Black and white are the colors of photography

This is Maria and Ismael. They are Romas and come from a Romanian town. I learned to know them in the summer of 2014. I used to visit them and their friends at their camp in Huskvarna. I hope that I shall be able to visit them, their children and grandchildren in Romania in the nearby future. A color version of the photo has been published in a Swedish Magazine. But personally I prefer this black and white version.

It happens every now and then that I get the question why I prefer black and white? Robert Frank has already given a better answer to that question and therefore I choose to quote him:
- Black and white are the colors of photography. To me they symbolize the alternatives of hope and despair to Which mankind is forever subjected. 

Text and Photo: Mikael Good

Can women wear bikinis in Saudi Arabia?

A couple of years ago I visited Sharm el Sheikh on the Sinai Peninsula together with my family. The town was filled with tourist from all around Europe, I could hear people speak Russian, English, Swedish, Norwegian, Dutch and even some Arabic. The temperature was quite nice and most of the tourists gathered at the beaches were they enjoyed the sunshine and the sea.

I came in contact with one of the Egyptians who worked at the facility. When I had talked to him for a while I asked him the following ironic question:

- Are there similar tourist facilities on the other side of the Gulf of Aqaba and can women wear bikinis there?

He didn't understand my irony, and his answer was quick: 

- No, no, it's Saudi Arabia on the other side they practice a fundamentalist form of Islam and women aren't allowed to dress in bikinis or swimsuits there, they have to cover their whole bodies. He made a sweeping gesture with his arm over the beach to emphasize what he just said. 

That's when he realized that two Russian women in bikini took photos of each other on the reef. The reef is very vulnerable to damage and it's forbidden to walk there. He ran away from the conversation and started to yell in English that they had violated the ban to walk on the reef. The Russian women didn't understand him and waved cheerfully to him and continued to take pictures. The Egyptian got angrier and angrier. A Russian man who could speak English came to his aid and informed the women that they wasn't allowed to walk on the reef.

Text and Photo: Mikael Good

The True Revolution Starts At Home

There´s so much hatred in the world today. Many children around the world are brought up with hatred. Hatred that has been given to them by their parents, by their teachers and by their societies. Their hate are used to fuel a conflict that seems endless.

A true revolution are not fueled by hate. A true revolution is not driven by warmongers who are constantly looking for more hate to fuel their fires. We live in a ever-changing world and it´s time for us to wake up before it´s to late to do something. The true revolution starts at home. It starts when you are down at your knees praying for and forgiving people who´s been treating you bad. 

When I teach my children I try to teach them the best that I can. I teach my children to love their enemies and to pray for those who persecute them. If all parents could learn their children to love and forgive instead of hating each other I believe that this world could be a much better place in just a decade or two.

The wake-up call is given, and it´s time for all builders to wake up. It´s much work to be done. Even if the world is dark and painted with the dark colours of hatred. I believe that it is possible for us to build a new and better world together. A world where hate is forgotten and love is not only a beautiful word but also the way of living.

I believe that we are created in the image and likeness of God. And for this generation who live our lives through iPads, computers and smartphones only the everlasting love of God can reboot us. Press the Like Button and accept Jesus as your Lord and Saviour if you want to reboot and take part of the everlasting love revolution.

"The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: “I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness". - Jeremiah 31:3

"If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved". - Romans 10:9

Text and Photo: © Mikael Good, All Rights Reserved.