Our television series,
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Hope in Motion 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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Child Impact International
is an organization giving hope,
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previously called Asian Aid.
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Child Impact
International is an organization
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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, Bangladesh,
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Sri Lanka, Myanmar,
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and will soon
expand to other countries.
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For the last 50 years,
Child Impact has invested
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in the futures of people,
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and their investment
has proven infinite returns.
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Driven by the dedication
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to helping those
who have the least,
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Child Impact 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, 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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I 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 as showed
into its narrow alley
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is my colleague Shauna and I
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were led to a
non-descript building.
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A community school
project run by Asian Aid,
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situated right in
the middle of the slum.
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This trip was a
chance for Shauna 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 was
very evident here in the slum,
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as I saw bright bubbly children
sitting in their classrooms.
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Even though
learning conditions were not
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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 previously no school here.
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All children are
working for the shops
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as a daily laborers
and the 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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getting 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
their 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 the slum,
and how Asian Aid sponsors
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and well wishers
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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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 is one of the
students at the school
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who does not have a sponsor,
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but because of the
people who provide money
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for the un-sponsored children,
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she's able to attend the 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 who are 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 to become something
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more than what her parents
have done with themselves.
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Just like you would want
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something better
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
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and the staff of 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 these two
very important institutions
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are demonstrating God's
love to the people in this...
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In Bobbili and
the surrounding area.
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Here we are witnessing
for the Lord in heaven
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and 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 need 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
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plays an
important role in dispersing
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these unfortunate
notions 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
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in motivating
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 our school,
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and we will teach them how
differently abled 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 are
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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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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,
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it gives the
parents huge satisfaction
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and a sense of worth 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 I might say,
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 tenth 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 are
working as farmers.
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When I was born my
mother passed away.
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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 farm and work.
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And after few
years he married again,
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I have a one step-mother.
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Poliah comes from
a small village about
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one hour's
drive from the school.
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Having already lost their
first born son at childbirth,
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Poliah parents
are looking forward
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to the birth of
their second son.
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Before Poliah's father
and his family can recover
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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 just so he would have
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somebody 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
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Asian Aid school for
the blind in Bobbili,
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and convinced them to
take him to the school.
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Thanks to 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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We want to be like them
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and we want to achieve
something in our lives.
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So you've had a
tremendous story,
00:11:05.46\00:11:08.63
I have really enjoyed
listening to your experience.
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Meeting Poliah has been a
tremendous blessing to me,
00:11:14.74\00:11:18.67
and I'm looking so forward
to hearing more about him
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as time, as the years go by,
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and I'm especially
looking forward to the day
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when I can meet him in heaven,
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and we can talk,
and he can tell me,
00:11:31.32\00:11:33.56
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,
00:11:42.56\00:11:45.77
and Poliah can hold
hands with his sponsor,
00:11:45.80\00:11:49.94
and we can make it...
00:11:49.97\00:11:52.91
It will 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
00:12:00.95\00:12:02.28
when Poliah
will be made perfect,
00:12:02.32\00:12:07.36
and will be able to
spend eternity with Our Father.
00:12:07.39\00:12:11.53
Poliah, you are
perfect as you are.
00:12:11.56\00:12:14.93
You may not be able
to see as I can see,
00:12:14.96\00:12:18.03
but you can see
better than I can see
00:12:18.07\00:12:19.93
because you have
abilities that I don't have.
00:12:19.97\00:12:24.24
Your vision is better than
my vision in different ways.
00:12:24.27\00:12:30.98
And I'm just so looking
forward to learning from you,
00:12:31.01\00:12:35.28
and I think that we can
all learn from each other,
00:12:35.32\00:12:37.85
and know that we all
have different abilities.
00:12:37.89\00:12:41.76
Poliah is not disabled,
he's differently abled.
00:12:41.79\00:12:46.23
And that's what makes you unique
00:12:46.26\00:12:48.06
and special in the eyes of God.
00:12:48.10\00:12:51.30
The next day, we drove
through mountainous terrain
00:13:19.63\00:13:21.83
to the town of Jajpur,
00:13:21.86\00:13:23.26
where lies Immanuel
English medium school,
00:13:23.30\00:13:25.80
an Asian Aid supported
school in the state of Odisha.
00:13:25.83\00:13:29.77
The school as I was told is
situated in a tribal region,
00:13:29.80\00:13:32.77
and the children that
attend this boarding school
00:13:32.81\00:13:34.81
are from these
poor tribal areas.
00:13:34.84\00:13:37.21
Thanks to
sponsorship, these children
00:13:37.25\00:13:39.21
from Adventists and
non Adventist backgrounds
00:13:39.25\00:13:42.02
have the opportunity to
attend a school like this
00:13:42.05\00:13:44.72
and receive quality education.
00:13:44.75\00:13:46.92
And for someone like
Ruth attending school here
00:13:46.96\00:13:49.62
has had a personal
impact on her life.
00:13:49.66\00:13:52.09
She has learned much more than
00:13:52.13\00:13:53.46
what is taught in the classroom.
00:13:53.50\00:13:54.83
Are you ready
for this? I have...
00:13:54.86\00:13:56.63
I learned about the Moses.
00:13:56.67\00:13:58.73
Again, in 10th class, I learned
about true Sabbath day, again,
00:13:58.77\00:14:04.14
how we will prove
that true Sabbath day,
00:14:04.17\00:14:06.74
Saturday is the
true Sabbath day.
00:14:06.78\00:14:10.25
Again, I learn
about crucifixion,
00:14:10.28\00:14:12.55
my tears roll down.
00:14:12.58\00:14:16.69
Again, I told my father
that one about the crucifixion,
00:14:16.72\00:14:20.49
and I told to my
grandmother also.
00:14:20.52\00:14:22.99
She was non Christian.
00:14:23.02\00:14:25.96
After I told, she
accepted as a personal savior,
00:14:25.99\00:14:29.93
my grandmother.
00:14:29.96\00:14:34.64
It's amazing what you're
doing, when you sponsor Ruth,
00:14:34.67\00:14:38.41
you're not just
sponsoring for her education,
00:14:38.44\00:14:41.41
you're providing
evangelism, true evangelism.
00:14:41.44\00:14:46.28
Ruth, I think it's just amazing
what you were able to go home
00:14:46.31\00:14:49.28
and share this
message with your father
00:14:49.32\00:14:51.92
and your friends as well.
00:14:51.95\00:14:53.32
I'm just looking
forward to the day
00:14:53.36\00:14:55.02
to be able to
hear more about you,
00:14:55.06\00:14:57.79
and to see you
when you become a nurse,
00:14:57.83\00:14:59.79
and maybe I'll be hurt someday,
00:14:59.83\00:15:01.86
and you can be my
nurse and my doctors.
00:15:01.90\00:15:04.07
And I would be
proud and to know that
00:15:04.10\00:15:06.20
Asian Aid had a part with this,
00:15:06.23\00:15:08.77
and that I could
really have a part to help you
00:15:08.80\00:15:12.41
learn about Christ, and
to learn to be evangelists,
00:15:12.44\00:15:17.15
as you went home and
did that with your family.
00:15:17.18\00:15:21.72
Ruth and her
friends, Anjali and Mimi
00:15:21.75\00:15:24.29
consider a privilege to
live and attend school here.
00:15:24.32\00:15:29.02
For someone like Ruth,
sponsorship is very important.
00:15:29.06\00:15:34.20
Without sponsorship
she would not be privileged
00:15:34.23\00:15:38.00
to study over here.
00:15:38.03\00:15:40.27
And it is because
of this sponsorship
00:15:40.30\00:15:42.77
that she could
complete her studies
00:15:42.80\00:15:48.51
she is going to
complete this year.
00:15:48.54\00:15:51.51
And after that, she is planning
for a bright career ahead.
00:15:51.55\00:15:56.18
Without sponsorship she would
have remained in her village,
00:15:56.22\00:15:59.52
and by now she would be married,
00:15:59.55\00:16:02.12
and she might be settled like
any other child in this area.
00:16:02.16\00:16:08.26
So the education here
has made a difference,
00:16:08.30\00:16:11.20
and she is hoping
for a bright future
00:16:11.23\00:16:13.90
because of sponsorship.
00:16:13.94\00:16:16.24
The girl's hostel. Okay.
00:16:16.27\00:16:18.51
The center is the
dining hall and kitchen.
00:16:18.54\00:16:20.51
Okay.
00:16:20.54\00:16:21.88
And staff quarters around there.
00:16:21.91\00:16:23.24
Okay. Wow!
00:16:23.28\00:16:26.35
Mr. Panda is the principal here,
00:16:26.38\00:16:28.42
and he told me that
it was a beautiful sight
00:16:28.45\00:16:30.65
to climb up on this hill
00:16:30.69\00:16:32.02
and look over
this beautiful school,
00:16:32.05\00:16:34.49
the beautiful buildings.
00:16:34.52\00:16:36.46
But what good is a beautiful
campus without students?
00:16:36.49\00:16:40.43
Over 900 students
come to school here
00:16:40.46\00:16:42.96
because of the
sponsor who makes it possible.
00:16:43.00\00:16:46.90
Earlier today, I
talked with Ruth.
00:16:46.94\00:16:49.60
And Ruth told me her
story how she is learned about
00:16:49.64\00:16:52.44
Christ coming to school here.
00:16:52.47\00:16:54.91
She went home
and told her father
00:16:54.94\00:16:56.81
in this area which is very much
00:16:56.85\00:16:58.81
a very orthodox Hindu area.
00:16:58.85\00:17:02.52
Her father has
begun to accept Christ,
00:17:02.55\00:17:05.29
and it changed
the family dynamics.
00:17:05.32\00:17:07.99
Not just
education is happening here
00:17:08.02\00:17:10.16
but evangelism as well.
00:17:10.19\00:17:12.46
This beautiful campus,
these wonderful students
00:17:12.49\00:17:15.86
because of the sponsor.
00:17:15.90\00:17:18.40
This is just an
amazing, amazing campus.
00:17:18.43\00:17:23.04
Asian Aid is proud to be
associated with you here,
00:17:23.07\00:17:29.04
and we're so
proud to have sponsors
00:17:29.08\00:17:31.71
help us make
this happen for you.
00:17:31.75\00:17:35.25
This is just a wonderful campus.
00:17:35.28\00:17:37.35
I love it.
00:17:37.39\00:17:39.85
This has been a very
emotional journey for me so far.
00:17:42.72\00:17:45.96
We've only been in
India for a few days,
00:17:45.99\00:17:48.20
yet I'm already seeing changes
in the lives of young people,
00:17:48.23\00:17:51.90
children that is.
00:17:51.93\00:17:53.94
I could see all the movies,
I could read all the articles
00:17:53.97\00:17:56.60
but nothing prepared me
for what I would feel inside
00:17:56.64\00:17:59.67
when I touch the
hands of the children,
00:17:59.71\00:18:01.68
when I looked into their eyes
00:18:01.71\00:18:03.35
and saw the hope
that's been given to them.
00:18:03.38\00:18:05.81
It just really made me realize
how important Asian Aid is,
00:18:05.85\00:18:09.08
and how important
you are to our ministry.
00:18:09.12\00:18:12.02
It makes me even more excited
00:18:12.05\00:18:13.42
when I think we're
traveling to Myanmar,
00:18:13.46\00:18:15.39
and I'm going to
see more projects,
00:18:15.42\00:18:17.06
and see more young
people, more children
00:18:17.09\00:18:19.63
that I can look into their eyes,
00:18:19.66\00:18:21.00
and feel their hands and
say, "We've made a difference."
00:18:21.03\00:18:24.07
A couple of years
ago, my daughters and I
00:18:30.81\00:18:32.81
had a wonderful
opportunity to travel to India.
00:18:32.84\00:18:36.18
And while we were there,
00:18:36.21\00:18:37.55
we met yet another
part of our family.
00:18:37.58\00:18:39.48
That's our
sponsor daughter Sheela.
00:18:39.51\00:18:41.82
We've had the
privilege of sponsoring Sheela
00:18:41.85\00:18:43.99
through Child
Impact International
00:18:44.02\00:18:45.89
for more than three years now.
00:18:45.92\00:18:48.19
And you know,
while we were there
00:18:48.22\00:18:49.82
she shared with us
00:18:49.86\00:18:51.26
that her dream
was to become a nurse.
00:18:51.29\00:18:54.40
Now, it's a wonderful privilege
for us as a family to know the
00:18:54.43\00:18:58.53
she is fulfilling that dream.
00:18:58.57\00:19:00.97
Sheela is now
studying to be a nurse.
00:19:01.00\00:19:03.91
She's in college,
00:19:03.94\00:19:05.27
and we could not
be happier for her.
00:19:05.31\00:19:07.31
It's been wonderful to be
part of that journey with her.
00:19:07.34\00:19:10.85
And, you know, sponsoring
a child through Child Impact,
00:19:10.88\00:19:14.15
it's made an incredible
difference for our family,
00:19:14.18\00:19:17.15
and I know that for
you, sponsoring a child
00:19:17.19\00:19:19.72
can make a
difference for you too.
00:19:19.75\00:19:21.72
But most importantly,
it can make the difference
00:19:21.76\00:19:24.13
in the life of
a child every day.
00:19:24.16\00:19:26.96
At Adventist mission schools
like this one in Bangladesh,
00:19:36.24\00:19:39.77
Child Impact International
sponsors hundreds of children.
00:19:39.81\00:19:43.48
We often think that sponsorship
00:19:43.51\00:19:45.95
only impacts on
the life of the child,
00:19:45.98\00:19:48.45
but it's much wider than that.
00:19:48.48\00:19:50.35
It impacts on the
parents, and on the community,
00:19:50.39\00:19:53.82
but more important,
it impacts on the school.
00:19:53.86\00:19:57.23
It becomes valuable
income for the school,
00:19:57.26\00:20:00.33
and then in turn,
00:20:00.36\00:20:01.70
it impacts on
hundreds of other children.
00:20:01.73\00:20:04.17
I just ask that
you would consider
00:20:04.20\00:20:06.53
sponsoring a
child with Child Impact,
00:20:06.57\00:20:08.94
or supporting one of
its valuable projects
00:20:08.97\00:20:11.74
that will improve education
00:20:11.77\00:20:13.78
and Adventist mission schools
like this one right here.
00:20:13.81\00:20:17.65
Our journey took us to
our next destination, Myanmar.
00:20:54.55\00:20:58.45
On a balmy Sabbath morning
00:20:58.49\00:21:00.46
we reached Myanmar
Union Adventist seminary,
00:21:00.49\00:21:03.22
the only Adventist
College in all of Myanmar.
00:21:03.26\00:21:06.66
How fortunate we are to
belong to the family of God.
00:21:06.70\00:21:10.00
Here I am thousands
of miles away from home
00:21:10.03\00:21:12.53
and yet I'm not a stranger.
00:21:12.57\00:21:14.77
Across the
street from the colleges
00:21:14.80\00:21:16.20
and Adventist Academy,
00:21:16.24\00:21:17.74
and I was privileged to be
part of the Sabbath services
00:21:17.77\00:21:20.38
with the children and
the staff at the school.
00:21:20.41\00:21:22.88
We're in Myanmar now.
00:21:33.05\00:21:34.49
At Myanmar Union
Adventist Seminary,
00:21:34.52\00:21:36.93
actually just across the street
at one of its feeder schools,
00:21:36.96\00:21:39.93
where we've just
completed worshipping,
00:21:39.96\00:21:42.73
even though on this
beautiful Sabbath day,
00:21:42.76\00:21:44.77
I'm thousands
of miles from home,
00:21:44.80\00:21:46.63
I felt that I was
always part of a family of God.
00:21:46.67\00:21:49.27
The spirituality
here is fantastic.
00:21:49.30\00:21:52.37
Myanmar Union Adventist Seminary
00:21:52.41\00:21:53.91
is the only Adventist College
00:21:53.94\00:21:55.38
in the entire
country of Myanmar.
00:21:55.41\00:21:57.68
The students here
are, will be preachers,
00:21:57.71\00:21:59.61
they'll be teachers,
00:21:59.65\00:22:00.98
and they'll be business
people going out into Myanmar
00:22:01.02\00:22:03.52
spreading the gospel
that they're learning here.
00:22:03.55\00:22:06.32
I'm so proud to
be part of Asian Aid,
00:22:06.35\00:22:08.59
and I'm sure you
are as well to know that
00:22:08.62\00:22:10.39
your sponsorship
dollars are not just educating
00:22:10.43\00:22:13.26
but they are evangelizing,
00:22:13.29\00:22:15.00
and they are
teaching the future leaders
00:22:15.03\00:22:16.80
of the Adventist Church.
00:22:16.83\00:22:18.27
These are the future of
the entire Adventist church
00:22:18.30\00:22:21.90
is learning here at
this one and only college
00:22:21.94\00:22:24.94
of the Adventist
church in Myanmar.
00:22:24.97\00:22:27.38
Back at the
college, I met Tin Tin,
00:22:33.31\00:22:35.08
and I've learned how
attending college here
00:22:35.12\00:22:37.05
has had a
profound impact on her life
00:22:37.09\00:22:39.45
and that of her family.
00:22:39.49\00:22:41.26
Her story reminded me
of Ruth, back in India.
00:22:41.29\00:22:45.69
What is that you want to become?
00:22:45.73\00:22:47.83
I want to
become a teacher. Okay.
00:22:47.86\00:22:51.83
I'm here with Tin Tin.
00:22:51.87\00:22:53.64
And she's been
telling me her story.
00:22:53.67\00:22:55.90
She wants to become a teacher.
00:22:55.94\00:22:57.61
She wants to go back to
her very poor environment,
00:22:57.64\00:23:01.44
where she's come from,
00:23:01.48\00:23:02.88
and teach the
children not only to read,
00:23:02.91\00:23:04.58
and to write,
and to do arithmetic,
00:23:04.61\00:23:07.48
but she also wants to teach them
00:23:07.52\00:23:09.52
the love of Christ
that she's come to know.
00:23:09.55\00:23:12.89
The sponsorship
program at Asian Aid
00:23:12.92\00:23:14.66
has enabled her
to get an education,
00:23:14.69\00:23:17.49
and she wants to use that
education to teach others.
00:23:17.53\00:23:20.66
The ripple effect has gone on,
00:23:20.70\00:23:22.46
it's beyond what
you've given to her,
00:23:22.50\00:23:24.83
it's beyond what she's learned.
00:23:24.87\00:23:26.47
It's now going forward.
00:23:26.50\00:23:27.84
It's not just
education, it's evangelism.
00:23:27.87\00:23:31.07
Meeting Tin Tin, and
learning how attending
00:23:38.98\00:23:41.65
Adventist schools and colleges
00:23:41.68\00:23:43.12
bring these young girls and boys
00:23:43.15\00:23:44.59
closer to God was uplifting.
00:23:44.62\00:23:46.72
And as we move to
our next destination,
00:23:46.76\00:23:48.92
it emphasized the important role
00:23:48.96\00:23:50.96
that Asian Aid and
its sponsorship program
00:23:50.99\00:23:53.26
are playing in the mission
00:23:53.29\00:23:54.80
of the Adventist
Church in Myanmar.
00:23:54.83\00:23:57.47
This is the
farthest I've come so far.
00:24:14.45\00:24:16.69
We're in the central
region of Myanmar now
00:24:16.72\00:24:19.19
at Mountain View Academy.
00:24:19.22\00:24:21.26
This afternoon
I was able to tour
00:24:21.29\00:24:22.62
the grounds of the principal,
00:24:22.66\00:24:24.23
and he showed
me the dormitories,
00:24:24.26\00:24:25.76
and the classrooms
where the students learn.
00:24:25.79\00:24:28.16
All this is made
possible because of donations.
00:24:28.20\00:24:30.83
Donations given by
donors just like you.
00:24:30.87\00:24:34.07
But what really
brought a smile to my face
00:24:34.10\00:24:36.17
was when I saw the students
interacting with each other,
00:24:36.20\00:24:39.47
I saw them playing and laughing,
00:24:39.51\00:24:41.84
and it just
brought joy to my heart,
00:24:41.88\00:24:43.58
realizing this is
far more than a school,
00:24:43.61\00:24:46.15
this is their home.
00:24:46.18\00:24:48.62
Someone who has made this
school her home is Mishar.
00:25:14.21\00:25:17.58
Mishar comes
from a remote village
00:25:17.61\00:25:19.51
which is about a two day
bus ride from the school.
00:25:19.55\00:25:22.88
Both her parents have
gone through second marriages,
00:25:22.92\00:25:25.15
and they are uneducated.
00:25:25.19\00:25:27.06
They live a simple life tending
to their small patch of land.
00:25:27.09\00:25:30.86
Mishar came to the
school three years ago,
00:25:30.89\00:25:32.96
and has not gone home
for the annual holidays,
00:25:32.99\00:25:35.70
and her parents have
not come to see her either.
00:25:35.73\00:25:40.54
And your friends are kind
00:25:40.57\00:25:42.17
and you have good teachers here?
00:25:42.20\00:25:45.34
Yes. It's nice.
00:25:45.37\00:25:49.14
As a father, Mishar's
story just astounds me,
00:25:49.18\00:25:52.91
and makes my heart
ache when I think of all
00:25:52.95\00:25:55.75
that I've been
able to learn about her.
00:25:55.78\00:25:58.05
She's 13 years old,
she's in the fourth grade,
00:25:58.09\00:26:01.09
and she's not been home
in over three years, why?
00:26:01.12\00:26:04.66
Because it cost $100 to
travel two days to her home
00:26:04.69\00:26:08.26
where she came from.
00:26:08.30\00:26:10.97
A $100, and she could
be able to see her family,
00:26:11.00\00:26:15.00
and her father, and her mother,
but she's not able to go home.
00:26:15.04\00:26:19.91
Mishar is just one of 20
or so students at this school
00:26:19.94\00:26:23.68
who are not able to go home.
00:26:23.71\00:26:25.05
It just really breaks
my heart to think that,
00:26:25.08\00:26:29.48
she's getting a great education,
00:26:29.52\00:26:30.85
that's a great
thing, but the idea that
00:26:30.89\00:26:32.82
she's not able to go home,
00:26:32.85\00:26:34.49
and her parents are
not able to see her.
00:26:34.52\00:26:37.53
As a father that just...
00:26:37.56\00:26:40.06
This just really
tugs at my heart.
00:26:40.10\00:26:42.36
Really makes me
long for my children,
00:26:42.40\00:26:46.07
and I see them all the time.
00:26:46.10\00:26:47.44
I can only
imagine, I can only imagine
00:26:47.47\00:26:50.44
what her parents
are going through
00:26:50.47\00:26:51.81
with her here away from home.
00:26:51.84\00:26:55.38
Although her
story touched me deeply,
00:26:55.41\00:26:57.05
I took joy in the fact
that I found her happy.
00:26:57.08\00:26:59.81
I'm hopeful this is a temporary
separation from her family.
00:26:59.85\00:27:02.85
I'm hopeful she'll grow
up to be a strong woman.
00:27:02.88\00:27:05.59
And with her
sponsor's continued support,
00:27:05.62\00:27:07.49
I'm hopeful she'll
have a bright future.
00:27:07.52\00:27:10.13
After all isn't this
what sponsorship is all about?
00:27:10.16\00:27:13.50
What a trip this has
been, a whirlwind trip.
00:27:17.00\00:27:20.30
I came to India and
Myanmar, looking to see examples
00:27:20.34\00:27:23.91
of some of the hope
that Asia Aid is bringing
00:27:23.94\00:27:26.24
to the children in this region.
00:27:26.27\00:27:28.01
But what I saw was
far more than hope.
00:27:28.04\00:27:30.31
I saw lives being transformed,
lives being transformed
00:27:30.35\00:27:34.25
by the people living
right here, people who work
00:27:34.28\00:27:37.95
with these
children on a daily basis,
00:27:37.99\00:27:40.06
with the children,
with the abandoned,
00:27:40.09\00:27:42.79
with the orphans,
with the truly needy,
00:27:42.82\00:27:45.26
these people are
the real missionaries
00:27:45.29\00:27:47.36
in this real life mission field.
00:27:47.40\00:27:50.07
But what really touched my heart
00:27:50.10\00:27:51.70
was when I was able to visit
00:27:51.73\00:27:53.90
with some of the Asian
Aid's sponsored children
00:27:53.94\00:27:56.17
to shake their
hands, to sit with them,
00:27:56.20\00:27:58.31
and listen to their stories.
00:27:58.34\00:28:00.08
There was Poliah
at the blind school,
00:28:00.11\00:28:02.61
and Ruth in Jajpur,
00:28:02.64\00:28:04.95
and Mishar who so
far away from home
00:28:04.98\00:28:07.55
at Mountain View Academy.
00:28:07.58\00:28:09.82
I'm so proud to be
a part of Asian Aid,
00:28:09.85\00:28:12.32
bringing smiles
to these children,
00:28:12.35\00:28:14.26
bringing hope to
them, working together
00:28:14.29\00:28:17.66
with sponsors like you,
we can bring more smiles,
00:28:17.69\00:28:21.06
and more hope to these
children as we work with them.
00:28:21.10\00:28:24.30