where. The. Mother. Lives.
Three Year Old Sane ~
Having his afternoon Bath….this picture is one of many that will take your breath away.
The photos in the Book are beyond Stunning. There are quotes throughout the book that match the images perfectly yet there are no words to express what you will feel looking at each scene.
“If we do not plant knowledge when young,
it will give us no shade when we are old”
~ Lord Chesterfield
There is nothing that I can say that captures what those images can. Its a book that would be perfect for Mothers Day, or Birthday’s or even Christmas Presents!
Please Support Vision of Hope (in whatever way you can).
Lets give Mothers from all over the World the chance to live.
And their children a future.
Do You Have A Vision of Hope Story?
Please Share How You Would Change this world if you could (forget about who you are or what you do/don’t have and dream big). Imagine if you were higher up in the world with all the power and the money….what would you do with it?
Thanking you World Vision for the invitation. It opened up my eyes to how other Mothers live in different countries, yet we all have the same heart beat.
What Would You Say When Meeting Ken Duncan For The First Time?
Lisa
New Life on the Road.
I am glad that I am not the only one who doesn’t know who celebrities are. Although we now have a TV (I preferred when we didn’t) we don’t watch it much and never ever watch the news. It is hard to imagine the poverty that these people live in and the adversity. We are so wealthy in this country our biggest medical issue is depression because we can’t see how much we have. Thanks for sharing this story.
Eleise recently posted..Marriage, divorce and Defacto Relationships
So good to know we are not the only family who doesn’t watch the news…and yeah I am so embarrassed that I didn’t know the celebrities there on the night!!!
Funny how little the famine countries have yet they are so very grateful….without the things we take for granted they still can smile.
Never thought about our Depression issues here in Australia – sure is interesting how our lucky country has such a high rate of people on medication.
Some beautiful photos in this book and a wonderful cause. Ken was very generous donating his time and expertise.
budget jan recently posted..Fantastic Friday – Dry Gulch Provincial Park Campfire Heaven
The book was amazing, and Ken (plus friends) were so good to put the book together for the benefits of Mothers world wide.
Going to the book launch opened up my eyes up to how lucky we are here in Australia!
What stunning images. I’m going to have to make some not so subtle hints to my family for mothers day. It’d be nice for more than one mum to benefit from a single mothers day gift!! Thanks for sharing.
Hi Aleney,
I so agree – its a great Mothers Day gift. And I really like the idea of giving to help out another Mum 🙂
The images are way better in the Book than here in my post!
Cheers
Lisa
Great wrap up post on what was a fabulous night, Lisa!
So glad I met you! x
Grace recently posted..FYBF – The Mother Tongue
Like wise Grace – It was so very good to meet you 🙂 Looking forward to catching up again soon in Sydney!
Hi Lisa, sounds like a wonderful evening and the book is a definite to purchase for my Mum and to ask for as gift from my kids. I think if we can relate to each other and to the suffering of others through the powerful bonds of motherhood then we can bring the world closer and help to end some of that suffering.
So very true Kathy – no matter where we live we can all get together and connect. After all Mothers all want the same thing – to have healthy happy children.
The book will make a wonderful Mothers Day Gift to your Mum and to yourself as well xxx
Ken Duncan does amazing work in both photographic form and in opening our eyes.
I smile daily at the hope and inspiration I see all around me from people making a difference to the lives of just one other person or of many.
I am also disappointed that many people with the means don’t do more.
Great post 🙂
Leanne @ Deep Fried Fruit
Ken Duncan and friends are incredible – they put together such a great photo book, and their stories were so inspiring!
Thanks for stopping by here and leaving your great feedback 🙂
I love that you don’t have a TV! Great blog Lisa 🙂
Thanks Joy – we dont have time for the TV 🙂