Since I’ve been doing CASH for Comments this past week, as you may have guessed, I’ve been thinking a lot about my time in Zimbabwe. I was only there for a couple of weeks, but it was a powerful time. One day in particular stands out above the rest. I’ve already told you one story from that day when I shared about Shelton, Margaret & Concilia. But earlier that day, I experienced something that I’ll never forget. I photographed a funeral.

We weren’t supposed to document a funeral. We were supposed to go visit a young woman name Setty who was suffering from AIDS. I thought I’d be taking photographs of a sick young woman who was holding on to hope. But, she died the night before we were to go see her. And so, instead of interviewing Setty, we photographed her funeral.

Setty’s Mother was her only surviving relative in her immediate family. Setty was 28 years old.

Every man in the family and in the community helps with the funeral; each taking turns helping with the casket, shoveling the red dirt, or places stones on top of the grave.

as the women sing and pray.

It’s taken me a year to pull myself together, and pull this slideshow together. I hope it touches you even half as much as being there changed me.