Japan/Cambodia

My wife and I founded Project Friends, a Japanese NGO working in Cambodia. We facilitate relationship based training and development with Japanese volunteers who come to engage with and learn alongside our Cambodian partners and friends.

I'm also a writer and photographer exploring ways to help young Cambodians document their own lives and cultural stories.

A dusty jewel beckons, and we’re moving there A dusty jewel beckons, and we’re moving there »

We're moving to Cambodia! Most people who personally know me have gotten the information, but I realized I've never posted the news here. You may have guessed; I think readers here won't be surprised. I [....]


Mother’s love, a bath in a Phnom Penh slum Mother’s love, a bath in a Phnom Penh slum »

I liked the mother and her son from the moment I saw them, and I love this series of photos. I took them in Andong Village, a slum that I often visit about 25km outside Phnom Penh. The people who live there have [....]


Making Buddha at Wat Lanka Making Buddha at Wat Lanka »

This is just a photographic sketch I made one afternoon in Phnom Penh. I take photos like these as a way to observe and learn; and I enjoyed talking to the people as I photographed them. It was in February, just [....]


Good and bad news Good and bad news »

First the bad: "...a family in Texas pretends to be Christian so that their children won't be excluded from play dates." (h/t Kottke) We found by experience that if we were truthful about not being regular [....]


Passion, journey and calling outside the box of religion Passion, journey and calling outside the box of religion »

Seth Godin writes about a pastor who "runs a congregation" who admits it's "just a job" on many days. Godin turns to his readers and admonishes them to do whatever they do with passion, whether doctors, lawyers, [....]


Hip-Hop Dancing in Japan - Japanese hip-hop dancers compete in break dancing at BBoy Park. The event was held during the summer at Yoyogi Park in central Tokyo. In a culture known rightly for it's conformity, it's refreshing to see youth expressing themselves if only for a day. You can see pictures here and here.

Child's Play - a short movie about friendship and living with HIV in Cambodia, made on location 50km outside Phnom Penh. It's my first attempt at movie-making and I trained the crew. The actors are kids orphaned by AIDS. Despite the movie's many flaws, we learned in the process, and I'm proud of what we did.