"It takes a lot of courage to release the familiar and seemingly secure, to embrace the new. But there is no real security in what is no longer meaningful. There is more security in the adventurous and exciting, for in movement there is life, and in change there is power."
~Alan Cohen
"To dream anything you want to dream, that is the beauty of the human mind.
To do anything you want to do, that is the strength of the human will.
To trust yourself to test your limits, that is the courage to succeed."
-Bernard Edmonds
At Invisible Wings, we want people to get involved. It is so easy to feel or talk about a cause. But there is so much need in the world, we can live a lifetime of service and never be finished. We currently have several projects in the works, so stay tuned! In the meantime, let's get started!
4 DESERTS ATACAMA CROSSING 2010!
To kick off Invisible Wings, Maya and Billy Restis will compete in the Atacama Crossing foot race to raise money for two of our country's most needy demographics: abused animals, and the homeless. The Atacama crossing is ranked by Time Magazine as the planet's second most difficult ultra-endurance event. It will be the single most difficult thing Billy and Maya have ever done. The purpose of competing in this punishing race is to show sacrificial love, and inspire members of the community to grow invisible wings of their own.
Some facts about the Atacama Crossing:
- Located in Chile, the Atacama Desert is over 20 million years old, and is the driest and highest altitude desert in the world;
- It is 50 times drier than Death Valley, average rain fall is 1 millimeter per year, and parts of the desert have never been observed to receive rain. It is so dry that 16th century explorer Alanso de Ercilla said "Towards Atacama, near the deserted coast, you see a land without men, where there is not a bird, not a beast, nor a tree, nor any vegetation."
- In 2003, a team of researchers published a report in Science magazine titled "Mars-like Soils in the Atacama Desert, Chile, and the Dry Limit of Microbial Life" in which they duplicated the tests used by the Viking 1 and Viking 2 Mars landers to detect life, and were unable to detect any signs in Atacama Desert soil.
- Temperatures can exceed 100+ degrees fahrenheit during the day and drop below freezing at night;
- The race is a six stage, 250 kilometer (156 mile) event. Competitors must complete a marathon each day for the first 4 days, 2 marathons on the 5th day, and a 10k on the last day;
- Competitors must carry all their own equipment and food for the entire race, which averages approximately 20 pounds.
The Atacama Crossing is such a small sacrifice compared to what
so many have to endure every single day. If we can do it, so can you! Go to our Donations page and help us reach our goal!
There are days when I struggle to want to go train. I have to remind myself the reasons for doing this. There's a lot of pain and suffering in the world for people AND animals and for many the outcome is bleak.
Children in Africa who lose both parents to AIDS, abused and tortured farmed animals destined for fast food that make our kids obese, and the homeless women, men and children, among many other things is what I think about when I'm complaining about getting out of bed to literally just exercise.
Going through a desert by foot for 6 days and dealing with monster blisters and sores is no where near the often uninvited pain that others must endure. I will tolerate a horrible blister and temporary discomfort for my friend's emotional and physical pain. I will deal with the pain my legs and hips will undoubtedly experience for all the abused and needlessly tortured animals in the world. I will not complain about the heat or cold for the street livers that combat with it everyday. And I will not fuss about how boring or awful the freeze dried meals are for those who never know when their next meal will be.
I'm blessed with the life I have and I'm thankful for being able to see and not just look. Open your eyes to the world we live in, and discover the endless possibilities where you can help others in need of compassion. A compassion that does not discriminate, is not judgmental...and has no boundaries.
~ Maya Restis, September 24, 2009
