In this episode
of Hope in Motion,
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during the height
of religious tensions
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between Hindus and Christians,
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the girls' dean of the Immanuel
Seventh-day Adventist School
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ushers her students
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into one room of the girls' dorm
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while the sounds of
banging and broken glass
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fill the campus.
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All the children
knelt down in the rooms
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and they started to pray.
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Then those people came.
They started from the gate.
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They started to
bang the windows.
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They broke the windows.
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Having the responsibility
of over 800 students
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on his shoulder,
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Arun Ponda,
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the school principal felt
the edge of sword on his neck.
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I just saw a man
who was holding a sword
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and he was breaking all glass
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and I was so scared
that I got back in my room
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and didn't come out again.
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And armed with gallons
of diesel fuel and a match,
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the attackers are set on burning
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the school to the ground.
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They took all the
mattresses, and put fire,
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and they burn the
mattresses and blankets,
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sewing machine and cupboards.
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They pulled the gas stove
and cylinder on the floor,
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and they tried to light fire.
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Asian Aid is an
organization giving hope,
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an organization
fostering permanent
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positive change in the
lives of disadvantaged children
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and their communities.
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An organization
that is committed
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to making a difference
in the lives of children
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and those who are in need,
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serving communities in
Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka,
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Myanmar, and India.
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For the last 40 years,
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Asian Aid has invested
in the futures of people
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and their investment
has proven infinite returns.
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Driven by their
dedication to helping those
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who have the least,
00:02:02.72\00:02:04.29
Asian Aid is an organization
00:02:04.32\00:02:06.02
focused on the
welfare of children,
00:02:06.05\00:02:08.52
implementing diverse
development projects,
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and sponsoring
thousands of children.
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Their outreach expands
from child rescue operations
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to providing an
education for orphans, deaf,
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and the blind children,
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giving them a
sense of place, a home,
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but above all,
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Asian Aid is an
organization giving hope,
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giving hope to children,
giving hope to communities,
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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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Nature has showered its bounty
on the landscape of Jeypore
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in the state of Orissa.
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This land of abundance is home
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to Orissa's vast
tribal population.
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Built specifically
for the tribal children,
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the Immanuel
Seventh-day Adventist School
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is an abode of peace.
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It houses
children from kindergarten
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through 12th grade.
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Built in 2005,
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this school
quickly gained a reputation
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for being a well kept campus
with high academics standards.
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Going to Jeypore
campus is so impressive.
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It's in the middle of nowhere
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but it's just this
bright shining white campus
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that stands out
from the community,
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and it's a success.
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There are hundreds and hundreds
of children boarding there,
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studying each day.
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They've got quite
good academic standards.
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They're fed well.
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It's just something that,
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you know, warms my
heart when I go there to see.
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But how does this
school in a country often known
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for its impoverish conditions
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maintain such an
impeccable campus?
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Arun Ponda, the school principal
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explains the
secrets to their success.
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Actually, I belong to this area,
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this local area.
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And since 75 years of existence
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of the Adventist presence here,
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literally, there
were no Adventist schools.
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And this area was
the most backward area
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where the
primitive tribals live.
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And they live just
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how people live
before 3,000, 4,000 years,
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the same way.
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And they lack education,
and so I thought I'll do...
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I'll work for the
children of this area.
00:05:06.07\00:05:09.54
And then Mrs.
Helen Eager was the one
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who came forward
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and started a school
here for 50 children.
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It just sort of
amazes me when I think of,
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you know, what we started
from with absolutely nothing
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to see what is
there today is just...
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It's just mind boggling, really.
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In 2004, this school
was a mere 50 students
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gathering in a rundown building
in the middle of nowhere.
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Then in 2005, Garwin Mcneilus,
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an American entrepreneur
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with a tender
spot for the students
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in Jeypore funded a project
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that quickly grew the
campus to 200 students.
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Asian Aid can't take the credit
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for all the work
that happens in India.
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We rely highly on the
schools that we work within.
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Jeypore in particularly,
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we've got some
excellent administration.
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We got Arun Ponda
as the principal there,
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and he just runs
a really good ship.
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He currently tie
the ship with his wife
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by his side helping
him to lead the school.
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It just creates a
really good environment
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where the school
is leading the charge
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for the children there.
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And through Asian Aid,
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we feel privileged to
be able to support children
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in the school
environment like that.
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This is the dining hall,
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and the front
potion is the kitchen.
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And here, you can
see the girls working.
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This is part of
their work program?
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Yes, this is part
of the work program.
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They had classes in the morning
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between 7:30 to 1:00.
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And after that,
they had the study hour,
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and now they will help
for about one and half hour
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in the kitchen
cutting vegetables.
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Other girls, they
clean up the hostels
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and other buildings,
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boys clean up the lawns
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and they work in
the garden and so on.
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The big difference between
the students here and elsewhere
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is that these
kids both go to school
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and work on campus.
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With the students personally
invested in their school,
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they take great pride
in keeping their facilities
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in pristine condition.
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I think that one of the reasons
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why Jeypore has become
something so successful
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and so wonderful is that...
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Well, first of all, I
think it's God's blessing
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because a lot of,
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you know, most of the
children come from very humble,
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you know, tribal
villages that are...
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Many of them are
very, very primitive,
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and a lot of people have helped
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and donated and
sponsored through the years.
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And of course,
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God has blessed us
with really amazing,
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you know, staff and teachers
that have also been a blessing.
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Nilima Ponda,
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Principal Ponda's
wife and a teacher explains
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why she's so
passionate about this school.
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I too belong to this local area
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and I am happy,
very, very, happy
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to serve my local children.
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I feel this is a
little heaven for me
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where I'm peaceful
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with all the children
studying in the school
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and with the staff.
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Success reflects leadership.
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The Immanuel Seventh-day
Adventist School in Jeypore
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is a shining light to
hundreds of children today
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because of dedicated
people serving at the school,
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people like Nilmani Dalpati.
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Asian Aid had helped
me to be what I'm today
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and I come from
very poor background
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and Asian Aid helped me
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and they requested me to
come and help my local people
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because I'm from this area.
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So I decided
instead of going to abroad,
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I decided to come to my
area and serve my people.
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Nilmani was one of
our sponsored girl.
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She's an orphan girl
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from one of the
villages there in Orissa.
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And we supported her
through her education
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and also through
her nurses training
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that she did
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at the Adventist
hospital in Surat.
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Now, many of her
classmates are in the UK
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or other places
earning a lot of money,
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but she was determined
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that she was going to work
for the Lord and not for money,
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and she has been there
now for a number of years.
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She is a really committed
girl, and I love her a lot.
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She is not just
the dean of the girls,
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she is the nurse.
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So since we have 871 students,
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we find so many
children getting sick.
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And when the children
are here, they are not...
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Most of them are not sick.
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But when the children
come home from vacation,
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from their homes, at that
time, the first one month,
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there is lot of sickness
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which they're
bringing from their homes.
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And she's the one
who takes care of them.
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Nilmani is now the
beloved girls' dean
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but like many of the staff,
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she takes on many
extra responsibilities
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in order to keep
the campus going.
00:10:02.36\00:10:04.60
When the children
go to their villages,
00:10:04.63\00:10:06.94
they do not have
drinking water facility,
00:10:06.97\00:10:10.91
and the environment not clean,
so they drink water from river.
00:10:10.94\00:10:16.58
So when they come back,
00:10:16.61\00:10:17.98
they don't have
good diet at their homes,
00:10:18.01\00:10:21.98
so when they come
back to the school,
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they have got some
sickness, they bring it here,
00:10:24.49\00:10:28.82
and in the month of
June, July, and August,
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they suffer from sickness
00:10:32.23\00:10:33.66
because they had
been to their homes.
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I have heard
that in other hostels,
00:10:37.77\00:10:39.60
they don't give
nice foods and all,
00:10:39.63\00:10:41.37
but I like the food and all.
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I'm healthy, I don't
become sick much here.
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Many of the children
studying at the school come
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from impoverish backgrounds.
00:10:48.74\00:10:50.68
At school, they not only receive
00:10:50.71\00:10:52.25
a quality education,
00:10:52.28\00:10:53.75
but it gives them an opportunity
00:10:53.78\00:10:55.15
to escape their
life of poverty at home.
00:10:55.18\00:10:57.92
Through
sponsorship with Asian Aid,
00:10:57.95\00:10:59.69
their every-day-reality
00:10:59.72\00:11:01.19
and their
futures are transformed.
00:11:01.22\00:11:03.79
Presently,
00:11:03.83\00:11:05.16
we are 60 to 70%,
00:11:05.19\00:11:11.13
we are dependent
on the sponsorship
00:11:11.17\00:11:15.90
because majority of
these children are poor,
00:11:15.94\00:11:19.21
and they don't have any support.
00:11:19.24\00:11:24.51
Without the
support of any sponsorship,
00:11:24.55\00:11:27.62
those children
would not be here.
00:11:27.65\00:11:30.12
And the parents lack
education, and most of them,
00:11:30.15\00:11:35.69
they earn a living,
they do some labor work
00:11:35.72\00:11:39.13
but they spend it in drinking,
00:11:39.16\00:11:41.10
and they never take
care of their children.
00:11:41.13\00:11:45.47
And so because
of this sponsorship,
00:11:45.50\00:11:48.20
we have this number of students.
00:11:48.24\00:11:51.91
The current paying
students help greatly
00:11:51.94\00:11:53.98
with the overall
finances of the school.
00:11:54.01\00:11:56.85
But the school
definitely could use
00:11:56.88\00:11:58.25
some more of these students
to help support their needs.
00:11:58.28\00:12:01.22
With a student
body of nearly 900,
00:12:01.25\00:12:03.49
the current
facilities have exceeded
00:12:03.52\00:12:05.05
their maximum capacity.
00:12:05.09\00:12:07.26
They regularly turn
away needed children
00:12:07.29\00:12:09.46
because there's simply no
place to accommodate them.
00:12:09.49\00:12:12.76
Here we are in
the girls' hostel,
00:12:12.79\00:12:15.06
and this is one of
the room for the girls,
00:12:15.10\00:12:17.50
and we have three bunk beds.
00:12:17.53\00:12:20.94
In this room, 69 girls stay,
00:12:20.97\00:12:23.57
and there are two other rooms
00:12:23.61\00:12:25.51
where 129 stay
in both the rooms.
00:12:25.54\00:12:30.25
And so total we have four rooms
00:12:30.28\00:12:32.01
for the girls and
four dorms for the boys.
00:12:32.05\00:12:36.65
And presently, both
the hostels are packed
00:12:36.69\00:12:41.49
but there's demand
00:12:41.52\00:12:42.86
for more students
to join the hostel,
00:12:42.89\00:12:46.36
and because the
hostels are full,
00:12:46.39\00:12:48.73
we have to say no
to the new comers.
00:12:48.76\00:12:53.03
And so there is
demand for more space
00:12:53.07\00:12:56.71
and for more rooms.
00:12:56.74\00:12:58.54
In fact, we
need one more hostel.
00:12:58.57\00:13:03.28
The school is crowded
00:13:03.31\00:13:04.65
because it has
attracted children
00:13:04.68\00:13:06.01
from many
different districts in Orissa
00:13:06.05\00:13:07.82
as well as neighboring states.
00:13:07.85\00:13:09.98
Here, we have student coming
all the way from Hyderabad
00:13:10.02\00:13:14.22
which is the neighboring state
00:13:14.26\00:13:16.26
that is about 1500 kilometers,
00:13:16.29\00:13:20.23
but he's here to study.
00:13:20.26\00:13:22.60
Despite the lack of space
in the school's limitations,
00:13:22.63\00:13:25.70
Arun Ponda has
found innovative ways
00:13:25.73\00:13:27.60
to move the school
towards self sufficiency.
00:13:27.64\00:13:30.57
Here were are sitting
in the tailoring room,
00:13:30.61\00:13:34.68
and here you can see
all these boys and girls,
00:13:34.71\00:13:37.88
they are stitching
the clothes and materials
00:13:37.91\00:13:41.28
which can be used by them.
00:13:41.32\00:13:43.42
Even the uniforms
00:13:43.45\00:13:44.82
that these girls
and boys are wearing,
00:13:44.85\00:13:47.52
they themselves
are stitching it,
00:13:47.56\00:13:50.26
and they are
stitching for all the children
00:13:50.29\00:13:52.53
who are in the school.
00:13:52.56\00:13:55.40
This vocational training
00:13:55.43\00:13:58.37
was initiated by
Mrs. Helen Eager,
00:13:58.40\00:14:01.67
and she had given
just one sewing machine.
00:14:01.70\00:14:05.84
And with one
machine, it was started.
00:14:05.87\00:14:08.48
I think, you
know, if we could teach
00:14:08.51\00:14:10.61
our young people
some practical skills,
00:14:10.65\00:14:13.28
I mean, I think everyone
00:14:13.31\00:14:14.65
should have
some practical skills
00:14:14.68\00:14:16.18
even if they
are highly educated,
00:14:16.22\00:14:17.92
because you don't know
what can happen in the future,
00:14:17.95\00:14:21.82
and of course, they
can share those skills
00:14:21.86\00:14:24.33
and what they have
learned with others
00:14:24.36\00:14:26.06
who especially in the villages,
00:14:26.09\00:14:27.86
where others may not have
00:14:27.90\00:14:29.23
had the opportunity
to get an education.
00:14:29.26\00:14:32.27
Our young people can
share what they have learned
00:14:32.30\00:14:34.90
and any practical skills
00:14:34.94\00:14:36.34
they can also share with others.
00:14:36.37\00:14:39.44
And previously, we used to give
00:14:39.47\00:14:41.11
all the students
uniform and clothes
00:14:41.14\00:14:44.05
to the outside tailors,
and we are paying lot of money.
00:14:44.08\00:14:48.78
And now, after we
started this training,
00:14:48.82\00:14:54.06
the girls are
doing it by themselves
00:14:54.09\00:14:55.86
and so we are able to
save the money for the school.
00:14:55.89\00:15:00.26
Taking a tour of the campus,
00:15:00.30\00:15:01.96
one can see the
tranquility that prevails.
00:15:02.00\00:15:05.67
You never see a gum wrapper,
00:15:05.70\00:15:07.47
any paper that
size on the campus.
00:15:07.50\00:15:10.27
Everywhere you
look, it's flowers.
00:15:10.31\00:15:12.57
All the flowers along
the wall are so beautiful,
00:15:12.61\00:15:15.64
everything about
that campus is beautiful.
00:15:15.68\00:15:18.91
The local community feels
that this is the best campus
00:15:18.95\00:15:22.88
that we have,
00:15:22.92\00:15:24.42
and no school has such a campus.
00:15:24.45\00:15:27.16
And there is
peaceful atmosphere,
00:15:27.19\00:15:31.29
atmosphere to study,
there is no disturbance.
00:15:31.33\00:15:35.20
And everyone feels
00:15:35.23\00:15:38.03
that their child
should be educated here.
00:15:38.07\00:15:41.50
Due to its tranquil
atmosphere for learning,
00:15:41.54\00:15:43.94
the success of the
school resonated far and wide
00:15:43.97\00:15:46.94
until one day when
their peace was disturbed,
00:15:46.98\00:15:49.81
and the school's very existence
was brought into question.
00:15:49.84\00:15:54.22
On August 23, 2008,
00:15:54.25\00:16:00.19
Hindu priest was the leader
00:16:00.22\00:16:03.86
in the district of Kandhamal,
00:16:03.89\00:16:06.63
he was killed by
the naxals at night.
00:16:06.66\00:16:10.57
Suddenly, the naxals
came and they killed him
00:16:10.60\00:16:13.54
along with few others.
00:16:13.57\00:16:15.50
And then all the
communal riots started
00:16:15.54\00:16:21.78
and all the Hindu people
00:16:21.81\00:16:23.14
thought it is Christians
who killed the priest.
00:16:23.18\00:16:26.92
The naxals are a notorious
communist militant group
00:16:34.36\00:16:37.23
with strongholds in the jungles
in remote areas of Orissa.
00:16:37.26\00:16:40.83
In 2008, riots broke out
across the state of Orissa
00:16:40.86\00:16:44.27
and Andhra Pradesh,
00:16:44.30\00:16:45.63
and tensions rose between
the Hindus and Christians.
00:16:45.67\00:16:48.50
The communal riots
spread all across the region
00:16:48.54\00:16:51.31
and soon reached Jeypore,
00:16:51.34\00:16:52.94
and the Immanuel
Seventh-day Adventist School.
00:16:52.97\00:16:55.91
It was Sabbath afternoon,
00:16:55.94\00:16:57.35
and everyone was
resting in their hostel.
00:16:57.38\00:16:59.98
And all of a sudden,
00:17:00.02\00:17:01.35
we could hear the
sound outside the gate.
00:17:01.38\00:17:04.35
Some of my friends,
00:17:04.39\00:17:05.85
they started running here
and there, here and there.
00:17:05.89\00:17:08.49
And we all, all the
children knelt down in the rooms
00:17:08.52\00:17:11.49
and they started to pray.
00:17:11.53\00:17:13.33
The mob broke through the gates
and the faculty and students
00:17:13.36\00:17:16.40
braced themselves for an attack.
00:17:16.43\00:17:18.13
A few years ago,
00:17:28.44\00:17:29.78
I had the
privilege of visiting India
00:17:29.81\00:17:32.31
to see how the
Asian Aid projects
00:17:32.35\00:17:34.02
are making a
difference in that country,
00:17:34.05\00:17:36.38
how lives are being transformed,
00:17:36.42\00:17:38.89
lives of abandoned
children, tribal children,
00:17:38.92\00:17:42.26
orphan children,
00:17:42.29\00:17:43.63
children that are being raised
00:17:43.66\00:17:45.13
without the advantages
we have here in America.
00:17:45.16\00:17:47.16
And sometimes we
take for granted.
00:17:47.20\00:17:49.10
And I discovered one
very important thing,
00:17:49.13\00:17:51.27
because of sponsors like you,
00:17:51.30\00:17:53.23
these lives are
being transformed,
00:17:53.27\00:17:54.77
the future is made brighter
00:17:54.80\00:17:57.21
because of your prayers
and your financial support.
00:17:57.24\00:18:00.21
Because of what you do,
they now have nutritious food,
00:18:00.24\00:18:03.55
clothing, and they are
able now to propel themselves
00:18:03.58\00:18:06.58
with education to
look to the future
00:18:06.61\00:18:09.62
with hope and courage.
00:18:09.65\00:18:11.52
And so on behalf of Asian Aid,
00:18:11.55\00:18:12.99
I want to thank
you for all you do,
00:18:13.02\00:18:15.06
your sponsorship.
00:18:15.09\00:18:16.49
And now because of
you, they have hope,
00:18:16.52\00:18:19.03
hope for brighter future.
00:18:19.06\00:18:21.10
I just got a letter
00:18:35.51\00:18:36.85
from our
sponsor's daughter, Sheila.
00:18:36.88\00:18:38.28
And I've got to tell you,
00:18:38.31\00:18:39.65
there is nothing like
getting one of these letters.
00:18:39.68\00:18:41.95
Our family is been
able to sponsor her
00:18:41.98\00:18:43.99
through Asian Aid,
and because of that,
00:18:44.02\00:18:46.15
she's got a great place to live,
00:18:46.19\00:18:47.72
she's got great meals,
she's got great clothing.
00:18:47.76\00:18:50.53
And best of all, I found out,
00:18:50.56\00:18:52.53
she's now in college,
she's in nursing school.
00:18:52.56\00:18:55.76
There is nothing like
getting a letter like this.
00:18:55.80\00:18:58.27
You need to start
getting these letters too.
00:18:58.30\00:18:59.87
Listen, through Asian Aid,
00:18:59.90\00:19:01.84
you can make a huge difference
in the life of a child.
00:19:01.87\00:19:05.64
And I promise you,
00:19:05.67\00:19:07.28
it's gonna make
a huge difference
00:19:07.31\00:19:09.04
in your life too.
00:19:09.08\00:19:10.68
It was Sabbath afternoon,
00:19:28.03\00:19:29.50
and everyone was
resting in their hostel.
00:19:29.53\00:19:32.13
And all of a sudden,
00:19:32.17\00:19:33.50
we could hear the
sound outside the gate,
00:19:33.54\00:19:36.34
and there was even noise,
00:19:36.37\00:19:39.17
breaking noise of the
lock that was at the gate.
00:19:39.21\00:19:42.38
And all of a sudden,
00:19:42.41\00:19:43.75
we came to know
that these people,
00:19:43.78\00:19:45.35
some unexpected group has come.
00:19:45.38\00:19:48.38
And suddenly, we
saw all these people
00:19:48.42\00:19:50.25
breaking open the gate,
00:19:50.29\00:19:52.02
they broke open the gate,
and the gate was wide open,
00:19:52.05\00:19:56.19
and all these
people, they jumped in,
00:19:56.22\00:19:57.86
and they came about
60, around 60 people.
00:19:57.89\00:20:01.50
They entered inside,
00:20:01.53\00:20:02.96
and they started throwing stones
00:20:03.00\00:20:06.03
and breaking the
doors and windows,
00:20:06.07\00:20:08.07
and they entered
inside the campus.
00:20:08.10\00:20:10.91
They took all the
mattresses, and put fire,
00:20:10.94\00:20:13.24
and they burn the
mattresses and blankets,
00:20:13.27\00:20:16.58
sewing machine and cupboards.
00:20:16.61\00:20:18.75
They broke open the cupboards
to find if anything is inside.
00:20:18.78\00:20:22.88
And so they damaged,
they damaged it completely.
00:20:22.92\00:20:28.56
And then after that,
they came to the staff house.
00:20:28.59\00:20:32.56
In the staff house,
00:20:32.59\00:20:33.93
there was 40
liters of diesel kept
00:20:33.96\00:20:36.83
for the generator.
00:20:36.87\00:20:38.53
And the family was
inside in the kitchen,
00:20:38.57\00:20:42.00
and the people just
came with the swords,
00:20:42.04\00:20:44.71
they pulled the gas stove
and cylinder on the floor,
00:20:44.74\00:20:48.11
and they tried to light fire.
00:20:48.14\00:20:51.01
Meanwhile, on the
other side of the campus,
00:20:51.05\00:20:53.42
chaos has erupted.
00:20:53.45\00:20:55.15
They first rushed
towards the girls' hostel,
00:20:55.18\00:20:59.25
damaging all the buildings,
windows that were on their way,
00:20:59.29\00:21:04.06
and the girls all
were inside taking rest.
00:21:04.09\00:21:08.43
And after hearing the noise,
00:21:08.46\00:21:09.80
they all started
to scream and shout.
00:21:09.83\00:21:12.47
And the dean
00:21:12.50\00:21:13.84
who is living adjacent
to the hostel, she came out.
00:21:13.87\00:21:17.31
And she could see
all the breakings,
00:21:17.34\00:21:19.47
and all the children,
they were filled with fear,
00:21:19.51\00:21:22.41
and they started
crying, literally crying.
00:21:22.44\00:21:25.98
I just saw a man
who was holding a sword
00:21:26.01\00:21:28.78
and he was breaking all glass,
00:21:28.82\00:21:31.39
and I was so scared
00:21:31.42\00:21:33.76
that I got back in my
room and didn't come out again.
00:21:33.79\00:21:38.19
And that time,
there was no shutter also.
00:21:38.23\00:21:40.10
So we are so
scared, only glass doors.
00:21:40.13\00:21:41.90
So we were thinking
that they might get in.
00:21:41.93\00:21:44.23
So we were so frightened.
00:21:44.27\00:21:46.43
And at that time, our dean,
she gave us some chilli powder,
00:21:46.47\00:21:49.87
so she told us to throw on them.
00:21:49.90\00:21:52.71
But we were so
scared, we didn't do that.
00:21:52.74\00:21:56.48
And they were coming
00:21:56.51\00:21:57.85
and they were just
hitting the glasses.
00:21:57.88\00:21:59.21
We were so scared
they'll get inside.
00:21:59.25\00:22:01.52
Small kids were there.
00:22:01.55\00:22:02.88
They were crying
and all in the rooms.
00:22:02.92\00:22:04.85
And we all, all the
children knelt down in the rooms
00:22:04.89\00:22:07.89
and they started to pray.
00:22:07.92\00:22:09.49
Then those people
came, started from the gate.
00:22:09.52\00:22:13.50
They started to
bang the windows.
00:22:13.53\00:22:16.36
They broke the
windows, everything they came.
00:22:16.40\00:22:19.20
Some of my friends,
00:22:19.23\00:22:20.60
they started running here
and there, here and there.
00:22:20.64\00:22:23.20
All the boys and girls...
00:22:23.24\00:22:25.64
All the girls started to cry
00:22:25.67\00:22:27.44
when the glass of
girls' hostel was broken.
00:22:27.48\00:22:30.85
They were attacking
the principal, sirs,
00:22:30.88\00:22:33.62
and all the staff.
00:22:33.65\00:22:35.35
Mostly, the staff,
they were attacking.
00:22:35.38\00:22:38.29
And so I went,
and I just pleaded,
00:22:38.32\00:22:40.16
"Please don't
damage all these things.
00:22:40.19\00:22:42.69
Why are you doing this?
We didn't harm anybody."
00:22:42.72\00:22:45.23
And they thought
00:22:45.26\00:22:46.59
that I'm trying to do something.
00:22:46.63\00:22:48.40
And then, other people came
00:22:48.43\00:22:50.40
and two of them were
keeping the sword on my neck.
00:22:50.43\00:22:54.14
And then suddenly,
00:22:54.17\00:22:55.50
one known person
also was in the group,
00:22:55.54\00:22:57.87
a known businessman.
00:22:57.91\00:22:59.91
So he saw me and recognized me,
00:22:59.94\00:23:02.94
and he said, "Don't
do anything to him."
00:23:02.98\00:23:05.25
And then those
people left and went away.
00:23:05.28\00:23:09.05
They would have done
anything to him at that moment,
00:23:09.08\00:23:11.62
but it was only God's
angels that were there.
00:23:11.65\00:23:14.72
Perhaps the most
inexplicable moment
00:23:14.76\00:23:16.59
of the day came
00:23:16.62\00:23:17.96
when the intruders attempted
to burn the staff quarters.
00:23:17.99\00:23:21.16
After pouring 40 liters
of gasoline on the floor
00:23:21.20\00:23:23.87
and around propane
tanks in the kitchen
00:23:23.90\00:23:25.67
of the staff quarters,
the intruders lit a match.
00:23:25.70\00:23:29.70
The whole house would
be burnt within minutes,
00:23:29.74\00:23:32.57
whole house
along with the family,
00:23:32.61\00:23:34.41
and the house would also been...
00:23:34.44\00:23:35.78
I mean, a big blast
would have taken place.
00:23:35.81\00:23:38.71
So they tried to
burn with the matches,
00:23:38.75\00:23:41.32
it did not burn.
00:23:41.35\00:23:42.68
Then they tried with
lighter, it did not burn.
00:23:42.72\00:23:44.95
And so they left and went.
00:23:44.99\00:23:47.02
But just remember,
00:23:47.06\00:23:49.06
the whole room is full of fuel
and gas cylinder and gas stove.
00:23:49.09\00:23:53.70
But it was God who
protected the lives.
00:23:53.73\00:23:57.60
In the days to follow,
00:23:57.63\00:23:59.20
fear engulfed
the peaceful campus,
00:23:59.23\00:24:01.34
and both the staff and children
00:24:01.37\00:24:02.90
were haunted by the
memory of the attack.
00:24:02.94\00:24:05.67
At night, at evening, all
the girls started fearing,
00:24:05.71\00:24:10.08
and the boys hostel
was little bit safe.
00:24:10.11\00:24:13.38
So all the
girls were transferred
00:24:13.42\00:24:15.72
to our rooms.
00:24:15.75\00:24:17.39
We feel we are staying
like brothers and sisters.
00:24:17.42\00:24:20.89
We didn't have
food also that time.
00:24:20.92\00:24:24.06
We were not able
to cook for two days.
00:24:24.09\00:24:26.53
We are eating
flat rice for two days.
00:24:26.56\00:24:30.53
It really took them a
long time to remove the fear
00:24:30.57\00:24:34.64
from their mind
00:24:34.67\00:24:36.00
because they had
themselves eye-witnessed
00:24:36.04\00:24:38.71
how the incident took place.
00:24:38.74\00:24:40.64
And after the
shutters were installed,
00:24:40.68\00:24:43.24
they felt that
still anybody comes
00:24:43.28\00:24:44.95
like that directly,
00:24:44.98\00:24:46.31
we won't be exposed
because shutters are there,
00:24:46.35\00:24:50.25
that security they felt.
00:24:50.29\00:24:51.75
It was like...
00:24:55.69\00:24:58.73
When you know that
you're going to die,
00:24:58.76\00:25:01.30
what you will feel?
00:25:01.33\00:25:02.66
The situation was such.
00:25:02.70\00:25:04.93
I mean, we lost complete
hope, we thought that anytime,
00:25:04.97\00:25:10.04
anything can happen to us.
00:25:10.07\00:25:12.54
It was the most difficult
00:25:12.57\00:25:17.11
and like a dangerous situation
that I faced in my life.
00:25:17.15\00:25:21.92
Concerned parents would remove
their children from the school.
00:25:21.95\00:25:25.02
Helen Eager made an
emergency visit shortly
00:25:25.05\00:25:27.26
after the incident occurred.
00:25:27.29\00:25:29.49
She was shocked to discover
the students refused to go
00:25:29.52\00:25:32.09
with their parents.
00:25:32.13\00:25:33.66
Parents came there and
said to their children,
00:25:33.70\00:25:35.66
you know, "We've
come to take you home,"
00:25:35.70\00:25:37.03
and they said,
00:25:37.07\00:25:38.40
"No, we won't go
00:25:38.43\00:25:39.77
because we know
that God protected us
00:25:39.80\00:25:41.14
and that God will be with
us here on this compound."
00:25:41.17\00:25:43.04
And I thought that was
really special testimony.
00:25:43.07\00:25:47.31
But now,
everything is cooled down,
00:25:47.34\00:25:49.28
and everything is normal.
00:25:49.31\00:25:51.65
And I think, sometimes,
00:25:51.68\00:25:53.85
God allows certain
things to happen for good.
00:25:53.88\00:25:57.95
And after that took place,
00:25:57.99\00:25:59.72
the town is now more peaceful
and people are more friendly.
00:25:59.75\00:26:04.33
Peace had returned to Jeypore
00:26:08.36\00:26:10.23
and Immanuel
Seventh-day Adventist School.
00:26:10.27\00:26:13.30
Arun Ponda and his
dedicated faculty continued
00:26:13.34\00:26:15.94
to lead the school
down the path of success.
00:26:15.97\00:26:19.07
More and more
children stream into the campus
00:26:19.11\00:26:21.41
each passing day.
00:26:21.44\00:26:22.94
And today, there's a
break in their tranquility,
00:26:22.98\00:26:26.31
because today is a
time for celebration.
00:26:26.35\00:26:29.42