Participants:
Series Code: HIM
Program Code: HIM000048A
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00:15 Just when I thought I had seen it all,
00:17 my whirlwind trip to India opens my eyes 00:20 to a whole new world of realities. 00:23 I saw children who are hopeful in spite of their condition, 00:26 met inspiring people, who gave heed to God's calling. 00:31 And Jesus Christ said, "Inasmuch as ye have done 00:34 unto the least of these my brethren, 00:36 ye have done it unto me." 00:37 And witness an organization that is making a difference 00:40 in the lives of thousands of children in India. 00:43 Well, I think the big difference we've made 00:45 is that we've been able to give so many children 00:49 a chance of Christian education. 00:52 Come and join me in this extraordinary journey 00:55 to this extraordinary land. 01:09 Asian Aid is an organization giving hope, 01:13 an organization fostering permanent positive change 01:16 in the lives of disadvantage children and their communities. 01:20 An organization that is committed 01:21 to making a difference in the lives of children 01:24 and those who are in need, serving communities in Nepal, 01:27 Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and India. 01:39 For the last 40 years, Asian Aid has invested 01:43 in the futures of people and their investment 01:45 has proven infinite returns. 01:48 Driven by their dedication to helping those 01:51 who have the least, Asian Aid is an organization 01:54 focused on the welfare of children, 01:56 implementing diverse development projects 01:59 and sponsoring thousands of children. 02:02 Their outreach spans from child rescue operations 02:05 to providing an education for orphans, deaf, 02:08 and the blind children. 02:10 Giving them a sense of place, a home, but above all, 02:15 Asian Aid is an organization giving hope, 02:18 giving hope to children, giving hope to communities, 02:21 giving hope to the ones who need it the most. 02:25 This is Hope In Motion. 02:52 Two days of traveling, almost 10,000 miles away, 02:56 we finally arrived in Bangalore, India, 02:58 only to take another one-hour flight to the city 03:01 of Vishakhapatnam on the shores of the Bay of Bengal. 03:11 It was hard to imagine what we would see 03:14 when we finally arrived in India. 03:16 It was also hard to imagine that the weather would be 03:18 so hot and humid. 03:21 Exhausted from our travel, we met Jim Rennie, 03:23 the CEO of Asian Aid, USA, 03:25 and our production team at the airport. 03:35 Driving through the streets of Vishakhapatnam 03:37 was an experience in itself. 03:40 I heard a lot about driving in India, 03:42 but now I was able to see for myself that 03:45 this was a city of synchronized chaos. 03:49 I thought being raised in New York City prepared me 03:51 for anything, but I was about to be introduced 03:54 to quite a different world. 03:57 In a caravan of cars, we made our way 03:59 through the chaotic streets of the city 04:00 until we arrived at a very dingy, 04:03 narrow street, where Jim said, "This is it." 04:07 Yeah. 04:15 Intermingling of smiles and bright, 04:17 colorful native outfits on that narrow alley with the sights 04:21 and smells of despair and hopelessness, 04:24 a slum settlement in the city, and it was quite a challenge 04:28 taking it all in as we made our way 04:30 to the slum school, 04:31 a developing project undertaken by Asian Aid. 04:37 Well, welcome to the small city of Vizag 04:39 here in the slums of India. 04:42 This is one of many cities around the country of India 04:45 and people come here gathering looking for work, 04:48 looking for hope, looking for employment. 04:50 Often disappointed, often not finding anything 04:53 beyond their daily wages and daily labor jobs. 04:57 However, we've come here to let you know 04:59 that there is an answer, and Asian Aid 05:00 has found the answer to situations like this 05:03 in the slums of this country and that is to build a school. 05:16 The room was filled with little children 05:18 and very bright smiles. 05:20 As I tried to put the entire scene together, 05:22 I was told that many of these children 05:25 were the children from this slum community. 05:34 The children sat on the dusty ground 05:36 uncomfortably close together. 05:38 It was such a joy to hear them sing. 05:40 I was able to share stories to let them know 05:43 that Jesus cared about each of their lives. 05:46 How many of you want to be in the King's Castle one day? 05:50 Naomi, as I later discovered, 05:52 is the principal of the small school. 05:54 And after looking around, I realized that God 05:57 had called her and her team to a special work. 06:01 God was doing something special here through Asian Aid. 06:06 Jesus told us to go into the highways and the hedges 06:10 and to invite all to come. 06:12 After we saw the people that are being reached 06:14 in spite of how terrible things looked, 06:17 we then realized that Asian Aid 06:20 was serious about that commission. 06:23 I'm just in awe of what I see when I passed the slum areas, 06:29 and to see, "Lord, you have to reach them 'cause we know 06:33 we're told in the Bible that this Gospel 06:36 will be preached into all of the world as a witness, 06:39 then shall the end come." 06:42 And the way it's preached is through your actions, 06:46 what you can do for others, not just preaching to them, 06:49 it's doing for them. 06:51 And so this is what these facilities are doing. 06:55 They're providing the necessities 06:57 for these children. 06:59 Had it not been for the dedication of Asian Aid, 07:02 the Gospel might pass through this community. 07:06 It was not just the buildings in that community 07:08 that were being transformed 07:09 but also the lives of every one that lived there. 07:14 Later that afternoon, we were taken 07:16 to the local conference office, 07:17 where we met with pastors and Bible workers. 07:20 It was a humbling experience for me to realize 07:23 that I was meeting with people who are driven 07:26 by the same faith as I have, 07:28 people who are bringing God's message 07:31 to this part of the world. 07:33 Christ's return would be hastened 07:35 because of people like this. 07:38 Before we left, we had a wonderful time of prayer 07:40 and encouragement. 07:41 Our first day with Asian Aid was a day of incessant 07:45 and frantic activity. 07:46 It was a small peek into what was in store for us. 07:58 The next day, we drove along the coast 08:01 toward Asian Aid School for the Blind in Bobbili, 08:03 about three hours drive from Vizag. 08:06 As it always happens during missions, 08:08 you expect the unexpected. 08:11 As we reached the small town of Vizianagaram, 08:13 we took a detour to visit an Adventist school campus. 08:17 As I spoke to Rukhma, the school principal, 08:20 I learned the precarious condition 08:22 she and her staff had to manage the school with. 08:27 Well, here I am sitting in one of the classrooms 08:30 in Vizianagaram in India, on a relatively hot day 08:34 and it's not even summer yet. 08:37 I'm sitting in a facility that many of you watching 08:39 this program will never have the experience of sitting 08:41 in desks that are old, floors that are not carpeted 08:45 or covered with any kind of wood, 08:48 and the ceilings are very hot and it's not even summer yet. 08:52 When it rains, the rain comes in, 08:55 when it is hot, the sun and its heat comes in. 08:58 And these are the conditions under which the students 09:00 are learning day by day quite unlike the way it is 09:04 in the United States 09:05 and many other parts of the world. 09:07 However, there are some plans in place, 09:09 actually we're looking for a brighter future. 09:12 Asian Aid along with its sponsors 09:13 that partnered with it are going 09:15 to make a difference in this community. 09:17 This is a large campus. 09:19 These conditions are repeated from classroom to classroom, 09:22 but there is hope along with sponsorship 09:25 and those who stand with Asian Aid, 09:27 there are plans, and we are looking forward 09:29 to building a new campus, hopefully two stories, 09:33 and it's going to be built right over there. 09:41 Now this is a Christian campus, 09:43 how does that fit with the community? 09:47 Rukhma explains to me that people send their kids 09:50 here even though it's a Christian school, 09:52 but lack of facilities is deterring many of them 09:55 from sending them here. 09:57 ...place where the boys are staying. 09:59 Wow. This is our church. 10:00 Since we don't have place we are keeping all the boys 10:05 in the church. 10:07 They are studying here, and they are sleeping here... 10:11 And they worship here. 10:12 They worship here. Okay. 10:13 When Saturday comes we pack up all the things aside, 10:16 then we put chairs... 10:19 Good afternoon, children. 10:20 Good afternoon. Good afternoon. 10:23 How are you? Fine, thank you. 10:25 Good. Good. Wow. 10:28 Well, show us some of their beds 10:29 where they lay down each night. 10:30 Actually, they don't have proper beds. 10:32 They'll only sleep on mats there. 10:35 So they sleep... This is where they sleep. 10:37 This is some of their sleeping quarters. 10:39 So this is one of their beds right here? 10:40 Yes. Yes, sir. 10:42 So where's this... Do they have a pillow? 10:43 No pillows, sir. 10:45 Could I lay down here and try it out? 10:48 Could I try? 10:49 This is... Wow. 10:51 So this is like... 10:55 Now for me, this would be camping, 10:59 but for the students that live here, 11:01 this is what they sleep on every day, a straw mat, 11:06 a blanket, and a hard floor. 11:09 When we think about education, when we think about conditions 11:12 that are suitable for children, this is not our ideal vision. 11:17 That's why Asian Aid and your sponsorship 11:21 can make a difference, not only in buildings 11:24 but in the ways that the students learn 11:26 and sleep and live. 11:29 What an amazing revolution we can start here 11:32 if we join hands together and begin to impact the schools 11:35 in this region of the world. 11:38 Hey, I noticed that you're writing 11:39 in English over here, but then you're writing 11:42 in your own language in other places, 11:44 isn't that amazing? 11:46 Wow. 11:48 You know, it's a life-changing experience 11:50 when you come here to schools like this in India, 11:53 and this is one of many that have 11:56 some of the similar conditions. 11:57 We've showed you where the children sleep, 11:59 where they study, where they worship, 12:02 and for the boys, it's in the very same facility. 12:04 This is school, this is home, this is also their church, 12:08 but something else that impressed me 12:10 is that we have so much where we live, 12:12 we talk about technology, there are no computers here, 12:16 we talk about iPads and iPods, and even things that could help 12:20 enhance their learning skills, 12:22 but those are non-existent here. 12:24 Also, there are some students like this one and this one, 12:27 this is David, and what's your name again? 12:29 Srikanth. 12:31 And? Anudeep. 12:32 These young boys can learn like any of our students in America 12:36 can learn or any other part of the world, 12:38 but the advantages that we have is something 12:41 that they're missing. 12:42 And there may be some of you watching this program that say, 12:44 "Well, now how can I experience this? 12:46 Or not only experience, 12:48 but how can I make a difference?" 12:50 Well, they are learning English but conversational English 12:53 is something quite different, and you may think about 12:56 volunteering to come here 12:57 and help out in the school facility 12:59 and maybe even being part of the teaching staff 13:02 to teach these young men 13:04 and also the young women conversational English. 13:07 What a difference can be made in this part of the world 13:10 if we think about how the Lord is impressing our lives 13:13 to go forth, not only with the preached gospel, 13:16 but with the gospel of experience 13:19 to transform these lives. 13:27 Oh, yeah. 13:28 This is the office building. 13:30 This is our praying hall for office. 13:32 For time being, we kept all these girls here, 13:35 28 girls are staying in this. 13:37 And they're all pretty. 13:40 Hi, girls. 13:42 Good morning, sir. 13:43 This is Mr. Lomacang. 13:47 It's quite a huge campus, and Asian Aid has dreams 13:51 for this campus to put up facilities here 13:54 and usher them towards self-growth, 13:57 but more importantly, provide the children 13:59 with a dignified place to live and study. 14:16 Back on the road, we're headed towards Bobbili. 14:40 Thank you. 14:41 Good evening, sir. 14:42 Yes. Yes. 14:44 My name is Damodar. 14:46 And I'm John. Good to meet you. 14:47 And you are? How are you? 14:50 My name is Yogendra. 14:52 How are you doing? Fine, sir. 14:53 Are you also one of the cricketers? 14:55 Good. Good afternoon, sir. 14:56 You're a tall one. 14:58 Well, here we are at Asian Aid High School 15:01 for the Blind. 15:02 We had a welcome that, I tell you, was so warm, 15:05 and it's amazing, the percentage, 15:07 there's about 110 boy students to about 60 girl students, 15:13 but the girls far outweigh the guys when it comes 15:15 to beautiful outfits. 15:17 But we're going to take you on a tour 15:18 of this wonderful facility and let you know 15:19 what God is doing here in India and what God is doing, 15:22 through the sponsors of Asian Aid, stay with us. 15:35 The first time that I visited India, which is now, 15:37 around 35 years ago, there were two things 15:40 that especially impressed me. 15:42 One was the numbers of children who were suffering 15:45 without enough food and clothing 15:47 and no proper housing or parents to care for them. 15:52 And the other thing was the amazing potential 15:55 in those children to do something special 15:57 with their lives and also to do something for God. 16:01 The thing that was really needed 16:03 and it's needed now is sponsors like you 16:07 and to realize what a huge difference 16:10 you can make in the life of a child every day 16:13 through sponsorship. 16:27 Good evening, sir. Good evening. 16:29 And what's your name? My name is Venkatesh, sir. 16:31 What is your name, sir? I'm John. 16:33 A warm welcome awaited us at the Asian Aid School 16:36 for the Blind, and here the simple act of a handshake, 16:40 a simple gesture of putting your hand on 16:42 somebody's shoulder gave 16:43 a whole different meaning for me. 16:46 Touch was for them a communication tool. 16:52 The School for the Blind at Bobbili 16:53 is in a quiet location, 16:55 surrounded by bright green rice fields, 16:58 an ideal location for learning for those with disabilities. 17:04 I was glad to learn from Pastor Paulson, 17:06 the school principal, 17:07 that there was no preferential treatment 17:09 for admission. 17:10 Once they come into the campus, they are all one. 17:15 And we make it very clear, no religion, no caste, 17:21 or no family background, nothing is going to stop them 17:26 from we giving them admission. 17:27 We take everyone. 17:29 Our stay at the blind school was quite an eye-opener. 17:33 We noticed that the boys and girls 17:34 really worked very well together. 17:37 There was a unity that I had hardly 17:39 seen among people that have sight. 17:41 Just what I have noticed, just like we see one bird 17:46 being hurt, there are 10 birds coming together. 17:50 This is what we see in the natural world, 17:52 and I've noticed somehow when one child cries, 17:56 all the other children come together. 17:58 They catch hold of him, tell him what it is, 18:01 what is it that made you to cry, 18:03 and they try to comfort him as far as possible 18:06 and involve him and tell him, "This is good, 18:09 and we will all stay together." 18:11 And they live together. 18:13 And this becomes their family? And this becomes their family. 18:15 And Asian Aid and all the staff 18:17 become their moms and their dads. 18:18 Yes. Yes. 18:20 In the two days my wife Angela and I 18:22 spent at the blind school, 18:24 I learned a very valuable phrase there. 18:27 A phrase that helps and motivates people 18:29 like Pastor Paulson to work for the blind children. 18:33 There's a phrase that you used that really opened my eyes 18:36 because sometimes we use the word disabled, but you say, 18:40 "They're not disabled." 18:41 What was the phrase that you used? 18:43 We usually tell them that these children 18:46 are differently abled. 18:48 Differently abled. Okay. 18:49 Differently abled, that's how we look at them. 18:52 So they're able to learn differently than we learn. 18:55 Yes. 18:56 All the body parts are the same except the eyesight. 18:58 All right. 19:00 And we decide by looking this is this, 19:02 but those children, they tell the same thing 19:05 that we tell in a different way since they cannot see. 19:09 Talking to Pastor Paulson that day, 19:11 I noticed that it's not just the lives of the children 19:14 that we're transforming but we go through 19:17 a life-changing experience too as Pastor Paulson found out. 19:22 And Jesus lived on this earth. 19:24 He likes such kind of children. 19:26 He likes such kind of people who are rejected 19:29 by the community, so I thought, 19:32 "Jesus Christ has done that, and why not I do it." 19:35 And maybe I thought God gave me an opportunity 19:38 to serve such kind of children. 19:41 And Jesus Christ said, "Inasmuch as ye have done 19:44 unto the least of these my brethren, 19:46 ye have done it unto me." 19:47 As the children walk in faith, I look at all of them, 19:50 observe them, and talk with everyone. 19:52 I never neglect anyone, even if there is a purpose, 19:56 if we got a purpose, I talk to them, 19:58 make sure that I'm in touch with them, 20:01 and they are in with me. 20:21 Sabbath in Bobbili was a solemn experience. 20:24 Church was in the town center on a terrace 20:26 of the Adventist Day School in town. 20:29 Members from town as well as children 20:31 from the Sunrise Home attended the service. 20:34 As I was mentally preparing for the sermon I was to give, 20:37 I was moved by the reverence of the local people, 20:40 especially the women. 20:42 Women covering their heads bowed their heads to the ground 20:46 as they prayed. 20:48 In a more unfamiliar twist of events, 20:50 someone brought a chicken to church as an offering. 20:54 My wife and I were worried about the faith 20:56 that would befall the chicken then decided 20:57 to pay an offering double the price. 21:00 It also provided me an object lesson for my sermon. 21:10 That Sabbath afternoon, we made our way 21:12 to the Sunrise Children's Home 21:14 about 10 miles from Bobbili town. 21:18 When we reached there, boys and girls were waiting for us 21:21 at the gate, greeting us and showering us 21:24 with beautiful flowers as we walked into the campus. 21:42 He said two times. 21:45 Hi. 21:48 This is me and my chicken. 21:51 I, officially, as the CEO of Asian Aid, USA, 21:55 hereby name this chicken John Lomacang. 22:00 I also instruct Varma that this chicken 22:02 must be given VIP status in the chicken coop. 22:06 That's right. That's right. Thank you, sir. 22:09 He could be in somebody's kitchen tonight, 22:11 but thanks to him coming to church. 22:13 That's what happens when you come to church. 22:16 He was saved, and now he can sing 22:18 because he is happy. 22:20 He can sing because he is free. 22:24 Now make sure that you take care of my chicken, okay? 22:28 Yes. 22:29 I don't want anybody to eat my chicken. 22:33 And, girls, you make sure that they take care 22:35 of my chicken, is that okay? 22:36 Okay. Wow. 22:37 See, I've gotten the commitment out of the children 22:39 here at Sunrise Children's Home, 22:42 we just visited one of my newest friends in my family, 22:46 a chicken that was saved from church today. 22:48 But this home has been saving lives 22:51 that are much more valuable than chicken's. 22:53 This is truly where the sunrises on the lives 22:56 of these boys and girls every day, and what a blessing. 23:01 Thank you to those of you who are standing 23:03 and praying for the ministry of Asian Aid. 23:06 Look at the difference it's made 23:08 in these colorful lives, these bright eyes, 23:11 and the future of the church is in good hands 23:14 because of the work that you're doing. 23:16 God bless you for all that you do 23:18 for this wonderful ministry. 23:26 Raj Varma, who is Asian Aid's field officer, 23:29 showed me around this new campus. 23:31 So what you just showed me is this is the quarters, 23:35 this is where the boys and girls sleep right now. 23:37 Now compared to where they used to, 23:39 this is a great improvement. 23:41 There are 15 rooms, and the boys occupy 23:44 10 of those, the girls occupy 5 of those. 23:47 One of the greatest blessings is at the old facility, 23:49 they only had four toilets for 73 students, 23:54 but at this one, they have 25 toilets for 73 students. 23:59 But there is something else still in the works 24:01 because they're planning on 24:02 building another dorm to my right, 24:04 and it's going to be for the girls. 24:08 And that dorm is in the plans and in the works. 24:11 And right now, if you look at this facility, 24:13 it's a great improvement over what they used to sleep 24:16 in when they lived in the city, and what a beautiful campus. 24:29 As Raj Varma was showing me around, 24:32 I was constantly reminded of the difference Asian Aid 24:35 is trying to make here in this part of the world 24:38 for the children. 24:40 Well, I think the big difference we've made 24:42 is that we have been able to give so many children 24:46 a chance of Christian education, 24:49 and we take children based on need 24:53 and sponsored by a person at home. 24:56 And these people are making a big difference in the lives 25:01 of the children that you've seen every day. 25:04 This provision for Christian education 25:06 was all the more evident as we were taken down 25:09 to the riverside beside the campus. 25:47 Hey, well, here we are, down by the riverside 25:50 at the Sunrise Home enjoying sundown worship 25:53 on a beautiful Sabbath afternoon. 25:56 You know, as I'm standing out here, 25:57 I realized why we've been giving council to come out 26:00 in nature and enjoy what God has all the natural beauty, 26:06 the singing of the children. 26:07 This is the place that invites the presence of God 26:11 without any distractions far away from the cities, 26:14 far away from the noise, far away from the traffic, 26:18 what beautiful sounds to hear nature speaking to us, 26:21 and the voice of the children as the Sabbath sets, 26:25 this is worship at Sunrise Home. 26:38 On the way back from Sunrise Home, 26:40 a thought kept ringing in my mind, 26:43 what a change we can bring about here in India 26:45 if there are more schools like this. 26:48 There would be more lives 26:49 that would be changed and saved. 26:59 You know, here we are, I'm sitting at the end 27:01 of a trip that has really revolutionized 27:04 the way I look at Asian Aid, revolutionized the way 27:06 I think of missions, particularly in India. 27:09 For so often, I've sat in my living room there 27:11 and watched Asian Aid when it came on television, 27:14 but what a difference to come here 27:15 and experience to see the lives being changed. 27:18 The children of the Blind School, 27:20 the school in Vizag, the school in Bobbili, 27:23 Sunrise Home, to meet the staff, 27:26 to see that these individuals are not here for the money, 27:29 but, boy, the payment is far greater than anything 27:33 that we can write down on paper. 27:35 And I know by personal experience 27:37 and by being here that Asian Aid 27:39 is not just a program, not just a good broadcast, 27:42 but really, it is something that's transforming lives. 27:45 And I've got to say, as pastor, preaching and teaching, 27:48 this has really, really blessed my life, 27:50 really I am changed by this experience, 27:53 and I will really not be the same after this trip. |
Revised 2018-05-02