Humbled and inspired.

10Jan10

Thanks in part to the advertising by the Snohomish Senior Center, the Everett Herald, the Snohomish Tribune, and KSER radio, we have had an incredible response to our WWII veterans’ project. When it’s all said and done, we expect to have somewhere between 40-50 participants.  I had hoped for at least 20, so to have so many men and women express interest in meeting with us is incredible.  Our goal is to be done with the interview portion of the project by February 12th.

So far, we have photographed and interviewed twelve veterans.  We made house visits to the last two, both former POWs.  Yesterday, we met with Robert Otto, who authored an amazing memoir, A Walk with God. Christina and I visited with him and his wife for over two hours.  He remembered his experience with such clarity, it was like it had just happened.  Bob was a prisoner for a year at Stalag Luft IV, before he spent 70 days on the Death March across Germany.  His story was amazing, but then again, each story has been special and important.

I don’t know how to adequately describe how it feels to be a a part of this project.  As I photograph the eyes of a man or woman in their mid-80s I see so much life and it’s humbling to realize in 10 years this book would not be possible.  Some eyes sparkle, others dim, some wink at you… But each person has brought so much to this project, I can’t begin to express my gratitude.  Thank you for sharing your stories with us.  We will never forget.

I feel inspired to do something great with what I have been given in these stories.  Our goal is to have a coffee table book together and presentable by May.  We hope to invite back every participant and their families for a dedication to the Senior Center.  Christina and I have also been talking about the possibility of traveling to Europe this summer and exploring the sites that my grandfather and other veterans visited during the war.  We are thinking of photographing/writing a book about the pilgrimage.  Please pray for us as we look into this aspect of the project and decide what our next steps should be.  We would have to find funding and I don’t know where to begin.  If anybody out there has any ideas, please let me know.

As I’m writing this, I can’t help but think of the scripture in Luke which talks about “to whom much has been given, much is expected…”(12:48).  I have been given so much.  I have been given the amazing privilege of hearing these stories before they are gone.  Now I have the opportunity to do something that honors them.

A shred of paper, in the shape of a spoon, served as a reminder to POW, Wally Pesznecker. Six feet tall, Pesznecker weighed only 140 pounds upon leaving the prison camp.

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