The Impact of Family Photos

What does the annual family photo mean to your family?

“It reminds me how much life is changing for the better and how much I and my children have learned and grown over the years.”
-An MdC Mom

Back in the early days MdC was growing….fast! In 2021 we had so many families join us for our first Medical Fairs. This was wonderful, however, we were quickly finding that matching faces with medical data was very difficult. Especially when we discovered that families often spelled their first and last names phonetically, meaning names were spelled differently depending on when we asked. We needed a way to match the families on paper to their actual faces. Thus, the family photos project was born. It was the brainchild of a few founding members of the MdC staff with the original purpose being to document the 100+ families that had joined us that year.

What does the annual family photo mean to your family?

"For me the photos are a lot of mixed feelings of seeing how my children have grown over the years, and seeing how their personality has changed. Seeing that there are times when you feel like you can't take it anymore but in the end the only thing that is there is the family, I have a lot gratitude to mdc for this beautiful experience that changes year after year to see how the pillar of my life is my family; it feels very nice to see all my portraits when entering my room and see that God has worked for good in me, thanks to MdC."
-An MdC Mom

What we didn’t expect was that this photo project would become a cherished MdC tradition.

That first year went about as well as one might anticipate when you gather a bunch of families, who don’t know each other, and ask them to pose for a family photo (something the majority had never done before). It was quite the learning experience.

We invited families to pose in front of a Christmas-y backdrop. The results were eye-opening. Many weren’t dressed in what one might expect for family photos. Some didn’t have their entire family present. Many didn’t even smile…Like at all. Some even frowned.

What does the annual family photo mean to your family?

"This question is emotional for me and I do not have enough words to explain. All 4 years of pictures are in my house within eyesight and every time I see them I feel very happy to have those memories and to be able to look back and see how my girls have grown and my family has improved.”
-An MdC Mom

But we took the photos, printed them, and presented each family with a framed photo. Over the course of the next year, as we visited the homes of our families, it was surprising to see the photos hung up on the walls or propped up on a dresser. Our families took pride in their family photos! They deeply appreciated the documentation of their family.

What was initially an administrative task suddenly turned into a full blown Christmas tradition. Each year the photos improved. Families began dressing up, combing their hair and applying makeup. They started smiling and laughing during the photos.

Now, five years in, the yearly photos are something both MdC staff and families look forward to. It’s a beautiful documentation of the progression of our community. Families growing, changing, and becoming more connected within their community. A cherished tradition.

What does the annual family photo mean to your family?

“They mean a lot to me because they are memories of how we change every year, and that we continue year after year in this beautiful experience that God put in our lives and being part of MdC. I see what it was like to be part of the first photo (just co-existing) and now to have unity together and see the progress for the community and my family."
-An MdC Mom

Our MdC annual photo program is not only impactful to our families, but for us as well. This year in particular so many more families came dressed in a Christmas sweater or nicer clothes. They had done their hair, make-up and a few even brought some extended family to add to their photo. They were excited to get their photo taken. We can see that over time we have built trust with our community and the photos are a visual reminder at all the positive changes that are happening.

Each year MdC staff make the beautiful photo backdrops with limited supplies. In the early years, we borrowed items to craft the perfect backdrop.

Family photos proudly displayed in the houses of our MdC Families

Victoria NelsonJanuary 27, 2025