Growing up and coming of age, I wrote copiously, using written words to not only capture the moments of my life, but also to interpret them – the journeys that I took, the people I met, what I saw, new love, hope, heartache…  And then one day in my early twenties, I stopped, the words somehow just out of reach.

There are so many moments in my life that I’ve forgotten, but oddly enough one seemingly insignificant one that took place close to 20 years ago, is still vivid in my memory.  “You used to write a lot?”  I remember a stranger asking while he held my hand gently in his, gazing down at it and tracing the lines along my palm.  I looked at him in surprise as he gently told me “You need to write again.”

Somehow the years passed since then and although my life has been incredibly full, I never quite found the words (or the time) again.  Last year, on my first trip to Sierra Leone, something magical took place – the words came rushing back and through this blog, I’ve been able to share this incredible journey of transformation and discovery with you – and in return, you’ve been able to share with me.  This shared experience has been one of the greatest gifts of my life.

As we approached World Peace Day (and Operation Rise) and fatigue grew as myself and our team experienced what it’s like to implement an effort of this size in Africa, my resolve to share the miracles that were happening because of what we were creating together never wavered.  In fact, after less than a few hours sleep and the incredible stress that came with knowing that we two of our distribution sites had not receive their crutches at 2am the morning of World Peace Day, I woke up, got to work with faith that all would be okay and posted a blog – determined to keep everyone apprised of how things were unfolding throughout the day.

But along the way, Sierra Leone happened. The chaos, uncertainty and the unimaginable difficulties in doing business the way we’ve become accustomed to in the West happened.  I came back to the dumpy Hill Valley Hotel around 7pm on World Peace Day and amongst power outages and the lightning storm that caused them, tried six times to upload photos and information about Operation Rise.  And six times the internet connection failed.

Amazing to think that one woman could feel so defeated, but at the moment when I most wanted to deliver, I simply could not.  I couldn’t share with you what I saw, the happy smiles, the people that hobbled up and walked away straighter, those that walked up with the worst homemade crutches you can imagine and left with shiny new Invacare crutches.

And in the days since, all of the emotions that go along with everything that I’ve done and seen in the past year — all of the incredibly long days, the hope, the despair, the stress, the joy, the sorrow – all of it, has come crashing in and I’ve numbly moved from meeting to meeting, unable at the end of the day to do more than tend to my son, Tejan, who badly needed my time and attention.

I couldn’t share something that was even deeper and more profound – the healing as on the grounds where amputees were originally “herded” to in Aberdeen – one of the first amputee refugee camps that has been steeped in loss and sorrow – but on World Peace Day experienced joy and the rebirth of hope as lives were changed and people laughed, joined hands, and danced to songs including Caravan of Love, one of the $2 music downloads that helped fund this effort.

Musa Mansaray, one of the Amputee Soccer League that was assigned to work at the Aberdeen site (the Amputee Soccer League provided peace-keeping services at all eight distribution sites countrywide), smiled brightly when talking about Operation Rise “Everything that happened — it was so good.  It made me feel good to see everything.  I felt so proud because I told everyone that we would be giving away crutches for free.  They didn’t believe me.  Now they know I’m a man of my word.”

Believe me when I say that I wish that all of you had been here beside me – I know that you too would have been incredulous, amazed, and joyful as you witnessed the following:

• All sites being set up and handing out crutches near the designated start time of 9am, including the two sites that didn’t have their crutches delivered until 7am.  This is a testament to the real heroes of Operation Rise – the men and women in Sierra Leone who work tirelessly day after day, many for free and even the most skilled for less than $10 USD per day, to bring hope and new life to those suffering disabilities here.  These include men like Pastor Freeman Taylor, Abu Amara, Dr. Prince Masuba, Musa Mansaray in Bo, as well as Bambino Suma and Eku Scottland who stayed up all night waiting for their deliveries that contained hundreds of boxes of crutches and repair parts that needed to be organized and sorted before the event began.  It’s hard to understand that doing a simultaneous distribution like this is nothing short of miraculous until you experience Sierra Leone for yourself and hear shock about this achievement from every single person you speak to.
• People walking in the streets with their new crutches and Operation Rise wristbands – many whom I’ve stopped to speak with who express just how happy they are to have new crutches – the single most important tool in their daily lives.
• Those without new crutches who I’ve seen on the streets and stopped to talk with and subsequently directed to go and pick them up.  Their smiles testament to the incredible difference your gift makes in their lives.

Of course, there are also other things you would have witnessed that would have left you just as exasperated as I, including:

• Writing a speech for the World Peace Day Press Conference late on Tuesday night, feeling like it was the best chance to really get people to understand how unique this collaboration between TheWhole9.com, The Peace Project, our partners including UNICEF, other donors that included the Diamond Manufacturers and Importers Association, and the people of Sierra Leone.  And then realizing that I didn’t have a way to print the speech.  Having filmmaker Michele come to the rescue by getting one of the filmmaking team to print it, and then having that person rush up 10 minutes before the Press Conference with a copy I didn’t have a chance to read through.
• Despite weeks of instruction and planning, realizing that to many in Sierra Leone, implementing an event like Operation Rise in a systematic way is foreign.  In Aberdeen, Invacare’s Dave Zuern, was a true hero, helping to get everything set up and then manning the crutch distribution, smiling over his own exhaustion and doling out product and the repairs parts he had secured from his company for free.
• Standing in front of the Peace Wall (painted by Gabriel Kamara), and giving my heartfelt speech only to have it unexpectedly start raining.  After we all rushed for cover and then resettled, I laughingly joking that not only had I learned a lot about Peace from the people of Sierra Leone, I had also learned a lot about flexibility, and just then, DJ Base (who was providing tunes at Aberdeen) pumped up the volume, and I had to stop and then start my speech for the third time.
• The fact that the modem that would enable me to upload pictures during the day never showed up.

All of this faded into insignificance though as I started receiving reports from across the country:

• Bo — Edward Bockarie, leader of CAPS (our main logistical parner), reported:  “It was beautiful and peaceful.  Musa Mansaray and his team were incredibly organized.”
• Kenema — Joseph Kange, from CAPS, who stayed up with Eku Scottland most of the night waiting for the product, reported in at 6:06pm: “We have just completed distribution.  It was incredible and fantastic.  It was the same according to reports from other provincial areas.”
• Kono – Abu Amara:  “The World Peace Day is ended.  Assignment accomplished despite a rainy and challenging day.  Thanks for all your efforts.  Sierra Leoneans appreciate you.  A lot of amazing videos and photos captured on this World Peace Day symbolizing PEACE & HOPE amidst the challenges. They will make you laugh and LAUGH & LAUGH!!”
• Makeni – Bambino Suma:  “It was truly a great day.  We had musical performances and an Amputee Soccer Match.”

I was also pleased to spend some time speaking with the U.S. Ambassador to Sierra Leone, Michael Owen, who visited the Aberdeen site, and according to the State Department’s Bruno Sanchez (another good man who also believes that incredible change is possible in Sierra Leone and who works hard every day to make it happen) “I’ve heard only good reports from Ambassador Owen and the team here.  They were proud to come out and support what you’re doing.”

In minutes I’ll be touching down in Los Angeles and rushing home to hug my daughter (who I miss so much my heart hurts).  As I think about the last year and this incredible journey that you and I have been on, all I feel is gratitude.

Last year, I saw the photos of Pep Bonet and began this incredible dream called dream called The Peace Project.  This year, with Pep’s comrade Sergi Agusti and a whole team of others including Mohamed Njai, Dave Zuern, Jeremy Fokkens, and Michele D’Acosta at my side, the dream was realized through Operation Rise.

Each person reading this has been part of bringing us to this day.  Know that around the world, there are thousands of voices, both loud and quiet, that join mine in thanking you.

NOTE:  Operation Rise will continue taking it to the streets in Sierra Leone as there were thousands of people that were not physically or financially able to make it to one of the distribution sites on World Peace Day.  If you have been planning to donate, we still very much need your help to get the crutches to these people by having our partners reach out to the communities surrounding their distribution sites.  Please click here to donate now.

Also…see a few stories about Operation Rise in the news:

KTLA

Los Angeles Times

CBS Moneywatch.com