A little over a year ago,
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when my husband Shawn and I
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decided to sponsor a
child through Asian Aid,
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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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It was an experience made
more incredible and exciting
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because this was
also our daughter's
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first trip
outside of North America.
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Well, I was super
excited about coming.
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I mean, 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 Sheila, our
sponsored daughter,
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rode on a school bus with
her, and in doing all this,
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I came across people who
put their lives in danger
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to rescue girls in peril.
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The risk is huge.
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I've always known that
there is a risk in this
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of being involved.
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But I think...
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I don't think we can
sit quiet about it either.
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And witness the wondrous work
being carried out in the slums.
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We experienced firsthand
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the transformation
Asian Aid is making
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in the lives of thousands
of children across India.
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Asian Aid is an
organization giving hope,
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an organization fostering
permanent positive change
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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,
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Asian Aid is an organization
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focused on the
welfare of children,
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implementing diverse
development projects,
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and sponsoring
thousands of children.
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Their outreach spans
from child rescue operations,
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to providing an
education for orphans,
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deaf 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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We arrive at Bangalore, India,
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late at night
on the 2nd of July.
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A day's rest and
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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Has this city
always been busy like this?
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No, this 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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the 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
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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 a gate
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with only a
small, nondescript sign
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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
in big cities like Bangalore.
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It is a huge problem in India.
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I think the US puts the
figures at about 100 million,
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but the actual figures
will be much, much higher
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because 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
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the number of
people being rescued.
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So in this last six
months, we've had 42 girls
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from Bangladesh alone 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's 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,
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this involves
undercover operations.
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The risk is huge and
the situation is delicate
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and complicated.
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Anita and her team have
been threatened physically.
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There're tremendous
sums of money involved.
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The risk is huge.
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I've always known that
there is a risk in this
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of being involved.
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But I think...
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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 that
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people do not
want to get involved
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in really high 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 cut off 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
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about the worst
kind of cases I've seen,
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I saw a 2.5-year-old girl
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who had been slashed
many times around her waist
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and her bottom
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and had been burnt
with cigarette butts.
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All around...
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Yeah, all around
her private parts.
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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, the 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
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has joined hands with Oasis,
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supporting them with funds
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necessary to
facilitate this rescue effort
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and the crucial
rehabilitation for the children.
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Sitting and talking to Anita,
I'm made aware of the huge risk
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that she is taking
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and the dedication
and courage she has
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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
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is the hope
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 return 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 try to comprehend
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the problems faced by
innocent young girls in India.
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This is not the sort
of beginning I had in mind
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when I 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.
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I wonder what we'll experience
on the rest 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,
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is hot and humid.
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From the airport, we are driven
straight to a slum settlement
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in the center 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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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, the pleasant breeze
00:10:02.26\00:10:05.17
is a welcome relief.
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We're here in Vizag,
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and we've just
visited slum school
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that's been recently renovated.
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They've done a
lot of renovations
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particularly up here
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where we're
gathered with the children
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here on the roof.
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This is an amazing
experience to see the area
00:10:22.85\00:10:26.35
that these kids live in
that surrounds the 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 going to
have the dedication
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for this newly
renovated slum school.
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After spending a couple of hours
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at the slum school,
we head out to Bobbili.
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Arriving at the Asian Aid School
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for the Blind in Bobbili,
we receive a warm welcome.
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Boys and girls on each
side of the entrance way
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greet us with
flowers and handshakes.
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I am surprised by how many
more boys there are than girls.
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There are about
50 girls and 120 boys
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that live here at the school.
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Later, Pastor
Paulson, the school principal,
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takes us on the
tour of the campus.
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It's amazing to see
00:11:22.54\00:11:23.88
how the blind
children are taught
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and how they learn
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with their
specialized equipment.
00:11:27.42\00:11:29.18
The Blind
School will be our home
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for the rest of
our stay in India.
00:11:31.35\00:11:34.39
So we're staying here
at the Asian Aid School
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for the Blind in Bobbili,
and it's absolutely beautiful.
00:11:36.76\00:11:39.69
Everything's
green this time of year,
00:11:39.73\00:11:41.56
the flowers are blooming,
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we even got to eat some guava,
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and even more beautiful
are the students staying here.
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We had the
privilege this morning
00:11:48.67\00:11:50.51
of going through the school,
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Pastor Paulson showed
Natalie and Naomi around,
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and the beautiful
wide, open hallways
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where the students can easily
maneuver their way around.
00:11:57.91\00:12:00.88
We got to see where they live.
00:12:00.92\00:12:02.52
It was an incredible
privilege to see the kids
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doing their math
using writing Braille,
00:12:05.72\00:12:08.62
using the Braille computers.
00:12:08.66\00:12:10.26
It was amazing.
00:12:10.29\00:12:12.03
And we're so thankful
to be able to be here.
00:12:12.06\00:12:14.43
We're really close
to where Sunrise Home is
00:12:14.46\00:12:16.83
and where Sheila lives.
00:12:16.87\00:12:18.33
And we're looking forward
to getting to meet her soon,
00:12:18.37\00:12:20.47
and just incredibly
blessed to be able to see
00:12:20.50\00:12:24.17
and stay at these
amazing facilities
00:12:24.21\00:12:27.34
here at the Blind School.
00:12:27.38\00:12:28.71
On Sabbath morning, we
attend church in Bobbili.
00:12:36.18\00:12:39.15
This is Sheila's church.
00:12:39.19\00:12:40.89
It's nice to see
children form Sunrise Home there
00:12:40.92\00:12:44.09
and taking part in the
Sabbath school program.
00:12:44.13\00:12:47.40
The girls and I
greet Sheila warmly.
00:12:47.43\00:12:50.03
We can't talk much on this day,
00:12:50.07\00:12:52.43
but it's an
incredible experience
00:12:52.47\00:12:54.44
to worship in
Sheila's church with her.
00:12:54.47\00:12:57.67
I'm overwhelmed with emotion.
00:12:57.71\00:13:00.21
Change is possible.
00:13:00.24\00:13:01.78
In the afternoon, we
visit the village of Karada.
00:13:17.96\00:13:21.53
The village is not
far from Sunrise Home,
00:13:21.56\00:13:23.77
and on the edge of town,
00:13:23.80\00:13:25.13
there is a church
built a few years ago
00:13:25.17\00:13:27.27
by Maranatha.
00:13:27.30\00:13:28.77
Well, I'm here in
the village of Karada
00:13:33.38\00:13:35.31
which is real close
to the new Sunrise Home
00:13:35.34\00:13:38.31
that we are just completing.
00:13:38.35\00:13:40.45
The exciting thing
about this village is
00:13:40.48\00:13:42.98
that the children and
staff from the Sunrise Home
00:13:43.02\00:13:45.82
become involved
with this village
00:13:45.85\00:13:48.09
both in Sabbath
school and church
00:13:48.12\00:13:50.06
and a church nearby that
hasn't had any leadership
00:13:50.09\00:13:54.26
and also with community
work with health training.
00:13:54.30\00:13:58.13
The great news is
that the investment
00:13:58.17\00:14:00.20
that many donors
made in the Sunrise
00:14:00.24\00:14:02.74
is now paying off
in the wider community,
00:14:02.77\00:14:05.97
and we're real proud
of that at Asian Aid.
00:14:06.01\00:14:10.18
And the next day,
we go to Sunrise Home
00:14:10.21\00:14:12.41
to spend the day with
Sheila, our sponsored daughter,
00:14:12.45\00:14:15.45
and to have some
dedicated time with her.
00:14:15.48\00:14:18.32
This is the day we've
been waiting so long for,
00:14:18.35\00:14:21.32
and we are excited.
00:14:21.36\00:14:23.46
We have so many questions
about her day-to-day life,
00:14:23.49\00:14:26.29
and we can't wait to
spend time at Sunrise Home.
00:14:26.33\00:14:29.93
Reaching Sunrise, we
are greeted by Lalitha,
00:14:41.68\00:14:44.45
the director, and all the kids.
00:14:44.48\00:14:47.12
The girls all wear
beautiful matching saris.
00:14:47.15\00:14:50.82
We enjoy a quick
tour of the facility.
00:14:50.85\00:14:53.36
It's a very hot day.
00:14:53.39\00:14:55.49
And so, soon, all the kids
go inside to rest and cool off.
00:14:55.52\00:14:59.09
And Natalie and
Naomi are invited along,
00:14:59.13\00:15:01.66
and they gladly joined them.
00:15:01.70\00:15:03.80
This gives me an opportunity
to talk with Lalitha.
00:15:03.83\00:15:08.30
So what was the old home like?
00:15:08.34\00:15:10.01
I mean, this is beautiful,
you've got a lot of open space,
00:15:10.04\00:15:12.94
what was your old home like?
00:15:12.97\00:15:14.31
Old home is like congested.
00:15:14.34\00:15:17.35
Children eating in same place,
drinking, eating, sleeping,
00:15:17.38\00:15:21.55
watching TV, prayer...
00:15:21.58\00:15:23.65
In the same room,
00:15:23.69\00:15:25.59
they used to conduct
everything there only,
00:15:25.62\00:15:27.39
but after we came here,
00:15:27.42\00:15:29.22
children, they have
a special prayer room,
00:15:29.26\00:15:31.56
they have
special rooms to sleep,
00:15:31.59\00:15:34.36
and they have a
special dining hall to eat.
00:15:34.40\00:15:37.63
So they have big playground,
00:15:37.67\00:15:40.20
and they are enjoying
the facilities what we have.
00:15:40.24\00:15:43.00
Well, our
sponsored daughter, Sheila,
00:15:43.04\00:15:45.67
we're so happy to meet here.
00:15:45.71\00:15:47.48
She is such a
sweet, beautiful girl.
00:15:47.51\00:15:49.88
And my husband is so sad
00:15:49.91\00:15:51.48
he wasn't able to
come and meet her.
00:15:51.51\00:15:53.45
But my daughters and I
have loved meeting her.
00:15:53.48\00:15:56.48
We've written
to her a few times,
00:15:56.52\00:15:57.95
and we've gotten
to know her here,
00:15:57.99\00:15:59.32
but we don't know
really a lot of her story.
00:15:59.35\00:16:02.32
Can you tell me
a little bit about
00:16:02.36\00:16:03.93
how she ended up here?
00:16:03.96\00:16:05.29
Do you remember how
it was when she arrived?
00:16:05.33\00:16:07.56
Yeah, I want to show her
photo when she came here.
00:16:07.60\00:16:11.53
She was 9 years
old, like 10 years old.
00:16:11.57\00:16:14.67
And she is having big stomach
00:16:14.70\00:16:17.64
and small, thin legs.
00:16:17.67\00:16:21.98
Was she malnourished?
00:16:22.01\00:16:23.41
Is that why... Malnutrition.
00:16:23.45\00:16:24.98
Because she didn't
have enough of food.
00:16:25.01\00:16:26.48
That's sad.
00:16:26.51\00:16:27.85
So after they came here,
they will have a lot to eat.
00:16:27.88\00:16:31.19
So we will provide
them whatever they want.
00:16:31.22\00:16:33.76
So she don't have
mother, mother died.
00:16:33.79\00:16:37.96
Father was there,
00:16:37.99\00:16:39.33
and father again
married another woman.
00:16:39.36\00:16:42.30
Oh, I see.
00:16:42.33\00:16:43.67
So stepmother, she
won't take care of her.
00:16:43.70\00:16:45.20
She didn't take care of Sheila.
00:16:45.23\00:16:46.63
Oh, that breaks my heart.
00:16:46.67\00:16:48.07
So at that time, she came here.
00:16:48.10\00:16:49.97
Father himself...
00:16:50.01\00:16:51.51
And one of the
pastors, they recommended here,
00:16:51.54\00:16:55.68
so she was brought here.
00:16:55.71\00:16:58.88
Aw, this is Sheila's file?
00:16:58.91\00:17:00.38
Yeah, this is Sheila
when she came to Sunrise Home.
00:17:00.42\00:17:03.42
Oh, wow!
00:17:03.45\00:17:04.79
Here, you can see her
small, very thin hands.
00:17:04.82\00:17:08.56
Oh, she looks like
a different person.
00:17:08.59\00:17:09.99
Yeah.
00:17:10.03\00:17:11.36
This is the dress,
when she came here,
00:17:11.39\00:17:13.53
I have bought for her.
00:17:13.56\00:17:14.90
You got a special dress for her?
00:17:14.93\00:17:16.26
Yeah, special dress,
then this is the uniform.
00:17:16.30\00:17:17.83
Aw, 1990.
00:17:17.87\00:17:19.73
And you can see
here... Aw, beautiful.
00:17:19.77\00:17:21.90
Yeah.
00:17:21.94\00:17:24.24
Yeah, she's
changed a lot definitely.
00:17:24.27\00:17:26.24
Yeah, a lot. Yes, yes.
00:17:26.27\00:17:29.81
Sheila does look
different from the first time
00:17:29.84\00:17:32.25
she was brought to Sunrise.
00:17:32.28\00:17:34.12
There is a kind of contentment
that radiates from her face
00:17:34.15\00:17:37.39
when I talk to her.
00:17:37.42\00:17:39.55
I am so glad that my daughters
and I could come and spend
00:17:39.59\00:17:42.52
a little bit of time with
you and see where you live.
00:17:42.56\00:17:45.23
This is a beautiful
room that you're in.
00:17:45.26\00:17:47.70
Do you like it
here at Sunrise Home?
00:17:47.73\00:17:49.33
Yes.
00:17:49.36\00:17:50.77
You're happy? Yeah.
00:17:50.80\00:17:52.23
Great.
00:17:52.27\00:17:53.60
You seem very happy.
00:17:53.64\00:17:54.97
Your mommy
seems very kind to you
00:17:55.00\00:17:57.34
and all of the children.
00:17:57.37\00:17:58.71
Yes, she is very kind.
00:17:58.74\00:18:00.64
Very good, very nice.
00:18:00.68\00:18:02.48
So you're studying
in which standard now,
00:18:02.51\00:18:04.21
which grade?
00:18:04.25\00:18:05.58
Ninth grade.
00:18:05.61\00:18:07.58
What is your
subject to study at school?
00:18:07.62\00:18:10.15
Biology.
00:18:10.19\00:18:12.12
Biology, okay.
00:18:12.15\00:18:13.72
And have you thought yet about
00:18:13.76\00:18:15.39
what you'd like
to do in the future?
00:18:15.42\00:18:18.63
I'm thinking I
want to become nurse.
00:18:18.66\00:18:20.86
Oh, I can see, you did.
00:18:20.90\00:18:22.76
Well, do you
remember when you were young
00:18:22.80\00:18:24.73
and you first
came to Sunrise Home?
00:18:24.77\00:18:26.60
Do you remember that very much?
00:18:26.63\00:18:29.14
I remember a little only.
00:18:29.17\00:18:31.24
Only a little bit.
00:18:31.27\00:18:32.61
Do you feel like your
life is very different here
00:18:32.64\00:18:35.34
than it would have
been if you hadn't come
00:18:35.38\00:18:36.71
to Sunrise home?
00:18:36.75\00:18:38.08
Yeah, it's very different.
00:18:38.11\00:18:41.78
Well, I'm glad.
00:18:41.82\00:18:43.49
I'm so pleased to
spend time with you.
00:18:43.52\00:18:45.59
I'm so blessed to be with you.
00:18:45.62\00:18:47.79
I too.
00:18:47.82\00:18:49.69
Well, it's an
incredible privilege
00:18:49.72\00:18:51.79
to be here with Sheila.
00:18:51.83\00:18:53.16
It's just a dream
come true to meet her.
00:18:53.19\00:18:55.86
You know, it's one thing to
see a picture but to see her,
00:18:55.90\00:18:58.37
see her smiling face,
00:18:58.40\00:18:59.73
how happy she is
with all her sisters
00:18:59.77\00:19:01.74
and brothers here.
00:19:01.77\00:19:03.10
And just the
spiritual level in this home
00:19:03.14\00:19:06.57
is just incredible.
00:19:06.61\00:19:07.94
And I'm so fortunate to be here
00:19:07.98\00:19:09.74
and to see what a
difference sponsorship can make.
00:19:09.78\00:19:13.82
Indeed, sponsorship
is making a difference.
00:19:13.85\00:19:17.45
The more time I
spend with Sheila
00:19:17.49\00:19:19.29
and the more time I get to see
00:19:19.32\00:19:20.89
what's being done at Sunrise,
00:19:20.92\00:19:22.92
I'm glad that I have
this association with it,
00:19:22.96\00:19:25.86
and that Sheila is an
important part of our lives.
00:19:25.89\00:19:30.10
It's incredible
to have my daughters
00:19:30.13\00:19:32.37
with me here at Sunrise Home.
00:19:32.40\00:19:34.60
They've been able
to play with Sheila,
00:19:34.64\00:19:36.71
get to visit with her,
00:19:36.74\00:19:38.11
and just spend some
time with other kids
00:19:38.14\00:19:40.31
doing what kids do.
00:19:40.34\00:19:42.24
I can't tell you
00:19:42.28\00:19:43.61
what a meaningful
experience this is for them.
00:19:43.65\00:19:46.45
I'm so thankful that I've
been able to have them here
00:19:46.48\00:19:49.48
and to have them
share in this experience.
00:19:49.52\00:19:52.72
Well, I was super
excited about coming.
00:19:52.75\00:19:54.92
I mean, I knew it would
be a life-changing experience
00:19:54.96\00:19:57.09
and it has been so far.
00:19:57.13\00:19:58.69
It's a beautiful
country, and I mean,
00:19:58.73\00:20:00.76
there are very poor
areas, but it's just...
00:20:00.80\00:20:05.13
The people here,
they do feel privileged
00:20:05.17\00:20:08.94
when they even get
the smallest thing,
00:20:08.97\00:20:10.64
and I think we just need to
really keep that in our heads
00:20:10.67\00:20:14.74
as we go through life.
00:20:14.78\00:20:16.41
Wow!
00:20:28.89\00:20:30.23
It's beautiful up here.
00:20:30.26\00:20:31.59
We're on the top
of the water tower
00:20:31.63\00:20:33.06
looking down on Sunrise Home.
00:20:33.09\00:20:35.13
You can see the world,
00:20:35.16\00:20:37.47
beautiful green
fields all around us.
00:20:37.50\00:20:39.57
The rainy
season has just passed,
00:20:39.60\00:20:41.14
so it's gorgeous and green.
00:20:41.17\00:20:43.17
And from up
here, it's wonderful,
00:20:43.20\00:20:45.14
you can see the almost
brand new Sunrise campus,
00:20:45.17\00:20:47.94
it was just dedicated this fall.
00:20:47.98\00:20:49.34
I can see the bus,
the staff quarters,
00:20:49.38\00:20:53.31
the boys' and girls'
dorm, and the new girls' dorm
00:20:53.35\00:20:56.32
that they're building.
00:20:56.35\00:20:57.69
The kids are very
excited about that.
00:20:57.72\00:20:59.62
It's been an amazing
experiencing being here.
00:20:59.65\00:21:01.59
There are ducks,
there are wild turkeys,
00:21:01.62\00:21:04.46
the kids are so happy,
00:21:04.49\00:21:05.96
the kids are just so happy here.
00:21:05.99\00:21:08.03
And they love to
play in this field.
00:21:08.06\00:21:10.50
They even have the
river to go cool off in
00:21:10.53\00:21:13.54
and splash in on a hot day.
00:21:13.57\00:21:15.94
It's just an incredible
experience to be here.
00:21:15.97\00:21:18.17
I am so blessed and
so overwhelmed by it.
00:21:18.21\00:21:21.38
Well, it's Monday morning,
00:21:53.11\00:21:54.71
and we are on the
Sunrise Home school bus,
00:21:54.74\00:21:57.31
and we are riding with
Sheila and the other kids
00:21:57.35\00:21:59.55
to their school this morning.
00:21:59.58\00:22:02.22
I can tell you,
you are never too old
00:22:02.25\00:22:04.59
to ride a school
bus, and this is fun.
00:22:04.62\00:22:07.26
Well, this is
Sheila's classroom,
00:22:32.38\00:22:34.12
she's going to be
studying here today.
00:22:34.15\00:22:36.05
I talked to her
on the school bus.
00:22:36.08\00:22:37.45
She has all subjects today.
00:22:37.49\00:22:39.49
Her favorite subject is biology.
00:22:39.52\00:22:41.96
She's studying
physics, mathematics,
00:22:41.99\00:22:44.56
I can't tell you
how that makes me feel
00:22:44.59\00:22:46.90
to see her here in her classroom
00:22:46.93\00:22:49.66
and to know that she's
getting a good education.
00:22:49.70\00:22:52.03
She's getting an
Adventist education.
00:22:52.07\00:22:54.90
She's being well-prepared
00:22:54.94\00:22:56.47
to go forward into
high school, college.
00:22:56.50\00:22:59.27
She wants to be a
nurse, and I can see here
00:22:59.31\00:23:01.84
that she's
getting the preparation
00:23:01.88\00:23:04.98
that she needs to do that.
00:23:05.01\00:23:06.98
I can't tell you
what a difference
00:23:07.02\00:23:08.52
that makes for me to see
00:23:08.55\00:23:11.42
that she's able to receive
that through sponsorship.
00:23:11.45\00:23:14.69
While Sheila is at school,
00:23:20.26\00:23:22.00
I want to visit a nearby village
00:23:22.03\00:23:24.13
to see how life
is for people there.
00:23:24.17\00:23:26.84
Raj Varma, Asian
Aid field officer,
00:23:26.87\00:23:29.60
takes us to a
village a few minutes drive
00:23:29.64\00:23:31.84
from Sunrise Home.
00:23:31.87\00:23:33.21
There we meet a
Christian woman, Pentamma,
00:23:33.24\00:23:35.94
a gregarious, grey-haired woman.
00:23:35.98\00:23:38.55
She must be in her early 70s
00:23:38.58\00:23:41.02
and yet she tells me that
she still works in the fields.
00:23:41.05\00:23:44.92
If you have had the chance
as a girl to go to school,
00:23:44.95\00:23:47.69
would you have like that?
00:23:47.72\00:23:49.06
So I didn't have any
opportunities in those days.
00:24:03.04\00:24:05.64
My mother didn't
send me to school.
00:24:05.67\00:24:08.14
And in those days,
there was no school in here.
00:24:08.18\00:24:10.38
So my mother used to take me
to the field work, farm work.
00:24:10.41\00:24:13.65
To field work as
a young girl. Okay.
00:24:13.68\00:24:15.65
Meeting Pentamma at her home,
00:24:15.68\00:24:17.55
I'm thankful for the
opportunity Sheila has.
00:24:17.59\00:24:20.99
What would have happened to her
if she was left in her village?
00:24:21.02\00:24:24.99
Would she be working
in the fields, illiterate,
00:24:25.03\00:24:27.46
and with no hope?
00:24:27.50\00:24:29.20
I dare not imagine the scenario.
00:24:29.23\00:24:31.37
I have traveled to
India with my husband Shawn
00:24:36.77\00:24:39.17
before in 2006,
00:24:39.21\00:24:41.04
but this trip with
Asian Aid has opened my eyes
00:24:41.08\00:24:44.78
in a brand new way.
00:24:44.81\00:24:46.55
I am touched by
what Asian Aid is doing,
00:24:46.58\00:24:49.22
and the need of the
happy, beautiful children
00:24:49.25\00:24:52.02
moves me deeply.
00:24:52.05\00:24:54.16
My daughters feel it too.
00:24:54.19\00:24:56.22
And for that, I
feel very thankful.
00:24:56.26\00:24:59.33
In the evening, we
drive back to Vizag.
00:24:59.36\00:25:02.40
It is hard to leave.
00:25:02.43\00:25:04.03
It has been a life-changing week
00:25:04.07\00:25:05.93
for my daughters and me.
00:25:05.97\00:25:08.44
In Vizag, the next morning,
we returned to the slum school
00:25:08.47\00:25:11.67
for its dedication ceremony.
00:25:11.71\00:25:14.01
Colorful banners are
hanging and it's a high day.
00:25:14.04\00:25:17.65
Principal Naomi greets
us, and we enjoy seeing
00:25:17.68\00:25:20.75
the now familiar
faces of the kids.
00:25:20.78\00:25:23.82
At the
dedication, we meet Ramini,
00:25:23.85\00:25:26.62
she lives just down
the narrow alley way,
00:25:26.65\00:25:28.82
a little ways from the school.
00:25:28.86\00:25:30.73
And she attended this
slum school as a child.
00:25:30.76\00:25:33.96
Now she's in a
boarding school in Rajahmundry,
00:25:34.00\00:25:36.53
and she plans to be a physician.
00:25:36.56\00:25:39.37
I like this school very much.
00:25:39.40\00:25:41.20
This school is like my mother.
00:25:41.24\00:25:43.94
This school teach me everything.
00:25:43.97\00:25:45.91
Teachers also helped me so much.
00:25:45.94\00:25:48.24
Sponsors and donors also
helped me so much to learn.
00:25:48.28\00:25:51.65
Because of their
grace, I'm studying now.
00:25:51.68\00:25:54.02
Really, I would
like to thank them.
00:25:54.05\00:25:55.55
I don't who they are also.
00:25:55.58\00:25:57.59
I doesn't see their face also.
00:25:57.62\00:26:00.12
It is an emotional experience
to see the wondrous work
00:26:00.16\00:26:03.59
that's being
carried out in the slums.
00:26:03.63\00:26:06.09
We see the change that has
brought about in the community
00:26:06.13\00:26:09.30
and experience firsthand
00:26:09.33\00:26:11.30
the transformation
Asian Aid is making
00:26:11.33\00:26:13.60
in the lives of thousands
of children across India.
00:26:13.64\00:26:17.57
So not too long ago,
00:26:17.61\00:26:19.27
Shawn and I and our girls
got involved with Asian Aid,
00:26:19.31\00:26:22.51
and it's been
just over a year now
00:26:22.54\00:26:24.15
that we've had Sheila
as our sponsored daughter.
00:26:24.18\00:26:27.42
I couldn't have ever imagined
when we started that process
00:26:27.45\00:26:30.62
that we would
end up here in India
00:26:30.65\00:26:32.79
actually getting to meet Sheila
00:26:32.82\00:26:34.72
and spend time with
her, see where she lives,
00:26:34.76\00:26:37.69
meet the kids she lives
with and shares her life with.
00:26:37.73\00:26:40.96
What an incredible
experience it's been.
00:26:41.00\00:26:43.87
It's been an
incredible privilege to be here,
00:26:43.90\00:26:46.40
I'm just so honored
to be part of Asian Aid
00:26:46.43\00:26:49.30
and what they're doing,
00:26:49.34\00:26:50.67
and I don't think this
would be our last trip to India.
00:26:50.71\00:26:53.41