Participants:
Series Code: HIM
Program Code: HIM000150A
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00:21 Children are our future.
00:24 They're full of dreams and desires. 00:26 But in a world of unspeakable despair, 00:29 these ignited minds live in poverty and pervasion - 00:32 helpless and hopeless. 00:37 Child Impact International is an organization giving hope. 00:41 It is an organization fostering permanent positive change 00:44 in the lives of disadvantaged children 00:47 and those who are in need, 00:49 serving communities in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, 00:54 Myanmar, and beyond. 00:56 For the last 15 years, child impact has invested 01:00 in the futures of children. And their investment has proven 01:03 infinite returns. Driven by their dedication to helping 01:06 those who have the least, child impact is an organization 01:10 focused on the welfare of children, 01:13 implementing diverse development projects, 01:15 and sponsoring thousands of children. 01:18 Their outreach spans from child rescue operations to providing 01:22 an education for orphans, deaf, and the blind children, 01:26 giving them a sense of place, a home. 01:30 But above all, Child Impact is an organization giving hope. 01:34 Giving hope to children. Giving hope to communities. 01:38 Giving hope to the ones who need it the most. 01:46 This is Hope in Motion. 02:11 Situated amidst a lush, green paddy fields of Bobbili 02:15 in Andhra Pradesh, India, is an institution that is home 02:18 to some of the most disadvantaged children in the 02:20 society. 02:24 This is the school for the blind, run by Child Impact 02:26 International. 02:29 In a world where blindness is considered a curse, 02:31 and blind children are abandoned, 02:33 this campus is a refuge for children seeking care and 02:36 comfort. 02:43 There are various circumstances that have contributed to these 02:48 Some of them are victims of accidents. 02:50 Some due to vitamin deficiency factored by lack of nutritious 02:54 food; 02:55 but most of them were born blind. 03:05 Akhila Macha is a 7th grade student at the school. 03:08 She comes from a small tribal community not far from the 03:11 school in Bobbili. 03:13 Akhila is the second girl child in the family and was born 03:16 blind. 03:31 When Akhila was born blind, her father wouldn't accept her, 03:35 and wanted to abandon and leave her at the hospital. 03:39 In a patriarchal society, where a girl child is often considered 03:42 a burden, Akhila's father did not want another girl child. 03:47 That, too, a girl child with visual impairment. 03:51 There are people who are poor, who are really struggling to 03:56 look after the family and bring up the kids, 03:58 and then what happens if you're a girl in the family, 04:01 "Where are you sitting in the hierarchy?" 04:03 "How are you accepted in society?" 04:06 The boys get an education above the girls, so straightaway, 04:09 the girls really have an extra challenge here. 04:11 And imagine if a girl has a disability. 04:14 Where does that person sit? 04:16 So the need to provide special support for all children, 04:22 but especially for girls who have disabilities is an amazing 04:27 opportunity to help them, because there is very little 04:30 that can be done. 04:31 And, if they are in the family environment, they can't really 04:35 contribute. 04:36 They can't work and contribute to the family, 04:37 so they're a real burden to the family. 04:39 So we can transform not just the child, but the family as well, 04:44 by creating a whole new world this child and for the family. 04:52 Cultural issues are hard to understand. 04:54 It may even seem bizarre and cruel at times. 04:57 It's difficult to change people's perceptions that are 05:00 rooted deep. 05:01 While rural traditions and social economic difficulties 05:04 dictate life and rural India, their children pay the price. 05:09 In rural villages, where being handicapped is considered a 05:11 curse, blind children face an uncertain future. 05:18 For blind children like Akhila, the school for the blind in 05:21 Bobbili is a place of refuge. 05:36 Every year, we go to a campaign to find the... children. 05:41 That's how we found Akhila in our village. 05:44 And we saw her and she was so in ... condition. 05:48 And we talked to the parents. 05:51 Mother would not convince to send her to our school, 05:57 because she was afraid something would happen 06:00 or something would do for the child, 06:02 so she was not convinced for a year. 06:06 Again, we went the next year, and she sent some people 06:12 to check how the school is and what are the activities that are 06:16 going on. 06:18 And then later on, she was fully convinced and she felt happy 06:21 that this is the place where Akhila should go and study. 06:25 So that's how we picked her up from there to our school. 06:29 For all its traditions and practices, the fact remains 06:32 that all parents love their children and want the best for 06:35 them. 06:37 So someone like Akhila who comes from a tribal area, 06:40 the change for Akhila and her parents is huge. 06:46 Akhila would not ever had any chance of education without the 06:50 blind school that she goes to. 06:53 Her parents were very cautious in letting her go, 06:56 but when they know that she's getting an education, 07:00 they move from cautious and scared, not knowing what to do 07:04 with a blind child, to having hope - to being proud. 07:08 And so Akhila is an example of the change that is made by 07:13 taking a child from a community where there is no hope for them, 07:16 and giving them an education and giving them hope. 07:25 Child Impact sponsors the majority of children living and 07:29 studying at the school. 07:30 Without sponsorship, these children would not have the 07:33 opportunity for a new chance in life. 07:36 The school for the blind is not just an institution that 07:38 provides food and shelter for the blind, 07:40 but it's an institution that prepares them for the world 07:43 outside. 07:45 We're not preparing them only for a place to live, eat, and 07:50 grow up; we're preparing them for the opportunity to prepare 07:57 for a career where they can be self-sustaining adults 08:01 throughout their life. 08:03 It's not just a temporary fix and then we kick them out, 08:10 They then can leave the school and go out and fill a need that 08:14 the government will assist them with, provide them for, 08:18 where they become productive in society on their own. 08:22 The exciting thing in India is that the government has made 08:25 jobs available for these children. 08:27 So we're equipping them for roles that they can step into. 08:32 We're giving them, probably, their only chance of any 08:35 training in this particular very rural, very tribal, very poor 08:40 community. 08:42 So we're not only giving them education; we're giving them a 08:44 critical stepping stone for the roles that are available for 08:48 them in the community. 08:54 All things wise and wonderful, the Lord God made them all 09:03 These children may not have the ability to see, but this 09:06 disability does not deprive them of the ability to learn. 09:10 They are perfectly capable of acquiring skills needed for 09:14 employment. 09:15 In fact, the Indian government refers to them not as disabled, 09:18 but differently abled. 09:19 And the school for the blind provides them an ideal place 09:23 for these differently abled children to acquire skills. 09:26 For Akhila's parents who are daily laborers, knowing their 09:29 blind child is attending school is a satisfying feeling. 09:59 Without sponsorship, Akhila would not be at the school. 10:04 Today, because of Child Impact Sponsorship Program, 10:07 and individuals supporting its program, 10:08 hundreds of differently abled students like Akhila 10:11 can receive an education - 10:13 an education that will help them to lead a dignified life. 10:18 If people like...children like Akhila... If they don't 10:22 come to our school, if they would rather stay at home, 10:25 the condition becomes worse and people don't really love her. 10:30 They don't take her in this family. 10:34 So... It is a must for us to go forward and find children. 10:39 And sponsors for them especially mean very much to them, 10:45 because people like Akhila, who are visually impaired, need to 10:51 this kind of education and this part of... 10:58 The child is the center of Child Impact's work. 11:01 Whether one is able to contribute in a small way 11:03 or in a big way, sponsorship endows these children's future, 11:07 giving them the life they deserve. 11:09 Child Impact's work with these special needs children 11:13 also has a much bigger impact in the community. 11:16 Our special schools have a special impact, and the reality 11:20 is that many people, at all levels of society, are becoming 11:24 to know our work through these special homes and schools. 11:28 So they're impacting the child, the family, and the community 11:32 with what Christianity and Seventh-Day Adventists are all 11:37 Special Needs Ministries is an area in which we are very, very 11:43 interested and very proactively working, helping the world field 11:47 to understand that there are many people in various areas 11:51 and sectors of the population that have not been touched. 11:54 Special Needs Ministries in Child Impact is also extremely 11:59 helpful to God's church, because those who are 12:03 physically impaired, those who are visually impaired, 12:07 or perhaps hearing impaired, they are the individuals that 12:12 are being wonderfully serviced through Child Impact. 12:15 In India, in other places... Six different countries that 12:20 Child Impact is active in. 12:23 You know, the Lord really wants us to attract and be friendly 12:29 to and help those who are the least of these. 12:33 And they, in turn, will then become great missionaries for 12:37 the Lord within their sector and people group. 12:50 Thanks to the generous support of Child Impact and its 12:53 sponsors, blind children like Akhila not only have a place 12:56 where they can acquire life skills for the world outside, 12:59 but they have a place where they can prepare their souls for the 13:02 world to come. 13:09 The country of Bangladesh where the population of 163 million 13:14 is one of the most densely populated and poorest countries 13:18 in the world. 13:20 The Adventist church has about 30,000 members, 13:23 and the church school system has about 10,000 children 13:27 in small village schools, and larger boarding schools. 13:31 The main religion is Islam, and education is the key 13:36 outreach for the church. 13:38 Most of Bangladesh is low-lying land on a huge area river delta. 13:44 Late last year, Bangladesh suffered the worst flooding in 13:48 its history, with over 8 million people displaced or affected. 13:54 Thousands died. 13:56 Unfortunately, farming was devastated by the flooding, 14:00 which caused food prices to skyrocket in price, 14:03 and it created food shortages. 14:06 In most of the country, prices still remained very high. 14:11 This has put a huge financial strain on our mission school 14:14 finances. 14:16 Children are not getting sufficient nutrition, 14:18 and the mission schools are asking for help. 14:21 We're asking you to help us purchase 5,000 bags of rice 14:27 for $35 a bag. 14:29 Each bag is 110 lb and feeds about 105 meals. 14:34 Each bag you donate will ensure children are fed 14:38 and will also save the school's valuable funds. 14:42 You can donate one bag - 10 bags - 100 bags - 14:46 or just whatever you can share. 14:48 This is an urgent need. Let's help these kids. 15:04 A couple of years ago, my daughters and I had a wonderful 15:08 opportunity to travel to India. And while we were there, 15:11 we met yet another part of our family - 15:13 and that's our sponsor daughter, Sheila. 15:16 We've had the privilege of sponsoring Sheila through Child 15:19 Impact International for more than 3 years now. 15:23 And you know, while we were there, she shared with us that 15:27 her dream was to become a nurse. 15:29 Now, what a wonderful privilege it is for us, now as a family, 15:34 to know that she is fulfilling that dream. 15:37 Sheila is now studying to be a nurse. 15:40 She's in college and we could not be happier for her. 15:43 It's been wonderful to be part of that journey with her. 15:47 And you know, sponsoring a child through Child Impact... 15:51 It's made an incredible difference for our family. 15:54 And I know that for you, sponsoring a child can make 15:56 a difference for you, too. 15:58 And most importantly, it can make the difference in the life 16:01 of a child, every day. 16:15 At Adventist mission schools like this one in Bangladesh, 16:18 Child Impact International sponsors hundreds of children. 16:22 We often think that sponsorship only impacts on the life of the 16:26 child. 16:28 But it's much wider than that. It impacts on the parents, 16:31 and on the community. But more important, it impacts on the 16:35 school. It becomes valuable income for the school, 16:39 and then in turn, it impacts on hundreds of other children. 16:43 I just ask that you would consider sponsoring a child with 16:46 Child Impact. Or supporting one of its 16:49 valuable projects that will improve education in Adventist 16:53 mission schools like this one right here. 17:23 Bobbili, a small rural town in Andhra Pradesh, India, 17:27 has nothing to offer to a visitor. 17:29 Its streets, often bustling and chaotic, are typical of rural 17:33 towns in India. 17:37 Poverty is widespread, and people struggle to meet ends, 17:41 doing menial jobs and often tending to paddy fields 17:44 owned by landlords. 17:52 Visits to villages around here only amplify one's perception 17:56 of abject poverty people live in on a daily basis. 18:00 But it is in this despairing and gloomy environment 18:02 we often get to see an experience, hopefulness, 18:05 and optimism. 18:15 Over the last 15 years, Child Impact International has 18:19 undertaken numerous development work, in and around the Bobbili 18:22 area. 18:24 The Sunrise Children's Home, situated about 10 miles from 18:27 Bobbili, is one such project that gives orphaned and 18:30 abandoned children an ideal place to live and learn. 18:45 10-year-old Akhil Mutacha and his younger brother Cherin 18:49 were orphaned at a very early age, and came to live at 18:52 Sunrise Home two years ago. 18:54 Their family belonged to a tribal community who live in the 18:57 mountainous region bordering the states of Odisha and Andhra 19:00 Pradesh in southeastern India. 19:03 This is again Cherin's auntie's house. 19:06 They're living here; the children - they're living up in 19:10 the mountains. They came down here. 19:13 This is a very cool village. And this village - no water 19:17 facilities, no agricultural facilities. The poor-cultured 19:21 people depend on the forest products. They collect the 19:23 forest products, and the... In the afternoon, every day in 19:26 the afternoon, they'll eat some porridge. There's no rice - no 19:30 other stuff to use to fill the stomach. 19:32 They'll cook a little bit of rice and some vegetables and 19:37 they'll eat. Every day, they'll eat one meal. 19:45 The majority of children at Sunrise Home come from tribal 19:48 villages and communities around Bobbili; and the home is 19:51 well-regarded, in and around Bobbili, because 19:54 of Child Impact's development work among the tribal people. 19:57 A few years ago, Child Impact had conducted a vocational 20:01 training program for young men and women from the tribal 20:03 community. It was during one such project that Raj Varma, 20:08 field officer of Child Impact, came across Akhil and Cherin. 20:11 In 2014 I came to this village for tribal development project. 20:17 So that time, the Child Impact International wants to do some 20:22 development project for the tribal people living through 20:25 the living standards and livelihood. 20:27 So that time, these ladies shouldered these shoulderless 20:31 children and... requested me to take them to the 20:38 Sunrise Orphanage. 20:40 Raj Varma had learned from the boys' relatives that their 20:44 father had fallen from a tree and had died, 20:46 and the boys came to live with their aunts who took turns to 20:48 look after them. When inquired about the 20:50 whereabouts of their mother, Raj Varma was told that she had died 20:54 of malaria. 20:55 Seeing their pitiable living conditions, he brought Akhil 20:58 and Cherin to Sunrise Home. 21:00 It was at Sunrise the boys revealed the real 21:03 whereabouts of their mother. 21:05 I couldn't... when I asked the children, 21:09 when I'm writing the story. 21:12 Akhil, the elder one, he said, "My mother went away 21:16 with another man." I felt very sad and very bad. 21:19 Children, when they're grown up, they won't have love towards the 21:24 parents. When they're grown up, parents will come. 21:28 When the mother comes, when the children see them, 21:32 what respect will they have? 21:35 They'll never have respect, because "she left, 21:38 and...just left, and went away." 21:40 And immediately, when the children told like they're... 21:43 I felt very bad. And very sad. 21:47 As a mother, I'm giving them love. And they know I'm the 21:51 mother, so they love me and I, too, love them. 21:54 Now, they're very happy. "They says, Mama, you don't send 21:55 us to home. We don't want to stay there." 22:02 It is not uncommon for a single parent in tribal communities to 22:06 abandon their children when his or her spouse dies, 22:09 and the children's relatives don't reveal the whole story, 22:12 because they're ashamed of the truth, and are unwilling to 22:14 reveal the customs and practices that are prevalent in their 22:17 community that may seem bizarre and cruel to an outsider. 22:23 I don't think we can understand the life of an orphan. 22:26 They may not know who their parents are, or they may know 22:29 the tragic circumstances they come from. 22:32 So we not only give them an education - we give them a home, 22:33 but we give them hope; we give them a future, 22:39 and just for a child knowing that they've got a future - 22:42 knowing that they've got some way they can go in their life - 22:45 makes a huge difference to them, and we're just so excited we can 22:50 be a part of making that total difference. 22:55 If they did come to Sunrise Home... 22:59 No one knows. No education professionalist. 23:03 And... no food. Even though they fill 23:07 their stomachs with some porridge, there is no valuable 23:10 food here. No valuable food. 23:13 The most of the children are malnutritious. 23:17 There are no children who, these... 23:19 If you didn't come to Sunrise Home, by this time, the children 23:23 might have disappeared. 23:54 Sunrise Home has given Akhil and Cherin a sense of belonging. 23:57 A sense of place that is safe and comfortable. 24:00 A place where they don't feel like they're orphaned or 24:02 abandoned. Thanks to Akhil and Cherin's 24:05 sponsors, Child Impact is giving them a new life at Sunrise Home, 24:09 and giving them an opportunity to receive a proper education. 24:13 I really...I want to thank Akhil and Cherin's sponsors 24:17 for playing an important role in their lives, 24:20 and now they're really happy here. I'm only the caretaker 24:23 who is taking care of them and molding them, 24:25 but there had been important persons who had given them 24:29 a good life. 24:32 Well, when I go to Sunrise Home, children like Akhil and Cherin 24:36 just come running towards you. They're just so happy to see 24:39 you. It's as if they have a... that you are a part of their 24:44 family. And it's one of the most 24:47 rewarding aspects of the job that I have. 24:50 And I'm very grateful that I've had this experience - 24:53 of having children just so happy, beaming - 24:56 and if you saw them when they first come in to where they are 24:59 now, we're not only giving them education - but we're making 25:04 their lives. We literally become a part of their family. 25:07 And...it's just so exciting, and I'm just so grateful that I can 25:13 be a part of this work that the donors do. 25:22 Today, Child Impact International is reaching out to 25:25 children in need. And for brothers like Akhil 25:28 and Cherin, Sunrise Home is a safe haven, 25:31 providing not just their basic needs and an opportunity for an 25:32 education, but giving them parental love and affection. 25:38 A chance and a hope for a brighter future. 25:42 Coming where I do from America, I knew, I read, I've heard the 25:48 stories, I've seen the film clips, 25:52 but until you walk... 26:02 Until you walk upon these... walk on these sidewalks 26:06 of the home where the children are stayin', and you see what is 26:11 going on in their faces, 26:15 you can be assured that a good work is happening. 26:19 That...you can rest assured that lives are being changed, 26:24 children are being made happy, and it was a powerful experience 26:29 that ilaid any concerns that I have about the value that I am 26:37 getting for my sponsorship. 26:40 There's no problem. I just love, love what's going on. |
Revised 2018-06-21