Ansel Adams or Annie Leibovitz, I am not. However, I have a growing love and interest in the photographic medium. This is where I (Bernie) am going to post all of my photography projects.

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Number 4 of 15 is a photo essay from a wonderful little bookstore in Greensboro, NC. Here's an intro to Scuppernong ... (View the gallery page for fuller descriptions.)

4.1/15 - Scuppernong

It's the state fruit of North Carolina.

It's a large variety of muscadine, native to the Southern US.

It's a most unique bookstore in downtown Greensboro, NC.

4.2/15 - Brian Lampkin, Owner/Operator

On the first evening I discovered Scuppernong, I met Brian, the owner. He's a soft spoken visionary, who is an absolute pleasure to converse with.

Brian shared a bit of his story, moving to Greensboro from Buffalo, NY, and opening this bookstore in 2014. His vision for a store that becomes a real-life community is truly fantastic. In an era where "virtual community" (whatever that is) is usually the best you're going to get, it was refreshing to step into a place where community with real people, reading real books, drinking real coffee (or wine or craft beer, should you prefer) and having real conversations was a breath of fresh air.

4.3/15 - A Selection of Wines

Scuppernong has a large variety of wines and craft beers, as well as menu good things to eat.

Both of the meals I had were full of flavor and satisfaction.

4.4/15 - Rachel and Shannon

These two were working the second night I visited Scuppernong.

I must say that I was impressed with the apparent artisan community in Greensboro. Rachel and Shannon informed me that Winston is where the center of the arts community in the Triads of North Carolina has historically been seated.

Shannon was quick to share, "It wasn't that long ago that downtown Greensboro was just dead. That's changing though."

4.5/15 - Reading our Rights

Greensboro is where the modern Civil Rights movement in the US essentially began. In 1960 a courageous group of African American students refused to leave the lunch counter at the Woolworth's in downtown Greensboro. That began a nationwide movement of sit-ins, a start toward fair and equal treatment for people of color.

Scuppernong had an designated area of curated titles which point to the history of this community. There are several other curated areas of the store which specialize in the issues and complexities of our day. The titles are not going to be typical "bestsellers" (although they do carry those). But I many literary treasures. It's worth the hunt.

4.6/15 - Better than New

This is my favorite section of any book store.

Scuppernong had a great selection of used books. Most of which could be obtained for the price of a cup of coffee. There are treasure here, and Scuppernong's is a great place to spend the time necessary to treasure hunt.

4.7/15 - Happiness

The longer I was inside this store, the more the physical location really brought joy. High ceilings, bricked walls, original hardwood flooring. It's the perfect building inside of which a community can be built.

Happiness is ... an old bookstore with brick walls.

4.8/15 - Hardwood

Scuppernong offers memberships. For a mere $20 per year/$100 per lifetime, one can enjoy discounted books ... and discounted coffee. Plus the joy of being a par to the Scuppernong family.

With or without a membership, an afternoon of work with free wifi and great coffee - that's priceless.

4.9/15 - Local

In the late 1800's as many as 60 trains per day would come and go from the Greensboro train station. From that time until the preset, Greensboro is known as "The Gate City".

Food is locally grown. Coffee is locally roasted. Wines and beers are locally brewed. There is an emphasis on local writers.

Not everything is local, of course.

But Scuppernong embraces all that is Greensboro. I deeply appreciate that.

4/10/15 - Where Everyone Knows Your Name

The customer service at Scuppernongs has a friendly, hometown appeal. I witnessed several regulars come and go with coffee and sandwiches throughout the evening I was there.

4.11/15 - Writer's Paradise

Scuppernong seems to be a place that appeals to the literary crowd of all ages.

I was sitting at the bar waiting for some other interesting shots, when this young lady saddled up to bar and ordered a root beer. She smiled and me and said she hadn't had a root beer in a long time, and she hoped it was good. We chatted for a bit. Her name is Pat Henson, and she is a published author, a memoir writer. She shared with me how she became published in a local magazine,

Pat is quite excited, however, about the fact she's submitting some of her life stories to Appalachian Country Living magazine. She bought a copy in the grocery several weeks ago and decided to submit. She's waiting to hear form them.

I join Pat in hoping for a yes.

Oh, and apparently the root beer was "absolutely delicious"

4.12/15 - The Year of Melville

Scuppernong is the proud sponsor of "The Year of Melville". A book discussion group is just finishing up the discussion of Moby Dick.

"“I know not all that may be coming, but be it what it will, I'll go to it laughing." Melville, from Moby Dick

4.13/15 - Readings

Scuppernong has regular events. Both of the nights I visited this literary Mecca in the Carolinas, there were events taking place in the back of the store. Book discussions, poetry readings, "meet the author" sessions - there are interesting events weekly.

4.14/15 - Memoirs

When I met Pat (in a previous photo) I thought it interesting that she was a memoir writer. Turns out, Scuppernong was full of memoir writers, and readers alike. A couple of local memoir writers were doing public reading of their writings.

The room was full native north Carolinians - including an elderly woman who is a local poet, among other local authors.

It's was Pat's first time to Scuppernongs, but she entered into a community. It was beautiful, really.

4.15/15 - Books, Wine, Community

Scuppernong's Bookstore. I can't recommend it enough. In the heart of downtown Greensboro. It's worth a long visit, should you ever be in the area.

Number 3 in the 15 Project is an essay of how church-based community health care workers are changing Burundi. Go to the gallery page for better viewing.

3.1/15 - Cash Crop

Burundi. It's a nation known primarily for coffee. There's a lot more here. These are a few images that I hope will tell some of Burundi's story.

While Burundi is about much more than coffee - I will say that Burundian coffee is delicious.

3.2/15

Rising up from Lake Tanganyika (the second largest and second deepest fresh water lake in the world; second only to Lake Bakal in Russia), Burundi is a beautiful, misty, mountainous country. It's full of farmland, fertile soil, fresh fruit and beautiful people. Visiting today, one would never know that Burundi is still reeling from a long and brutal civil war.

3.3/15 - Burundian Beauty

The light in Burundi is deep and warm. This beautiful woman was out walking one evening and agreed to a portrait. While there is a culture of honoring elders in Burundi, the reality is that most of the country is made up of young people.

3.04/13 - The Shepherdess

Many of the children in Burundi lost one or more of their parents in the decades long conflict. 1 out of 10 children in Burundi never make it past the age of five. Malnutrition, malaria and poverty are epidemic.

The communities of vulnerable peoples are evident.

This little girl comes a family who has some money, because they have goats. Many of the people in this area are living on less than $1 per day.

3.5/10 - The Wall

Burundi is a nation behind walls. It's a beautiful place with grand potential - but still struggling with the ravages of war, poverty and lack of basic nutrition.

3.6/15 - WRB

World Relief Burundi works to empower the local church to serve most vulnerable in Burundi.

3.7/15 - Closed In

Many people in Burundi are in a place of enormous vulnerability. The doors of opportunity are closed to them. Children are dying. Hope beyond conflict iis decayed and there is a need for the church to rise up and lead.

3.8/15 - The Check

The church in Burundi works is trained by World Relief to conduct screenings for malnutrition. Community health workers go into communities and invite mothers to bring their children to be screened. They check the children's arm circumference and look for other indicators that the child is receiving enough basic proteins and other nutrients.

3.9/15 - Judith is a Hero

Judith is a trained community health volunteer who lives in a central Burundian community. She labors tirelessly doing malnutrition screenings, cooking classes, leading savings groups and training new community health workers. Judith is working to her community transform through the Gospel.

Judith is a true hero in her own community.

3.10/15 - In the Green

When the Community Health Workers check the arm circumference there are three possibilities. If the measurement is in the green, that means the child is getting enough day to day nutrients and is doing okay. If they measure in the red, this means the child is chronically malnourished and the family is immediately referred to a health clinic for treatment.

3.11/15 - When in the Yellow

When the child measures in the yellow (as this little boy did), this means the child is not receiving enough basic protein and other nutrients to thrive and to be healthy. The mother and her children are then invited to join a community cooking class, and is introduced to a "Light Mother".

3.12/15 - Nutrition

World Relief community health volunteers seek out mothers in the community whose children are thriving, and seek out what they might be doing differently. In some cases they add bean leaves to their diet or grind peanuts and dried fish into the children's porridge. These "light mothers" are then given the opportunity to share their knowledge wisdom with other Mom's. After two weeks of these daily cooking classes, nearly all of the children who were malnourished are gaining weight and on the road to health. This is accomplished with affordable ingredients and local wisdom.

3.13/15 - Saving

Many of the community health workers also form savings groups, where people living on less than a dollar per day are able to save just a little bit each week, take small loans from each other, and see great pay-offs after nine months.

3.14/15 - Not Mere Relief Work

The beautiful thing about seeing the work of World Relief in Burundi is the fact that it's much more than providing aid to people who are facing deep need. It's about providing a holistic training, where people can overcome deep rooted difficulties and issues through spiritual transformation that results in physical change, as well. The church is at the core of the work. The most vulnerable of peoples are finding community and justice.

3.15/15 #Burundiisbeautiful

There is a Gospel awakening in Burundi that is changing communities. There is also still deep need in that place. Pray for Burundi and her beautiful people.

Installment #2 for the 15 project. These were all taken in Rwanda. (View the Gallery Page here)

2.1/15 - Never Forget

It happened almost 21 years from the day this was taken. An airplane holding the presidents of Rwanda and Burundi was shot down over the Rwandan president's own compound. What ensued was brutality of the worse sort. Within three months, over a million people were savagely murdered. Many more were homeless or displaced. Every soul in Rwanda was affected by this horrible time in their history. The culmination of decades long colonialist fed class wars left a people broken and vulnerable. These are just a few of the names of the dead. Many of these are children. Rwanda is moving on. But they can never forget. The world should not forget either.

2.2/15 - WRR

This documentation is of some of the work being done by World Relief in Rwanda. World Relief is working here, as the organization does in many parts of the world, seeking to empower local churches to serve the most vulnerable. After decades long conflict - Rwanda is full of vulnerable people.

Giving handouts isn't going to cut it. People don't want free candy or trinkets from the West. People want dignity. People, who I believe are created in the image of God, want to live lives in the joy of community. World Relief seeks to do development work in a way that provides these things: dignity and community.

2.3/15 - The First Step

The largest social network in the world is not Facebook or Twitter. The largest social network in the work is the Christian Church. If the church is united, there is unlimited potential. When the church is divided, it's a deep, deep struggle. The first thing which must happen is bringing together the churches.

2.4/15 - Unity

These are pastors. They are from various denominations, traditions and even social classes. One of the first tasks to community transformation is to work with spiritual gatekeepers. These men meet together on a regular basis to talk about the needs of the community and to plan and strategize together as to how they will work together to address those community needs. They learn to work together. They lead their congregations in fellowshipping with each other. World Relief provides training for them and for their congregations in Biblical and transformative world view and spirituality.

The leaders come together. The leaders are changed. The community is on it's way to being transformed.

2.5/15 - Training in Mission

In Rwanda, the churches train groups of integral mission workers. These workers are trained in word and in deed. They know how to apply Biblical world view in their own lives and in the lives of those they connect with. They've also been trained in basic health, nutrition and hygiene principles. They do trainings like this one once a week.

2.6/15 - Ready to Roll

These workers have been trained and are ready to begin home visits.

2.7/15 - Home Visits

This young woman is set. She will visit 10 homes in her community - and will that two times per month. During these visits she will share Biblical transformational training, as well as lessons about health and hygiene and finances. It's Word and Deed; Deed and Word.

2.8/15 - Broken

One of the families visited by the Integral Mission Worker was living here. The kids were sick, because of a lack of clean toilets and a place to wash hands. The woman of the home had a reputation in the community for being argumentative and ill-tempered. That is until the Integral Mission worker began her home visits.

2.9/15 - Vulnerable

Many of the children in Rwanda are facing incredible vulnerability because of poverty and a lack of resources. However, poverty isn't simply lack of resources. Poverty is a lack of Community - and the community integral mission worker is on a mission to restore community - in the community.

2.10/15 - Community

Many of the children in Rwanda were orphaned after the genocide. Many families took in children who were not their own in order to raise them as their own. This is a nation that is on the edge of healing.

2.11/15 - Sustained

The family who lived in the broken down three-walled hut? They now have a larger place, with a separate outhouse and kitchen. The woman who was so ill-tempered proudly showed me her kitchen and the families outdoor hand-washing mechanism (called a "tippy-tap"). Because of savings groups, the family was able to purchase e pig - with plans to purchase more. This pig represents a lot. He was somewhat of a "ham" as well ...

2.12/15 - Restoration

This family has had a radical life-change because of local help from a local church. There is dignity and pride - as people live out who they are, as created in the image of God.

2.13/15 - Friends

This is our friend whose life has been radically changed, and her two acquired friends who are Integral Mission Workers from a local church. Community is restored - and even though resources are still sparse - poverty is replaced by community.

2.14/15 - Brothers

Relationships are strengthened. Community is restored.

2.15/15 - Economy

his is a local savings group. Folks who are living on less than a Dollar per day, are able to save little bit by little bit. The community helps each other to save. Small loans are taken out and repaid with a small amount of interest. After nine months, the members receive all of their savings that they are then able to reinvest in another round, or purchase land or seed - or a pig.

This is the first installment of "15"

1.1/15

The Greenville Furniture Exchange is going out of business after 100 years. Renee' and I had stopped by there to see what was inside. Apart from a several interesting pieces of old furniture (we purchased a bookshelf and small red dresser), we also met Tony. After going back a second time and chatting with this interesting Greenville native, I decided he, the store and their story would be perfect for the first installment of my 15 Project.

1.2/15

The owner and operater of the Greenville Furniture Exchange is a slender southern gentleman of Irish decent. His softspoken draw and genteel ways are vestiges of a former era. Don't be fooled, though. When the buzzer in the office sounds, signaling that someone has come through the front door, Tony is nimble on his feet and ready move furniture out the door. After 40 years in the furniture business, he knows how to make a deal.

1.3/15

The Greenville Furniture Exchange began in 1914 with Tony's Irish grandmother selling victorian furniture on the streets of Chicago. The family later moved to the upstate and the business was taken over by his father and uncle. They began to sell furniture "on credit" and that's how Tony started his long career in the furniture business.

1.4/15

"I started when I was 14 years old collecting from folks who bought on credit." Immediately I had this image of a young teenager in the mid-1950's pedaling around the neighborhoods of Greenville, collecting a dollar or two from folks who'd purchased their new armoir on credit. My guess is that some of those pieces are probably still sitting in a living room today.

1.5/15

The Greenville Furniture Exchange has been at it's Poinset Highway location for 69 years. While the rest of Greenville has experienced a significant uptake over the past 25 years, Poinset highway has remained virtually untouched by Greenville's development. Tony observed that "these businesses along here are small and can't afford to move. So they close or sell. That's what I'm doing."

1.6/15

"My first counsin, Larry, and I started traveling to New Jersey to pick up pieces in the mid-60's. I've probably been to New Jersey three hundred times." Tony related to me times when he had to pick up furniture in blizzard conditions. He doesn't go to Jersey so much any more. He's more interested in selling what's left

1.7/15

Tony pointed out the various oddities around the frigid, non-climate controled showroom. "I started finding fun little items like old sleds and these children's wagons. People used to buy this kind of stuff. It's fun to have around."

The showroom also has what appears to be remnants of a "haunted showroom" scattered around. I asked Tony if they'd sponsored some sort of Halloween event. He laughed. "That's George." George lives across the street and has been working with Tony for decades. "He loves putting that stuff around here. The kids love it, too. It scares some of them. But they love it."

1.8/15

There's a workshop in the corner of the showroom. Gearge works back there (he was off work this particlar day). "George can fix anything." Tony bragged on his long-term employee and friend. "His education doesn't go past the third grade, but he's one of the smartest men I know. He really can fix anything." The workshop is littered with equipment and tools for furniture repair.

And then there's a meat grinder. I didn't get the story behind the meat grinder. However, it is for sale.

1.9/15

I wandered the 7,500 square foot building that's for sale, while Tony waited on a potential customer. It's east to lose oneself in this place, as corner to corner is filled with oddities from days gone by. These are probably not things most would purchase to place in a living room anymore.

"I've sold a lot. I'm through driving to Jersey. What you see is what we have"

There's still a lot left for someone to purchase.

1.10/15

"Young people these days don't know a good piece of furniture when they see it. You can go to modern showroom and pay a lot of money for a piece of furniture made of pressboard. What people don't realize if that it won't last. Real mahogany, now? That's good furniture." He slapped his hand, then carressed an old mahogony sideboard. "You can refinish and repair this, and it will last multiple lifetimes."

1.11/15

"We've never had a Dowling retire from the furniture business. Larry tried, but didn't make it. I want to be the first."

I asked if he's had any serious bites on the property.

He replied with hopefulness and a grin.

"Not yet."

1.12/15

"I travelled to Kilkenny once. Ireland is a beautiful place." Tony wistfully pondered his Irish roots. "It's so green. Beautiful place. I never got over to Scotland, though." There was only the tiniest element of regret in his voice. He then looked at me with a sparkle in his eye. "I want to sell this place so my wife and I can travel a little bit. Maybe we'll get to Scotland this time. I'd like to enjoy a little bit of retirement."

1.13/15

Tony's grandmother had a love for antique victorian furniture. When his father took over the business and started selling new furniture on credit. It wasn't until later, when Tony and Larry took over the business that the Greenville Fruniture Exchange began sellling antiques again.

1.14/15

After 40 years, antiques and peeling paint are pretty much all that's left.

1.15/15

"I tell my kids, I tell my grandkids, you need to be smart. Get an education. Do what it takes to go to college. You don't to just have a job where you get a paycheck. You want to do something more." Tony confessed that he did have some college under his belt. But, he's not interested in passing the furniture business on to his family. "My Dad, uncle and first cousin all worked until the day they died. I don't want to do that."

The bell rand and another customer came into the showroom. Ever shy of the camera, and ever-ready to help a potential customer, Tony jumped up to assist the newcomer. This could be the one to buy it all.

2014 Project 365

“If a man be gracious and courteous to strangers, it shows he is a citizen of the world, and that his heart is no island cut off from other lands, but a continent that joins to them.”

— Francis Bacon

100 Strangers