Speaker Biography
On Aug. 23, 2008, Stewart’s daughter, Amanda Lindhout, a freelance journalist was kidnapped at gunpoint in Somalia, and within two days, the captors demanded $2.5 million in exchange for her daughter’s life. Faced with the Canadian government’s strict policy prohibiting ransom payment, Stewart agreed to be trained by Canada’s top criminal negotiators in an attempt to facilitate Amanda’s release without the remuneration of money.
After months of distressing conversations with the hostage takers, and the desertion of support from the Government, Stewart made a series of bold decisions to hire a private security company and fundraise the ransom. Remarkably in 3 1/2 months, Stewart was finally reunited with her daughter in Nairobi, Kenya on Nov. 25, 2009. Although few people will experience the trauma of having their child kidnapped, everyone experiences trauma on some level.
Lorinda’s presentations offer a look at one woman’s heroic perseverance in the face of despair, and of the hope and healing to be found beyond trauma. They are also, in the end, a tribute to the extraordinary power of a mother’s love.
After listening to Lorinda, you will reach a renewed sense of inspiration and an astonishing understanding of the gifts that come through adversity and forgiveness. Her presentations are a celebration of resilience and powerful portrait of the strength of the human spirit.
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