Amanda Lindhout & Lorinda Stewart at CSAE
At the age of 19, Amanda Lindhout began to travel the globe, aspiring to understand the world and live a significant life. After backpacking through Latin America, Laos, war-ridden Afghanistan and Iraq, she carved out a fledgling career as a television reporter. In August 2008, she travelled to Somalia, reputed as “the most dangerous place on earth.” On her fourth day, she and members of her team were abducted by masked men along a dusty road.
Held hostage for 460 days, Amanda converted to Islam as a survival tactic, received “wife lessons” from one of her captors and risked a daring escape. She survived solely on memories—recalling details of the world she knew before captivity—and on strategy, fortitude and hope. Vivid and suspenseful, Amanda’s story is an intensely intimate portrait of an intrepid young woman and her search for compassion in the face of unimaginable adversity.
At the same time, Amanda’s mother, Lorinda Stewart faced an unfathomable task. She was thrust into assuming the role of primary negotiator with the criminals who threatened to take her daughter’s life unless they were paid an incredible ransom. Like her daughter, Lorinda discovered how resilience, determination and a shift in mindset can provide the strength to overcome seemingly impossible odds. She discovered that within life’s darkest hours can come profound moments of enlightenment. On November 25, 2009, Lorinda celebrated Amanda’s release from captivity and was finally reunited with her daughter.
Lorinda soon realized that their journey was far from over. Struggling to cope with that which her family had endured and the aftermath of Amanda’s captivity brought Lorinda to a breaking point in which she needed to discover the keys to healing and peace.
During this presentation, Amanda Lindhout recounts her remarkable journey and shares a unique understanding of the freedom we can all experience when we choose to embrace compassion. Lorinda Stewart’s extraordinary and emotional segment of the presentation celebrates hope, love and the personal freedom that comes with the choice to forgive.
After listening to both Amanda and Lorinda, you’ll have a renewed sense of inspiration and an astonishing understanding of the gifts that come through adversity and forgiveness.
You don’t want to miss this celebration of resilience and powerful portrait of the strength of the human spirit.
If you’re attending CSAE this week, be sure to check out these NSB speakers who will also be delivering presentations, and come by our NSB booth at the tradeshow showcase. We’d love to connect with you!
- Gerry Visca | Canada’s Creative Coach | Friday, October 31
- Linda Edgecombe | Re-Invention Strategist | Thursday, October 30
- Randall Craig | Web & Social Media Expert | Wednesday, October 29
- Seamus O’Regan | Broadcast Journalist | Friday, October 31