Participants:
Series Code: HIM
Program Code: HIM000101A
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00:14 Child Impact International is an organization giving hope,
00:18 previously called Asian Aid. 00:20 Child Impact International 00:21 is an organization fostering permanent positive change 00:25 in the lives of disadvantaged children and their communities. 00:28 Child Impact is committed to making a difference 00:31 in the lives of children and those who are in need, 00:34 serving communities in India, 00:35 Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar 00:39 and will soon expand to other countries. 00:41 For the last 50 years, 00:43 Child Impact has invested in the futures of people 00:46 and their investment is proving infinite returns, 00:48 driven by the dedication 00:50 to helping those who have the least. 00:52 Child Impact is an organization focused 00:55 on the welfare of children, 00:56 implementing diverse development projects 00:59 and sponsoring thousands of children. 01:01 Their outreach spans from Child Rescue operations 01:04 to providing an education for orphans, 01:06 deaf and the blind children, 01:08 giving them a sense of place, a home, but above all, 01:12 Child Impact is an organization giving hope, 01:15 giving hope to children, giving hope to communities, 01:18 giving hope to the ones who needed the most. 01:21 This is Hope in Motion. 01:26 I've had the opportunity to visit India and Myanmar 01:30 with Child Impact International. 01:32 These trips have provided me with fantastic insight 01:36 as to how Child Impact works 01:39 and the work that they do with thousands of children. 01:42 The sponsorship program is absolutely 01:45 what makes 01:47 this entire organization be effective 01:49 and they are extremely effective. 01:51 Jim, tell us a little bit more about this sponsorship program. 01:55 First of all, I'd like to know 01:56 how many children are being sponsored at the moment 01:59 and what are the countries that the children are in? 02:03 Well, Jamie, we are in six countries, 02:05 we have three and half thousand children 02:07 in Adventist mission schools. 02:10 Our biggest country is India, 02:12 then Bangladesh and Myanmar 02:15 and we also have children in Nepal and Sri Lanka. 02:19 Okay. Excellent. 02:21 How do you select the children for sponsorship? 02:25 Well, children are selected on need, all right. 02:28 And the definition of needy varies 02:31 from country to country, 02:33 but these are people well below the poverty line. 02:37 And also people 02:38 that the parents want their child 02:41 to go to an Adventist school, who are very poor. 02:44 So we take them based on need 02:46 and we put them in an Adventist mission school. 02:50 Now, when I was there with you, 02:52 I saw that there are different schools, 02:54 there are different categories of sponsorships. 02:57 Can you explain that for us? Yes. 03:00 Well, first of all we have a day student, 03:02 that's a child 03:04 who obviously lives near the school 03:06 and walks to the school or gets public transport. 03:10 Then we have boarding, which is our biggest category, 03:14 these are children who attend boarding school. 03:18 And so the sponsorship 03:19 not only covers their education, 03:21 it covers the accommodation and it covers their food. 03:26 Then, we actually allow donors to sponsor their children 03:30 to higher education, 03:32 which we call tertiary in those countries 03:35 and that may be a degree course 03:37 or it may be a course 03:39 to give them a trait or a future. 03:41 And then we have special needs children. 03:45 This is our school for the blind, 03:47 the deaf school or orphans. 03:49 And so this category is critical to these children. 03:53 Because these children have huge needs. 03:56 So this is special needs category as well. 03:59 And I visited an orphanage and a blind school with you 04:04 and these kids would otherwise, 04:05 probably never have 04:07 an opportunity to excel in life. 04:10 And I was moved by how these children 04:12 are being developed with their short comings 04:18 but with their talents and gifts 04:21 to be able to honor and glorify God 04:24 and share with others as well. 04:27 Tell me, is it costly to sponsor a child 04:29 in any of these categories? 04:32 Well, I guess compared with education where we are, 04:36 it's not costly. 04:38 The day student starts off at $25 a month, 04:44 ABODA is $38 a month. 04:47 A special needs child is $48 a month 04:50 and that covers their education. 04:53 If they are a boarder or the special needs, 04:57 it covers them at the blind school, 04:59 the deaf school or the orphanage. 05:02 It also includes a book allowance 05:05 and also a uniform allowance. 05:08 So it's quite comprehensive to cover their needs, 05:13 to attend that Adventist mission school. 05:15 Fantastic. 05:17 Now tell me, my wife and I have given funds 05:21 to sponsor children before. 05:23 But let's say somebody is watching this right now 05:26 and wants to sponsor a child, how can they do that? 05:30 Well, the best way is to go on to our website, 05:33 which is ChildImpact.org, that's ChildImpact.org 05:38 and there you go to the sponsorship page 05:41 and you can choose your country, 05:44 you can choose your category 05:46 and you'll see a range of children 05:48 that are available. 05:49 Now if you can't get online, just give us a call, 05:52 call our office and the ladies 05:54 there will be very happy to talk to you about 05:58 what the current... 05:59 what current children are available 06:02 or what the needs are. 06:03 Okay. 06:05 So let's say somebody watching 06:06 right now wants to sponsor a child. 06:09 Can you explain how the funds 06:11 that somebody gives to Child Impact, 06:13 actually gets to that child? 06:16 Yes, Jamie. Well, it's a good question. 06:18 First of all, 06:19 we are registered 501(c)(3) charity, 06:25 so the donation is tax deductible. 06:27 Secondly, and we want the donors to know, 06:29 we retain 15% for overhead. 06:32 We believe that's very fair. Yes. 06:34 Last year, it was only 11%, 06:36 but at the maximum it can be up to 15%. 06:40 Then the money goes direct to our partnering country 06:44 and then it goes direct to the school. 06:47 So we have to have our own on the ground organization 06:51 and the money goes to them 06:53 and then it goes direct to the school. 06:55 And then we have field officers 06:57 and each child is visited three times a year. 07:01 We check that the funds have arrived 07:03 and we check each individual child. 07:06 And then the donors get school reports, 07:09 they get an APR, Annual Performance Report. 07:13 And just like your own children's report, 07:16 sometimes they are exciting, 07:17 sometimes you might be disappointed. 07:20 But you can also write to your child 07:22 and your child will write to you. 07:24 So we believe, we've got to good system 07:27 that delivers accountability 07:29 but also involves you with the child 07:32 and correspondence and reports. 07:35 Well, as I mentioned before, 07:36 I have been to India and Myanmar with Child Impact 07:40 and I have seen firsthand the incredible results 07:44 that these sponsorships 07:45 have on the lives of these young people. 07:48 These projects work efficiently to give these young people 07:52 the best Christian education 07:54 that they can have and a future. 07:57 It's made me realize, 07:59 the huge hope that it's giving these children 08:02 and their families. 08:04 I also saw the impact 08:06 on the Adventist mission schools. 08:08 It makes them thrive and grow. 08:12 Would you please consider sponsoring a child today? 08:20 I just got a letter 08:21 from our sponsored daughter, Sheela. 08:23 And I've got to tell you, 08:25 there is nothing like getting one of these letters. 08:27 Our family has been able to sponsor her 08:29 through Child Impact International, 08:31 because of that, 08:32 she's got a great place to live, 08:34 she's got good food, she's got great clothing. 08:37 Best of all, 08:38 I now found out she's in college, 08:40 she's in nursing school. 08:42 There's nothing like getting a letter like this. 08:45 You need to start getting these letters too. 08:47 Listen, through Child Impact, 08:49 you can make a huge difference in the life of a child 08:52 and I promise you, 08:53 it's gonna make a huge difference 08:55 in your life too. 08:57 Our television series 08:59 "Hope in Motion" has been a big success 09:02 and we want to continue to share with you 09:05 some of the field stories 09:06 that we have filmed over the years. 09:09 So just from time to time it may refer to Asian Aid 09:13 as we reflect on these great stories 09:16 as we share them with you. 09:30 Situated in midst lush green paddy fields of Bobbili 09:34 in Andhra Pradesh, India, 09:35 is an institution that is home 09:37 to some of the most disadvantage children 09:39 in the society. 09:40 This is the Asian Aid School for the Blind. 09:44 In a world where blindness is considered a curse 09:47 and blind children are abandoned, 09:49 this campus is a refuge 09:51 for children seeking care and comfort. 09:55 The Asian Aid School for the Blind 09:57 was established here 09:58 mainly by the efforts of Asian Aid Co-founder, Helen Eagar. 10:02 The Asian Aid School for the Blind 10:03 is very important to me 10:05 because, actually I did find 10:08 that we were supporting a few blind children up 10:11 in Jharkhand 10:13 and they were being supported 10:14 by someone in the US and I thought, 10:16 oh, this is so wonderful, 10:17 I am so glad Asian Aid 10:18 is doing something for the blind. 10:20 And then I went home to Australia 10:22 and then I got a letter just few weeks later saying, 10:26 this person in US 10:28 is no longer supporting these children, 10:29 so we've sent them all home. 10:30 So that was basically 10:32 the start of the "Blind Program." 10:35 I said, well, bring them all back 10:37 and we supported them there in Jharkhand 10:39 and then we started the blind school 10:42 actually in Andhra Pradesh. 10:44 Started with just a few children 10:46 at its new location in Bobbili, 10:48 the number of children at the school 10:50 steadily increased each passing year. 10:53 There are various circumstances that have contributed 10:55 to these children losing their sight. 10:57 Some of them are victims of accidents, 10:59 some due to vitamin deficiency, 11:01 factored by lack of nutritious food, 11:03 but most of them were born blind. 11:05 The main reason children are born blind 11:07 in these parts of Andhra Pradesh 11:09 is due to a social-economic practice 11:11 that is prevalent in these cultures. 11:14 We have found that with the children 11:17 that we support in the blind school, 11:19 that nearly all of them, 11:20 the parents are blood relatives. 11:22 Now the reason they do, 11:24 this is basically poverty as well. 11:26 Because if there is, 11:28 you know, a small piece of land, 11:29 they don't want that piece of land to leave 11:32 the family kind of thing and so they will... 11:35 It's often uncles marrying their nieces. 11:40 And of course, 11:41 if your daughter marries a relative, 11:45 then you don't have to pay a dowry. 11:48 Well, rural traditions 11:49 and socio-economic difficulties dictate life in rural India, 11:52 their children pay the price. 11:55 Cultural issues are hard to understand. 11:57 It may even seem bizarre and cruel at times. 12:00 It's difficult to change peoples' perceptions 12:02 that are rooted deep 12:04 but for all its traditions and practices, 12:06 the fact remains 12:07 that all parents love their children 12:09 and want the best for them. 12:11 It's very difficult for you 12:13 as a caring parent to find a way 12:16 of giving your child a better life. 12:19 So not only are we making a difference for the child, 12:24 we're actually giving the parents some hope. 12:28 They all care for their child and they overcome 12:32 with guilt and community pressure 12:36 because their child was blind. 12:38 So it helps overcome all these issues, 12:42 in giving the child a chance but giving the parents hope 12:48 that they simply have no other way of getting. 12:53 Jagan is a 9th grade student at the school. 12:56 He comes from a small village 12:58 about an hours drive from the school. 13:12 Jagan's parents are dhobis, a washer men community. 13:16 In a class divided world, 13:17 they are at the bottom of the social structure 13:19 and are pushed to the edge of the village. 13:26 When my first son was born, I was happy. 13:29 My second son was born and I was very happy 13:33 but when my third child was born, 13:36 my wife and I became very depressed. 13:40 As if living at the edge of the village 13:42 wasn't bad enough, 13:44 their hardship was compounded 13:45 when their third child Jagan was born blind. 13:50 I am a dhobi. 13:51 I go to the pond in the morning and come back in the evening. 13:55 He was let alone at home. 13:57 When he goes into the street, other children made fun of him. 14:01 This is how he spent his childhood here. 14:03 He's blind, god made him that way, what can we do? 14:07 In rural villages 14:08 where being handicapped is considered a curse, 14:11 blind children face an uncertain future. 14:14 This is where Asian Aid School for the Blind in Bobbili serves 14:17 as a refuge for children born blind. 14:20 These children have very special needs. 14:24 Their needs are even greater than people 14:28 who do not have sight in a western system, 14:30 in a first world country 14:32 because they are ostracized, their family is ostracized. 14:35 So creating this environment that focuses on them, 14:38 gives them an education 14:41 and gives them an opportunity to live a normal life. 14:44 It's so transformational, 14:45 not just now for the child but the parents, 14:48 because now they don't have the same stigma. 14:50 Their children can get on and live a productive life 14:53 and contribute to society a huge difference. 14:58 This environment that gives them an opportunity 15:01 to live a normal life is indeed transformational. 15:04 With the help of a local school teacher, 15:06 Jagan was brought to the school for the blind in Bobbili, 15:10 far away from the struggles 15:11 of his parents and his community. 15:15 I am so happy 15:16 he is studying there at the school. 15:18 When he gets a good education, he will get a good job. 15:21 I am really happy about that. 15:22 Now he can become 15:24 whatever he wishes to be in life. 15:26 The appreciation from these parents sometimes 15:31 it's just over powering because they are so proud 15:34 that their child can go to the school 15:37 and they're so proud 15:39 that when their child comes home, 15:40 they can see a dramatic difference. 15:43 Okay, read that first hand? First hand, sir? 15:47 Child Impact International 15:49 sponsors the majority of children living 15:51 and studying at the school. 15:53 Without sponsorship, 15:54 these children would not have the opportunity 15:56 for a new chance in life. 15:58 I really thank 15:59 the Asian Aid sponsors, the donors. 16:05 If sponsorship is not there, my life will be not there. 16:22 Today is a special day 16:23 for the staff and students of Asian Aid School 16:25 for the Blind in Bobbili, India. 16:27 Standing on both sides of the entrance, 16:29 the students and staff welcome the arrival of a special guest, 16:33 Garwin Mcneilus. 16:35 Garwin is an Adventist businessman 16:36 from Minnesota, 16:38 who has sponsored hundreds of children in India. 16:40 He and his family have supported 16:42 and built a number of urgently needed buildings 16:44 for Adventist schools, 16:45 including the school for the blind in Bobbili. 16:49 The needs of the blind school were first brought to me 16:52 by Helen Eagar, 16:54 and Helen showed a video of where they were, 16:57 the conditions they were and how they had to take 17:00 their sleeping mattresses out, 17:05 lay them outside, 17:06 sometimes it's raining, put the desk in, 17:09 have their class and it made an impression 17:13 that just wouldn't go away on my heart. 17:17 Moved by the plight of the blind children 17:19 in an old crowded building in town, 17:22 Garwin drew out a plan to move them 17:23 to a bigger campus just outside Bobbili town. 17:26 He also designed the buildings. 17:28 This is beautifully designed for the blind children, 17:33 who cannot see. 17:34 And once they get inside, they take a single walk. 17:38 They can easily understand which side is the boy's hostel, 17:41 which side is the girl's hostel, 17:43 there is nothing to be confused. 17:49 The children now have a beautiful campus, 17:52 where they can feel safe and secure, 17:54 their own home away from home. 17:56 The Asian Aid School for the Blind 17:58 is not just an institution 17:59 that provides food and shelter for the blind, 18:02 but it's an institution that prepares them 18:04 for the world outside. 18:05 And remember 18:06 when they finish year 12, for example, 18:08 I am talking about the sight impaired children, 18:12 they can go on to university 18:14 and by giving them these opportunities, 18:16 they can get jobs that are already there, 18:18 that government has set aside for people 18:20 with these sort of disabilities. 18:22 So we are channeling them, giving them the skills, 18:25 giving them the qualifications, 18:27 preparing them for employment 18:29 but also we are giving them life skills. 18:35 These children may not have the ability to see 18:37 but this disability does not deprive them 18:40 of the ability to learn. 18:41 They are perfectly capable of acquiring skills needed 18:44 for employment. 18:45 In fact, the Indian government refers to them 18:47 not as disabled but differently abled. 18:50 And the Asian Aid School for the Blind provides them 18:52 an ideal place 18:54 for these differently abled children 18:55 to acquire skills. 19:02 Without individual sponsorship, 19:04 these children would not be here. 19:06 Today because of Child Impact sponsorship program, 19:09 an individual supporting its program, 19:12 hundreds of differently abled students 19:13 like Jagan can receive an education, 19:16 an education that will help them 19:17 to lead a dignified life. 19:20 Whether one is able to contribute 19:21 in a small way or in a big way, 19:24 sponsorship endows these children's future. 19:27 Whether the Lord has blessed in different ways, 19:32 we are accountable for what we have. 19:35 We all know the Bible parable of the widow's mite. 19:39 How she gave what she could. 19:41 Some can do a child, some can do a half a child, 19:45 some can do many child, 19:48 but the combination 19:50 of what the Lord has blessed you 19:51 with is essential for the welfare of the children 19:56 and it will make a difference in eternity. 20:04 Thanks to the untiring efforts of Helen Eagar, 20:07 organizations like Child Impact International 20:09 and individual sponsors like Garwin Mcneilus, 20:12 children at the blind school not only have a place 20:15 where they can acquire life skills 20:16 for the world outside, 20:17 but they have a place 20:19 where they can prepare their souls 20:20 for the world to come. 20:22 I think of the blind school, 20:25 if not daily, sometimes several times a day. 20:28 And I think of the story 20:31 when we were taking the children, 20:34 to get their eye operation 20:38 and Dorothy Watts, 20:40 long time friend, India, 20:44 who's not with us anymore, 20:47 and I were sitting on the bench, 20:50 I had a little girl 20:52 and the little girl, Dorothy says, 20:55 "What do you want to do 20:57 if your operation is successful? 20:59 What is the first thing that you want to see?" 21:02 And she said 21:03 "Well, I've held a kitty, I petted a cow." 21:10 She says, "I want to see Jesus." 21:13 And Dorothy said, 21:15 "Well, we can see but we can't see Him." 21:19 And she says, 21:21 "Well, then show me a picture." 21:25 And Dorothy said, 21:26 "Well, your operation may not be successful." 21:30 And she said, she thought, she had look on her face. 21:34 She says, "That's okay, I'll see Him in heaven." 21:37 Wow! 21:38 Here this little girl, that first thing 21:40 she want to see if she could see is Jesus. 21:44 And I think, when we wake up in the morning, 21:47 is that our thought? 21:49 The first thing we want to see is Jesus, 21:51 it has such an affect. 21:53 Jim, I think about it daily. 21:56 The faith of a blind child cannot be explained. 22:02 You need to come and feel it. 22:05 I've been in this position over eight years now 22:08 and the privilege that I have in my role 22:11 is being able to visit the children 22:13 that you the donors support. 22:15 And as I meet them, 22:17 I see the difference that you make in their lives. 22:20 The difference you make 22:21 and where they live in their village. 22:23 The difference you make with their education 22:26 and then finally when they get a job. 22:28 Just the other day in India, we met a bank manager, 22:32 he was brought up as a sponsored child 22:34 from a very poor village 22:36 and now he has a successful job, 22:39 he has a family 22:40 and he is impacting the lives of others. 22:43 And in fact, the amazing thing is, 22:45 he is now sponsoring two children 22:47 in one of our programs. 22:50 This is an important time of year. 22:52 It's a time of year where we share 22:54 and where we give gifts to our loved ones and friends. 22:57 But it's also an important time 22:59 of year for us here at Child Impact. 23:02 And this year for our annual appeal, 23:04 we have four projects 23:06 that will make a real impact with the people 23:09 that they serve. 23:11 Our first project is "Where Needed Most" fund. 23:14 This is a critical fund for Child Impact, 23:18 as it not only helps with the operating 23:20 that we do in six countries 23:23 but it also allows us to have a pool of money 23:26 for emergencies, which consistently come along. 23:29 Some are small just like medical needs, 23:32 but others are major 23:33 when there's a disaster or a flood. 23:36 We just ask that you consider the "Where Needed Most" funds 23:39 as one of the ones 23:41 that you can support this Christmas. 23:43 Our next project is "Operation Child Rescue." 23:46 Operation Child Rescue is a very dramatic project 23:51 that we are involved in Bangalore, India. 23:54 We are partnered with a lady, 23:56 who has a team that rescues girls 23:59 from brothels and the sex industry. 24:02 It's simply hard to comprehend, 24:04 how many girls and children are taken to the sex industry. 24:08 In India, it's thousands every year. 24:11 The same team helps rescue boys from factories 24:16 where they are poorly paid or hardly paid anything. 24:19 And the other aspect of Operation Child Rescue 24:22 is looking after and rescuing babies, 24:25 who have been dropped off 24:26 on the side of the road or abandoned. 24:29 Operation Child Rescue is not only saving lives, 24:33 its giving those children hope. 24:36 Operation Child Rescue is a key project 24:39 for Child Impact International. 24:42 The next project is the "Unsponsored Child Fund." 24:46 At any time, 24:47 Child Impact has over three and half thousand children 24:51 and we normally have about 500 unsponsored children. 24:55 These are children we have had to take 24:57 because of an urgent need. 24:59 We also need a pool 25:00 of children available for sponsorship. 25:02 And yes, once a donor can't support a child 25:06 for some reason, 25:08 they go into that pool of children. 25:10 Once a child is in our program, we support them 25:13 whether they have a sponsorship or not. 25:17 Supporting the Unsponsored Child Fund 25:19 is a unique way of being involved 25:22 in sponsorship, 25:23 if you don't want the monthly commitment. 25:25 The Unsponsored Child Fund is critical 25:29 to our sponsorship program. 25:32 Child Impact is very excited 25:34 that we can partner with the church in India, 25:37 with a blind school, 25:38 a deaf school and four orphanages. 25:41 These special homes and schools are just so exciting to visit. 25:47 I had one of the most 25:48 emotional moments of my whole work career, 25:52 when one day I visited the blind school. 25:54 And a young girl 25:56 was just arrived at the school that morning, 25:58 they had found her in a village and she had been locked 26:01 in the basement of the house for over six years. 26:05 She just sat in the corner, she wouldn't talk to anyone, 26:08 she wouldn't communicate and she was just totally lost. 26:12 And I thought, 26:13 is there any hope for this child, 26:15 totally blind by the way. 26:18 Well, I went back eight weeks later 26:20 and here's she was, I couldn't believe it. 26:23 She was talking to other children, 26:26 she was playing. 26:27 And then in the evening, 26:28 it was just so touching to see her singing, 26:31 Jesus loves me. 26:33 It really was just very emotional. 26:36 And so these children in a country 26:39 like India have a larger need than here 26:42 because when they are home 26:43 in their village, they are rejected, 26:46 their parents don't know what to do. 26:48 So supporting the blind school, 26:50 the deaf school or the orphanages 26:52 is a very real way in which you can impact 26:56 the life of children who have a huge need. 27:00 We're very grateful of Child Impact 27:02 for the support that you the donors give. 27:04 But December is a critical month for us 27:07 and a month 27:08 where you can give to one of these four funds 27:11 or any of our projects and have a real impact. 27:15 I just ask, so you give consideration 27:17 to supporting our yearend program 27:20 for one of these four projects. 27:23 You can contact us on our phone 27:25 by talking to our staff 27:27 and we put the number on the screen. 27:29 Or you can go online to ChildImpact.org. 27:33 That's ChildImpact.org 27:36 to see how you can get further information 27:39 or support us at Child Impact International. 27:43 I want to thank you for your support. |
Revised 2018-03-29