COLOMBIA

September 2, 2020

Leading a Media Expedition to Witness the Venezuela Crisis

In 2019, with the Venezuelan humanitarian crisis spiraling, I led a Compassion International media trip to the borderlands between Colombia and Venezuela. Our goal was to capture the heart-wrenching stories of Venezuelan families and the communities rising up to support them.

Bearing Witness, Telling Stories

As the director and producer on this trip, I faced the challenge of documenting both the hardships of refugees and the extraordinary generosity of the Colombian people. It was a delicate balance. This wasn’t just about showing suffering – it was highlighting the resilience and hope amidst a complex geopolitical situation.

We witnessed entire families crossing the border with only what they could carry. We filmed people finding refuge in local churches and aid centers, desperately seeking food and medicine. Yet, we also captured incredible acts of compassion from Colombians offering shelter and sacrificing their own limited resources to help their neighbors.

From Footage to Impactful Films

Back home, the weight of responsibility became clear. Editing the footage was both emotionally taxing and inspiring. My aim was to create films that would move viewers far beyond pity. I wanted to spark empathy and action, making a strong case for the compassionate response desperately needed on both sides of the border.

Reflecting on the Journey

Leading this media trip was a career-defining experience. It showed me the raw power of documentary filmmaking to shed light on complex situations, make distant suffering feel immediate, and compel people to support those in need. While I can’t erase the heartbreak I witnessed, I’m proud of the films we created – films that helped raise awareness and vital funds for Venezuelan refugees and the communities supporting them.

Kyle Jaster of Jaster.co was the talented Director of Photography and Editor who helped bring this to life, with huge assistance from Drew Unruh at Made by Frame, Inc. Helen Manson was the primary photographer documenting the crisis for a long-form editorial and the talented Zoe Noakes contributed heavily to the final written pieces for the campaign.