Our television
series Hope In Motion
00:00:10.61\00:00:13.24
has been a big success
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and we want to
continue to share with you
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some of the field stories
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that we have
filmed over the years.
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So just from time to
time, it may refer to Asian Aid,
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as we reflect on
these great stories
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as we share them with you.
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In this episode
of Hope In Motion,
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we go to Sri Lanka to see
how Child Impact International
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is helping the Adventist mission
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in this island nation.
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It makes a huge difference
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when individuals
and organizations
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from around the
world give support to us
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here at Lakpahana.
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We visited Lakpahana
College and Seminary,
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an Adventist institution
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that is preparing
soldiers for Christ.
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This school,
Lakpahana College and Seminary
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means a lot to our mission
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because this is where we
train most of our workers.
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And witness how
Child Impact sponsorship
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is helping a young
sibling overcome a tragic past.
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Child Impact International
is an organization giving hope.
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Previously called Asian Aid,
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Child Impact International
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is 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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Child Impact is
committed to making a difference
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in the lives of children
and those who are in need,
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serving
communities in India, Nepal,
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Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar,
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and will soon
expand to other countries.
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For the last 50 years,
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Child Impact has invested
in the futures of people,
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and their investment
has proven infinite returns.
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Driven by the
dedication to helping those
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who have the least,
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Child Impact is an
organization focused
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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
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for orphans, deaf,
and the blind children,
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giving them a
sense of place, a home,
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but above all, Child Impact
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 need it the most.
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This is Hope In Motion.
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Sri Lanka is an island nation
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located just a few miles
from the southern tip of India.
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Because of its
natural beauty and location,
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it is commonly known as
the Pearl of the Indian Ocean.
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Until 1972,
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it was called by its
Portuguese derived name Ceylon.
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Like its neighbor India,
Sri Lanka is a diverse country,
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home to many religious
ethnicities and languages,
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but it's
predominantly a Buddhist nation
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with a rich Buddhist heritage.
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Although the Seventh-day
Adventist Church mission
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was organized here in 1950,
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the church
membership is only around 4,000.
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This is why Lakpahana
Adventist College and Seminary
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was established in Kandy
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to meet the challenges
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of the Adventist
mission in Sri Lanka.
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This school
Lakpahana College and Seminary
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means a lot to our mission
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because this is where we
train most of our workers.
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Right from the
inception of this school,
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it has trained many workers
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who are serving
here in Sri Lanka,
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as well as in other countries.
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So we really respect,
and we value the school
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because it's a great service
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to the community
and to our church.
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Established just outside
Sri Lanka's second largest city
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Kandy,
Lakpahana, over the decades
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has produced many
workers for the mission field.
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We're providing the
future really of the church.
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If you were to go
around Sri Lanka today
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and look at most of the pastors
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and the
leadership of the Church,
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they're all
products of Lakpahana.
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And even if you look at
some of the leading businessmen
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around the country,
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they're all
products of Lakpahana.
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Lakpahana has played a huge role
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in the work of the
church here in Sri Lanka.
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Being the only
Adventist institution
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for higher
education in Sri Lanka,
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the demand for admission is high
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among Adventist community.
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Children also come from
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different
socio-economic backgrounds
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and from various
parts of Sri Lanka
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and are exposed to
the Christian environment
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and to a Christian
education and lifestyle
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in this
predominantly Buddhist culture.
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But many students in Lakpahana
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like Adventist schools in
other South Asian countries
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come from rural
and poor backgrounds
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and are unable to
pay basic tuition fees
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required to
attend a boarding school
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like Lakpahana.
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This is where Child
Impact plays a crucial role
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in giving that
opportunity for those children
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who are from an
underprivileged background.
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We are very happy that there
are sponsoring organizations
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such as Asian Aid,
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who has come forward to sponsor
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about 80 or 90 or
even more students.
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And because of their assistance,
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we are able to
educate these children
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and run this school
without much problem.
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Our church work
is very dependent
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on Asian Aid
children and its workforce.
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And so it's not only the
development of that child,
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it's where that child goes.
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And they go in
so many directions
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without having an impact
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not only on them
but on their community.
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And the other thing is too,
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they have a big impact
on their immediate family,
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so they impact on their parents,
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their mothers,
their uncles and aunts,
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and in their local community.
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We are creating
a future for those
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who really are left behind
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and need someone to
give them a hand up,
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never a hand out
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because by giving an
education, it's a hand up.
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They can help themselves.
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They don't have to
rely on people forever.
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It's not a welfare issue.
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It's creating a new
possibility for children.
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And the kids that are sponsored
really, really do benefit.
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But not all are
lucky to get this benefit.
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The school
administration is under pressure
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to secure sponsorship
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for the regular
inflow of students
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that come for
admission each year.
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Sixty percent of our
students are sponsored,
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and with a growing enrollment,
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that means we need a
growing base of sponsors.
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At the beginning of
the year, which is January,
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we made a faith decision,
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and that was if you
came from Adventist parents
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or you're an Adventist,
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you could come here,
and we would find a sponsor.
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Now that was a real faith step.
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And the Lord has
blessed us immensely.
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But with all of our
students are not sponsored,
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and I have a huge waiting
list of students on my desk
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who want to come to Lakpahana,
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they're from
Adventist backgrounds,
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but we just do not
have the sponsorships.
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Child Impact has
been a part of Lakpahana
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for a number of years,
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mainly through its
sponsorship program.
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Presently, over 90 students
are sponsored by Child Impact,
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thus playing an important role
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in the development of Lakpahana.
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If you haven't
been in mission field
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in a third world country,
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economics are so different than
they are in the United States.
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And the sponsorship
of a student is just...
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I mean, I don't even know
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how to describe
how important it is.
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It's just, it's our life blood.
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How are you? Welcome back.
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Good to see you again.
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How are you?
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Pastor Brooke
Sadler is a retired
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school
administrator from Tennessee,
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who served as principal
of Lakpahana in the 1970s.
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I was comfortably in retirement
in Northeast Tennessee,
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enjoying sitting on the
couch, looking at the mountains.
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And I kept getting emails
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that the school
here needed some help.
00:09:03.10\00:09:06.98
And so I actually
came over on a visit
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and looked at it and
realized, yes, it did need help.
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I went home with no
intention of coming back.
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And then people started
talking to me, and said,
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"Why don't you go back?"
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And I said, "I'm 71 years old,
should I be a principal again?"
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And so anyway,
make a long story short,
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my wife and I prayed about it.
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We came back, and I'm principal,
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and we've been here 10 months,
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and the Lord has
blessed immensely,
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and we'll be here
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as long as the
Lord wants us to be.
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Now we were able
to get his service
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back here in Lakpahana.
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Although he's now retired,
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but still he has very
graciously volunteered
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to come and serve Lakpahana
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and try to do his
best to revive Lakpahana
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and bring it to what it
was during that golden era.
00:10:00.70\00:10:06.03
Good to see you again.
00:10:06.07\00:10:08.77
Since pastor Sadler's return,
00:10:08.80\00:10:10.84
Lakpahana has undertaken
the path to steady growth
00:10:10.87\00:10:14.34
but the going hasn't been easy.
00:10:14.38\00:10:16.88
There were all
kinds of areas of need,
00:10:16.91\00:10:19.21
the physical
plant, the classrooms.
00:10:19.25\00:10:23.55
But Asian Aid USA has helped us
00:10:23.59\00:10:26.96
with some funding,
others have helped us,
00:10:26.99\00:10:29.12
and we're making huge progress
00:10:29.16\00:10:30.99
in bringing this school back
to what it really should be.
00:10:31.03\00:10:34.90
And we're just so
proud to be able to assist
00:10:34.93\00:10:38.83
with the
redevelopment of Lakpahana
00:10:38.87\00:10:42.30
but also to
sponsor children there.
00:10:42.34\00:10:45.44
But our key role at the moment
00:10:45.47\00:10:47.64
is assisting in the
development of the school.
00:10:47.68\00:10:50.85
This is the only
00:10:50.88\00:10:52.51
Adventist college or
institution in Sri Lanka
00:10:52.55\00:10:57.19
that is developing children
00:10:57.22\00:10:59.22
for college
degree and college work.
00:10:59.25\00:11:03.12
So it has a very important
role to fulfill on this country.
00:11:03.16\00:11:08.53
One of the great things about
00:11:08.56\00:11:09.90
being part of the Seventh-day
Adventist Church worldwide
00:11:09.93\00:11:12.23
is the support
that it helps you.
00:11:12.27\00:11:14.50
And it makes a huge difference
00:11:14.54\00:11:15.87
when individuals
and organizations
00:11:15.90\00:11:17.97
from around the world
00:11:18.01\00:11:19.37
give support to
us here at Lakpahana.
00:11:19.41\00:11:22.58
Child Impact International
00:11:22.61\00:11:24.15
has been a huge part of this
support system at Lakpahana.
00:11:24.18\00:11:27.52
The school under the leadership
of Pastor Brooke Sadler
00:11:27.55\00:11:30.29
has taken a proactive approach
in relying less on sponsorship
00:11:30.32\00:11:34.02
and providing a
recovering source of income
00:11:34.06\00:11:36.42
for the school by
reviving and redeveloping
00:11:36.46\00:11:38.99
some of its industries.
00:11:39.03\00:11:40.46
This is our dairy
00:11:40.50\00:11:41.96
in which we have nine cows
and three calves, two females.
00:11:42.00\00:11:47.54
We want to
expand this very much.
00:11:47.57\00:11:49.60
We use the milk
for the cafeteria,
00:11:49.64\00:11:51.47
we sell milk,
00:11:51.51\00:11:52.84
and we're starting to make curd.
00:11:52.87\00:11:54.68
If we make curd out of the milk,
00:11:54.71\00:11:56.08
we make more
money, so more income.
00:11:56.11\00:11:58.11
So we want this, again,
00:11:58.15\00:11:59.48
as an income
source for the school
00:11:59.51\00:12:01.28
but we also...
00:12:01.32\00:12:02.65
This is where the students work,
00:12:02.68\00:12:04.02
we don't have any help other
than students, all the milking,
00:12:04.05\00:12:07.32
everything is taken
care of by the students.
00:12:07.36\00:12:09.69
They come morning
and evening and milk
00:12:09.72\00:12:11.39
and take care all of it.
00:12:11.43\00:12:12.96
They're a great bunch of kids.
00:12:12.99\00:12:17.10
The poultry has been
restarted since I came back.
00:12:17.13\00:12:19.93
We have about 600
chickens laying chickens
00:12:19.97\00:12:23.14
and we get about 558.
00:12:23.17\00:12:25.34
We use it to increase
the nutrition at the school
00:12:25.37\00:12:28.48
so that children
get eggs more often.
00:12:28.51\00:12:30.65
We also use it
for bakery products
00:12:30.68\00:12:32.35
and we sell for
income for the school.
00:12:32.38\00:12:35.15
And we hope to increase
the number of cows and chickens
00:12:35.18\00:12:40.06
but this is a very important
part of what we're doing.
00:12:40.09\00:12:41.86
And again our student labor,
it's all done by students.
00:12:41.89\00:12:45.93
Boys who are standing behind
you are waiting to go to work.
00:12:45.96\00:12:49.06
The clinic has also
become operational now,
00:12:54.44\00:12:57.37
although small it is adequate
00:12:57.41\00:12:59.04
to meet the
needs of the students.
00:12:59.07\00:13:03.38
We didn't have a
functional clinic before.
00:13:03.41\00:13:06.41
After Pastor Sadler came back,
we have started this clinic.
00:13:06.45\00:13:10.92
So now we have facility
00:13:10.95\00:13:12.79
to treat minor
ailments and wounds.
00:13:12.82\00:13:15.52
This clinic is a great help
00:13:15.56\00:13:17.09
for children and the staff here.
00:13:17.13\00:13:19.69
A clinic in a
campus is essential
00:13:19.73\00:13:21.53
for a large boarding
school like Lakpahana.
00:13:21.56\00:13:23.90
For if a child gets a small cut,
00:13:23.93\00:13:26.00
they have to almost get
that treated immediately
00:13:26.03\00:13:28.30
or it's gets infected,
00:13:28.34\00:13:29.77
but they are also
blessed to have Lakeside
00:13:29.80\00:13:31.91
Adventist Hospital
about 15 miles away.
00:13:31.94\00:13:34.64
So when a child
needs extra attention,
00:13:34.68\00:13:36.75
they are sent to Lakeside.
00:13:36.78\00:13:38.11
There are also
plans to collaborate
00:13:38.15\00:13:40.02
with Lakeside Adventist Hospital
00:13:40.05\00:13:41.78
to start a vocational
nursing program at Lakpahana
00:13:41.82\00:13:44.75
so that the
school can also provided
00:13:44.79\00:13:46.69
Adventist nurses in
the hospital systems
00:13:46.72\00:13:48.82
here in Sri Lanka.
00:13:48.86\00:13:50.19
The school also
has a large farm area.
00:13:54.16\00:13:56.46
And with the
help of student labor,
00:13:56.50\00:13:58.20
fresh vegetables are cultivated
00:13:58.23\00:13:59.93
to meet the
needs of the kitchen.
00:13:59.97\00:14:01.84
Work program is an
integral part of hostel life.
00:14:01.87\00:14:04.74
In Adventist institutions
throughout South Asia
00:14:04.77\00:14:07.48
and in Lakpahana,
00:14:07.51\00:14:08.84
students actively
take part in its upkeeping
00:14:08.88\00:14:11.28
and are
encouraged to participate
00:14:11.31\00:14:13.21
and help in the
various industries
00:14:13.25\00:14:14.85
inside the campus.
00:14:14.88\00:14:16.28
This not only helps
00:14:16.32\00:14:17.65
lead a
disciplined life in the campus
00:14:17.69\00:14:19.39
but it helps them
acquire skills needed
00:14:19.42\00:14:21.22
for work in the future.
00:14:21.26\00:14:24.13
When we come back, we look at
how a key industry in Lakpahana
00:14:24.16\00:14:27.73
was revived since
Pastor Sadler's return.
00:14:27.76\00:14:30.50
And meet Sachikala and Shaan,
00:14:30.53\00:14:32.60
and witness how
Child Impact's sponsorship
00:14:32.63\00:14:34.97
is helping them
overcome a tragic past.
00:14:35.00\00:14:37.41
I just got a letter
00:14:43.31\00:14:44.65
from our
sponsor daughter Sheila.
00:14:44.68\00:14:46.21
I've got to tell you,
00:14:46.25\00:14:47.58
there is nothing like
getting one of these letters.
00:14:47.62\00:14:49.98
Our family has been
able to sponsor her through
00:14:50.02\00:14:51.99
Child Impact International.
00:14:52.02\00:14:54.02
And because of that,
00:14:54.06\00:14:55.39
she's got a great place to live,
00:14:55.42\00:14:56.76
she's got good food,
she's got great clothing.
00:14:56.79\00:14:59.73
Best of all,
00:14:59.76\00:15:01.10
I now found out
she's in college,
00:15:01.13\00:15:03.00
she's in nursing school.
00:15:03.03\00:15:04.77
There's nothing like
getting a letter like this.
00:15:04.80\00:15:08.00
You need to start
getting these letters too.
00:15:08.04\00:15:10.14
Listen, through Child Impact,
00:15:10.17\00:15:11.71
you can make a huge difference
in the life of a child.
00:15:11.74\00:15:15.01
And I promise you,
00:15:15.04\00:15:16.38
it's going to
make a huge difference
00:15:16.41\00:15:18.15
in your life too.
00:15:18.18\00:15:19.51
At Adventist mission schools
like this one on Bangladesh,
00:15:29.99\00:15:33.50
Child Impact International
sponsors hundreds of children.
00:15:33.53\00:15:37.20
We often think that sponsorship
00:15:37.23\00:15:39.53
only impacts on
the life of the child
00:15:39.57\00:15:42.20
but it's much wider than that.
00:15:42.24\00:15:44.07
It impacts on the
parents and on the community.
00:15:44.11\00:15:47.64
But more important,
it impacts on the school.
00:15:47.68\00:15:50.98
It becomes valuable
income for this school,
00:15:51.01\00:15:54.05
and then in turn,
00:15:54.08\00:15:55.42
it impacts on
hundreds of other the children.
00:15:55.45\00:15:57.95
I just asked that
you would consider
00:15:57.99\00:16:00.12
sponsoring a
child with Child Impact
00:16:00.16\00:16:02.72
or supporting one of
its valuable projects
00:16:02.76\00:16:05.49
that will improve education
and Adventist mission schools
00:16:05.53\00:16:09.36
like this one right here.
00:16:09.40\00:16:11.07
Lakpahana Adventist
College and Seminary
00:16:42.66\00:16:45.20
is the only
Adventist institution
00:16:45.23\00:16:47.17
in Sri Lanka for higher studies.
00:16:47.20\00:16:49.37
Since its inception in 1923,
00:16:49.40\00:16:51.74
it has served a
wonderful variety of students
00:16:51.77\00:16:54.18
from many cultures and religions
00:16:54.21\00:16:56.11
represented in Sri Lanka.
00:16:56.14\00:16:57.61
In a comfortable rural setting,
00:17:01.72\00:17:03.39
the college and
seminary provides
00:17:03.42\00:17:05.15
both a quality
Adventist education program
00:17:05.19\00:17:07.72
and vocational training
00:17:07.76\00:17:09.12
to prepare the
students for life after school.
00:17:09.16\00:17:12.23
Pastor Brooke saddler is
the principal of the school.
00:17:12.26\00:17:15.36
Since his
return from retirement,
00:17:15.40\00:17:17.27
the school has
witnessed a revival.
00:17:17.30\00:17:19.33
One of the key
industries that has been revived
00:17:22.97\00:17:25.31
since Pastor
Sadler's return is the bakery.
00:17:25.34\00:17:28.31
We started this bakery
project from last December.
00:17:28.34\00:17:32.08
Before that we have
product only for the cafeteria
00:17:32.11\00:17:35.52
to deliver the
breads for the students,
00:17:35.55\00:17:37.85
but now we have
good demand outside.
00:17:37.89\00:17:40.56
Per day we were
making 120 loaves
00:17:40.59\00:17:43.22
before the project starts.
00:17:43.26\00:17:44.59
After the project starts
00:17:44.63\00:17:46.06
we will start to
make 300 breads per day.
00:17:46.09\00:17:48.56
And we don't have
any vehicle facilities
00:17:48.60\00:17:50.73
before to deliver things outside
00:17:50.77\00:17:52.93
but now we have a new
vehicle to deliver outside.
00:17:52.97\00:17:56.07
So we are making some
profit for the school.
00:17:56.10\00:17:58.07
A large institution
00:18:04.38\00:18:05.71
like Lakpahana
Adventist College and Seminary
00:18:05.75\00:18:08.42
draws attention
from all quarters,
00:18:08.45\00:18:10.52
and if it has to maintain
00:18:10.55\00:18:11.89
its standards and
build on its reputation,
00:18:11.92\00:18:14.22
it has to have basic facilities
00:18:14.26\00:18:16.02
to attract a large
number of paying students.
00:18:16.06\00:18:18.99
Let me start with
the need about telling
00:18:19.03\00:18:20.80
my second day here.
00:18:20.83\00:18:22.16
I was sitting in my office
00:18:22.20\00:18:23.53
and I heard these
horrible scraping sounds,
00:18:23.57\00:18:26.94
and I discovered
that the students
00:18:26.97\00:18:29.50
came the first
period they captured a chair
00:18:29.54\00:18:32.37
and took it with
him the rest of the day
00:18:32.41\00:18:34.28
because we didn't
have enough chairs
00:18:34.31\00:18:35.94
and even 70% of
those were broken.
00:18:35.98\00:18:38.65
And the
limitations right now for us
00:18:38.68\00:18:43.42
are sponsorships number one,
00:18:43.45\00:18:48.16
and desks and
chairs for the classrooms,
00:18:48.19\00:18:53.36
beds and mattresses for
the hostels or dormitories,
00:18:53.40\00:18:58.10
those are really
the critical needs.
00:18:58.13\00:18:59.67
We have the classroom space.
00:18:59.70\00:19:01.84
We really have
the teaching staff,
00:19:01.87\00:19:04.04
some of our classes are small,
00:19:04.07\00:19:05.64
but we just don't
have really the basics.
00:19:05.67\00:19:09.14
Every provision made
00:19:09.18\00:19:10.55
and every development
envisioned at Lakpahana
00:19:10.58\00:19:13.18
is student-centric.
00:19:13.21\00:19:14.75
There is no question
when we invest in a child
00:19:14.78\00:19:17.42
whether it is
through sponsorship
00:19:17.45\00:19:18.95
or investing in facilities,
00:19:18.99\00:19:20.89
we endow them with the
ability to go through life
00:19:20.92\00:19:23.36
with more than
just an education.
00:19:23.39\00:19:25.33
Today is a
special day at Lakpahana.
00:19:37.54\00:19:39.91
We are fortunate to witness
their Annual Prefect day.
00:19:39.94\00:19:43.31
The chief guest
Asanka Weerathunga
00:19:43.35\00:19:46.08
is a naval officer
in the Sri Lankan Navy.
00:19:46.11\00:19:49.32
As a person
called Asanka Weerathunga
00:19:49.35\00:19:53.19
was designed by this.
00:19:53.22\00:19:56.26
So now I'm proud
00:19:56.29\00:20:00.66
I came here.
00:20:00.70\00:20:03.63
Something like a mother
gave a birth to a child,
00:20:03.67\00:20:09.70
Lakpahana gave birth to me.
00:20:09.74\00:20:13.21
Asanka is a former
student of Lakpahana.
00:20:13.24\00:20:16.48
Born into an Adventist family,
he was a sponsored student.
00:20:16.51\00:20:20.98
There's no question
that we change lives,
00:20:21.02\00:20:25.12
and sponsorships change lives
00:20:25.15\00:20:27.56
because these young people come,
00:20:27.59\00:20:29.06
they come from so many
different varying backgrounds.
00:20:29.09\00:20:32.09
We just had a special
day called a Prefect Day,
00:20:32.13\00:20:34.76
which doesn't
mean much in the US,
00:20:34.80\00:20:36.67
but it's where we
have student leaders,
00:20:36.70\00:20:39.13
and we had a ceremony
for the day and blessing.
00:20:39.17\00:20:42.67
And the chief guest is...
00:20:42.70\00:20:44.31
We have chief guest here
is a former student here,
00:20:44.34\00:20:47.68
and he's a naval officer.
00:20:47.71\00:20:49.48
And he will tell you,
00:20:49.51\00:20:51.61
"You know, I came
here and I was one person.
00:20:51.65\00:20:54.75
I left I was someone else
00:20:54.78\00:20:56.28
and I've been in
the Navy 15 years
00:20:56.32\00:20:58.09
and this has
given me a life change."
00:20:58.12\00:21:02.96
Former Students like Asanka
00:21:02.99\00:21:04.69
are living
Testaments of the role Lakpahana
00:21:04.73\00:21:07.03
has played in their lives
00:21:07.06\00:21:08.50
and bear witness to
the impact sponsorship
00:21:08.53\00:21:10.90
can have on a child's future.
00:21:10.93\00:21:13.07
And we really have a
family atmosphere here
00:21:13.10\00:21:16.17
that is wonderful for the kids
00:21:16.20\00:21:18.37
and gives them an opportunity
00:21:18.41\00:21:20.34
to really find Christ
00:21:20.38\00:21:22.68
and to put
purpose in their life,
00:21:22.71\00:21:25.35
and that's something that
we really, really work hard.
00:21:25.38\00:21:30.75
Sachikala Nishadi
00:21:30.79\00:21:32.29
is a tenth grade
student at the school.
00:21:32.32\00:21:34.62
She and her brother Shaan
00:21:34.66\00:21:36.06
come from a
village next to Lakpahana.
00:21:36.09\00:21:38.49
Their father is a daily laborer
00:21:38.53\00:21:40.13
working in a small
restaurant as a cleaner.
00:21:40.16\00:21:44.50
I'm a daily laborer and I work
as a cleaner in a restaurant.
00:21:44.53\00:21:49.07
I go to work at
eight in the morning
00:21:49.10\00:21:51.14
and come back late night.
00:21:51.17\00:21:53.07
I get a small
amount doing that job,
00:21:53.11\00:21:55.14
and I had difficult time
taking care of my children.
00:21:55.18\00:21:58.28
That's why I agreed to
send my children to Lakpahana.
00:21:58.31\00:22:01.58
Although hesitant at first,
00:22:14.46\00:22:16.16
Sachikala confided to us
00:22:16.20\00:22:18.03
when asked about the
whereabouts of her mother.
00:22:18.07\00:22:20.44
Her mother had
set fire to herself
00:22:20.47\00:22:22.47
and died a few years ago.
00:22:22.50\00:22:24.17
And the memory
of that fateful day
00:22:24.21\00:22:25.97
is still fresh in her mind.
00:22:26.01\00:22:27.64
When my son was six years old
00:22:31.41\00:22:33.42
and my daughter, nine years old,
00:22:33.45\00:22:35.78
my wife set herself on
fire and I went to intervene,
00:22:35.82\00:22:39.55
and I got burned and I fainted.
00:22:39.59\00:22:42.49
And I was
admitted to the hospital.
00:22:42.52\00:22:45.29
When I regained consciousness,
00:22:45.33\00:22:47.00
I learnt my
wife had passed away.
00:22:47.03\00:22:51.33
Confronted with this
unexpected personal tragedy
00:22:51.37\00:22:54.27
and the burden of
caring for his young children,
00:22:54.30\00:22:56.87
Sujith Suranga was
hoping for a miracle.
00:22:56.91\00:22:59.67
Every Sabbath we came here
and then I met this family.
00:23:09.78\00:23:15.52
I saw this little
boy, I don't know...
00:23:15.56\00:23:18.73
My heart got touched in.
00:23:18.76\00:23:21.10
I thought I should
take him to Lakpahana.
00:23:21.13\00:23:24.17
Then I asked father
00:23:24.20\00:23:25.53
you like to put
the children there?
00:23:25.57\00:23:27.50
"I'm waiting", he said,
00:23:27.54\00:23:29.77
"I'm waiting to
put them in Lakpahana."
00:23:29.80\00:23:33.21
Moureen de France Kitty's corner
00:23:33.24\00:23:34.94
in charge of Lakpahana
00:23:34.98\00:23:36.44
was moved by the
predicament of this family,
00:23:36.48\00:23:39.01
and informed the
school administration
00:23:39.05\00:23:40.82
about the children.
00:23:40.85\00:23:42.18
Although not from
an Adventist background
00:23:42.22\00:23:44.32
Sachikala and Shaan
00:23:44.35\00:23:45.79
were immediately
brought to Lakpahana
00:23:45.82\00:23:47.66
and enrolled with Child
Impact's sponsorship program.
00:23:47.69\00:23:50.56
I like to study
here because the school
00:23:54.20\00:23:56.40
has a good name
in the community.
00:23:56.43\00:23:58.37
All the teachers are friendly
and I have good friends here.
00:23:58.40\00:24:01.80
I'm very happy to be
here with my brother.
00:24:01.84\00:24:06.14
The real joy is to
give people the opportunity
00:24:06.17\00:24:10.08
to see a different future.
00:24:10.11\00:24:14.28
And by seeing it,
they can create a future,
00:24:14.32\00:24:17.65
and they don't have to
be trapped by their past.
00:24:17.69\00:24:21.86
That is so, so exciting.
00:24:21.89\00:24:26.06
Sachikala and Shaan
today are in a place
00:24:26.09\00:24:28.66
where they can
overcome their tragic past
00:24:28.70\00:24:31.00
and look
forward to a long future
00:24:31.03\00:24:32.70
that lies ahead of them.
00:24:32.73\00:24:34.07
I want to study hard
and complete my education.
00:24:37.44\00:24:41.14
And I wish to be a teacher,
00:24:41.18\00:24:43.14
and my brother
wants to be an engineer.
00:24:43.18\00:24:47.62
God will bless those who
are sponsoring my children.
00:24:47.65\00:24:50.95
I don't know who they are,
00:24:50.99\00:24:52.62
but they're
doing a selfless thing,
00:24:52.65\00:24:54.86
and I pray to God
that He will bless them
00:24:54.89\00:24:56.86
for what they are doing.
00:24:56.89\00:24:59.53
Today, Child
Impact sponsorship program
00:24:59.56\00:25:02.26
is spreading the light of
hope to children in Sri Lanka
00:25:02.30\00:25:05.07
and education is
transforming their lives.
00:25:05.10\00:25:07.64
This transformation is not
just to give them an education
00:25:07.67\00:25:10.74
but give them an opportunity
to make a choice for eternity.
00:25:10.77\00:25:14.24
An Adventist
institution like Lakpahana
00:25:14.28\00:25:16.95
is giving them that
opportunity to make that choice
00:25:16.98\00:25:20.08
and provides them a
chance to make a difference
00:25:20.12\00:25:22.38
in the church and the community.
00:25:22.42\00:25:24.75
Lakpahana, of course,
as the light of Lanka,
00:25:24.79\00:25:27.82
and it was designed
to educate students,
00:25:27.86\00:25:32.53
children for service.
00:25:32.56\00:25:34.10
And I wish
00:25:34.13\00:25:35.46
that it will continue
to function in that manner,
00:25:35.50\00:25:38.43
and it will educate
our students, our children
00:25:38.47\00:25:41.57
to serve in Sri Lanka.
00:25:41.60\00:25:43.67