A little over a year
ago when my husband Shaun
00:00:04.30\00:00:06.80
and I decided to sponsor
a child through Asian Aid,
00:00:06.83\00:00:10.10
I never would have imagined
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that I would end up meeting
our sponsored child in India.
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I'm thinking I
want to become nurse.
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All right.
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It was an experience made
more incredible and exciting,
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because this was also
our daughter's first trip
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outside of North America.
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Well, I was super
excited about coming
00:00:27.54\00:00:29.71
and I knew it would be
a life changing experience
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and it has been so far.
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Together we discovered a
land full of color and contrast.
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We met Sheela
our sponsor daughter,
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rode on a school bus with her
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and in doing all
this came across people
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who put their lives in danger
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to rescue girls
in parole imperil.
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The risk is huge.
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I am always known
that there is a risk
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in this of being involved.
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But I think, I don't think
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we can sit
quite about it either.
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And witness the wondrous work
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being carried out in the slums.
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We experienced first hand
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the transformation
Asian Aid is making
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for lives of thousands
of children across India.
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India is a land
full of contrast.
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It's a land of
great mystery and beauty.
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It's a land of
unspeakable despair.
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By traveling through
India one thing is for sure,
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it's a land filled with people
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who should never
be underestimated.
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For the last 40 years
Asian Aid has invested
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in the futures of people
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who had never been
given such a chance
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and their investment
has proven infinite returns.
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Driven by the
vision of Helen Eager
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dedicated to helping
those who have the least,
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Asian Aid is an organization
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implementing
diverse development projects
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and sponsoring
thousands of children.
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Their out reach spans
from Bangladesh to Nepal,
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Sri Lanka and beyond
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from remote
villages in empty fields
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to sprawling
centers of education
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from nothing to
the unimaginable.
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Now, Asian Aid
decided to document the work
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it has been
doing all these years
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with the desire
to show the world
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what is
possible by digging wells
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in remote villages
for clean drinking water
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and bringing
much needed healthcare
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to the woman of Nepal,
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by providing an
education for orphans,
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deaf, and blind children, giving
them a sense of place, a home.
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But what we really discovered
was being given was hope.
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Giving hope to
children, giving hope to women,
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giving hope to the
ones who needed the most,
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this is Hope in Motion.
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We arrive in Bangalore, India,
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late at night
on the 2nd of July.
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The days rest in
some shopping did us good
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and rejuvenates us
for the long trip ahead.
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We are ready for
our Indian adventure.
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Is this city always
been busy like this?
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No, the city has changed.
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I've lived in this
city now for 17 years
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and the last 10
years I would say,
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this city has really changed.
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I think there's
been an influx of people.
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This city is the IT hub of India
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and I think in the last 10 years
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every major multinational has
moved an office to Bangalore.
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The following day we
meet with Anita at Oasis.
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Now Oasis's office is
tucked behind the gate
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with only a small nondescript
sign indicating its presence.
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We slip upstairs and
meet Anita and her team
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a group of about 10 people.
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Oasis is a rescue operation,
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rescuing girls
from human trafficking.
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Young girls are
trafficked, confined and raped
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then forced into
the prostitution trade.
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Jim and I meet
Anita in her office.
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She tells us that
corruption and lack of manpower
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in the enforcement agencies
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has made this a rampant problem
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in big cites like Bangalore.
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You know, the
huge problem in India
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I think the US puts the
figures at about a 100 million
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but the actual figures
will be much, much higher
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because these figures,
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yeah, these figures are
from about four years ago.
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I think the people on the ground
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see for themselves the
number of people being rescued.
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So in this last six months
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we've had 42 girls
from Bangladesh alone
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rescued in one
district in Bangalore.
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So you can imagine the numbers
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that are coming in
from Bangladesh from Nepal
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but the numbers trafficked
within India are huge as well.
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The primary motive at Oasis
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is to rescue
these trafficked girls,
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but it is not as
easy as it sounds.
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There is a lot of
planning, networking
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and in almost all cases this
involves undercover operations.
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The risk is huge
and the situation
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is delicate and complicated.
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Anita and her team have
been threatened physically.
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There are tremendous
sums of money involved.
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The risk is huge
I'm always known that
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there is a risk in
this of being involved.
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But I think, I don't think
we can sit quiet about it either
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being an Indian woman myself
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and having seen what
happens and having seen the fact
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that people do not
want to get involved
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in really higher risk things.
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When the girls are rescued,
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it does not
necessarily mean freedom,
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they face a lot of emotional
and physical challenges.
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They are understandably
afraid and ashamed.
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They're cutoff from
any support from family.
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The physical abuse
these girls undergo
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during captivity is appalling.
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I think if I have to speak
about the worst kind of cases
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I've seen I saw two
and a half year old girl
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who had been slashed,
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many times around
her waist and her bottom,
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and had been burned with
cigarette butts all around,
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yeah, all around
her private parts.
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So I think that
was one of the worst,
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the level of abuse sometimes
is just huge and horrid.
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When they're first
brought in and they're broken,
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you know their will
to do this is broken.
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They're abused very,
very badly by the pimps.
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And so during that
time they're chained,
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they're beaten, they're starved
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and physically
very badly abused.
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Asian Aid with its
operation Child Rescue program
00:07:21.29\00:07:24.47
has joined hands
with Oasis supporting them
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with funds necessary to
facilitate this rescue effort
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in the crucial
rehabilitation for the children.
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Sitting and talking to Anita,
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I made aware of the huge risk
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that she is taking and
the dedication and courage
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she has to undertake
this dangerous mission.
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I think if I wasn't doing this
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and if I wasn't
being involved in this,
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I don't think my heart
would be silent on this.
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Yeah, I think I choose to
have the courage to do this.
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Anita's motives
are purely Christian.
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She knows that the
only hope for these girls
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to recover from the abuse
they've suffered is the hope
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that Christ can give.
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Oasis doesn't
have its own rehab home
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and currently relies
on government facilities.
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Anita's goal is to
have a home of their own.
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Sadly many of the girls rescued
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cannot overcome
the pain or the shame.
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Some are turned to
the lifestyle willingly
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and rehabilitation
is a crucial step.
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Coming out of the
meeting with Anita,
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I am full of
hope and encouragement
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for what she and
her team are doing.
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At the same time
my heart is troubled
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as I tried to
comprehend the problems faced
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by innocent young girls in India
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and this is not
the sort of beginning
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I had in mind when I
have first set out for India.
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On the plane ride from
Bangalore to Vishakhapatnam
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on the east coast of
the Indian peninsula,
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I have enough time to reflect
on my meeting with Anita.
00:09:05.42\00:09:09.09
I wonder what we will experience
on the rests of our journey.
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Slowly the
unsettled feeling fades
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and I focus on the
exciting next step.
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Vishakhapatnam or Vizag as it's
commonly known is hot and humid.
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From the airport are driven
straight to a slum settlement
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in the centre of the city.
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Just walking
through its narrow alley
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is an experience in itself.
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We're guided to a
freshly painted building.
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It's an Adventist
school in the heart of the slum
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and this was unexpected.
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We are introduced to
Naomi the school principal
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and we get to meet the
kids in her classrooms.
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Gathered on the rooftop
00:10:07.98\00:10:09.83
the pleasant breeze
is a welcome relief.
00:10:09.86\00:10:12.39
We're here in Vizag
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and we've just
visited the slum school
00:10:17.17\00:10:19.72
that's been recently renovated.
00:10:19.75\00:10:22.37
They've done a
lot of renovations
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particularly up
here, where we gathered
00:10:23.81\00:10:26.01
with the
children here on the roof.
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This is an amazing
experience to see the area
00:10:28.34\00:10:31.90
that these kids live in
surrounds this school here.
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It's been great to be here,
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we get to come
back in a few days,
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we're gonna have the dedication
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for this newly
renovated slum school.
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After spending a couple
of hours at the slum school
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we head out to Bobbili.
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Arriving at the Asian Aid
School for the Blind in Bobbili
00:11:01.46\00:11:05.39
we received a warm welcome.
00:11:05.42\00:11:07.53
Boys and girls on each
side of the entrance way
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greet us with
flowers and handshakes.
00:11:10.29\00:11:13.07
I am surprised by
how many more boys
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there are than girls.
00:11:15.70\00:11:17.38
There are about
50 girls and 120 boys
00:11:17.41\00:11:20.64
that live here at the school.
00:11:20.67\00:11:22.79
Later pastor
Paulson the school principal
00:11:22.82\00:11:25.54
takes us on the
tour of the campus.
00:11:25.57\00:11:27.97
It's amazing to see
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how the blind children
are taught and how they learn
00:11:29.44\00:11:32.73
with their
specialized equipment.
00:11:32.76\00:11:35.04
The blind
school will be our home
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for the rest of
our stay in India.
00:11:36.84\00:11:38.66
So we're staying here
at the Asian Aid School
00:11:40.07\00:11:42.31
for the Blind in Bobbili
and it's absolutely beautiful,
00:11:42.34\00:11:45.20
everything's
green this time of year.
00:11:45.23\00:11:47.13
The flowers are blooming,
we even got to eat some guava
00:11:47.16\00:11:50.50
and even more beautiful
are the students staying here.
00:11:50.53\00:11:54.26
We have the
privilege this morning of going
00:11:54.29\00:11:56.84
through the
school pastor Paulson
00:11:56.87\00:11:58.49
showed Natalie and Naomi around
00:11:58.52\00:12:00.16
and the beautiful
wide opened hallways
00:12:00.19\00:12:03.46
where the students can easily
maneuver their way around.
00:12:03.49\00:12:06.51
We got to see where they live,
00:12:06.54\00:12:08.07
it was an incredible
privilege to see the kids
00:12:08.10\00:12:11.25
doing their math
using-- writing Braille,
00:12:11.28\00:12:14.12
using the Braille
computers, it was amazing.
00:12:14.15\00:12:17.65
And we're so
thankful to be able to be here
00:12:17.68\00:12:20.04
we're really close
to where Sunrise Home is
00:12:20.07\00:12:22.37
and where Sheela
lives and we're looking
00:12:22.40\00:12:24.46
forward to
getting to meet her soon
00:12:24.49\00:12:25.92
and just incredibly
blessed to be able to see
00:12:25.95\00:12:29.67
and stay at these
amazing facilities here
00:12:29.70\00:12:33.12
at the blind school.
00:12:33.15\00:12:34.22
On Sabbath morning we
attend church in Bobbili,
00:12:41.76\00:12:44.98
this is Sheela's church.
00:12:45.01\00:12:46.78
It's nice to see
children from Sunrise Home there
00:12:46.81\00:12:49.62
and taking part in the
Sabbath school program.
00:12:49.65\00:12:52.95
The girls and I
greet Sheela warmly.
00:12:52.98\00:12:55.52
We can't talk much on this day
00:12:55.55\00:12:58.00
but it's an
incredible experience to worship
00:12:58.03\00:13:00.61
in Sheela's church with her.
00:13:00.64\00:13:03.12
I'm overwhelmed with
emotion change is possible.
00:13:03.15\00:13:07.44
In the afternoon we
visit the village of Karada.
00:13:23.48\00:13:27.17
The village is not
far from Sunrise Home
00:13:27.20\00:13:29.18
and on the edge of
town there's a church
00:13:29.21\00:13:31.49
built a few
years ago by Maranatha.
00:13:31.52\00:13:34.01
Well, I'm here in
the village of Karada
00:13:38.95\00:13:40.86
which is real close
to the new Sunrise Home
00:13:40.89\00:13:43.93
that we're just completing.
00:13:43.96\00:13:45.96
The exciting thing
about this village is
00:13:45.99\00:13:48.46
that the children and
staff from the Sunrise Home
00:13:48.49\00:13:51.44
become involved
with this village
00:13:51.47\00:13:53.71
both in Sabbath
school and church
00:13:53.74\00:13:55.84
and a church near by
that hasn't had any leadership
00:13:55.87\00:13:59.66
and also with community
work with health training.
00:13:59.69\00:14:03.74
The great news is
that the investment
00:14:03.77\00:14:05.73
that many donors made in
Sunrise is now paying off
00:14:05.76\00:14:09.80
in the wider community
00:14:09.83\00:14:11.47
and we are real
proud of Asian Aid.
00:14:11.50\00:14:15.78
The next day we
go to Sunrise Home
00:14:15.81\00:14:18.01
to spend the day with
Sheela, our sponsor daughter
00:14:18.04\00:14:20.93
and to have some
dedicated time with her.
00:14:20.96\00:14:23.96
This is the day
we've been waiting
00:14:23.99\00:14:25.39
so long for and we are excited.
00:14:25.42\00:14:29.05
We have so many questions
about her day to day life.
00:14:29.08\00:14:32.41
We can't wait to
spend time at Sunrise Home.
00:14:32.44\00:14:35.19
Reaching Sunrise we
are greeted by Lalitha,
00:14:47.30\00:14:49.91
the director and all the kids.
00:14:49.94\00:14:52.70
The girls all wear
beautiful matching sarees.
00:14:52.73\00:14:56.35
We enjoy a quick
tour of the facility.
00:14:56.38\00:14:59.01
It's a very hot day
and so soon all the kids
00:14:59.04\00:15:02.54
go inside to rest and cool off
00:15:02.57\00:15:04.59
and Natalie and
Naomi are invited along
00:15:04.62\00:15:07.35
and they gladly joined them.
00:15:07.38\00:15:09.33
This gives me an opportunity
to talk with Lalitha.
00:15:09.36\00:15:13.86
So what was the old home like?
00:15:13.89\00:15:15.51
I mean this is beautiful,
you've got a lot of open space.
00:15:15.54\00:15:18.50
What was your old home like?
00:15:18.53\00:15:20.24
Old home is
like congested. Okay.
00:15:20.27\00:15:22.86
Children eating in same place,
00:15:22.89\00:15:24.95
drinking, eating,
sleeping, watching T.V,
00:15:24.98\00:15:28.76
prayer, same in the same room
00:15:28.79\00:15:30.54
they used to conduct
everything there only.
00:15:30.57\00:15:32.84
But after we came here,
00:15:32.87\00:15:34.77
children they have
a special prayer room,
00:15:34.80\00:15:37.12
children they have
special rooms to sleep
00:15:37.15\00:15:39.86
and they have a
special dining hall to eat.
00:15:39.89\00:15:43.25
So they have big play ground
00:15:43.28\00:15:45.84
and they are enjoying
the facilities what we have.
00:15:45.87\00:15:49.20
Well, our
sponsor daughter Sheela,
00:15:49.23\00:15:51.36
we're so happy to meet her.
00:15:51.39\00:15:52.97
She's such a
sweet beautiful girl.
00:15:53.00\00:15:55.39
And my husband is so sad
00:15:55.42\00:15:57.03
he wasn't able to
come and meet her.
00:15:57.06\00:15:58.99
But my daughters and I
have loved meeting her.
00:15:59.02\00:16:01.02
Yeah.
00:16:01.05\00:16:02.10
We've written to her few times
00:16:02.13\00:16:03.53
and we've
gotten to know her here
00:16:03.56\00:16:04.59
but we don't know
really a lot of her story.
00:16:04.62\00:16:07.84
Can you tell me a little
about how she ended up here?
00:16:07.87\00:16:10.63
Do you remember how
old was when she arrived?
00:16:10.66\00:16:13.01
Yeah, I want to show her photo
00:16:13.04\00:16:15.02
when she came here. Okay.
00:16:15.05\00:16:17.09
She was nine years
old or like ten years old,
00:16:17.12\00:16:20.23
and her big-- she
is having big stomach
00:16:20.26\00:16:23.21
and small thin legs and--
00:16:23.24\00:16:27.72
Was she
malnourished? Is that why?
00:16:27.75\00:16:29.33
Malnutrition. Okay.
00:16:29.36\00:16:30.47
Because she don't
have enough of food.
00:16:30.50\00:16:32.15
That's sad.
00:16:32.18\00:16:33.21
So after they come here
they will have lot to eat.
00:16:33.24\00:16:36.75
So we will provide
them whatever they want.
00:16:36.78\00:16:38.71
Okay.
00:16:38.74\00:16:39.77
So she don't have
mother. Mother died.
00:16:39.80\00:16:43.48
Father was
there and father again
00:16:43.51\00:16:46.35
he married
another woman. Oh, I see.
00:16:46.38\00:16:48.64
So stepmother she
won't take care of her.
00:16:48.67\00:16:50.29
She, she didn't
take care of Sheela.
00:16:50.32\00:16:52.41
So-- Oh, that breaks my heart.
00:16:52.44\00:16:54.02
Yeah, that time she cam here.
00:16:54.05\00:16:55.64
Father himself and the pastor,
00:16:55.67\00:16:58.41
one of the pastors
they recommended here.
00:16:58.44\00:17:00.52
Okay.
00:17:00.55\00:17:01.58
So she was brought here.
00:17:01.61\00:17:04.45
Oh, this is Sheela's file?
00:17:04.48\00:17:05.90
Yeah, this is Sheela
when she came to Sunrise Home.
00:17:05.93\00:17:08.32
Oh, wow.
00:17:08.35\00:17:09.76
Here you can see her
small very thin hands.
00:17:09.79\00:17:13.77
Oh, she looks like
a different person.
00:17:13.80\00:17:15.50
Yeah.
00:17:15.53\00:17:16.88
This is the dress when she
came here I have bought her.
00:17:16.91\00:17:20.00
You got a special dress for her?
00:17:20.03\00:17:21.30
Yeah, special dress
then this is the uniform.
00:17:21.33\00:17:23.43
Oh, 1990.
00:17:23.46\00:17:25.36
And you can see it
here. Oh, beautiful.
00:17:25.39\00:17:27.62
Yeah.
00:17:27.65\00:17:29.88
Yeah, she's
changed a lot definitely.
00:17:29.91\00:17:31.27
Yeah, a lot. Yes, yes.
00:17:31.30\00:17:35.30
Sheela does look
different from the first time
00:17:35.33\00:17:37.80
she was brought to Sunrise.
00:17:37.83\00:17:39.69
There is a kind of contentment
00:17:39.72\00:17:41.33
that radiates from her
face when I talk to her.
00:17:41.36\00:17:45.08
I'm so glad that my daughters
00:17:45.11\00:17:46.94
and I could come and
spend a little bit of time
00:17:46.97\00:17:48.92
with you and see where you live.
00:17:48.95\00:17:50.84
This is a beautiful
room that you're in.
00:17:50.87\00:17:53.39
Do you like it
here at Sunrise Home?
00:17:53.42\00:17:54.88
Yes.
00:17:54.91\00:17:56.47
You're happy?
00:17:56.50\00:17:57.53
Yeah. Good.
00:17:57.56\00:17:58.98
You seem very happy,
00:17:59.01\00:18:00.20
your mommy
seems very kind to you
00:18:00.23\00:18:02.85
and all of the children.
00:18:02.88\00:18:04.25
Yes, she is very kind.
00:18:04.28\00:18:06.46
Very good, very nice.
00:18:06.49\00:18:07.93
So you're studying
in which standard now?
00:18:07.96\00:18:10.21
Which grade? Ninth, ninth grade.
00:18:10.24\00:18:13.09
What is your
subject to study at school?
00:18:13.12\00:18:15.76
Biology.
00:18:15.79\00:18:17.57
Biology? Okay.
00:18:17.60\00:18:19.48
And have you thought yet about
00:18:19.51\00:18:20.91
what you would like
to do in the future?
00:18:20.94\00:18:24.06
I'm thinking I
want to become nurse.
00:18:24.09\00:18:26.47
Oh, I can see you, good.
00:18:26.50\00:18:28.25
Well, when, do you remember
00:18:28.28\00:18:29.47
when you were young and
you first came to Sunrise Home,
00:18:29.50\00:18:32.16
do you remember that very much?
00:18:32.19\00:18:34.67
I remember little only.
00:18:34.70\00:18:36.78
Only little bit.
00:18:36.81\00:18:38.11
Do you feel like your
life is very different here
00:18:38.14\00:18:40.81
than it would have been
00:18:40.84\00:18:41.87
if haven't come to Sunrise Home?
00:18:41.90\00:18:43.20
Yeah, it's very different.
00:18:43.23\00:18:47.38
Well, I'm glad.
00:18:47.41\00:18:48.95
I'm so pleased to
spend time with you.
00:18:48.98\00:18:51.12
I'm so blessed to be with you.
00:18:51.15\00:18:53.51
I too.
00:18:53.54\00:18:55.22
Well, it's incredible privileged
to be here with Sheela.
00:18:55.25\00:18:58.46
It's just a dream
come true to meet her.
00:18:58.49\00:19:01.26
It's you know, it's
one thing to see a picture,
00:19:01.29\00:19:03.09
but to see her,
see her smiling face
00:19:03.12\00:19:05.11
how happy she is with all
her sisters and brothers here
00:19:05.14\00:19:08.45
and just the spiritual level
in this home is just incredible.
00:19:08.48\00:19:13.11
And I'm so fortunate to be here
00:19:13.14\00:19:15.23
and to see what a
difference sponsorship can make.
00:19:15.26\00:19:19.29
Indeed sponsorship
is making a difference.
00:19:19.32\00:19:23.07
The more time I
spend with Sheela
00:19:23.10\00:19:24.87
and the more time I get to
see what's being done at Sunrise
00:19:24.90\00:19:28.47
I'm glad that I have
this association with it.
00:19:28.50\00:19:31.85
And that Sheela is an
important part of our lives.
00:19:31.88\00:19:35.64
It's incredible
to have my daughters
00:19:35.67\00:19:37.87
with me here at Sunrise Home.
00:19:37.90\00:19:40.30
They've been able
to play with Sheela,
00:19:40.33\00:19:42.17
get to visit with her
00:19:42.20\00:19:43.33
and just spend some
time with other kids,
00:19:43.36\00:19:45.84
doing like kids do.
00:19:45.87\00:19:47.61
I can't tell you
00:19:47.64\00:19:48.92
what a meaningful
experience this is for them.
00:19:48.95\00:19:52.02
I'm so thankful that I've
been able to have them here
00:19:52.05\00:19:55.01
and to have them
share in this experience.
00:19:55.04\00:19:58.29
Well, I was super
excited about coming.
00:19:58.32\00:20:00.42
I mean, I knew it would
be a life changing experience
00:20:00.45\00:20:02.73
and it has been so far.
00:20:02.76\00:20:04.20
It's a beautiful country
00:20:04.23\00:20:05.66
and I mean, there
are very poor areas.
00:20:05.69\00:20:08.16
But it's just the people
here they do feel privileged
00:20:08.19\00:20:14.49
when they even get
the smallest thing.
00:20:14.52\00:20:16.12
And I think we just
need to really keep that
00:20:16.15\00:20:19.18
in our heads as
we go through life.
00:20:19.21\00:20:21.95
Wow, it's beautiful up here.
00:20:34.54\00:20:36.67
We're on the top
of the water tower
00:20:36.70\00:20:38.58
looking down on Sunrise Home.
00:20:38.61\00:20:40.78
You can see the world beautiful
green fields all around us,
00:20:40.81\00:20:45.16
the rainy season has just passed
so it's gorgeous and green.
00:20:45.19\00:20:48.80
And from up here it's wonderful.
00:20:48.83\00:20:50.62
You can see the almost
brand new Sunrise campus,
00:20:50.65\00:20:53.52
it just dedicated this fall.
00:20:53.55\00:20:54.88
You can see the--
I can see the bus,
00:20:54.91\00:20:57.56
the staff quarters,
the boys and girls dorm
00:20:57.59\00:21:00.35
and the new girls
dorm that they're building.
00:21:00.38\00:21:02.87
The kids are very
excited about that.
00:21:02.90\00:21:05.35
It's been an amazing
experience being here.
00:21:05.38\00:21:07.07
There are ducks,
there are wild turkeys,
00:21:07.10\00:21:10.13
the kids are so happy.
00:21:10.16\00:21:11.44
The kids are just so happy here
00:21:11.47\00:21:13.65
and they love to
play in this field,
00:21:13.68\00:21:16.20
they even have the
river to go cool off in
00:21:16.23\00:21:19.02
and splash in on a hot day.
00:21:19.05\00:21:21.56
It's just an incredible
experience to be here,
00:21:21.59\00:21:23.65
I'm so blessed and
so overwhelmed by it.
00:21:23.68\00:21:27.26
Well, its Monday morning
00:21:58.82\00:22:00.25
and we are on the
Sunrise Home school bus
00:22:00.28\00:22:02.91
and we are riding with
Sheela and the other kids
00:22:02.94\00:22:05.19
to their school this morning.
00:22:05.22\00:22:07.73
I can tell you,
you are never too old
00:22:07.76\00:22:10.06
to ride a school
bus, this is fun.
00:22:10.09\00:22:13.00
Well, this is
Sheela's classroom,
00:22:37.97\00:22:39.70
she's gonna be
studying here today.
00:22:39.73\00:22:41.57
I talked to her
on the school bus
00:22:41.60\00:22:42.92
she has all subjects today.
00:22:42.95\00:22:45.01
Her favorite subject is biology,
00:22:45.04\00:22:47.45
she's studying,
physics, mathematics
00:22:47.48\00:22:50.05
I can't tell you how that
makes me feel to see her here
00:22:50.08\00:22:53.83
in her classroom and to know
00:22:53.86\00:22:55.79
that she's
getting a good education,
00:22:55.82\00:22:57.56
she's getting an
Adventist education.
00:22:57.59\00:23:00.43
She's being well prepared
00:23:00.46\00:23:01.92
to go forward into
high school, college.
00:23:01.95\00:23:04.71
She wants to be a nurse
00:23:04.74\00:23:06.04
and I can see here that
00:23:06.07\00:23:08.24
she is getting the preparation
that she needs to do that.
00:23:08.27\00:23:12.65
I can't tell you
what a difference
00:23:12.68\00:23:14.04
that makes for me to see
00:23:14.07\00:23:16.97
that she is able to receive
that through sponsorship.
00:23:17.00\00:23:19.98
While Sheela is at school,
00:23:25.76\00:23:27.43
I want to visit
a near by village
00:23:27.46\00:23:29.66
to see how life
is for people there.
00:23:29.69\00:23:32.45
Raj Verma, Asian
Aid field officer
00:23:32.48\00:23:35.22
takes us to a
village a few minutes drive
00:23:35.25\00:23:37.45
from Sunrise Home.
00:23:37.48\00:23:39.10
There we meet a
Christian woman Pentamma,
00:23:39.13\00:23:41.55
a gregarious grey haired woman.
00:23:41.58\00:23:44.01
She must be in her early 70s,
00:23:44.04\00:23:46.63
and yet she tells me that
she still works in the fields.
00:23:46.66\00:23:50.49
If you have had
the chance as a girl
00:23:50.52\00:23:52.40
to go to school
would you have liked that?
00:23:52.43\00:23:54.74
( speaking in foreign language )
00:23:54.77\00:23:59.74
So I didn't have
opportunity those days,
00:24:08.73\00:24:11.13
my mother didn't
send me to school
00:24:11.16\00:24:13.63
and those days no
school also was here.
00:24:13.66\00:24:15.86
So my mother used to take
me to field work, farm work.
00:24:15.89\00:24:18.52
Oh, to field work as a younger.
00:24:18.55\00:24:21.22
Meeting Pentamma at her home
00:24:21.25\00:24:23.15
I am thankful for the
opportunity Sheela has.
00:24:23.18\00:24:26.61
What would have happened to her
if she was left in her village?
00:24:26.64\00:24:30.62
Would she be
working in the fields,
00:24:30.65\00:24:32.29
illiterate and with no hope?
00:24:32.32\00:24:34.70
I dare not to
imagine this scenario.
00:24:34.73\00:24:37.29
I've traveled to India
00:24:42.38\00:24:43.52
with my husband
Shaun before in 2006,
00:24:43.55\00:24:46.53
but this trip with
Asian Aid has opened my eyes
00:24:46.56\00:24:50.27
in a brand new way.
00:24:50.30\00:24:52.21
I'm touched by
what Asian Aid is doing
00:24:52.24\00:24:54.82
and the need of the
happy beautiful children
00:24:54.85\00:24:57.65
moves me deeply.
00:24:57.68\00:24:59.92
My daughters feel it too
00:24:59.95\00:25:01.75
and for that I
feel very thankful.
00:25:01.78\00:25:04.86
In the evening we
drive back to Vizag,
00:25:04.89\00:25:08.05
it is hard to leave.
00:25:08.08\00:25:09.63
It is been a life changing
week for my daughters and me.
00:25:09.66\00:25:14.12
In Vizag the next morning
we returned to the slum school
00:25:14.15\00:25:17.22
for its dedication ceremony.
00:25:17.25\00:25:19.54
Colorful banners are
hanging and it's a high day.
00:25:19.57\00:25:23.23
Principle Naomi greets us
00:25:23.26\00:25:24.87
and we enjoy seeing the
now familiar faces of the kids.
00:25:24.90\00:25:29.44
At the
dedication we meet Ramini,
00:25:29.47\00:25:32.11
she lives just
down the narrow alleyway
00:25:32.14\00:25:34.42
a little away from the school
00:25:34.45\00:25:36.29
and she attended this
slum school as a child.
00:25:36.32\00:25:39.47
Now she is in a
boarding school in Rajahmundry
00:25:39.50\00:25:42.12
and she plans to be a physician.
00:25:42.15\00:25:44.97
I like this school very much.
00:25:45.00\00:25:47.01
This school is like my mother.
00:25:47.04\00:25:49.61
This school will
teach me everything,
00:25:49.64\00:25:51.48
teachers also help me so much,
00:25:51.51\00:25:53.81
sponsors and donors also
help me so much to learn.
00:25:53.84\00:25:57.39
Because of their
grace I am studying now.
00:25:57.42\00:25:59.63
Really, I would
like to thank them,
00:25:59.66\00:26:01.11
I don't know who are they also,
00:26:01.14\00:26:03.03
I doesn't see their face also.
00:26:03.06\00:26:05.66
It is an emotional experience
to see the wondrous work
00:26:05.69\00:26:09.12
that's being
carried out in the slums.
00:26:09.15\00:26:11.83
We see the change that has
brought about in the community
00:26:11.86\00:26:14.86
and experience first hand
00:26:14.89\00:26:16.76
the transformation
Asian Aid is making
00:26:16.79\00:26:19.06
in the lives of thousands
of children across India.
00:26:19.09\00:26:23.16
So, not too long ago Shaun and I
00:26:23.19\00:26:25.70
and our girls got
involved with Asian Aid
00:26:25.73\00:26:27.98
and it's been
just over a year now
00:26:28.01\00:26:29.71
that we've had Sheela
as our sponsor daughter.
00:26:29.74\00:26:33.05
I couldn't have ever imagined
00:26:33.08\00:26:34.70
when we started that process
00:26:34.73\00:26:36.19
that we would
end up here in India,
00:26:36.22\00:26:38.34
actually getting to meet Sheela
00:26:38.37\00:26:40.19
and spend time with
her, to see where she lives,
00:26:40.22\00:26:43.26
meet the kids she lives
with and shares her life with.
00:26:43.29\00:26:46.63
What an incredible
experience it's been.
00:26:46.66\00:26:49.42
It's been an
incredible privilege to be here
00:26:49.45\00:26:51.93
I'm just so honored
to be part of Asian Aid
00:26:51.96\00:26:54.79
and what they're doing
00:26:54.82\00:26:56.06
and I don't think this
will be our last trip to India.
00:26:56.09\00:26:59.07