My first experience started with Sonya. Ms. Sonya is a truly remarkable person and just so incredibly inspiring. I actually was able to step out of my editing role for a little bit and was able to photograph her. She was a little shy at first but we were able to open her up some and get her to show a little of her personality. We came away with some really nice shots. While photographing her I noticed she wouldn’t use an open mouth smile which I assumed meant maybe she wasn’t happy with her teeth. I didn’t pry I just went with it.
While I was editing her photos a member of the prayer team, Nick, was able to talk to Sonya about her story; about what taking these pictures meant to her. Sonya told Nick a heartbreaking story:
The pictures meant more to Sonya than we could have imagined. She told Nick that she hadn’t smiled in 8 months. Not because of Katrina (which she most definitely experienced,) not because of a lost home or family. A few years after Katrina Sonya had been shot by the father of her only son. She heard a noise coming from the kitchen one night and when she made it to the kitchen she found her window wide open. In New Orleans many people nail their windows shut and that’s what Sonya did, so there was no reason for that window to be open. She went back to the window to shut it and when she turned around her face met the barrel of a loaded gun. No sooner than she raised her hands to block her face, her child’s father pulled the trigger. Sonya told Nick as soon as she realized she was still alive, she immediately thought of her baby. He was still in the house. Although she was still breathing, her brain was still functioning; she could not move or speak. She said all she could do was pray about it. She prayed that God would will her to get up, God would will her to be able to get to her baby before he did. Sonya made it up and ran through her house searching for her son. Sonya ran through every room of the house searching everywhere; her son was nowhere to be found. She ran to her room and fell to the ground with her hands on the foot of her bed to pray again. Pleading with God for her son, just then she felt her sons feet under her covers and found his hiding spot. When he heard the gun shot he ran and hid under the covers in his mother’s room. Her 7 year old son saw Sonya’s face, something undoubtedly he will remember forever. His mother, unable to speak, crying at the foot of her bed, his father the one that inflicted this pain. I can’t begin to imagine what that felt like for either of them. I can’t tell you how much hearing that story broke my heart. Unspeakable pain that you and I may never have to face. Sonya faced Katrina and that horrifying night. She hadn’t smiled in 8 months because she had several reconstructive surgeries and was still missing two of her front teeth from the gunshot wound.
Today Sonya smiled again today and I was able to contribute to that; and words cannot begin to express just how thankful for it. I'm also thankful that Ms. Sonya came and visited me every day. She was volunteering for the week at Vocational Bible School which was held in at FABC as well. We talked about her pictures, she told me how much she enjoyed volunteering with us, how much she enjoyed service at FABC and also told me where I could go online to watch the service each week if I chose to. Ms. Sonya, you are an absolutely amazing inspiration! To see you serve with such spirit. To see you smile, not complain, after all you’ve been through just moves me completely. If I would have only encountered your faith on this trip, it would have been more than enough. to change my heart.
This picture is my absolute favorite of the week. This is the best picture of her looking proud and smiling big :)
Goofing off trying to get her to smile, lol
Moose posin' with her
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