Happy Endings

Twelve weeks gone already.
From Worldview with Landa Cope, to learning to design a magazine and record a radio broadcast, we have trudged through the various media and concepts that make up the field of journalism. We’ve laughed; we’ve cried . . . we’ve filled a bookshelf with our work.

Looking back, towards the beginning of the school there were various expectations. Ice cream socials, dance parties and fiestas? No, rather a time of dedicated writing and development, sharing experience and ideas, awakening new thoughts and creativity and exploring what it means to be a Kingdom Communicator. Over the weeks, staff and students found God speaking identity to them, as well as challenging them to the core. We have celebrated students' first publications and worked at developing skills that will prove vital to work in the field as communicators.

Looking ahead, there are still mountains to overcome. Field assignments are still being prayed over, finances prayed in and staff beginning to journey to various destinations, as this page turns and reveals another piece of the story. This is our time to be sent forth as communicators, carrying the heart and will of God to various locations and returning as compassionate storytellers, scribes of the work God is doing in the earth.

The lecture phase of the school is ending on a high note with a week of study in television, before graduation on Friday. As we all look back over the first quarter of this year and think about the things God spoke in the beginning, we are excited and pleased with life and His faithfulness. It is a happy ending, one that brings a sense of joyful completion to just a small piece of the puzzle.

View from Here

A smattering of photos from the students, taken during our week studying photo- journalism.

Q & A with Jonathan Russell, Photojournalism Teacher

Q: Where do you call home and why?

A: A combination of places. I feel like my long-term home is in Paris, but, yet, the world is my home. I’ve not been at a consistent place for so long that I don’t have the convenient ability to think of one place as home. Plus, I have friends and family all over the world.

Q: How long have you been a photographer?

A: Professionally, about 10 years, starting with small projects. I began to be more serious 4-5 years ago.

Q: What is the most important thing about photojournalism?

A: That’s a semi-loaded question – I think it is a combination of factors. Our responsibility is accurate and honest reporting. Yet, also our responsibility is to care and not just be a bystander, but try to effect a change.

Q: What is the goal of photojournalism?

A: If you ask 10 different photojournalists, you will get 10 different answers. My goal is to make a difference in the lives of people and also to educate others about events happening in the rest of the world; to serve who I am photographing, and also serve those who the photos are distributed to.

Q: If the students this week were to take just one thing away from your teaching, what would you want it to be?

A: To make it more than just about the image.

Q: What is the hardest thing you have learned as a photographer?

A: I am a very technological person. My personal struggle has been to go beyond the technological side and be more personal – to take images that matter not in the technical sense, but affect people’s lives as I take and as I share them.

Q: How has God used photojournalism to speak to you?

A: A lot of ways! He has spoken to me through different photojournalist’s work and their approach. He has spoken to me through images of great hope and joy, but also images of great suffering and sadness. In my personal experience He has opened doors using photography to get me into places and give me things to do to interact with people and, in a sense, validate my presence there. In those times he has taught me about humanity and creation, his idea of perfect love and his idea of what things really matter.

Q: What question do you get the most when people find out you are a photographer?

A: Film or Digital? And my response is, “both.”

Q: What historical event do you wish you could go back and photograph?

A: Mary’s explanation to Joseph! Actually, there are just too many to narrow down and all across the spectrum: Milestones in technology, great miracles God did, portraits of individuals who have had a great influence in art or entertainment, or even a photo expose of the various processes the likes of DaVinci.

Q: Who are your favorite photographers?

A: Ansel Adams, James Nachtwey and Henri Cartier-Bresson

Q: Besides your camera, what is your most valuable tool?

A: My Swiss Army Knife!

Q: What is the future of photojournalism?

A: I am not sure because it will be a reflection of society. The things that need to be photographed will be directly related to where our society is and I don’t have an answer to that. As far as the technological side, it doesn’t matter.

SOFJ Movie Review

What do you get when a British Television Personality and a resigned US President sit down to discuss conspiracy and foreign policy? The SOFJ found out during a class field trip to the cinema.

Frost/Nixon, directed by Ron Howard and written by Peter Morgan, is based on the 1977 television interviews between David Frost and Richard Nixon concerning Nixon's presidency and the Watergate scandal. While there is debate on the historical accuracy of the theatrical performance, the lessons learned by aspiring journalists, such as the importance of preparation and maintaining direction of the interview, remain intact.

Throughout the film the team of Nixon advisors coach the former president on possible directions of questions and responses. Meanwhile, the Frost Team researches and studies every move Nixon made as president and tries to nail him in a much anticipated confession of wrong-doing. While Frost loses the grip on the interview in the first sessions, allowing Nixon to take control and dodge the real issues, he regains control in the last bit and . . . you'll have to watch for yourself to find out!

All in all we give the movie and good mark for entertainment, and a great mark for usefulness (and fun) for a School of Field Journalism!

--
Darcie

The X files

Based on an interview with SOFJ student, Xetsha Hlongwane, from Zimbabwe.

Xetsha , or "X" as we like to call him, came to the SOFJ from Zimbabwe, where his family still lives. Amidst political instability, humanitarian crisis and experiencing the bias of local newspapers, X looked for a chance to build his skills and abilities of communication to help his parents and community.

"I was disgusted about the way local journalists would report," X explains, "For example, with cholera, the papers wouldn't have anything. Thousands would die and they wouldn't say anything. I thought if I could be a writer myself I could write about issues that affect people."

X comes from a family that supports orphans in Zimbabwe. His parents run a home in a small community taking care of about 80 orphans and children. Before coming to Muizenberg he was part of communicating the needs of the ministry to donors and sponsors. While thousands have fled his home country, X says his parents just couldn't
leave. "I love Cape Town, it is a great place to be, but it will never be home. There will always be that element that misses home."

The church in Zimbabwe is attempting to be a safe place for the people and address issues facing the country, X says what keeps them going is faith and prayer. "It is difficult to address issues that are illegal. For example, border jumping. . . it is not right, but people don't have options. [What they do] it's their only source of income." Pastors in Zimbabwe are finding it difficult to address the issues like not having proper travel documents and money laundering without leading people to be jobless and starving. In addition, X explains that all pastors have to pray before teaching and be well versed with the law, "You really have to be led by God and rely on Him because you never know who would be listening and there is so much you just can't say."

"We are just hoping," says X, "there is hope in the people."
Xetsha is considering doing more studies in communication in the future.

Darcie Nolan

On the Beat

SOFJ took to the streets of Cape Town this week. The assignment? Cover an annual Pro-Life demonstration downtown. With notebooks, questions and cameras, students boarded a train Friday morning at False Bay Station and set out, ready to put to practice classroom teaching on interviewing, photography, slants and newsworthiness.

The National Day of Repentance is held yearly to bring awareness and protest the legalization of abortion in South Africa, which happened February 1, 1997. This year, organizers staged a solemn funeral procession through downtown Cape Town, ending at the Parliamentary Gates in a Prayer Vigil. Students of the SOFJ met with coordinators, participants and onlookers, took photos of the event, and wrote both a
news article and an editorial piece on what they saw.

SOFJ Staff Member, Adam Jeske, commented, "After four weeks in the classroom adrift on theory, they did a great job out in the swirl of real life, producing some quality stories and images."

The coming weeks in the SOFJ hold more practical experience as students begin to tackle investigative journalism practices. Students will work with a team to research and investigate an issue pertaining to South Africa. At week's end, presentations from each group will be used to decide which topic goes on to be made into a documentary piece, which a magazine feature piece and which an internet blog piece.

Is our world view biblical?

With great privilege, the SOFJ has spent the last two weeks receiving
teaching and inspiration from Landa Cope, Founding International Dean
of the College of Communication for YWAM's University of the Nations. She is highly sought to speak to politicians and business leaders around
the globe about the Bible's practical applications in all domains of
society.

Landa brought a challenging word to the students, encouraging them to
gain God's perspective as it is revealed in Scripture. She also taught
the importance of asking good questions and being bold in the
proclamation of Truth.

The week prepared the students for writing their first big assignment
over the weekend. Each student focused on an issue of their choice and
brought a Biblical worldview to the piece, while still writing for
mainstream media. Topics such as prostitution, Sharia Law, farming,
and human trafficking were all explored in the light of God's word and
His principles.

We look forward to continuing our study on news-worthiness this week
and meeting with the God of Communication!