Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Samuel Rich - Christmas 2015
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Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

2 Years, 5 months And 22 Countries In!

HIGHLIGHTS OF The Past Few Months-

  • Finished a large percentage of the editing for our feature length documentary film.

  • We have released a new teaser trailer as well as a new name for the film “Lost Kites”.

  • Heading to Thailand for an orphan care conference.

  • Connected with leading experts across the globe and had some successful test showings with great feedback.

  • We have created another short film on a child soldier and other short videos for the Thai conference.

  • Planning is going well for the 2016 film tour – film festivals, churches and other venues.

  • Incredible team debrief/counselling/processing sessions with Ingrid an experienced counsellor and debriefer.

  • My little sister getting engaged with their wedding next month.
    I will officiate the vows and do a short wedding speech/sermon!

What’s happening?

Since my last update the ‘Eloy Project’ team and I have finalised filming in China and Thailand and are now 3 months into editing our documentary in the USA. We have done two test viewings with early cuts of the film receiving helpful feedback. After much prayer we have chosen a new name for our film “Lost Kites” which reflects the heart and story threads of our documentary.

Now we have ahead of us a few more months of editing and a international orphan care conference in Chiang Mai, Thailand, (February 11-14) called ‘World Without Orphans’. There we will be able to share a cut of our film with passionate orphan care advocates from across the world as well as over 5 short videos we’ve created, take part in discussion and learn from other participating delegates. We are so blessed and privileged to be contacted and able to be a part of this world changing, innovative conference.

As well as all this we just released our brand new teaser trailer below:
Where the editing magic happens, currently we have about 50 minutes in our project timeline. Monday to Friday we video edit at the least from 8am to 6pm.

One of our new team photos. Thank You Lily Lin!

Deeper Reflections: Beauty Out Of Pain, Laughter From Sadness.
The editing has been going incredibly well, however it has been a tough 5 months for me personally. Processing a lot of things I’ve seen the last two years as well as dealing with events outside of the project with friends and family has been a lot to handle.

Being a compassionate person its hard to not see so many needs and at times feel overwhelmed by the suffering that nations, individuals and families are going through. If I’m not careful (and if you’re not careful) the amount of pain seen your life and the lives of others can chip away at you until the world seems like a cold place indeed.
I’m thankful though that God has reminded me again and again to not allow these things to break me down. To not allow the enemy to trick me into a skewed view of the world as being dark and hopeless. Even when black clouds are all around, the sunbeams that pierce through are all the more beautiful juxtaposed against the surrounding storm. I feel after some of the lowest, hardest times I’m moving into a time of greater appreciation. Being thankful for the little things in life as well as the big. Losing a friend a few months ago reminded me to be thankful for something as basic as my body working as it should. There is so much beauty to be thankful for if we just have the eyes to see it.

I’m learning gradually to give things over to God and little by little not be overwhelmed by the hardships I see in the world and in my friends lives. At the same time through my own experiences of pain, doubt or inadequacy, God has been developing compassion, empathy and understanding for others. In this I don’t just view injustice and hardship from afar but can empathize and encourage others in a better.more real way. At this Christmas time I’m again reminded again how Jesus chose to be born into the ghettos and not into the palace. He lived among others in their struggles and didn’t just know what injustice and hardship felt from a far, he experienced it up close.

As my spectrum of reference has grown I find myself becoming increasingly happy and with a deeper foundational joy. I’m beginning to little by little have small glimpses of what God must feel when he sees the world with its joys and its problems. Sometimes your laughter is louder and longer because of the tears that came before. Psalm 126:5 Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy!

Made it this far?…Prayer Requests.
The Conference we have the privilege to attend and share at. Please pray preparation for flightsand preparing our conference media content goes smoothly. This is an unparallelled opportunity for the team and the movement.
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