is your love in action, inside the former Soviet Union

A report from Doug Brendel to all who support or follow our New Thing ministry in Belarus...

Lights ... Camera ... New book

A fun finish!

This trip ends where it began ... with families of disabled children...

I had an idea — to commission our friend and photographer Oleg Yarovenko (an acclaimed artist in his own right) to shoot portraits of the families we’ve come to know and love in Dzerzhinsk, at the Association for Support of Families With Disabled Children.

We’ll compile the portraits into a New Thing book, Look at Us, later this year.

Before the families arrived, Oleg tested lighting on The Great Kovovaya, interpreter Katya, and me.

So 30+ families came by bus to Minsk, and poured into the rented Znyata Studio, owned by our old friend Sergei (at right).

Then Oleg began working his magic.

Whirling, waving, conducting like a maestro, he captivates his subjects — and captures their spirit in an image.

But as dramatic as he is, he can still put anyone at ease.

You’re seeing only a few of the portraits here, and only the initial shots.

Oleg will spend weeks refining the photographs for publication.

But lucky you ... You get a sneak peak today!

After the shoot, it was back on the bus — and a trip to the Minsk Circus! A fun way to finish!

I’m grateful to all who have followed along on this fantastic voyage.

I’ll report May 15th on the results of our Matching Challenge.

Thanks for journeying with us!

Much love,

Doug Brendel

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Thanks again!