Pioneer Children . . .

Big C and Hannie be are participating in a Pioneer Trek for the next couple of days. Yesterday I had the privilege to be an official Trek photographer. I donned my pioneer wear, grabbed my trusty camera and enjoyed a full day of unreal scenery and two hundred fifty amazing kids. Best of all,  I got to see my kids reenacting the journey their ancestors made across the plains hundres of years ago to be able to worship God without persecution.

Enjoy a few photos from my day. (I only edited about twenty. I took almost nine hundred.)

The location took my breath away which helped to take my mind off the sweltering heat and humitidy.

Two of the horses being ridden by trail bosses were nursing mothers. I wanted to follow this foal around all day. His little tail and new fur were so scruffy.

In the early evening the sun and heat were replaced by ominous storm clouds which unleashed a cooling rain. Not the best for camera equipment, but certainly helpful for overheated handcart pullers.

I think this shot will look great in sepia. It’s my friend Norm Bird resting the horses after a morning of riding. Such hard working beasts!

At various points during the trek the youth get to watch reenactments from the lives of actual handcart pioneers. This story always touches my heart. A husband and wife, weary from months on the the trail feel they can’t pull their cart for another moment, when suddenly they feel they need to pull no more because their cart is being pushed from behind. They look behind their cart but see no one. They know that unseen angels have rendered a tender mercy, helping them along the trail at the time when they needed it most.

Everything was lush and green due to all the rain we’ve had lately. Such a striking canvas for our colorful youth pioneers grouped in companys.