My name is Stephanie Anderson. You might be wondering WHO I am and why I made this book.A long time ago I decided a couple of things. Life statements I ( and anyone ) could live by

Ultimately, I want to be actively resisting everything that destroys life.

I want to love people with the kind of love that is worth something. Love that is unconditional, and sacrificial. The kind that allows people to truly understand what it feels like to be valued and cared for. The kind that expects nothing in return.I dont want to see people close to me ( or even those not so close ) waste away from drug/alchohol addiction, instead i want to work towards seeing someone set free.I actually want to know the faces of the people behind the issues I am concerned aboutI want to love the unloved. and meet Jesus in the most unsuspecting disguises. I want to learn about the heart of God through witnessing brokeness, like the tears of a homeless person, or drug addict, instead of looking past them.I want to learn to listen instead of wait for my turn to speak.I want to think less. and feel moreI want to use photography to show Gods faithfulness and beauty. and to tell the amazing stories of people i meet and how their lives have been irreparably changed.

But most of all, I want to love God with all of my being.

This is why I made this book. Im tired of just saying things. My passion is to be active in showing hope and Gods love through my photography. I recently took a trip to Papua New Guinea on a missions trip with YWAM ( Youth With a Mission ).

Being my first time to a developing nation, The living conditions, the health conditions, the lack of safety and comfort are way below what I was used to, But you still look around the villages, and they are filled with happy, joyful people, singing and playing carefree in the ocean. They live a simple life. and love it that way.

These photos and stories are testimony of God’s goodness and grace as I eagerly strive to follow him.

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Papua New Guinea really is the Land of the Unexpected. From the most loving and welcoming people, to remote and untouched land, sunsets that leave you breathless, to its tremendous national resources, It is impossible to miss the deep and rich inheritance this nation has, and has yet to find for itself.

And most of all. I never expected that after spending 3 weeks there, That I would fall in love with the people there. Going there to share God, I ended up finding Him among the people and discovered there is more to life then what we see.

The opportunity to experience a culture so remote and unique has radically changed and impacted my life. and I am so glad I got to persue something I have always had a passion for, to use photojournalism to show Gods heart and the beauty of this nation

Papua New Guinea - Land of the Unexpected

2 Corinthians 8 : 2-3Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. For I testify that they gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own

We went to visit a couple hospitals while we were here and that was the biggest shock for me.

They say that less than 10% of Papua New Guin-eans have access. or money for healthcare because 80% live in rural areas, so if they get sick. they stay in the village most of the time, and be sick instead of commuting for hours to get to the nearest clinic.not alot of food is provided in hospitals, so they rely on friends and family to come and feed them.

We went to the biggest hospital in the Gulf Province ( which i could hardly believe when we went inside ), And this will help give you an idea of the conditions. This was one of the 3 wards they had here,

When we walked in, I didnt smell the normal smell you would expect in a hospital, instead of anesthetic and cleaner it smelled like old sheets, metal and 2nd hand equipment. The dingy air and the atmosphere almost made me choke.

We saw a man limping out as we came in, who clear-ly was not ready to be released. but the realities are that he could probably no longer afford to be there, or the doctors still dont know what is wrong so they have to release him.Its hard to believe that is people are fortunate enough to get healthcare, this is what it looks like.

There has to be a change...

This is Renagi, We met him in the Meii village outside of Kerema. After spending the week building relationship with Renagi, he began to share his story with us in his house one day. I never saw until now, that behind his joyful and contagious smile there was a broken man with an incredible story of redemption and hope.

“This is where I used to take the bad children, they come here to drink my home brews” He confessed. It then became clear that the area we were sitting, was in fact, the infamous location around the village called “the Hotel” This would be the place the youth of the area would flock to drink his home made alcohol, chew beetle nut, and smoke marijuana.

All night he would blast his loud music and would tell all the children to come and drink “ Because who is going to get cross with us? If they get cross, I’m going to hit them”

Well known as an influential man of power in the village, naturally Renegai is feared among the people in Meii. Known for his aggression, his strength and his past which is clearly marked by the 3 tattooed lines on his forehead. These marks. Are the marks of a rascal.

When Renegai was 16, hedropped out of school and ran away to Lae, where he joined a Raskal gang. Infamous in that area for anything from petty theft to the more common highway robberies, murder and rape. Rascal gangs in PNG emerged as an outlet for uneducated and unemployed youth found a sense of self-worth by associating with others in a similar situation. brutal situations of poverty, brokeness and despair, This seemed like a perfect fit for Renegai, A troubled young teenager, having recently dropped out of

year 7, there is no hope for a career for him anymore, and being poor, this made matters desperate for him.

He stayed in this downward spiral for 5 years, when he realised that as he was trying to get something for himself, but ended up hitting rock bottom, he travelled back to the Gulf Province to his home village of Meii, and because he saw no hope for himself anymore. He fell into a vicious circle so many have fallen into in this village. When you have no money, you have no education, You have no education, you have no job, and when you have no job, you have nothing to do, so you get bored, so you do what you want, ....you turn to drugs and alcohol.

It wasn’t until 2 weeks ago though, Where Renegai’s story radically turned around. When he and everyone who was close to himthought there was no hope left, there was a moment in his life where he found God. It was when another team from YWAM Reef to Outback came through for the day 2 weeks before we came, They preformed a drama that showed exactly the way he had been living. This made him really look at where he was at, and the emptiness he felt. He said “enough is enough I have to have a life transformation” He realised he had to stop what he is doing or else he was going to die. The amazing part of this story is he now wants to use his influence and his power in the community now for good. instead of using manipulation and fear and as a way of getting what he wants, he really wants to be influential in a good way, he wants to see his village change and benefit. He now wants to travel over seas to experience a reality different from his own, he wants to preach the gospel in other countries and come back to see his village and country change.

Our team was based in the Gulf Province of PNG where the YWAM medical ship will be targeting in 2010 with a medical outreach. We spent our time in 4 villages Meii, Kerema, Malalaua, and Muaveave. All of our time in PNG we were overwhelmed by the generosity of the people and in every place we were welcomed like family. Through relationship we were able to share testimonies on how God has transformed our lives

One of the things I loved the most about this outreach was the opportunity to stay in each village for long enough to really build relationship. Its common to travel into villages and stay for a day, share, then head on to another place. Really missing out on forming deep relationships with people and connecting with their real needs. Eating and living just as they do had such an impact on our team throughout the time in PNG and has really challenged our whole perspective on life with our excessive want for bigger and better, and more!!

My name is Andy Kupa. I live in Meii village. I found growing up very hard because we have no electricity or running water. And up until recently we have had no clean drinking water until the CCL donated and installed water tanks in our villages.

I am one of the more fortunate ones here who was able to get an education. But as soon as I completed myyear 10. I found it difficult to go on with my studies, So I would go home to the village and do anything I wanted to do. I thought I had no hope so I went out drinking, fighting and doing all sorts of things that weren’t good for me.I began to realise I was getting nowhere with what I was doing so I decided to leave most of that behind to finish my studies. But still found myself slipping throughout my time in school.

I still struggle for employment because here in Papua New Guinea you not only have to pay for all yourstudies. But it also costs 2,000+ Kina to get your certificate which proves you did all your studies, I don’t have that kind of money, So even though I am qualified for a job. No one will hire me because I cant prove it to the workplace with my certificate. I want to get out but I’m left to stay here in the village, doing nothing.

Recently I gave my life to God and decided I want to live in a peaceful way, I left the things I had done and started to follow Christ. Now I would like my life and this village to be changed.

And HOPE does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us - Romans 5:5

Some more of my work | Contact Info

* Flickr - www.flickr.com/photos/saskatchewanpirate

* Youtube – www.youtube.com/user/stephinoz88

* Photo Blog - www.lifefromoneeye.wordpress.com

* Email – stephaniea@ywamrto.org

* Address - PO Box 6221 Townsville QLD Australia 4810