Participants:
Series Code: HIM
Program Code: HIM000153A
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00:13 Children are our future.
00:16 They are full of dreams and desires. 00:18 But in a world of unspeakable despair, 00:21 these ignited minds live in poverty and privation, 00:24 helpless and hopeless. 00:29 Child Impact International is an organization giving hope. 00:33 It is an organization fostering permanent 00:35 positive change in the lives of disadvantaged children 00:38 and those who are in need, 00:41 serving communities in India, 00:42 Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, and beyond. 00:48 For the last 15 years, 00:50 Child Impact has invested in the futures of children 00:53 and their investment has proven infinite returns 00:56 driven by their dedication to helping those 00:58 who have the least. 01:00 Child Impact is an organization 01:02 focused on the welfare of children 01:04 implementing diverse development projects, 01:07 and sponsoring thousands of children. 01:10 Their outreach spans from child rescue operations 01:13 to providing an education for orphans, deaf, 01:16 and the blind children. 01:18 Giving them a sense of place, a home 01:21 but above all Child Impact is an organization giving hope, 01:26 giving hope to children, giving hope to communities, 01:30 giving hope to the ones who need it the most. 01:38 This is Hope In Motion. 01:52 Hi, my name is Jim Rennie 01:54 and I am the CEO of Child Impact International 01:58 and as many of you know, 02:00 Operation Child Rescue is one of our key projects. 02:05 It encompasses the rescue of trafficked children, 02:09 babies and orphans 02:11 and Operation Child Rescue also sponsor a rescue home 02:16 and rescue projects in India. 02:19 I'm very excited today that I've got Anita Kanaiya with us 02:23 who is the director of the Freedom Project 02:26 and the Freedom Project is our key partner 02:28 in India for trafficking and rescuing. 02:31 Anita, it's great to have you here today, 02:34 welcome. 02:35 Can you just tell us about the size 02:37 of the trafficking problem in India? 02:40 I guess it's hard for us to comprehend. 02:44 Well, I think global estimates put the figures 02:46 at 40 million across the globe 02:49 and about half that number in India. 02:51 So we are really talking about 02:53 huge numbers of women and children 02:55 who are trafficked every day within India itself. 02:59 Over the last five, six years, 250,000 women and children 03:05 have been missing and still untraced. 03:08 Over 60% of those trafficked 03:11 are found in child labor in India, 03:13 and over 70% of those trafficked across India 03:17 are women and children. 03:19 So we are talking, Jim, 03:20 about huge numbers of women and children 03:22 who go missing, who are trafficked, 03:24 and still hidden. 03:27 It's just beyond comprehension really. 03:30 Now you are based in the city of Bangalore, 03:33 just tell us about that city 03:35 and what you do in the city itself? 03:40 Well, Bangalore is one of the metro cities in India, 03:44 population of about 13 million. 03:47 It's also known as the IT capital 03:49 or the IT hub of India 03:51 because we've got a lot of information technology parks 03:54 and most of the multinationals have offices there. 03:57 And all of these has happened, Jim, 03:59 over the last, perhaps about 15 years, 04:03 and this has opened Bangalore up 04:05 to sizeable population of migrants 04:08 and people looking for jobs, 04:10 which has then created 04:11 this whole issue of women and children being trafficked 04:15 because there is a market in Bangalore for them, 04:19 the demand is big. 04:21 Bangalore is also a cosmopolitan city 04:24 and has a lot of foreign tourism, 04:27 people who come on work as well as tourists. 04:30 And we have seen that even though 04:32 Bangalore does not have a red light area like Delhi, 04:36 or Bombay, or Calcutta, 04:38 the problem of human trafficking is huge 04:41 because it's so hidden. 04:44 Right, and just give us an idea 04:46 of what you are actually doing a rescue? 04:49 Give us an example? 04:51 Like I said, we don't have a red light area in Bangalore, 04:55 and because the problem is so hidden, 04:57 we really have to flush out the information, 05:01 where are these women and children 05:02 being held against their will, what are these places. 05:08 Many times when we've done rescues, 05:10 even I have been surprised at where these places are located. 05:14 It could be in a residential neighborhood. 05:18 We've done a rescue on a farmhouse 05:20 on the outskirts of Bangalore, 05:22 we've done a rescue in a commercial building 05:26 which was a factory 05:27 which was manufacturing school bags 05:29 and we rescued 18 children, 05:32 some of whom were as young as 8 years old 05:35 from the north of India, 05:37 they had been brought down, worked for 14 hours a day 05:41 and not even paid a salary, 05:43 in hideous conditions of squalor, and dirt and filth, 05:48 really unhealthy conditions. 05:51 But there are other times 05:52 where we have done brothel rescues, 05:54 and we have gone in there 05:56 and had to really search for the girls 05:58 because there was no one there, 05:59 and yet we knew that the girls were there, 06:02 and we have had to break places open, 06:06 look for false ceilings, walls, floors, yeah. 06:12 And so just tell us a story of a girl or a child 06:18 that you've rescued. 06:19 What's one of the amazing stories 06:22 of when you've gone and you found someone, 06:26 what's the story? 06:29 Well, I think every one of those stories are amazing, 06:32 not so much because we go in and rescue, 06:35 but because of the courage of those 06:40 who have been held 06:41 in these terrible situations of abuse, 06:44 and have been able to still, 06:47 you know, wait for that day when we do that rescue, so. 06:50 One that really stands out in my mind 06:52 is when we did one on a farmhouse 06:56 between Bangalore and Mysore, 06:59 about three hours out of Bangalore. 07:02 So we had gone there, we knew that there were girls there. 07:05 But like I said earlier, 07:07 we went in there with the police 07:09 and there was no one there. 07:11 And they had two huge dogs tied outside, very ferocious, 07:15 so wouldn't allow us to search the building. 07:18 There were paddy fields all around 07:20 so the girls couldn't have disappeared. 07:22 I mean, we had eyes on that building. 07:25 We searched everywhere for them and we didn't find them. 07:28 And finally, like I said, 07:30 we looked for hollow sounds or spaces 07:32 to see if there is a purpose-built place 07:34 but who would have thought that along, 07:38 you know, a highway somebody would build a place like that. 07:42 But yet, we found the place, and we broke it open, 07:45 and sure enough the girls were hidden in this space, Jim, 07:49 which was like a 10x10 with absolutely no ventilation, 07:54 and there were 12 girls inside there. 07:56 Some of them even, 07:57 you know, were thrown in there without clothes. 08:00 So I had to crawl in, 08:02 head-first into that place to actually, 08:04 you know, bring the girls out. 08:06 So that one really stands out in my mind 08:09 to what levels people will go to actually abuse 08:13 not just the girls but even the system. 08:16 Right, wow. Well, that's amazing. 08:19 So Child Impact, and in fact partnering 08:23 with Voice of Prophecy have been 08:25 able to sponsor the Azadi Rescue home. 08:30 Let's just talk about that for a moment. 08:32 Why was there a need for you to have a rescue home? 08:37 Well, every time we did a rescue, 08:40 we had to take the girls across to an institution 08:44 which wasn't the best place. 08:45 I mean, we didn't have access to the girls 08:48 when they went to the institution, 08:50 they were kind of languishing there, 08:52 there wasn't a program, there was no counseling 08:56 and, you know, really the girls 08:58 were almost always trying to escape from that place. 09:02 So we realized that if we had to rescue them 09:05 and prevent them from being re-trafficked, 09:07 we really needed a home 09:09 where we could provide them with the counseling, 09:12 the trauma counseling, I mean, it's traumatic 09:16 for what they go through in those brothels 09:18 but even more traumatic are the rescues themselves 09:21 when they, you know, have to sit in the police station 09:23 and then, you know, are questioned 09:24 like they are perpetrators instead of victims. 09:28 So we wanted a home 09:30 that would be a place of healing, 09:32 of restoration, of future and a hope, 09:36 and that's how Azadi was born. 09:38 It means freedom 09:39 and we wanted them to be able to experience freedom 09:43 in every sense of the word. 09:45 Now we saw some pictures of our home, 09:47 but just tell us about the building 09:49 and tell us about what's inside? 09:52 Well, when we envisioned a home 09:54 for these survivals of trafficking, 09:57 we thought of a place that would have, 10:00 you know, an outdoor space for them to sit, 10:02 some greenery, a garden, just a nice place, Jim, 10:07 for them to relax. 10:09 A place that they would never think of running away from, 10:13 a home and that's how we set Azadi up. 10:15 We have a little garden space, the girls love to plant. 10:19 They've just planted watermelon in the garden. 10:23 They have roses 10:25 and it's just a place of healing for them, 10:27 and inside, we've put in really nice furniture. 10:31 I know that sometimes 10:32 when we've had government officials 10:34 visit the home, they always ask us, 10:36 "Wow, so who has done this home up? 10:40 I mean, how come you've got such a nice place?" 10:42 Because most people expect us to put in secondhand furniture, 10:45 and kind of, you know, leave it drabbed 10:48 but we wanted the girls to know 10:50 that this is a place of healing and of hope. 10:53 And I think that's the message 10:55 right across from our decor 10:56 to the way the house is arranged. 10:58 We have bunk beds, each girl has a bed to herself. 11:02 We have children even now, for babies. 11:05 So we have kind of had to make it child-friendly, 11:07 the home. 11:09 They have a beautiful kitchen space 11:11 where they can cook and, you know, 11:13 a dining space as well 11:14 and we've put in a lot of safety features also. 11:17 Yes, I remember when we... 11:20 When I visited India on one of my last trips, 11:22 well, in fact, it was... 11:24 No, it's longer than that, 11:26 I think it's about three years ago 11:27 you found the home. 11:29 I wondered 11:30 how the girls would settle into a building like that. 11:34 But with the lovely yard 11:35 and the fact that you have made it comfortable, 11:38 they are given hope, they feel comfortable, 11:41 they don't want to run away. 11:43 Just tell us a story about one of the girls, 11:46 there must be a story that really reflects the hope 11:51 that's given and the change that is made. 11:54 What's a great story you'd like to share with us? 11:58 Well, I think every one of those stories are great. 12:02 There are stories of hope, 12:03 there are stories of restoration, 12:05 of fighting back. 12:08 I think, and when I share one story, 12:11 it's really elements of all their stories. 12:13 Yes. 12:14 Because every one of those girls 12:16 somehow was cheated because they believed someone, 12:21 they trusted someone, 12:22 and a lot of them trusted someone for a job. 12:27 They come from very poor situations. 12:30 We have a girl who crossed mountains 12:33 to get to a place which promised a job. 12:37 It was a job which was going to pay her some money 12:40 and when she landed there, 12:42 she realized that she has been sold to a brothel, 12:45 and she just had to service customers. 12:48 I mean, when we go through trauma counseling with them, 12:51 they will tell us about the hideous times 12:53 that they have had with customers with clout, 12:58 with customers who have paid a lot of money, 13:00 and where they've had no choice. 13:02 And they tell us of times where they've had to, 13:05 you know, be at it the whole day, 13:08 some of them have children. 13:11 But just to share 13:13 not the details of what happened there, 13:16 but why it happened. 13:18 A lot of times, 13:20 their stories are stories of vulnerability 13:23 where they are single parent or where their families... 13:27 They come from broken families. 13:29 So they're really looking for a way out of that situation 13:32 and traffickers know this, they prey on vulnerabilities. 13:37 And this particular girl was brought by her own friend 13:40 and her husband, and they came to sight-seeing, 13:45 you know, to get a job. 13:46 But when she woke up, she was in a brothel 13:50 and it took a rescue operation, Jim, 13:52 to get her out of that place. 13:54 I mean, there was a sense of hopelessness. 13:56 You know, we always ask, 13:58 you know, can you not use up customer's mobile phones 14:01 and they tell us no, 14:02 they are not allowed their mobiles inside. 14:04 And even if they are, on that very rare occasion, 14:08 whenever they call and ask for help, 14:11 most often, 14:13 if they try and escape they are brought back. 14:15 Yes. 14:16 Because it's a very linked, very organized crime. 14:20 And is there a spiritual element 14:23 of what you do? 14:25 Yes, I would love to say 14:27 that I think the only restoration 14:29 and hope possible 14:32 that brings long time transformation 14:34 in their lives is Jesus. 14:36 Yes. 14:37 And we give them that hope, we pray with them, we counsel, 14:41 we tell them that no matter what, 14:44 they are made in the image of God, 14:46 and that image however marred 14:48 it may look to them is God's image. 14:51 It's how He created them 14:52 and that God will restore that image, 14:55 that's what our home is about. 14:57 And our girls are very open to experiencing God's love 15:03 because they have been so cheated, 15:05 so duped of the real love 15:08 that when they come in here to our Azadi home, 15:10 they just say, this God who has loved me 15:16 even when I was in a terrible situation, 15:19 is the one who has given me hope. 15:20 So a lot of our girls, 15:23 you know, are just so amazed 15:26 that there is a God who loves them. 15:27 That message is a message of real hope for them 15:31 because nobody ever told them that before 15:33 and they have come to experience God 15:35 and love Jesus at our home. 15:38 Well, Anita, we just admire the work you do 15:43 to be physically involved in rescues, 15:46 to have to coordinate the rehabilitation, 15:50 but then taking the lead with a spiritual role. 15:54 We are very proud of our association. 15:57 And Child Impact is just so excited 16:01 that through Operation Child Rescue, 16:03 we can give some hope to these girls 16:06 in just some small way. 16:08 And I want to thank the donors and the supporters 16:11 and encourage you 16:12 to consider Operation Child Rescue 16:15 as a project that you can support 16:18 to make a real difference in the lives of the girls 16:22 that you've heard about today. 16:34 A couple of years ago, my daughters and I 16:36 had a wonderful opportunity to travel to India. 16:40 And while we were there, 16:41 we met yet another part of our family, 16:43 and that's our sponsored daughter Sheila. 16:46 We've had the privilege of sponsoring Sheila 16:48 through Child Impact International 16:51 for more than three years now. 16:53 And, you know, while we were there, 16:55 she shared with us 16:56 that her dream was to become a nurse. 16:59 Now, what a wonderful privilege it is for us 17:02 now as a family to know 17:04 that she is fulfilling that dream. 17:07 Sheila is now studying to be a nurse. 17:10 She's in college 17:11 and we cannot be happier for her. 17:14 It's been wonderful to be part of that journey with her. 17:17 And, you know, sponsoring a child through Child Impact, 17:20 it's made an incredible difference for our family. 17:23 And I know that for you, 17:25 sponsoring a child can make a difference for you too. 17:28 And most importantly, 17:29 it can make the difference 17:30 in the life of a child every day. 18:01 Child Impact International is all about children, 18:04 impacting children in a positive 18:06 and long-lasting way through education and sponsorship. 18:10 Over the last couple of years, 18:12 Child Impact has focused its work in Bangladesh 18:15 by helping the school system achieve its potential. 18:18 Bangladesh is one of the poorest countries 18:20 in the world 18:21 and a majority of students who attend our schools 18:23 come from poor backgrounds and depend on sponsorship. 18:44 The Seventh-day Adventist school system in Bangladesh 18:47 has over 10,000 students 18:49 and only 20% of them are paying students. 18:52 The rest are sponsored 18:53 or seeking some kind of sponsorship 18:55 to continue their education. 18:57 This situation puts the schools 18:59 in financial distress and can have direct impact 19:01 on the student's well being 19:03 as well as the quality of education. 19:05 This is where an organization 19:07 like Child Impact has a great impact. 19:11 Well, sponsorship, to be honest, 19:13 is one of the most direct ways 19:15 that the donor can get involved in the mission field. 19:19 And in a country like Bangladesh, 19:21 it has a massive impact. 19:23 And we are really grateful to our sponsors and donors 19:26 for the support that they give Child Impact. 19:30 But it's actually not about Child Impact, 19:32 it's actually about the children 19:34 who that they support every month 19:37 and make a real difference. 19:40 Sponsoring children 19:42 in activities like these mission schools 19:46 and opportunities is a tremendous way 19:49 to help form the character of young people 19:53 as they look to the future. 19:55 They will never forget 19:57 their association in a Christian environment. 20:00 It is absolutely a powerful witness to sponsor a child 20:06 in Child Impact and so many other organizations 20:10 that help young people to find Jesus. 20:19 Child Impact is a unique organization. 20:21 It is not just a sponsorship agency 20:24 but as Jim said, it gives sponsors a unique opportunity 20:27 to be involved in the mission field every day. 20:30 In mission fields like Bangladesh, 20:32 the child depends on the sponsor, 20:34 and so the sponsor is not only impacting the life of a child 20:37 but making a significant difference 20:39 in the mission schools, big and small. 20:42 Just walking in to a small rural mission school 20:46 here in Bangladesh, 20:48 really allows you to see the difference 20:50 that sponsorship in education makes. 20:53 Because these children come from rural farming communities 20:58 where to be honest, 20:59 there is a severe shortage of funds 21:02 and food sometimes. 21:04 And so these children are being given hope 21:06 and these children are being given an education 21:09 and here we see the difference that sponsorship is making. 21:16 The Bangladesh Union Mission 21:17 runs many such village schools in the community. 21:20 These village schools also act as feeder schools 21:22 for bigger institutions like Monosapara Adventist Seminary. 21:45 Borsha Mankin came to Monosapara in 2014 21:49 and is a seventh grade student. 21:51 Borsha is recipient of Child Impact sponsorship 21:54 that she has been receiving 21:55 from a primary level at her village. 22:14 Borsha comes from Shibananda Khila, 22:16 a small village about one hour drive from Monosapara. 22:20 Visiting her village and meeting her grandparents, 22:23 it was evident they were facing hardship 22:25 and it emphasized the need for sponsorship 22:27 for children like Borsha. 22:52 Borsha's parents are day laborers 22:54 who worked in the paddy fields owned by landlords. 22:57 But a severe drought last year made jobs unavailable 23:00 for them in the village. 23:01 With no daily wages, 23:03 they struggled to feed the family 23:04 and were forced to borrow money. 23:06 Unable to settle their debt, they decided to move to Dhaka, 23:09 the capital city, to earn some money 23:11 and pay back their debt. 23:13 Families facing such financial hardship 23:16 have only one thing on their mind, 23:18 feeding their family. 23:20 In such circumstances, 23:21 the thought of educating their children 23:23 takes the back seat. 23:24 It's not hard to imagine 23:26 what would have happened to Borsha 23:28 if she didn't go to school. 23:30 If they wouldn't have the sponsorship 23:32 and continue their education, 23:35 they would remain the same as their parents 23:39 and they would be the day laborers 23:42 and especially for girls, 23:43 they would have early marriage 23:45 and they will be just a day laborer 23:48 and without hope in this world. 24:19 Today, thanks to Borsha's sponsors, 24:21 she can leave behind the hardship of her parents, 24:24 break away from the cycle of poverty 24:26 and focus on her studies at Monosapara. 24:28 She wants to become a nurse 24:30 and at Monosapara, she has the opportunity 24:33 to realize her dreams. 24:37 As the in-charge of sponsorship program 24:39 here in Bangladesh, 24:41 I see the great impact 24:45 on children and their education, 24:48 and if we have more sponsors coming forward 24:53 to help these kids to give hope in their life, 24:58 and the impact in their life would be greater. 25:04 Well, after today, riding by motorbike 25:07 and coming to the villages, 25:09 coming to where these children live, 25:12 it's really strengthened my belief on what we do. 25:15 I've actually seen the homes these children come from, 25:19 and then I see the difference that's being made 25:22 at the schools where they go. 25:25 And you really have to come and see where they come from. 25:30 You have to come and see 25:31 the challenges they are facing in their homes 25:34 and their communities with poverty, 25:38 with getting work. 25:40 It just shows me that by having an education, 25:43 they've got hope, they've got a little edge 25:45 to do something better. 25:47 Some of them have got brothers and sisters 25:49 who have gone to the big cities to work. 25:52 And to be honest, 25:53 all is they are working is on construction sites 25:56 or low paid jobs. 25:59 But these children when they have got an education 26:02 and to have to walk through the fields, 26:05 to have to see the houses they are living in, 26:08 it's pretty touching, 26:09 and today, I'm strengthened 26:13 that I know that what we are doing is great. |
Revised 2018-07-06