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, Myanmar,
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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, 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, Asian
Aid is an organization
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giving hope,
giving hope to children,
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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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I'll always remember
my first day in India.
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Here I was thousands
of miles away from home
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walking into a slum
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in the middle of Vishakhapatnam.
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Anxiously, I strode
into its narrow alley
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as my colleague Shawna
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and I were led to a
nondescript building,
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a community school
project run by Asian Aid
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situated right in
the middle of this slum.
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This trip was a
chance for Shawna and me
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to experience firsthand
how Asian Aid's projects
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and its sponsorship program
are having a positive impact
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on the underprivileged
children in India and Myanmar.
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For me the
impact is very evident
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here in the slum
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as I saw a
bright, bubbly children
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sitting in the classrooms.
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Even though learning conditions
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were not what I
was used to seeing,
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these children were
being given an opportunity
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to get an education
in a very unlikely place.
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This school is an oasis
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in the midst of
extreme hardship.
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Asian Aid
involvement is very important
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here in this slum area.
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The children need education.
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There was
previously no school here,
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all children
working for the shops
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as a daily
laborers and child laborers.
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After Asian Aid
started this school,
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all the children
are going to the school,
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get a very good education,
and getting good food,
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and the parents are
happy, community is happy,
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children are so happy
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and enjoying the
daily activities.
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Talking to
Naomi, the headmistress,
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I was able to better understand
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how important this
school is to the children
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who live in this slum,
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and how Asian Aid
sponsors and well-wishers
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are making a difference
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in the lives of
children like Kavya.
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That's nice.
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This is Kavya
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and she's in the
second standard here
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in this school here
that Asian Aid is providing.
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She's one of the
students at this school
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who does not have a sponsor
but because of the people
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who provide monies for
the unsponsored children,
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she's able to attend a school.
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Her father collects coal
alongside the train track
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that runs right past the school.
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Her mother sweeps the
grounds and the roads,
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but neither of
these jobs are permanent.
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They don't bring in
money at all, hardly,
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and sometimes the
families in the area
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have to provide food for them.
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But because of Asian
Aid, because of your support,
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she gets fed here at
school, she gets an education,
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and she's going
to be able to go on
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and become something
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more than what her parents
have done with themselves.
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Just like you would
want something better
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for your children,
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they want something
better for their children too,
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and Asian Aid
helps that to happen.
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And the community is very happy
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to have this
school in their midst,
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so thank you for
being a part of Asian Aid
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and helping Kavya
come to school here.
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The heat and
humidity were stifling
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but meeting these
lovely children and the staff
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at the slum school energized me,
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and I was looking
forward to more experiences
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as we headed toward Bobbili.
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I've always wanted
to ride on one of these.
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We're in Bobbili
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and Bobbili holds a
special place in our hearts
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because our school for the blind
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and Sunrise Children's
Home are located here.
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Through our work,
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these two very
important institutions
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are demonstrating God's
love to the people in Bobbili
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and the surrounding area.
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Here we are
witnessing for the Lord
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and having a mighty
impact on the lives of people,
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especially the children.
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The Asian Aid
School for the blind
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is a beautiful campus
surrounded by paddy fields
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just outside Bobbili town.
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This special-needs school cares
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for the visually
challenged children
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through
specially designed programs
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that not only
provides them with an education
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but also helps a blind
child build self-esteem
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and gives them
hope for a future.
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In the society
where physical disability
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is considered a curse,
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the school for the
blind plays an important role
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in dispersing
these unfortunate notions
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in the community.
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It's type of, you
know, cultural thing that
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if my child go
outside, people will point out,
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"See this man was cursed by God,
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that's the reason this boy was,
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you know, born with blindness
or this girl was born blind."
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So that's how they hide things.
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So they don't let their children
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to have education
or anything, you know.
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So this school plays
a key role in motivating
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such kind of parents
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and tell them that
this is not correct,
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this is not the
correct way of thinking.
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You send your child to a
school and we will teach them
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how differently able they are.
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And we tell them
that they can learn
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and they can be competitive
along with the normal children.
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So we teach them everything.
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The Asian Aid School
for the blind in Bobbili
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is very important
on a number of levels
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for Asian Aid and the community.
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First of all, the
children that come to our school
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are from very,
very poor villages.
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Quite often these children
are rejected by society,
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quite often the
parents are in a real dilemma
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of what to do with their child.
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Sometimes they hide their child.
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Sometimes they
lock their child away.
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So first of all, it gives
the parents huge satisfaction
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and a sense of worth
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that their child
can go to school.
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Secondly, it gives
the child an education
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that they would have never had.
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And thirdly, it
gives them chance for work,
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and it gives them self-worth,
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and it makes their
family feel very proud.
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As I was given a tour of
the campus, I met Poliah.
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Poliah is a 10th grade student
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and like the majority of
the students at the school,
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he was born blind.
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My parents were
working as farmers,
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and when I was born,
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my mother was passed away
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and after that, there is...
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I had a grandmother.
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She used to take care of me
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and my father used to
go to in farm and work.
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And after few years,
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he married one...
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I have a one stepmother.
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Poliah comes
from a small village
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about one hour's
drive from the school.
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Having already lost
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their firstborn
son at childbirth,
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Poliah's parents
were looking forward
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to the birth of
their second son.
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Before Poliah's
father and his family
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could recover from the
shock of him being born blind,
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his mother died
within a few days.
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The
responsibility of caring for him
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fell on his grandmother.
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But while he was still young,
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his grandmother too passed away.
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Poliah's father remarried
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just so he would have
someone to take care of his son
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while he was away
working in the fields.
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Taking care of a blind
child for a farmer's family
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can be a big burden.
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Even though they love their
son in spite of his disability,
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they cannot always
provide for special needs.
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Fortunately for Poliah,
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a headmaster of the
local village school
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informed Poliah's
family about Asian Aid School
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for the blind in Bobbili
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and convinced them to
take him to the school.
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Thanks to the Asian
Aid sponsorship program,
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Poliah now aims to
complete his education
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and become an employee
of the Indian Railways.
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We want to study
because we are blind,
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and we want to stay
like a sighted person.
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And we want to be like them
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and achieve
something in our lives.
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So you've had a
tremendous story.
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I have really enjoyed listening
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to your experience.
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Meeting Poliah has been a
tremendous blessing to me,
00:10:57.29\00:11:01.22
and I'm looking so forward
to hearing more about him
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as the years go by,
00:11:05.13\00:11:07.13
and I'm especially
looking forward to the day
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when I could meet him in heaven,
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and we can talk,
and he can tell me,
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and we can meet
together with his sponsor,
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and we can tell
each other the stories
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of how God has
worked in his life,
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and we can see
everything come together,
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and Poliah can hold
hands with his sponsor,
00:11:28.62\00:11:32.52
and we can make it...
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It'll be an amazing day
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when we're all
together in heaven.
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The Bible tells us that
one day we'll meet in heaven,
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and I'm looking
forward to that day
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when Poliah will be made perfect
00:11:44.97\00:11:49.94
and we'll be
able to spend eternity
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with our Father.
00:11:52.21\00:11:54.11
Poliah, you are
perfect as you are.
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You may not be able
to see as I can see,
00:11:57.58\00:12:00.55
but you can see
better than I can see
00:12:00.58\00:12:02.48
because you have
abilities that I don't have.
00:12:02.52\00:12:06.89
Your vision is
better than my vision
00:12:06.92\00:12:10.89
in different ways.
00:12:10.93\00:12:13.53
And I'm just so looking
forward to learning from you,
00:12:13.56\00:12:17.83
and I think
that we can all learn
00:12:17.87\00:12:19.20
from each other and know
00:12:19.23\00:12:20.74
that we all have
different abilities.
00:12:20.77\00:12:24.34
Poliah is not
disabled, he's differently abled
00:12:24.37\00:12:28.81
and that's what makes
you unique and special
00:12:28.84\00:12:31.88
in the eyes of God.
00:12:31.91\00:12:34.25
The next day, we drove
through mountainous terrain
00:13:02.14\00:13:04.31
to the town of Jeypore,
00:13:04.35\00:13:05.75
where lies Immanuel
English medium School,
00:13:05.78\00:13:08.32
an Asian Aid supported
school in the state of Odisha.
00:13:08.35\00:13:12.35
The school, as I was told,
is situated in a tribal region
00:13:12.39\00:13:15.39
and the children that
attend this boarding school
00:13:15.42\00:13:17.39
are from these
poor tribal areas.
00:13:17.43\00:13:19.79
Thanks to
sponsorship, these children
00:13:19.83\00:13:21.73
from Adventist and
non-Adventist backgrounds
00:13:21.76\00:13:24.60
have the opportunity to
attend a school like this
00:13:24.63\00:13:27.27
and receive quality education.
00:13:27.30\00:13:29.54
And for someone like
Ruth, attending school here
00:13:29.57\00:13:32.21
has had a personal
impact on her life.
00:13:32.24\00:13:34.64
She has learned much more
00:13:34.68\00:13:36.01
than what is
taught in the classroom.
00:13:36.04\00:13:39.21
I learned about the Moses.
00:13:39.25\00:13:41.32
Again, in 10th class I learned
about true Sabbath day, again,
00:13:41.35\00:13:46.65
how we will prove
that true Sabbath day,
00:13:46.69\00:13:49.36
Saturday is the
true Sabbath day.
00:13:49.39\00:13:52.83
Again, I learned
about crucifixion,
00:13:52.86\00:13:55.16
my tears rolled down.
00:13:55.20\00:13:59.20
Again, I told my father
that one about the crucifixion
00:13:59.23\00:14:03.04
and I told to my
grandmother also.
00:14:03.07\00:14:05.51
She was non-Christian.
00:14:05.54\00:14:08.44
After I told, she
accepted as a personal Savior,
00:14:08.48\00:14:12.51
my grandmother.
00:14:12.55\00:14:13.88
It's amazing what you're
doing when you sponsor Ruth.
00:14:17.25\00:14:21.02
You're not just sponsoring
her for her education,
00:14:21.06\00:14:24.03
you're providing
evangelism, true evangelism.
00:14:24.06\00:14:28.83
Ruth, I think it's just amazing
what you were able to go home
00:14:28.86\00:14:31.83
and share this
message with your father
00:14:31.87\00:14:34.40
and your friends as well.
00:14:34.44\00:14:35.90
I'm just looking
forward to the day
00:14:35.94\00:14:37.51
to be able to
hear more about you,
00:14:37.54\00:14:40.38
and to see you
when you become a nurse,
00:14:40.41\00:14:42.54
and that maybe
I'll be hurt someday,
00:14:42.58\00:14:44.41
and you can be my
nurse, and my doctors,
00:14:44.45\00:14:46.78
and I would be proud.
00:14:46.82\00:14:48.15
And to know that Asian
Aid had a part with this,
00:14:48.18\00:14:51.35
and that I could
really have a part to help you
00:14:51.39\00:14:54.89
learn about Christ, and
to learn to be evangelists
00:14:54.92\00:14:59.73
as you went home and
did that with your family.
00:14:59.76\00:15:04.23
Ruth and her
friends Anjali and Mimi
00:15:04.27\00:15:06.87
consider a privilege to
live and attend school here.
00:15:06.90\00:15:09.84
How old are your
brothers and sisters?
00:15:09.87\00:15:11.57
For someone like Ruth,
sponsorship is very important.
00:15:11.61\00:15:16.78
Without sponsorship,
00:15:16.81\00:15:18.15
she would not be
privileged to study over here,
00:15:18.18\00:15:22.82
and it is because
of this sponsorship
00:15:22.85\00:15:25.35
that she could
complete her studies.
00:15:25.39\00:15:31.06
She is going to
complete this year.
00:15:31.09\00:15:34.16
And after that, she is planning
for a bright career ahead.
00:15:34.20\00:15:38.80
Without sponsorship,
00:15:38.83\00:15:40.17
she would have
remained in the village,
00:15:40.20\00:15:42.00
and by now she would be married,
00:15:42.04\00:15:44.71
and she might be settled
00:15:44.74\00:15:47.28
like any other
child in this area.
00:15:47.31\00:15:50.78
So the education
here has made a difference
00:15:50.81\00:15:53.75
and she is hoping
for a bright future
00:15:53.78\00:15:56.52
because of sponsorship.
00:15:56.55\00:15:58.75
The girls' hostel. Okay.
00:15:58.79\00:16:00.86
The center is the
dining hall and kitchen.
00:16:00.89\00:16:02.96
Okay.
00:16:02.99\00:16:04.33
And the staff
quarters around. Okay, wow.
00:16:04.36\00:16:08.86
Mr. Panda is the
principal here and he told me
00:16:08.90\00:16:11.40
that it was a beautiful sight
00:16:11.43\00:16:13.07
to climb up on this hill
00:16:13.10\00:16:14.44
and look over
this beautiful school,
00:16:14.47\00:16:17.04
the beautiful buildings.
00:16:17.07\00:16:19.11
But what good is
a beautiful campus
00:16:19.14\00:16:21.54
without students.
00:16:21.58\00:16:22.94
Over 900 students
come to school here
00:16:22.98\00:16:25.51
because of the
sponsor who makes it possible.
00:16:25.55\00:16:29.48
Earlier today,
I talked with Ruth
00:16:29.52\00:16:32.19
and Ruth told me her
story, how she has learned
00:16:32.22\00:16:34.79
about Christ
coming to school here.
00:16:34.82\00:16:37.46
She went home
and told her father
00:16:37.49\00:16:39.39
in this area which is very
much a very Orthodox Hindu area.
00:16:39.43\00:16:45.03
Her father has
begun to accept Christ
00:16:45.07\00:16:47.80
and has changed
the family dynamics.
00:16:47.84\00:16:50.57
Not just
education is happening here
00:16:50.61\00:16:52.64
but evangelism as well.
00:16:52.67\00:16:54.98
This beautiful campus,
these wonderful students
00:16:55.01\00:16:58.48
because of the sponsor,
00:16:58.51\00:17:00.92
this is just an
amazing, amazing campus.
00:17:00.95\00:17:05.55
Asian Aid is
proud to be associated
00:17:05.59\00:17:09.79
with you here,
00:17:09.82\00:17:11.59
and we're so proud
to have sponsors help us
00:17:11.63\00:17:15.23
make this happen for you.
00:17:15.26\00:17:17.80
This is just a
wonderful campus, I love it.
00:17:17.83\00:17:21.10
This has been a very
emotional journey for me so far.
00:17:25.24\00:17:28.54
We've only been in
India for a few days,
00:17:28.58\00:17:30.68
but yet I'm
already seeing changes
00:17:30.71\00:17:32.48
in the lives of young
people, children that is.
00:17:32.51\00:17:36.42
I could see all the movies,
I could read all the articles
00:17:36.45\00:17:39.19
but nothing prepared me
for what I would feel inside
00:17:39.22\00:17:42.26
when I touched the
hands of the children,
00:17:42.29\00:17:44.26
when I looked into
their eyes, and saw the hope
00:17:44.29\00:17:46.66
that is being given to them.
00:17:46.70\00:17:48.33
It just really made me realize
how important Asian Aid is
00:17:48.36\00:17:51.63
and how important
you are to our ministry.
00:17:51.67\00:17:54.67
It makes me even more excited
00:17:54.70\00:17:56.04
when I think we're
traveling to Myanmar,
00:17:56.07\00:17:57.97
and I'm going to
see more projects,
00:17:58.01\00:17:59.57
and see more young
people, more children
00:17:59.61\00:18:02.18
that I can look into their eyes
and feel their hands and say,
00:18:02.21\00:18:05.05
"We've made a difference."
00:18:05.08\00:18:06.98
I just got a letter
00:18:14.19\00:18:15.52
from our
sponsored daughter, Sheila.
00:18:15.56\00:18:16.99
And I've got to tell
you, there is nothing like
00:18:17.03\00:18:19.36
getting one of these letters.
00:18:19.39\00:18:20.73
Our family has
been able to sponsor her
00:18:20.76\00:18:22.66
through Asian Aid,
00:18:22.70\00:18:24.10
and because of that she's
got a great place to live,
00:18:24.13\00:18:26.40
she's got great meal,
00:18:26.43\00:18:27.77
she's got great
clothing, and best of all,
00:18:27.80\00:18:30.44
I found out she
is now in college,
00:18:30.47\00:18:32.57
she is in nursing school.
00:18:32.61\00:18:34.44
There is nothing like
getting a letter like this.
00:18:34.48\00:18:36.95
You need to start
getting these letters too.
00:18:36.98\00:18:38.51
Listen, through Asian Aid,
you can make a huge difference
00:18:38.55\00:18:42.72
in the life of a
child, and I promise you,
00:18:42.75\00:18:45.92
it's going to
make a huge difference
00:18:45.95\00:18:47.62
in your life too.
00:18:47.66\00:18:49.42
A few years ago,
00:19:02.14\00:19:03.47
I had the
privilege of visiting India
00:19:03.51\00:19:05.84
to see how the
Asian Aid projects
00:19:05.87\00:19:07.61
are making a
difference in that country,
00:19:07.64\00:19:09.94
how lives are being transformed,
00:19:09.98\00:19:12.38
lives of abandoned
children, tribal children,
00:19:12.41\00:19:15.82
orphan children,
children that are being raised
00:19:15.85\00:19:18.65
without the advantages
we have here in America
00:19:18.69\00:19:20.79
and sometimes we
take for granted.
00:19:20.82\00:19:22.66
And I discovered one
very important thing,
00:19:22.69\00:19:24.79
because of sponsors like you,
00:19:24.83\00:19:26.80
these lives are
being transformed,
00:19:26.83\00:19:28.36
the future is made brighter
00:19:28.40\00:19:30.83
because of your prayers
and your financial support.
00:19:30.87\00:19:33.74
Because of what you do,
they now have nutritious food,
00:19:33.77\00:19:37.14
clothing, and they are
able now to propel themselves
00:19:37.17\00:19:40.14
with education to
look to the future
00:19:40.18\00:19:43.24
with hope and courage.
00:19:43.28\00:19:45.08
And so on behalf of Asian Aid,
00:19:45.11\00:19:46.61
I want to thank
you for all you do,
00:19:46.65\00:19:48.55
your sponsorship.
00:19:48.58\00:19:50.12
And now because of
you, they have hope,
00:19:50.15\00:19:52.65
hope for brighter future.
00:19:52.69\00:19:54.86
Our journey took us
to our next destination,
00:20:33.93\00:20:36.26
Myanmar.
00:20:36.30\00:20:38.03
On a balmy Sabbath morning,
00:20:38.07\00:20:39.73
we reached Myanmar
Union Adventist Seminary,
00:20:39.77\00:20:42.57
the only Adventist
College in all of Myanmar.
00:20:42.60\00:20:45.94
How fortunate we are to
belong to the family of God.
00:20:45.97\00:20:49.31
Here I am thousands
of miles away from home
00:20:49.34\00:20:51.95
and yet I'm not a stranger.
00:20:51.98\00:20:54.12
Across the
street from the college
00:20:54.15\00:20:55.58
is an Adventist Academy
00:20:55.62\00:20:56.95
and I was privileged to be
part of the Sabbath services
00:20:56.99\00:20:59.75
with the children and
the staff at the school.
00:20:59.79\00:21:02.42
We're in Myanmar now,
00:21:12.43\00:21:13.80
at Myanmar Union
Adventist Seminary.
00:21:13.84\00:21:16.10
Well, actually
just across the street
00:21:16.14\00:21:17.64
at one of its feeder schools,
00:21:17.67\00:21:19.24
where we've just
completed worshiping.
00:21:19.27\00:21:22.04
Even though on this
beautiful Sabbath day,
00:21:22.08\00:21:24.08
I'm thousands
of miles from home,
00:21:24.11\00:21:26.01
I felt as though I was
part of the family of God.
00:21:26.05\00:21:28.58
The spirituality
here is fantastic.
00:21:28.62\00:21:31.69
Myanmar Union Adventist Seminary
00:21:31.72\00:21:33.25
is the only Adventist College
00:21:33.29\00:21:34.69
in the entire
country of Myanmar.
00:21:34.72\00:21:36.96
The students here
are, will be preachers,
00:21:36.99\00:21:38.93
they'll be teachers,
00:21:38.96\00:21:40.30
and they'll be business
people going out into Myanmar,
00:21:40.33\00:21:42.83
spreading the gospel
that they're learning here.
00:21:42.86\00:21:45.57
I'm so proud to
be part of Asian Aid,
00:21:45.60\00:21:47.90
and I'm sure you
are as well to know
00:21:47.94\00:21:49.60
that your sponsorship
dollars are not just educating,
00:21:49.64\00:21:52.61
but they are evangelizing
00:21:52.64\00:21:54.38
and they are
teaching the future leaders
00:21:54.41\00:21:56.04
of the Adventist Church.
00:21:56.08\00:21:57.68
These are the future of
the entire Adventist Church
00:21:57.71\00:22:01.28
is learning here at
this one and only college
00:22:01.32\00:22:04.25
of the Adventist
Church in Myanmar.
00:22:04.29\00:22:07.09
Back at the
college, I met Tin Tin,
00:22:12.69\00:22:14.53
and I learned how
attending college here
00:22:14.56\00:22:16.30
has had a
profound impact on her life
00:22:16.33\00:22:18.80
and that of her family.
00:22:18.83\00:22:20.47
Her story reminded me
of Ruth back in India.
00:22:20.50\00:22:25.04
What is it you want to become?
00:22:25.07\00:22:26.71
I want to
become a teacher. Okay.
00:22:26.74\00:22:31.15
I'm here with Tin Tin,
00:22:31.18\00:22:32.88
and she's been
telling me her story.
00:22:32.91\00:22:35.15
She wants to become a teacher.
00:22:35.18\00:22:36.75
She wants to go back to
her very poor environment
00:22:36.79\00:22:40.76
where she's come from
and teach to the children
00:22:40.79\00:22:42.96
not only to read, and to write,
00:22:42.99\00:22:45.26
and to do arithmetic,
00:22:45.29\00:22:46.80
but she also wants to
teach them the love of Christ
00:22:46.83\00:22:50.07
that she's come to know.
00:22:50.10\00:22:52.23
The sponsorship program
at Asian Aid has enabled her
00:22:52.27\00:22:54.97
to get an education
00:22:55.00\00:22:56.81
and she wants to use that
education to teach others.
00:22:56.84\00:22:59.97
The ripple effect has gone on.
00:23:00.01\00:23:01.81
It's beyond what
you've given to her,
00:23:01.84\00:23:04.15
it's beyond what she's
learned, it's now going forward,
00:23:04.18\00:23:07.08
it's not just
education, it's evangelism.
00:23:07.12\00:23:10.79
Meeting Tin Tin
00:23:18.36\00:23:19.83
and learning how attending
Adventist schools and colleges
00:23:19.86\00:23:22.36
bring these young girls and boys
00:23:22.40\00:23:23.90
closer to God was uplifting.
00:23:23.93\00:23:26.07
And as we move to
our next destination,
00:23:26.10\00:23:28.07
it emphasized the important role
00:23:28.10\00:23:30.34
that Asian Aid and
its sponsorship program
00:23:30.37\00:23:32.54
are playing in the mission
00:23:32.57\00:23:34.18
of the Adventist
Church in Myanmar.
00:23:34.21\00:23:36.98
This is the
farthest I've come so far.
00:23:53.73\00:23:56.00
We're in the central
region of Myanmar now,
00:23:56.03\00:23:58.47
at Mountain View Academy.
00:23:58.50\00:24:00.54
This afternoon
I was able to tour
00:24:00.57\00:24:01.90
the grounds of the principal
00:24:01.94\00:24:03.57
and he showed me the dormitories
00:24:03.61\00:24:05.07
and the classrooms
where the students learn.
00:24:05.11\00:24:07.44
All this is made
possible because of donations,
00:24:07.48\00:24:10.08
donations given by
donors just like you.
00:24:10.11\00:24:13.38
But what really
brought a smile to my face
00:24:13.42\00:24:15.62
was when I saw the students
interacting with each other.
00:24:15.65\00:24:18.72
I saw them playing and laughing,
00:24:18.75\00:24:21.12
and it just
brought joy to my heart
00:24:21.16\00:24:22.82
realizing this is
far more than a school,
00:24:22.86\00:24:25.43
this is their home.
00:24:25.46\00:24:27.03
Someone who has made this
school her home is Mishar.
00:24:53.49\00:24:56.86
Mishar comes
from a remote village
00:24:56.89\00:24:58.89
which is about a two-day
bus ride from the school.
00:24:58.93\00:25:02.20
Both their parents have
gone through second marriages
00:25:02.23\00:25:04.50
and they are uneducated.
00:25:04.53\00:25:06.33
They live a simple life
00:25:06.37\00:25:07.70
attending to their
small patch of land.
00:25:07.74\00:25:10.17
Mishar came to the
school three years ago
00:25:10.21\00:25:12.24
and has not gone home
for the annual holidays
00:25:12.27\00:25:14.94
and her parents have
not come to see her either.
00:25:14.98\00:25:19.75
And your friends are kind
00:25:19.78\00:25:21.48
and you have good teachers here?
00:25:21.52\00:25:24.42
Yes. It's nice.
00:25:24.45\00:25:28.49
As a father, Mishar's
story just astounds me.
00:25:28.52\00:25:32.19
It makes my heart
ache when I think of all
00:25:32.23\00:25:35.00
that I've been
able to learn about her.
00:25:35.03\00:25:37.30
She's 13 years old,
she's in the fourth grade,
00:25:37.33\00:25:40.44
and she's not been home
in over three years, why?
00:25:40.47\00:25:43.97
Because it costs $100 to
travel two days to her home,
00:25:44.01\00:25:47.64
where she came from.
00:25:47.68\00:25:50.28
A $100 and she could
be able to see her family
00:25:50.31\00:25:54.38
and her father and her mother,
but she's not able to go home.
00:25:54.42\00:25:59.12
Mishar is just one of 20
or so students at this school
00:25:59.15\00:26:02.96
who are not able to go home.
00:26:02.99\00:26:04.33
It just really
breaks my heart to think
00:26:04.36\00:26:07.90
that she's
getting a great education,
00:26:07.93\00:26:10.20
that's a great thing,
00:26:10.23\00:26:11.57
but the idea that
she's not able to go home
00:26:11.60\00:26:13.74
and her parents are
not able to see her,
00:26:13.77\00:26:16.84
as a father that just,
00:26:16.87\00:26:19.41
it just really tugs at my heart,
00:26:19.44\00:26:21.58
it really makes me
long for my children
00:26:21.61\00:26:25.35
and I see them all the time.
00:26:25.38\00:26:26.72
I can only imagine...
00:26:26.75\00:26:28.75
I can only imagine
00:26:28.78\00:26:30.12
what her parents
are going through
00:26:30.15\00:26:31.49
with her here away from home.
00:26:31.52\00:26:34.66
Although her
story touched me deeply,
00:26:34.69\00:26:36.42
I took joy in the fact
that I found her happy.
00:26:36.46\00:26:39.09
I'm hopeful this is
a temporary separation
00:26:39.13\00:26:41.13
from her family.
00:26:41.16\00:26:42.50
I'm hopeful she'll grow
up to be a strong woman,
00:26:42.53\00:26:44.90
and with her
sponsors continued support,
00:26:44.93\00:26:46.84
I'm hopeful she'll
have a bright future.
00:26:46.87\00:26:49.44
After all, isn't
this what sponsorship
00:26:49.47\00:26:51.87
is all about?
00:26:51.91\00:26:53.24
What a trip this has
been, a whirlwind trip.
00:26:56.34\00:26:59.58
I came to India and
Myanmar looking to see examples
00:26:59.61\00:27:03.18
of some of the hope
that Asian Aid is bringing
00:27:03.22\00:27:05.55
to the children in this region.
00:27:05.59\00:27:07.42
But what I saw was
far more than hope.
00:27:07.46\00:27:09.62
I saw lives being transformed,
00:27:09.66\00:27:12.03
lives being
transformed by the people
00:27:12.06\00:27:14.73
living right here.
00:27:14.76\00:27:16.53
People who work
with these children
00:27:16.56\00:27:17.93
on a daily basis,
with the children,
00:27:17.97\00:27:20.84
with the
abandoned, with the orphans,
00:27:20.87\00:27:23.00
with the truly needy,
00:27:23.04\00:27:24.47
these people are
the real missionaries
00:27:24.51\00:27:26.81
in this real-life mission field.
00:27:26.84\00:27:29.41
But what really touched my heart
00:27:29.44\00:27:30.98
was when I was able to
visit with some of the Asian Aid
00:27:31.01\00:27:34.38
sponsored children
to shake their hands,
00:27:34.42\00:27:36.72
to sit with them, and
listen to their stories.
00:27:36.75\00:27:39.39
There was Poliah
at the blind school,
00:27:39.42\00:27:41.86
and Ruth in Jeypore,
00:27:41.89\00:27:44.19
and Mishar, who is
so far away from home
00:27:44.23\00:27:46.83
at Mountain View Academy.
00:27:46.86\00:27:48.96
I'm so proud to be
a part of Asian Aid,
00:27:49.00\00:27:51.60
bringing smiles
to these children,
00:27:51.63\00:27:53.54
bringing hope to them.
00:27:53.57\00:27:55.07
Working together
with sponsors like you,
00:27:55.10\00:27:58.91
we can bring more smiles
and more hope to these children
00:27:58.94\00:28:02.18
as we work with them.
00:28:02.21\00:28:03.81