Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Linda Martin. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Linda, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?
I grew up on a small farm in the Midwest (South Dakota, to be exact!) where hard work was so much a part of life, it was just ‘normal’. While being on the farm was not MY passion in life, it was my dad’s… and I saw how hard work didn’t feel as ‘hard’ when you love what you’re doing. My childhood also instilled in me that there’s nothing I can’t do – sometimes you have to figure it out as you go, but ‘I give up’ was never part of my vocabulary.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
Miracle 139 International is a non-profit organization whose mission is to provide training for schools and churches on how to successfully include children with disabilities. Recent statistics from UNICEF show that there are approximately 240 million children with disabilities around the world. Many of these children, especially in developing countries, do not attend school. Our hope is to see the day when all children have access to an appropriate education.
When our organization first began providing training internationally, our teams would travel to each project location multiple times over the course of 3-4 years. As the demand for disability inclusion training has increased, our team has been working diligently to get all of our curriculum content into an online learning management system with the hopes that it will be able to reach many more organizations around the world.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
1) Envision a preferred future 2) seek wise counsel 3) believe in your vision, even when others may not see it yet.
One of my favorite things to do is cast vision of a preferred future for our organization. Being able to see what’s possible fuels our team’s passion and motivation to reach lofty goals.
I love to seek out wise counsel from people I trust. Not only do they help me see things I may have missed, or help expand my ideas… but it’s often the encouragement from others that keeps me pushing forward when things seem overwhelming.
When you have a big vision, there will always be people that tell you it’s not possible. The nay-sayers can seem loud in your head, and it will take a really strong belief in your vision to push through- but trust me, it’s worth it!
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
I feel so grateful to be using my combined passions of disability inclusion, my faith and international travel to make a forever-difference in the lives of children with disabilities around the world. There are few things that compare to putting your time and energy into something that makes a positive impact in the lives of others. If you’ve been searching for a way to get involved or make a difference, we’d love to hear from you! Whether you’re in the education field, disability ministry, or want to share your talents in social media, instructional design or fundraising, we have so many ways to get you involved with our team! Email [email protected] for more information!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.miracle139international.org
- Instagram: @miracle139international
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Miracle139International/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@miracle139international5
Image Credits
Adam Lanser
