Tag: Christian gap year

The judges searched for photos which capture a moment, something of God’s glory and BMS work across the world. Action Teams sent in their reel of top fifty photos and the judges picked their top ten, revealing the runners up last week. And now, here are the winners of the Action Team photo competition. Enjoy looking at these stunning photos and reading the stories behind these moments in time!

The judges loved the sense of movement in this photo and the striking colours. “It was the most significant New Year’s Eve I’ve ever had,” said Jonny, describing how thousands of lanterns filled the sky that night. “People wrote dreams, hopes and highlights on their lanterns but we turned ours into a prayer, thanking God for the past year.” This snapshot of a spiritually important moment for Team Thailand earned them a fantastic third place!

Team Thailand joined BMS church planters Wit and Helen Boondeekhun, working to plant a church in the 100% Buddhist community of Wang Daeng. Read their story here.

Our winner is… Team Delhi! With an impressive double appearance in the list of runners up and managing to bag the winning prize, Team Delhi can count themselves proud. This artistic photo of a woman entering a Hindu temple portrays the context of BMS work in India, a country of many different faiths.

Cody spotted this photo opportunity before hopping off the bus. “There was such a contrast between the colours of the woman’s sari as she went to worship and the sky. I quickly rummaged around in my bag to find my camera and took a picture just in time!” The judges repeatedly came back to this photo and its captivating moody sky. Congratulations to Team Delhi!

The reel doesn’t end there though. There were so many photos we liked, we had to create a list of Honourable Mentions! Check them out below and if you missed the list of runners up, you can find them here. Thank you to the Action Teams for all your submissions!

Would you like to see the beautiful winners in print? Look out for the next Engage, the BMS World Mission magazine. If you don’t yet receive Engage, you can sign up here.

Welcome to the Action Team photo competition. It’s our annual showcase of the most stunning snapshots capturing God’s creation and BMS World Mission work across the world. Every year a group of incredible young people aged 18 to 23 dedicate a year to overseas mission through the BMS gap year, Action Teams. This year’s Action Teams spent six months in countries across the world, from Peru to India, their experiences captured in the striking photos below.

The judges spent many hours deliberating before settling on the top ten. Check out the seven runners up below, and stay tuned as we announce the winners next week. New perspectives, moving stories and artistic talent were amongst the judges’ criteria. We hope that their amazing selection will leave you reeling…

This picture is a beautiful example of ‘crown shyness’. It’s where the crowns of fully-grown trees don’t touch each other and leave channel-like gaps in the canopy. Jonny from Team France, took this in a neighbouring forest in Gif-sur-Yvette.

“We were in France over autumn, and saw the seasons changing. It reflected how God was changing us and working in us,” says Taf, Jonny’s teammate.

What a shot! This is a funny photo which was an udder success with the judges! They also liked how the lines of the bridge and wall frame the cow’s friendly face.

It’s Paris, but not as we know it. Just before this picture was taken, Team France were challenged by witnessing the end of a Yellow Vests protest, in which a car was set on fire. Aptly, this photo presents a new perspective of Paris.

Action Teams is a Christian gap year run by BMS. The teams spend six months in countries from Peru to Nepal, topped-off with a two-month tour of UK churches sharing all they’ve learnt. Know a potential Action Teamer? Click the banner above to find out more or to apply. The deadline for 2020 Applications is at the end of January.

*Team Kosovo’s names changed

Words by Melanie Webb