The time is almost here to hop on the plane and leave the USA again! My heart is bursting with excitement because the focus of the next 8 weeks is disabilities and the documentary. I have been able to plan out my time in country #1 which looks like is going to be incredible & very busy (no I am not going to say - it is a bit of a surprise for those of you that do not already know - so if you do know please don't post anything about it online). As far as country #2 goes, - simply thrilled to see this place and do more research. It is just going to be good for so many different reasons! :-) Country #3 is a bit of an extended fun pit-stop, but you better believe I will have my eye out for disability information in this area.
I cannot express in words the gratitude in my heart to have the opportunities I've had to go to all these places. Thank you so much for your love, prayers, & emotional/financial support. I have gotten to see some really amazing things and have met some of the nicest, most loving and welcoming people. My eyes have witnessed great pain, hurt, confusion, grief, mourning, poverty, & "hopelessness",... and all along, God has shown Himself to be extremely evident and alive throughout some of the most difficult situations. I put the word "hopelessness" in quotations because I do not believe in hopelessness. There is Hope, but in some of these cultures & day to day life - some do not see what that Hope is. The Hope is there; it is here. The Hope will not leave or change. (Hebrews 13:8) The True Hope finds you were you are and says "You are forgiven and you are loved, my child." We are never left with 'no Hope'.
The goal of the film is to bring the Hope and light to people with disabilities all over the globe. It is to show the world that these people DO have a voice. It truly truly bothers me when I hear people or organizations say "We are a voice for the voiceless." ... Yes, this is great because I understand the motivation behind it, but I strongly feel like it is a very inaccurate statement and a horrible marketing slogan. (It really irritates me, actually.) People with disabilities have a voice. We can learn what they want to say, but we must take the time to listen. The film will show the conditions that people with disabilities live in all over the world, yet allow them to speak for themselves. I don't want to be their voice because I do not personally understand day to day living as they do, plus I do not really know what they want to say until I listen first. My hope for the film, for this summer, and for my life is show this population and the ones surrounding them that they are loved and not forgotten. Why, you might ask ..... well, because I was, I am, & I will be loved and never forgotten by the God of the universe. So the question really is: why wouldn't I desire to do something & share that with them?
My plane leaves on Thursday, May 31 at 8:07pm. I will arrive at my first destination on Saturday June 2nd at 1am CST. Please pray for the peace to continue & the anxiety & stress of leaving/transitioning to stay far far away. I am thrilled for the next 8 weeks and cannot wait to see some of the things that are scheduled! It really is going to be an incredible summer.
Thank you and will be updating soon.
-Lindsey
