Travel Image Series - Symbols

December 04, 2013

Japan - Symbols

Outside the Grace Hope house, which I had learned was temporarily loaned to the Grace Mission Tohuku missions as a housing, lay a cross propped on its side.  As a Christ follower, of course it would be an image I had to take. Many of the yards have been cleaned up but by no means completely groomed yet. So there are still materials for reconstruction on the grounds. I noticed it as a curious site while the kids played in the gravel yard as you can see the ball is stuck under the cross. 

Cross Propped in YardCross Propped in Yard

While inside the home, I had heard it was had been loaned to the Grace Mission Tohuku. A member of the community had allowed the mission to use it for housing their staff and run a free cafe during the day to encourage the community to come fellowship. I don't know if the cross in this image was constructed solely for support purposes, but the moment I saw my friend, one of the volunteers, stand framed perfectly under it I had to take it. Until I was writing this blog, each image to me just spoke out as a composition of symbol that had great personal significance to me - Jesus Christ. But when I put both of them together, there was sometime more meaningful that I guess even at the time of taking these images represent that I didn't realize. The first image taken on the outside, weathered and beaten, propped on the ground and disregarded outside of the Hope house - didn't seem very hopeful even it's surroundings. While the second image to me, a cross built into the structure, giving it support - inside a building meant to bring hope alive - with a another key component - the volunteer - is what symbolizes hope. The cross in action even if it doesn't look like a typical action shot. Ordinary yet together these images illustrates how symbols in an image alone or together can tell a different story. 

Satoshi under the entranceSatoshi under the entrance

 

 


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