CoLaborers International https://colaborersinternational.com

At every event, we encourage people to use the talents that God has given them for the Lord and to help His people. We help people to move from beyond raising awareness about injustice to using their specific gifts and talents to act against injustice in a positive way.

Tyler Lee met us at a Missions Week at his college. When he heard about the Love Maputo Project, he just knew that he had to get involved.

He decided to use his talents in movie making to help. We set an internship up with him over the summer, gave him some footage to work with, and he put together a powerful mini documentary.

Now, for the first time, people can see the kids that are being helped in Mozambique, understand the reality of their situation and get inspired to do something about it. Tyler got college credit for putting it together, we got him some great recommendation letters, connections with missions agencies that he can consider working with after graduation… He also grew closer in his relationship with God and used his talents to make a real change in the lives of kids around the world.

Tyler, with Melissa, receiving award

It all began with being willing to use his talents for the Lord and being faithful to work with what he was given. The impact has been, and continues to be, incredible.

In January 2009, Tyler was recognized for his talent in film. The “Get me off the streets, for Christ’s sake!” Love Maputo mini documentary won “Best Missions Video” in the 2009 Reel Spirituality Awards.

In March 2009 at a Love Maputo Benefit Concert, we presented Tyler with a special award for all of his efforts to help the street children that need to be reached in Maputo . We also presented Tyler with a check to show our appreciation for his sacrificial use of time and talent.

“I have been interested in Africa for a long time. I think of the time I was in Tanzania, Africa. I was there as a tourist, but when I left I still remembered kids faces and “that look” on their faces – the look of them needing something that I could not give. I wanted to do something to fulfill the need shown on their faces aside from buying the bracelets that they made to sell me.

I have always felt a hole inside of me when I see a homeless man, a person in need or a kid in Africa. I try and do my best to help but still the feeling continues. Even after this, I see men in need right around me, in North Philadelphia, and I just can’t figure out how to help and why things like this happen.

Anyways, then at the missions fair at Messiah College I met Melissa from CoLaborers International. I found out that I could use my talents to help. I found out about the opportunity to do some film editing and put together a mini documentary to get the word out for these homeless children  in Mozambique. I could think of nothing else that made more sense then to help right then from right where I was in America. I guess that is why I wanted to do this project.

Personally, I don’t really like doing film narratives and making stories. Don’t get me wrong, they are entertaining, but personally I like to capture and see reality, serious reality, on the screen and not some act to make me feel happy for 2 hours.

So, with this project I was able to take serious real people with real stories and tell them in an artistic way that I love. I love artistic creativity and in film I love to make creativity come to life.

This project was all in one, real people, a puzzle to put together, but in a creative way, while still getting the reality of the situation across.”

Tyler