Bridge Of Hope's Autumn Celebration
October 4, 2018
CCD, the NGO for whom I volunteer, was invited to the Autumn Celebration at the Bridge of Hope in Noyemberyan. As I have serendipitously become their official photographer, I asked if I should take the camera. I was told that the folks at Bridge did not say so but it would probably be appreciated. I had already done two photo shoots there so it was assumed without asking. I spent one day earlier with the youngest children there and probably shot close to two hundred pictures.
I wandered over early and found a place in the back of the room where I would have nice access to the "stage area" and also a table where I could keep my lenses for switching back and forth. To say a stage is quite courteous, This was their recreation/dining room. Someone had hung two light blue sheets from the ceiling along a rope that would allow them to be pulled open and shut. Chairs were out and two rows faced the curtains. There were many more stacked on the side. Three girls in dance costumes were sitting on the stacked chairs and being silly as only adolescent girls can be.
My new friend from the culture center whom I call the man in the black hat (I really do need to learn his name) saw me and instructed me to sit down. I told him I was going to stand because I needed the better angle for taking pictures. He nodded understanding and sat back with his friend who got up to hold his adorable grandchild in the doorway to the room. I tried to get a photo of the two of them but someone stepped in front every time I had my shot. I finally got the little boy in his mother's arms outside.
I will not embed any more pictures in this story but will include a link at the very end of the video with all the pictures and the dances.
Back to the story. The room was very empty about five minutes before everything was supposed to start. Aah, but this is Armenia. The girls who were sitting on the stacked chairs received instructions from someone and they began unstacking chairs. They passed them to me, at first a little apprehensively, but we established about four rows and within minutes every chair was filled with family and friends. The director gave a brief introduction and the"curtains" were drawn. There were two tables with food and children in costume behind each. Additionally, there was a boy dressed as a bird or an insect, a girl dressed as a cat, and a boy dressed as a dog. There was arguing about the food and the cat killed the bird , the dog killed the cat, a man killed the dog, and another person killed the man. I think that was what happened. My Armenian is not that good but each of these "actors" fell to the floor. Another argument ensued with the littlest of the girls, I decided, imploring the others to behave and share and love life. She sprinkled fairy dust or something on the fallen characters who all jumped up and everyone danced around the tables and held hands. I did not need language to know the story ended with everyone loving each other and the world was beautiful. If that is not the story, please don't tell me. I shot a lot of pictures and got part of the final dance.
The director invited the man in the black hat to speak. I have no idea what he said but when he finished everyone started going outside. There were displays about the program and crafts and artwork done by the students I assume. One of the displays was about the program's work with challenged children and every picture on the display was a picture I had taken a few months ago when I visited and did a photo shoot for the director.
Then the three girls who had been on the stacked chairs were joined by a fourth girl and they did a marvelous dance to an Armenian composer's work. I could not help but be a little amused because one of the girls was a little taller than the other three and at times the dance steps looked a little challenging when they were in a close circle. They performed beautifully.
I am so honored to visit the folks at Bridges of Hope. They do such hard and incredible work. I know I fought for funding for IDEA in the United States and worked so many years with sever needs children. So these folks who struggle for grants to survive have my utmost respect and love for their work. Children are children all over this world and their little angels tug at my heart. Pleas dear reader, take a moment to watch the video of this beautiful afternoon.Bridge of Hope
CCD, the NGO for whom I volunteer, was invited to the Autumn Celebration at the Bridge of Hope in Noyemberyan. As I have serendipitously become their official photographer, I asked if I should take the camera. I was told that the folks at Bridge did not say so but it would probably be appreciated. I had already done two photo shoots there so it was assumed without asking. I spent one day earlier with the youngest children there and probably shot close to two hundred pictures.
I wandered over early and found a place in the back of the room where I would have nice access to the "stage area" and also a table where I could keep my lenses for switching back and forth. To say a stage is quite courteous, This was their recreation/dining room. Someone had hung two light blue sheets from the ceiling along a rope that would allow them to be pulled open and shut. Chairs were out and two rows faced the curtains. There were many more stacked on the side. Three girls in dance costumes were sitting on the stacked chairs and being silly as only adolescent girls can be.
I will not embed any more pictures in this story but will include a link at the very end of the video with all the pictures and the dances.
Back to the story. The room was very empty about five minutes before everything was supposed to start. Aah, but this is Armenia. The girls who were sitting on the stacked chairs received instructions from someone and they began unstacking chairs. They passed them to me, at first a little apprehensively, but we established about four rows and within minutes every chair was filled with family and friends. The director gave a brief introduction and the"curtains" were drawn. There were two tables with food and children in costume behind each. Additionally, there was a boy dressed as a bird or an insect, a girl dressed as a cat, and a boy dressed as a dog. There was arguing about the food and the cat killed the bird , the dog killed the cat, a man killed the dog, and another person killed the man. I think that was what happened. My Armenian is not that good but each of these "actors" fell to the floor. Another argument ensued with the littlest of the girls, I decided, imploring the others to behave and share and love life. She sprinkled fairy dust or something on the fallen characters who all jumped up and everyone danced around the tables and held hands. I did not need language to know the story ended with everyone loving each other and the world was beautiful. If that is not the story, please don't tell me. I shot a lot of pictures and got part of the final dance.
The director invited the man in the black hat to speak. I have no idea what he said but when he finished everyone started going outside. There were displays about the program and crafts and artwork done by the students I assume. One of the displays was about the program's work with challenged children and every picture on the display was a picture I had taken a few months ago when I visited and did a photo shoot for the director.
Then the three girls who had been on the stacked chairs were joined by a fourth girl and they did a marvelous dance to an Armenian composer's work. I could not help but be a little amused because one of the girls was a little taller than the other three and at times the dance steps looked a little challenging when they were in a close circle. They performed beautifully.
I am so honored to visit the folks at Bridges of Hope. They do such hard and incredible work. I know I fought for funding for IDEA in the United States and worked so many years with sever needs children. So these folks who struggle for grants to survive have my utmost respect and love for their work. Children are children all over this world and their little angels tug at my heart. Pleas dear reader, take a moment to watch the video of this beautiful afternoon.Bridge of Hope
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