“There are some who do what so many others never will: defy boundaries, break through barriers- starting with their own. They dare to take on what might seem impossible. It’s as if something is planted deep within- the belief that nothing is beyond reach. Nothing is impossible.”
Those are the first words you hear from the touching documentary, Running the Sahara. It’s the story of three very different men from three different countries who had one unheard of, unbelievable goal- to run across the entire Sahara desert from one end of Africa to the other. The expedition was led by Charlie Engle, a 44 year old small business developer who was once a cocaine addict living on the streets. He was joined by Ray Zahab, a 37 year old personal trainer from Canada who got sick of the party lifestyle just a few years ago and took up running. Rounding out the pack was Kevin Lin, a 30 year old grad student from Taiwan who had been running marathons for 20 years.
With a small crew consisting of a trail boss, doctor and trainer along for the treacherous, long journey, the men began the expedition in Senegal, anticipating an 80 day run, running about 50 miles a day- equivalent to almost two marathons. We saw their friendship in the personal stories they shared, the “sexy body” song by Kevin after a long day, their support of each other when they each were injured or fell sick and pushed through. We saw their humanness when Kevin almost left the expedition halfway through, when they cried as loved ones who had been visiting had to leave. We saw their compassion as Ray was dropped down into a man-made well to experience it for himself, when they laughed and danced with the people of Timbuktu, and as they took Polaroids of native children and let them see film for the first time.
Charlie, Ray and Kevin ran for what ended up being a total of 111 days. They ran through sandstorms that pierced like needles, unable to see where they were going. They ran with blisters the size of baseballs, with upper respiratory infections, with injured legs. They ran despite being initially rejected entry into Libya, and found a way to get through. They ran through the Egyptian pyramids and while holding the hands of the people of Niger. When 50 miles a day became “comfortable”, they pushed even further- “suffering to find a new level of self-discovery.”
“It is impossible to experience Africa from ground level and not be moved by it, and by the people that are forced to risk life in order to preserve it.” That is what they said when they came upon a 7 year old boy who was living by himself for days while his parents went to find water. And making it easier for people to get to clean water is the charitable side of Running the Sahara. It inspired Matt Damon and the producers of the film to create H2O Africa, a foundation formed to address the need for safe water in Africa that has raised over four million dollars for safe water programs in the Sahara. As the Running the Sahara expedition crossed Senegal, Mauritania, Mali, Niger, Libya and Egypt, it identified key areas of need for clean water programs, and now the project and it’s charitable partners will go back to address those needs. The World Health Organization estimates that lack of safe drinking water kills almost 4,500 children per day, mostly under the age of five. Through the making of this film, that issue was brought to the world stage and is now being addressed through H20 Africa and it’s partners.
This is a story of three men who proved that nothing is impossible. At the end of the film Ray sums it all up, “Any limitations that we have are ones we set upon ourselves,” and I think their story proves it. Visit www.runningthesahara.com for more information on the film, H20 Africa, ordering the DVD, and to find screenings of the film in a city near you.
[images: RunningtheSahara.com]
POSTED BY:
Eva Elise
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