The Power of a Purpose Found

“Writing it helped me to believe it. It staked some claim on the truth.”
― Amanda Lindhout

Amanda Lindhout

 The other night, I sat in the Waterfront Theatre at Granville Island and listened to an elegant, articulate young woman speak of her traumatic ordeal as a captive, held in Somalia for a harrowing 460 days.

Amanda Lindhout’s voice, although soft-spoken, filled the space in which we all sat in silence to her recollection of being made to suffer in inconceivable ways. She was malnourished, beaten and raped repeatedly over time. With broken ribs and shattered teeth, the only thing preserved that had not been violently taken away, was her unwavering belief that if she survived… her sole purpose would be to help those who needed her most- the Somalia people. 

The author, speaker and activist has made good on her promise. Amanda is the co-founder of Global Enrichment Foundation,which brings empowerment through educating those who need support in the one place where her own freedom was lost. 

As a humanitarian, Amanda’s efforts to convey the darkness that threatened to consume her while in captivity were transformed onto the pages of her book.  “A House in the Sky” was co-authored with Sara Corbett and proved to be a brilliant collaboration as they share a friendship along with a vision for details and perfectionism. 

Amanda’s role as Co-founder of the Global Enrichment Foundation has many projects under one umbrella, including SHE WILL, Convoy for Hope, Rajo Literacy School and many more that require both awareness, donations and participation.

For those wanting more information please click on the following link> http://www.globalenrichmentfoundation.org/

During the course of the night, as Amanda shared about the strong bond she shares with her own mother, I sat in my seat and fought back the tears. It was when the reporter from The Vancouver Sun mentioned  when Amanda was being held captive; a call was made to her mother. It was the frail voice on the phone saying, “Mummy, mummy…” in desperation, wanting to be released and still fighting for freedom that tore me up. To this day, those are the words that trigger my own emotions as it is the helpless pleas of your child, which grips a mother’s heart.

When the evening was coming to a close, there was a question and answer chance to pose queries directly to Amanda. As she had touched on her Post Traumatic Stress, due to the trauma she endured in captivity, my question was how she managed to cope with the disorder? Of course, she did not know that I myself have PTSD. I could relate when she mentioned panic attacks and anxiety, even though my pain was the result of something far different, than the shock of what her body and mind had been subjected to. Amanda mentioned deep breathing exercises and mediation; something I have yet to master. But most of all, I appreciated her refreshing honesty and her focus on the entire audience.

Afterwards, I stood in line at the book signing, yet I could not afford at the moment to purchase "A House in the Sky." Currently, I am not working and my funds are very limited. I took the chance that I could speak with her for a moment. I was kindly obliged and shared about the loss of my daughter and gave her link to The Heart Pebble Movement. Then, I passed along one from Shayla’s collection and saw Amanda’s face light up. She mentioned how she loves pebbles and has some special ones of her own. Knowing she travels all over the world, I asked if she could place it somewhere for my daughter. She stood up and gave me a hug as I told her how brave and inspirational she was!

I left the Writer’s Festival full of gratitude for all that I had taken part in. The knowledge of what a young woman was subjected to- terrorized by one country and abandoned by another-makes the sole purpose of Global Enrichment Foundation that more powerful. It is because the Co-founder is someone who has known first-hand what it is like to be starved, what it feels to be bound in chains and who has walked countless miles in the feet of the Somalia people.

By T.L. Alton