Always fun seeing your photos actually in print with out digital world. This is my very good friend Darby who was the kids favorite at every orphanage. They would play with him for hours. He also learned that even Kenyan kids were SUPER fast runners. 😄 this is a piece from @kensingtonchurch for their short term mission trips. I encourage you that if you have never been on one to think about it. It’s a great way to make this big world feel a bit smaller and love others. #missions #kenya #loveothers #serveothers #love

#weekofhope @hopewaterproject runner and friend, the amazing @hollyheter pictured here as she finishes the #DetroitFreePressMarathon she and 1400 other HWP runners put themselves through this amazing feat of endurance to raise money for those who don’t have clean water in Kenya. To get involved check out HopeWaterProject.org to run or donate. #runnersworld #run #waterchangeseverything #detroitstrong #kenya #marathon

Look at that cute little bundle peeking out snuggled up with mom. While we were checking out potential water well sites a few locals would approach us out of curiosity. So we talked for a bit and I asked to take their group photo, after I took the group photo and they all laughed after seeing the back of my camera, this woman pulled me aside and asked (motioned) to have her picture taken again so that we could see her baby better. She was so proud to show off her little guy. Moms are the same all around the world. #proudmom #babywearing #moms #kenya #waterchangeseverything @hopewaterproject #weekofhope

Continuing with my @hopewaterproject photo week. This how many get their water for the day. How do you get yours? These are “bore holes” that are hand dug, they dig until they hit water. sometimes that could be 2 feet sometimes that could be 6 feet or more, then they scoop it out with their hands or a cup. And I think it’s too much work to replace my #Brita Filter at home. Some much needed perspective for me this morning. #borehole #water #weekofhope #cleanwater #waterchangeseverything #kenya

One benefit to having clean water is that now you get to do the dishes after meal time. I don’t know if the kids were as excited about that. 😄 This is sweet little Dorkus who did her chores with pride, but this is a luxury most in the area don’t have and it’s helping with their health and sanitation. #cleanwater @hopewaterproject #hopewaterproject #kenya #chores #dishes #green

One word that summed up my Kenya experience was “surreal”. This image was taken while we were out with the @hopewaterproject team surveying the land for potential new well sites. Standing in the foreground is the tribe leader who is there to discuss the amazing impact a #cleanwater well would have on his village. Education, disease, livestock and crops to name a few. It was unreal to be a fly on the wall at these meetings out in the bush. This was a totally remote area and out of nowhere somebody would come walking up to greet us and share stories. #waterchangeseverything #hopewaterproject #kenya #waterislife #pokot @kensingtonchurch

Education is something that is highly valued to the kids in the orphanages in the remote bush areas of Kenya. The kids were so eager to talk with us and ask questions. A common question was “Do you know Michelle Obama?” Haha. But seriously they are so eager to learn, read and study anything they can get their hands on. As is evident by this young mans school book I happened to see after talking with him. Speaks volumes. #education #learning #kidswanttolearn #kenya #nochild.org @hopewaterproject

Continuing with my @hopewaterproject photo week. Every morning the kids who are lucky enough to go to school in remote Kenya have to first get water for the day. For some of them that may be a walk down the short path, for others that may be a five or 10 mile walk in extreme conditions. This also takes away from time they could be learning (which they LOVE). Water isn’t just water to them, it’s Life! #cleanwater #Pokot #waterislife #hopewaterproject #kenya #kids #smiles #grateful

Helping others is a great reason to wake up in the morning. Continuing with my @hopewaterproject Photo day, these are the hands of a woman who has probably worked harder than any of us in her lifetime. She is very grateful that a #Cleanwater well was drilled in her village. Removing most diseases and easing the extreme physical demand on the woman’s bodies in this region. Most woman here are in constant pain from carrying water for miles every day. Help someone today, whether it’s with water, a meal or a ride to work. You never know the prayer you might be answering. #women #mothers #water #prayer #kenya #water #waterislife

Today I will be posting images from the amazing @hopewaterproject organization that I have had the pleasure to shoot for/with many times. #HWP focuses on bringing clean water to the #pokot region of #Kenya one of the roughest and extreme terrains on the planet to drill for #cleanwater to date HWP have drilled 135 wells, 60 in the past 2 years!! Not only to they provide physical life with water and medical trips, they also provide spiritual life by teaching about the Living God and sharing how much He cares for them. Check out Hopewaterproject.org for more info and to get involved. #life #water #Jesus #missions #community #whyIrun

Kids are so much fun no matter what country you are in. Kids just want to have fun and these kids at the orphanage in Chemolingot, Kenya were total hams for the camera. #kenya #pokot #chemolingot #kids #fun #bw

Every face tells a story. The minute she saw her photo on the back of my camera she burst into laughter. Her and her friends kept pointing and laughing. Then they all wanted their picture taken. Fun memory. #kenya #womenofPokot #faces #beauty

Tonight’s photoshoot was for a Marathon Kickoff Rally for @hopewaterproject and I have shot for this great organization for many years. This year they are also including a massive road bike race that will ride across the state of Michigan as well as the #Detroit marathon. If you like to run, walk or bike and also like to help people in Kenya get clean water, then look into hopewaterproject.org for more info. #cleanwater #cycling #roadbike #marathon #kenya #helpothers #running #bike

Traveling through the Kenya country side you see all kinds of amazing things. This little girl was playing alongside the road with her toy, a discarded water bottle. And obviously she won the hand-me-down lottery with that fabulous princess dress. She was just being awesome no matter what situation life handed her. We can all learn something from kids! #staypositive #princess #kenya #travel #missions #nikon

Run a Marathon so someone else can have clean water! 

Had the great fortune of shooting The Detroit Free Press Marathon this past Sunday. I was shooting for Hope Water Project. A charity who’s goal is to bring clean water to the entire West Pokot area of Kenya and beyond. (You may remember I traveled there on a photo assignment earlier this year). Kensington Church had 1200+ runners raise near $1,000,000 for clean water wells in Kenya. Amazing people, amazing event! They trained for and ran a marathon so that someone else they have never met could have clean water. Very humbling. you can still donate here!  They are at $921,566. So close! https://www.socialply.com/campaigns/hope-water-project-help-us-build-wells-for-the-pokot-people

Run for Clean Water in Kenya.

There are 1400 people signed up and training to run the The Detroit Free Press Marathon to raise funds for Hope Water Project. If you think everyone in the world should have the very basic of necessities; Clean Water, then you can donate here. even $1 helps. the goal is $1,000,000 and they are well on their way to reaching that goal. Click the link to donate. share it with your friends too! http://www.hopewaterproject.org/fundraisers?&campaign_id=10&page=7

Kauriong Orphanage, Kenya Slideshow by Brian Craig Photography

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Over the past few months I have been consumed (in a good way) with a project that will probably be the most memorable thing I ever do photographically. The short term missions trip to Kenya. West Pokot deep in the bush. Here is a slideshow featuring the images I captured and some songs from the children there. Enjoy and share

People of West Pokot, Kenya

This month I had the amazing opportunity to travel with a missions team to a VERY remote region in Kenya called West Pokot. After landing in Nairobi we drove 16 hrs into the “bush”. We were way out there, but it was an amazing adventure. One that will alter your mind and perception on everything going forward.  

I was there to take photographs of all the children(700+) in 3 orphanages that we (Kensington Church) work with. These photos will be used to update the sponsor program Kensington runs, www.Nochild.org 

I also had the amazing chance to ride along into some of the local villages to look at a few proposed water well sites in the area. This was amazing in that it gave me a chance to see life outside the walls of the orphanage. Life was devastating as we know it but was life as usual for the Pokot. The big issue every where we went was water… CLEAN water. Working with http://www.hopewaterproject.org  they are able to raise money to drill wells for these people, giving them access to clean water that will not make them sick. Its simple but so basic. 

I will be posting more when I edit through my thousands of images captured of life in this remote region Kenya. Please follow along if you like and share with your friends to help raise awareness.