43 of 366
02/12/2012
Backlit
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42 of 366
02/11/2012
Wallowa Mountain Sunrise
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41 of 366
02/10/2012
Snoqualmie falls
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40 of 366
02/09/2012
Story Bridge
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39 of 366
02/08/2012
Door
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38 of 366
02/07/2012
Albert Street Church
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37 of 366
02/06/2012
Phil Martin
When I announced this project I was contacted by Phil! He goes to my church here in Seattle and is a super awesome guy! I am super stoked that he took some time out of his super busy schedule to sit down with me and talk about local Washington trafficking and helping me with connections and planning! Go check out the organization he works for and if you want to be involved with an organization that fights trafficking here in WA, hit him up @ phil@compassion2one.org http://compassion2one.org
Who are you?
My name is Phil Martin and I am the National Director for “Compassion 2 One.”
Where are you from?
I am from the Seattle Washington area
What you do?
I oversee all of the daily operations for our organization.
What is the objejective of compassion 2 one ?
Our objective is to eradicate sex trafficking from modern day society
How did you first get involved with fighting human trafficking
I first got involved through a local area youth pastor friend of mine who is also a Regional Director for an organization called “Just One” or “One Voice to End Slavery”
Why is stopping human trafficking important to our world?
It is important to stop this problem because people were never created to be commodities, sold in commercial sex markets.
Can you educate us on human trafficking statistics in Seattle and worldwide?
Human Trafficking generates around 42 billion dollars annually worldwide. Seattle ranks 3rd highest in the nation for both harboring and trafficking victims, Between 500-700 women/children are being bought and sold for sex in our city on a daily basis. The average age of entry into prostitution in Seattle is between 11-16 years of age, Seattle is both a transit and a destination city, as well as one of the major ports. Trafficking happens online with Backpage.com, Craigslist, My Redbook, Social networking sites, Escort Services, and commercial venues. The I-5 Cooridor is a major hot spot, Aurora Ave, International Blvd in Sea-Tac, Pacific Ave in Tacoma, U Dist, Truck Stops, Border crosssings, hotels, airports, bus stops, malls, churches etc.. Buyers can be anybody. It is mostly men but they come from all walks of life, not just gangs or organized crime organizations.
How do people get involved in the fight against this atrocity?
People can get involved by visting our website which is http://compassion2one.org or simply doing research online about different organizations serving locally.
What do you wanna leave people with as a closing statement?
In closing, every single person can help end slavery. Every individual has a voice, every individual has a gift/talent and every individual has some amount of time that they can give. This is a big problem and it can be overwhelming at times but the only way that slavery will come to an end, is if individuals step up and make a difference. It’s not up to politicians, law enforcement officers or other influential leaders. To see the end of slavery in America and around the world, will require the common person getting involved.
THANKS so much PHIL!
36 of 366
02/05/2012
Australia Pallet
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35 of 366
02/04/2012
St. John Cathedral
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34 of 366
02/03/2012
Story Bridge Day
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33 of 366
02/02/2012
Downtown Brisbane
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32 of 366
02/01/2012
West End Sunset
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31 of 366
01/31/2012
Gateway Bridge
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30 of 366
01/30/2012
Ben Windle
Whoa, its been some serious time… 3 weeks behind schedule is more then I would have ever thought could happen! I promise you that this break hasnt been in vain. I’ve been working on a lot of video stuff that I had to give precedence and priority the last couple weeks. Traveling and working and everything has been amazing but I’m going to start to post a lot of the photographs I have still been shooting. I have still maintained the shooting aspect of the project, but posting them has been a problem because of travel, internet, and time! But here I am, posting this amazing interview of the Pastor that flew me to Australia for 2.5 weeks to do some really awesome video work! The video will make its debut on vimeo very soon!
Here is Pastor Ben Windle!
Check out his church here
Here is his twitter! Too bad his Australia accent doesn’t come through, because it’s epic!
Who are you?
I am blessed to be the husband of 10 years to my high school sweetheart, and father to two of the cutest, most mischievous little boys, who stole my hearts the moment they were born.
Where did you come from?
I was born in Brisbane, and spent my young childhood moving around Australia as my parents pioneered new churches. Along with my two brothers, for most of my childhood I was raised in a typical Australian residential area in the Western suburbs of Brisbane.
What do you as a profession?
I pastor a multi-campus church in Brisbane, and dabble in business, writing, and radio on the side.
What initially drew you into ministry?
I realized that due to the fact I had been raised in a pastors home, and by all measures had a great start in life, that I had somewhat of a responsibility to give back into other peoples lives. It may sound simple, but I was surrounded by people with needs and felt compelled to help. In that sense, I kind of stumbled into vocational ministry and before I knew it was working at my dad’s church and became involved in many aspects of church life.
What kind of church do you maintain?
Lifeplace is a church with an authentic sense of community and family. The church is established around the idea that people are in fact called to be the church 7 days a week: at home, in their businesses, at school, or wherever they are placed.
We are church that mixes innovation and technology with clear and compelling Bible teaching. Our church is also very diverse. We have people from many different backgrounds, nationalities, and vocations.
Why do you feel confronting the issue of human trafficking is so important?
It’s an area I am still learning about. In fact, it has only been in recent years that I have really been made more aware of its prevalence in Western nations. This was a surprise to me, and I didn’t even really understand what it was at first. For me, the fact that women and children are essentially being enslaved and traded as a commodity is almost unthinkable in such a modern society as Australia.
Anytime we see a chronic social injustice we should feel a responsibility to help in some way, even if it is simply helping whoever comes along our path in life. Helping even one person is worth it.
Do you feel that churches should be the leaders in addressing this issue?
The broader question would be should churches be the leaders in addressing social issues. I think churches should at least be amongst the lead pack in society when it comes to any kind of social issue. Teen suicide, domestic violence, drug abuse, homelessness, poverty, hunger. The list of needs is inexhaustible and is a part of the human condition that we are all called to do what we can with our lives to help in some way.
In addition, churches are a part of a big picture in society, and no doubt governments, legislators, and law enforcement also have a lead role to play. I personally don’t subscribe to an isolationist mentality that it is all up to the church. I think it is unrealistic and perhaps ungrateful of the work that many other organizations and people do. Surely an all hands on deck approach is best.
This of course puts a great level of importance on churches being healthy, well resourced, and growing, so that they are actually in a position to make a difference.
How do you see the Church global helping? Do you believe we can win this war and stop human trafficking?
I don’t know that I have the solution for such a global problem. One way churches can greatly help is one the grassroots level within the local communities that they exist. This may mean running programs to help people who have come out of tracking, or raising funds for charities that are dedicated to this cause. I would be surprised if we could totally stop the existence of human trafficking, the same way we cannot stop violent crimes, or theft, or illicit drugs. However, whether it can be stopped or not is perhaps not the most important question. If a ship with 100 passengers was sinking would we stand on the shore and ask if all 100 could be saved, or would do all that we could to save as many as possible? We can make a difference. Where we see a need we can meet it.
What gives you hope to see trafficking stopped, and for seeing the victims’ lives restored?
As a Christian, I believe restoration is available through the work of God in people’s lives, and through the love and care of people. We need both.
How do you urge your congregation to help?
My congregation is made of a diverse range of people that support a multitude of social causes. For me, church is not an institution, or an organization. Church is the people. When people stop look for ‘the church’ to do something, and start ‘being the church’, there is a fundamental shift in paradigm that takes place. Instead of hoping somebody else will help, the responsibility is also shared by every individual.
I encourage my church to meet the needs that are in their path in life, to follow their unique passion to make a difference, and to think beyond themselves. We also give financially to some organizations that are dedicated to this cause in third world nations. Having said that, there would be room for improvement in how we help in this area – along with many other areas.
What words can you offer that would inspire people to join this cause?
A good starting place would be to educate yourself about the trade of human trafficking.
My encouragement would be is that if human trafficking is something that grabs your heart, don’t walk away from that emotion. Let it turn you to action. Get involved. Do something. Start somewhere. You may not be able to do everything, but you can do something. And if everyone lived out that mentality a lot would happen.
Perhaps today you can take that first step to being a part of the solution.
Thanks again Pastor Ben!!
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29 of 366
01/29/2012
The Wheel of Brisbane
