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Marmalade and Machine Guns: 16 Countries, Three Continents, 12 Years and One Suitcase: One Woman's Quest to Help Disaster-stricken Communities Back on Their Feet
Author(s): Linda Cruse (Author)
- Publisher: John Blake Publishing Ltd
- Publication Date: 6 Aug. 2012
- Language: English
- Print length: 288 pages
- ISBN-10: 1857828763
- ISBN-13: 9781857828764
Book Description
In 1996, Linda Cruse, a stressed-out single mum working in a job she hated, was driving along a motorway in the middle of the night when she suffered temporary blindness. This terrifying episode led to a blinding insight: what is the point of living if living has no point? Determined to make a difference, Linda began a new life. This was the start of a scary, lonely, but always emotionally fulfilling job: teaching skills and bringing aid – and, above all, love – to war-torn refugees, the poverty-stricken and the victims of disaster. Linda travelled from crisis to crisis wherever she was most needed, visiting 16 countries in 12 years with just one suitcase. In Thailand, after the 2004 tsunami, she developed what was to be her trademark skill: the ability to broker powerful partnerships between large businesses (wanting to offer help in poverty-stricken communities but not always knowing the best way) and local charities (NGOs). This has brought praise from spiritual, commercial, and political leaders all over the world. Linda also helped individual families to battle their feelings of hopelessness and to find new livelihoods. Her work is inpsired by the idea of giving ‘hand-ups’ rather than ‘handouts’.
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About the Author
In 2000 Linda Cruse changed her life. Once her children had left home she set out on her travels, deciding that she needed to follow her heart. Without a plan in mind she rolled up her sleeves and got stuck in, moving from one troubled spot to another. She often found herself on the frontline, facing danger but always fearless. Her style is maverick: many think she’s crazy. But her unconventional toolbox, which includes magic tricks (she comes from a family of amateur magicians ) and a large dose of humour, has brough impressive changes to the disaster – or poverty-stricken communities in which she works. She has worked on behalf of amny individuals, charities and multi-national companies. Linda’s work has inspired praise from spiritual, commercial and political leaders all over the world. Her trademark skill is the ability to broker powerful partnerships between large businesses (wanting to offer help in stricken communities but not knowing the best way) and local charitites (NGOs). Her work is inspired by the notion of giving ‘hand-ups’ rather than ‘handouts’. In 2012. Linda launched the Be the Change Academy, which uses the entrepreneurial skills and acumen of business leaders to assist in solving some of the world’s intractable problems.
