Goro Rivera's Place

A photographer risks his life to capture what most of the world refuses to see. The idea that every minute could be your last is a concept that most of us rarely think about. While we may sometimes reflect on our own mortality, it is usually done in the comfort of a safe environment . The people of the Congo experience a living hell on earth, if lucky , not only dodging bullets from their own brothers, but also some of the most heinous of crimes . For them, in the here and now, they have already been condemned to a life in Hell. How they have the strength to believe in something better is beyond me. Their faith must come from something much deeper. The realization that they have already experienced the worst that mortal life could offer, with something measurably better when in God's hands.

Tummy Time , an exercise during which my three month old daughter Carolina, while lying on her stomach face down, tries to lift her head off the ground, is really a microcosm of the difficult road she will face during her lifetime. As she wails, I am reminded that life is a constant struggle, and the only way to make it better is to work hard and only then will you create your own good fortune. After only a couple of days, I can already see progress. She can now lift her head and look around for a few seconds at a time.