Weehawken resident and photographer Adam Voysey uses his camera for more than merely capturing images. As the director of development for the non-profit Christian Action Asia (CAA), he has documented the plight of those living in the Qinghai province in China and helped the charity organization build orphanages in what is one of Asia’s poorest and most remote regions.
His photographs, taken on the plateau during numerous visits from 1995 through late last year, show the faces of the abandoned children the organization helps. A selection of his photos is on display at the Weehawken Library through Oct. 15.
“The conditions there were really raw,” Voysey said about his first trip to the region in 1995. “The government really welcomed the opportunity to collaborate with CAA, so that we could bring in specialists and give the orphans a better lifestyle so that they would eventually be able to take care of themselves.”
“The conditions there were really raw.” – Adam Voysey
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In 2007, the Chinese government asked CAA if they would assist in the creation of seven more orphanages in the region. The organization agreed.
“Of course, we said yes,” Voysey said. “But we’re wondering how we can afford to fund a staff. My goal now is to get the resources they need to the new orphanages.”
CAA, well known as Christian Action overseas, opened a U.S. office in March with a sole focus on orphaned and abandoned children of the Qinghai province. The organization is currently assisting with the operation of two childrens homes.
“When we read about the plight of the people, the situation seems so hopeless,” he said. “But when we each plug in, sometimes the results are way bigger than we ever dreamed.”
Voysey will host a presentation about his work and the organization at the library on Oct. 4 at 7 p.m. For more information about the organization, visit: www.christianactiondirector.com.
Saving lives
Born in Australia, Voysey has always worked with charitable organizations, such as World Vision and Compassion International. He recalled the story of an orphan girl he met on a recent trip to the Tibetan Plateau, who had been diagnosed with a brain tumor.
“I took a portrait of a girl last year who had turned 14 in November. That same month, she collapsed in a semi-coma,” he said. “It turned out she had a tumor the size of a golf ball in her brain and doctors gave her only a few months to live.”
Through the help of Christian Action Asia, her story was posted on the organization’s blog, and the very next day, a neurosurgeon contacted Voysey.
“He asked us how he could help,” Voysey said. Within two weeks, the girl was flown to Hong Kong, and the tumor was removed.
“She’s back on the Tibetan Plateau. This was a girl who was an orphan and abandoned,” he said. “To do that is just priceless.”
Get ‘plugged-in’
Voysey, who has lived in the township since 1997, said that Weehawken is a great place to raise a family.
“We moved [to Weehawken] primarily because of the proximity to the city,” Voysey said. “But we’ve stayed so long because we got a great place near the library, which the kids have just thrived in making use of, and the sports programs in town.”
Since then, the Australian-born photographer said that much has changed in the remote provinces of China.
“We’ve made a lot of progress in restoring children who have been damaged,” he said. According to him, more and more Chinese families are beginning to adopt, especially disabled children.
“It’s really encouraging,” he said. “To be able to help the poorest of the poor, who aren’t able to take care of themselves.”
Voysey biggest priority isn’t only the immediate relief of suffering children abroad, but to change the mindsets of those here at home.
“My goal is that everyone considers the power they have to help,” Voysey said. “By organizing local fund-raisers – like walk-a-thons, or even sponsoring a friend to lose weight – we can raise money to help those who need it.”
For more information on Voysey, visit: www.adamvoysey.com.
Sean Allocca can be reached at editorial@hudsonreporter.com