Text | Lin groaned softly
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Sources: All of the information stated in this article is based on reliable sources, and is detailed at the end of the article
Preface
Think about it, if we were kidnapped and subjected to more than 400 days of captivity and inhuman abuse, would we choose to forgive the perpetrators?
Perhaps many people would rather harm themselves than bring the perpetrator to justice to soothe their deeply wounded souls, but Amanda Linhot chose to forgive.
In Somalia, known as the "country of pirates", Amanda has endured countless and unimaginable tortures, but after she was rescued, she chose to forgive those sinners.
Brave and fearless Amanda
Amanda was born in a small Canadian town in 1981, and her birth did not save her parents, who divorced at a young age.
Amanda lives with her brother with her mother, but due to poverty, it is not easy for her mother to support her two children, and her newly found boyfriend often quarrels with her because she carries two oil bottles.
Amanda and her brother grew up in such quarrels, and when they were in elementary school, in order to subsidize the family, Amanda often went to pick up scrap and sell it for a meager living expenses.
Because her family was so poor, Amanda didn't have the opportunity to go to college at all, and she was very envious whenever she looked at those energetic college students.
Amanda is very yearning for the outside world, and in her opinion, no matter where she goes, it is much better than her current living environment.
But without wealth and culture, Amanda can't go anywhere, and it's a pity for her that she can't continue to go to school, so even if she has some pocket money in her hand, Amanda puts all of it into books.
Amanda's favorite place to buy geography magazines in second-hand bookstores, the beautiful and charming scenery of various countries in the magazine deeply attracted Amanda's attention, she has never been far away, it is hard to imagine that there are such beautiful places in the world.
It was also at that time that Amanda decided to travel the world and see all the beauties of the world.
In order to fulfill her wishes, Amanda began to work hard to earn money, and with her excellent appearance and figure, she worked as a waitress in a large bar and occasionally received a tip.
Once she had saved enough money, Amanda couldn't wait to get on the trip, first to Venezuela, and then to Asia, Africa and other countries and cities to see the scenery in the magazine.
The significance of travel to Amanda is immense, her body and mind are washed every time she crosses the border, and for her, travel has brought her more than what she has learned in school and church.
It was also during the journey that Amanda had the idea of becoming a journalist, and if she could become a journalist, she would not only be able to travel all over the world, but also be able to make money from this profession.
However, because of her lack of education, no newspaper was willing to recruit Amanda, and just when Amanda thought she was at the end of her rope, she met her boyfriend Nigel.
Nigel is a freelance photographer, and the two met by chance, and because they had the same interests and many common topics, the two quickly got together.
At Nigel's suggestion, Amanda decided to become a freelance journalist who was not employed by any media outlet and traveled the world at her own expense to write news stories.
And those countries with war conflicts have become Amanda's preferred targets, and there are conflicts that are interesting, although it is very dangerous to be in a war zone, but she can get a huge reward of equal value.
Just do it, Amanda and her boyfriend Nigel first set foot on the soil of Afghanistan, and Amanda recorded countless precious materials in the midst of artillery fire.
She then went to Iraq, where the situation was even more devastating, with ruins everywhere and an unknown number of people affected by the war.
And Amanda's report exposed the most real side to the public, and she also attracted a large number of fans, she not only received a lot of manuscript fees, but also gained a lot of fame.
Amanda has found her next goal, and she has set her sights on such a dangerous country, and wants to keep conducting authentic interviews so that she can not only gain fame, but also be able to speak for the people who have been affected by the disaster.
At that time, Amanda was blinded by her passion, and she only wanted to complete her goals, and she didn't even care about her own safety, but she didn't know that her next decision made her fall into an endless nightmare.
Chase fame and fortune and go deep into danger
After reporting on the situation in Iraq, Amanda's fame grew, and everyone praised her as the bravest and most fearless person, and because of the success of the first two reports, Amanda was confident and decided to go to Somalia, Africa.
Known as the land of pirates, Somalia was once considered one of the most dangerous countries in the world, with violence and disorderly practices rife throughout the country.
No journalist wants to risk their lives to report from Somalia, but for Amanda, that's a big advantage because it means no one can compete with her.
Nigel was very embarrassed to learn that Amanda wanted to go to Somalia, he had also heard about the dangers of Somalia and didn't want Amanda to be in danger, but he couldn't withstand Amanda's repeated requests, so the two finally supported each other and went together.
In 2008, on a plane to Somalia, Amanda was not afraid of the unknown future, but instead thought about how to report it.
When she arrives there, you'll be greeted by endless smoke of gunpowder, crumbling houses everywhere, and sparsely populated roads, so Amanda managed to find two local guides.
On her fourth day in Somalia, Amanda met another group of reporters in Somalia, led by a man named Robert, and during the conversation with Robert, Amanda asked him where the most dangerous place was, and she was going to do first-hand information.
Robert was shocked by Amanda's boldness, believing that Amanda's actions would harm everyone in his group, and soon, the local robbers shifted their focus and targeted Amanda and the group.
Before they could understand what was happening, Amanda and Nigel, along with the two local guides, were surrounded by kidnappers who still had hot weapons in their hands, and they couldn't escape.
At that time, Amanda finally felt scared, but it was too late, and several people were taken to the den by the kidnappers, and then they were locked up in a small dark room without saying anything.
The dark and unfamiliar place exacerbated the fear of the group, and Amanda imagined countless possibilities, knowing that she had really planted it this time.
The fear of the unknown is the deadliest, and the kidnappers know this very well, and locked up Amanda and the others for a while, and did not give them any food, under the strong pressure, Amanda's spirit was close to collapse.
When they were taken out by the kidnappers again, Amanda broke down and begged them to let her go, but how could it be so easy The kidnappers demanded that their families must pay 3 million US dollars before they were willing to let them go back.
For Amanda, this is undoubtedly difficult, her family is already poor, how can it be possible to raise so much money, in desperation, Amanda sent a request to the Canadian government.
At first, the government also sent negotiators to negotiate with the kidnappers, but the kidnappers did not let up at all, and in order to urge Amanda's family to pay the ransom as soon as possible, they beat Amanda at every turn.
even violated Amanda inhumanely, witnessing this situation, Amanda's boyfriend Nigel desperately wanted to protect her, but he was also beaten and scolded.
In the days that followed, Amanda went through all sorts of terrible things, and she was locked up in a pitch-black room full of rats and cockroaches.
The kidnappers would punch and kick Amanda, who was chained and devastated, and she could barely breathe.
I don't know how long this happened, and even the Canadian government gave up on saving Amanda, and only Amanda's mother was still trying to raise money.
The kidnappers vented all their anger on Amanda, and the beating of her intensified, Amanda struggled from the beginning to gradually numb, and she thought that she would be killed in the next moment.
She and Nigel thought about escaping and took action, but all failed, and their hopes were ignited again and again shattered, which was a huge blow to Amanda.
Amanda also thought about dying, but she was unwilling, she always felt that she would see the light of day again, so after 460 days of torture, Amanda's family collected a ransom of 1.2 million, and the kidnappers agreed to release Amanda and her boyfriend.
At that time, Amanda was extremely weak, she had multiple fractures on her body, and her whole body was emaciated beyond human shape, but her mind was the most damaged.
Amanda hates her decision every moment, she has been in pain, and in order to save her spirit that is about to collapse, Amanda chooses forgiveness.
She thought that only by forgiving the kidnappers could her heart be truly redeemed, she tried to let go of her hatred, and it took more than three years for Amanda to truly come out of the shadows.
Amanda believes that violence in Somalia can only be reduced if it truly improves lives, so in 2010, Amanda founded the Global Abundance Foundation to help women in Somalia.
With her help, many women and children have received a good education, and Amanda has changed the lives of these people, believing that everything she does is meaningful.
With her tenacious perseverance, Amanda has stepped out of the shackles that imprisoned her, and she chose to give up her hatred, isn't it a great courage?
For Amanda, she has found her foothold in the future, found a new meaning and purpose in life, she has found a channel for catharsis for her emotions, and she has also contributed her strength to world peace, she is worthy of admiration.
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Resources
Beijing News - "A Female Journalist's Somali Nightmare"
Jiemian News - "460 Days of Canadian Female Journalists Captive, Gang Raped, and Abused by Terrorist Organizations"
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