I'm sitting in one
of the classrooms here
00:00:09.37\00:00:10.94
on the Southeast
Adventist Seminary
00:00:10.97\00:00:12.81
in Myanmar.
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Child Impact
International has chosen this
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as one of the locations
where they have sponsored
00:00:16.91\00:00:18.75
more than 600
children across Southeast Asia.
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Ninety-five percent of
this country is Buddhist.
00:00:22.78\00:00:25.09
That makes it very
difficult for the gospel
00:00:25.12\00:00:27.02
to be shared among people
that do not know the name Jesus
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or have chosen
through cultural reasons
00:00:30.59\00:00:32.86
to not understand who Jesus is.
00:00:32.89\00:00:34.83
But the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:00:34.86\00:00:36.20
has been established
here more than 115 years ago,
00:00:36.23\00:00:39.17
yet there is a
tremendous challenge.
00:00:39.20\00:00:40.87
How do you get the
gospel out to those individuals
00:00:40.90\00:00:44.04
who have been influenced
by quite a different religion?
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This is where Child
Impact International
00:00:47.14\00:00:48.74
has come aboard.
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And so you're
going to join me today
00:00:50.15\00:00:51.48
as we see the difference
that this ministry has made
00:00:51.51\00:00:54.48
in carrying the
gospel among the Karen people
00:00:54.52\00:00:57.19
and throughout Southeast Asia.
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Child Impact International
is an organization giving hope,
00:01:09.66\00:01:13.57
previously called Asian Aid.
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Child Impact
International is an organization
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fostering permanent
positive change in the lives
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of disadvantaged
children 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, Sri Lanka,
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Myanmar 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 is
proving 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
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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.
00:01:54.64\00:01:56.78
Their outreach spans
from child rescue operations
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to providing an
education for orphans,
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deaf and the blind children
giving them a sense of place,
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a home but above all,
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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 needed the most.
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This is Hope in Motion.
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Child Impact
International is an organization
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that is committed to
making a difference in the lives
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of needy children
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by providing
them with an education
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through its sponsorship program.
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Child Impact is an organization
that believes in fostering
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permanent positive
change in the lives of children
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and their communities,
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and a primary way of
bringing about this change
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is through education.
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Child Impact has
been active in Myanmar
00:03:02.38\00:03:04.61
for the last few years,
00:03:04.65\00:03:06.08
sponsoring over 600 students
00:03:06.11\00:03:07.98
through its
Educate Myanmar Fund,
00:03:08.02\00:03:09.68
helping poor children
from various backgrounds
00:03:09.72\00:03:12.19
attend
Adventist mission schools.
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In mission fields like Myanmar,
00:03:14.72\00:03:16.46
Child Impact Sponsorship Program
00:03:16.49\00:03:18.49
not only helps fund
children's education
00:03:18.53\00:03:20.90
but has a bigger
role in supporting
00:03:20.93\00:03:22.46
the mission of the church.
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My wife Angela and I
have had an opportunity
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to travel to many mission fields
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around the world
in many countries
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to see how the church works.
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But we have
never been to Myanmar.
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So when Jim Rennie
invited us to come to Myanmar,
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we were very excited to
begin to see a country that,
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up until that point,
was a great mystery to us.
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Myanmar formally known as Burma
is located in Southeast Asia.
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It borders China, India,
Bangladesh, Laos, and Thailand.
00:04:07.48\00:04:11.95
And for that reason,
00:04:11.98\00:04:13.31
it has absorbed many
other cultural impacts,
00:04:13.35\00:04:15.95
both religiously and socially.
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For many years, it
was ruled colonially,
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and then military
rule, but now civilian rule.
00:04:20.76\00:04:25.29
It has opened the
doors to the outside world,
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and Myanmar is now free,
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and friendly, and peaceful.
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And, friends,
that's very good news
00:04:32.13\00:04:33.97
for the
Seventh-day Adventist Church
00:04:34.00\00:04:35.74
and for Child
Impact International.
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Pastor John
Lomacang and his wife Angela
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are longtime supporters
of Child Impact's work.
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And today, they are
traveling with Jim Rennie
00:04:52.52\00:04:54.32
to the Mountain View
Academy in Central Myanmar.
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It's Monday morning here
at Mountain View Academy.
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You know what's exciting?
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The day begins with worship.
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As I was walking
and I was listening
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to the young boys and girls
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singing to the
top of their voices
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to the glory of God,
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they were
smiling, they were excited,
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they look so
wonderful in their uniforms,
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and I was so excited
to be able to be here
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and begin the day with them.
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What a difference
it makes when you begin
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your day with Jesus.
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So I'm going to
join them for worship now
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and have the same blessing
that God is preparing for them.
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Their visit begins promisingly
as they attend morning worship
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with the children,
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but their main
objective in visiting the school
00:06:03.86\00:06:05.83
was to see for
themselves the impact
00:06:05.86\00:06:08.00
sponsorship is having
on underprivileged children
00:06:08.03\00:06:10.43
in Myanmar.
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For Pastor Lomacang and Angela,
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this impact was very
evident as they were taken
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around the campus.
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They saw bright, bubbly children
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sitting in their classrooms,
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even though learning conditions
00:06:21.81\00:06:23.14
were not what they
were used to seeing.
00:06:23.18\00:06:25.01
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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One thing that moved me coming
to this school here in Myanmar
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is the children.
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I love children and
I love to see children
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that are content and happy.
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And the children
here at this school
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seem to be content and happy,
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and it gives me such joy
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to see the
smiles on their faces,
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the peace of
God in their hearts.
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So I just praise
God for being here,
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for giving me the
opportunity to be here,
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to be with Child
Impact International
00:07:01.52\00:07:03.89
and for the work that
they're doing worldwide.
00:07:03.92\00:07:08.86
Myanmar is a poor
country where families struggle
00:07:08.89\00:07:11.46
to provide for their children.
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In a world where they
strive to make ends meet,
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sending their children to school
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becomes very difficult.
00:07:16.77\00:07:18.47
But all parents want
the best for their children
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and they do view education
as a catalyst for change.
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This is where organizations
like Child Impact step in
00:07:23.94\00:07:27.08
to make it possible
for hundreds of children
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like Esther to attend school
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and receive a quality education.
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Thank you so much.
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Here I am standing
with a wonderful family.
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Ethita, whose name
in English means Esther,
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her siblings, her
mom and her dad, Santu,
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a wonderful family reaching
out in their own way as layman
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in this community sharing Jesus.
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But the challenges are great
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because Santu is the only one
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bringing in
income into this family,
00:07:54.74\00:07:56.60
and sponsoring their
children in the endeavors
00:07:56.64\00:07:59.14
of Christian
education is a wonderful
00:07:59.17\00:08:01.64
but a challenging thing.
00:08:01.68\00:08:03.35
The mom is not as
well as she'd like to be.
00:08:03.38\00:08:05.88
So how can that possibility,
how can that challenge be met?
00:08:05.91\00:08:09.75
Here's where you come in.
00:08:09.78\00:08:11.59
With your prayers and
your financial support
00:08:11.62\00:08:13.36
of Child Impact International,
00:08:13.39\00:08:15.39
these lives can be sponsored,
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not just for
education, but for eternity.
00:08:16.99\00:08:20.63
I want to invite Chin to come in
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and answer some questions for me
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because she understands
the language very well.
00:08:24.50\00:08:25.83
Chin, come stand
with me right here.
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Okay, sir.
Appreciate it so much.
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I want to ask the father,
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how is it possible,
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how are you providing
the needs for the family?
00:08:32.77\00:08:35.48
He works for part-time
and do some constructions
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and do the farming.
00:08:46.39\00:08:47.89
Okay, he works part-time
in construction and farming.
00:08:47.92\00:08:51.29
And how difficult is it for him
on a monthly basis financially?
00:08:51.33\00:08:56.10
They have to be very good
00:09:05.24\00:09:11.18
in managing the
money and also very,
00:09:11.21\00:09:13.82
use little amounts
for the family as well,
00:09:13.85\00:09:16.25
so it's very hard.
00:09:16.28\00:09:17.62
It's not enough always.
00:09:17.65\00:09:18.99
Not enough always.
00:09:19.02\00:09:20.36
Not enough
always, very difficult,
00:09:20.39\00:09:21.72
very challenging to make
the ends meet for this family.
00:09:21.76\00:09:24.76
A lot of prayer, I bet so...
00:09:24.79\00:09:26.33
A lot of prayer,
00:09:26.36\00:09:27.70
putting their lives
in the Lord's hands,
00:09:27.73\00:09:29.16
and so far he has
sustained them wonderfully.
00:09:29.20\00:09:32.30
But what you can do
will make amazing differences
00:09:32.33\00:09:35.57
in the lives of
all these children.
00:09:35.60\00:09:37.41
I'm sure that Santu
and his wife will really,
00:09:37.44\00:09:39.67
deeply appreciate that.
00:09:39.71\00:09:41.04
So thank you for reaching out.
00:09:41.08\00:09:43.14
And in your prayers
and your financial support,
00:09:43.18\00:09:45.51
changing and transforming lives
00:09:45.55\00:09:47.52
for this family.
00:09:47.55\00:09:48.88
Esther is studying in the
third grade at the school.
00:09:54.66\00:09:57.09
And along with her siblings,
she embodies to dreams,
00:09:57.13\00:10:00.40
promises, and the possibilities
00:10:00.43\00:10:02.43
of what good
education can provide.
00:10:02.46\00:10:04.83
Even though her parents
struggle to educate them,
00:10:04.87\00:10:07.30
they are steadfast in the belief
00:10:07.34\00:10:08.90
that educating their
children is the only way out
00:10:08.94\00:10:11.81
and do their
part to support them.
00:10:11.84\00:10:14.84
Mountain View Academy
has about 360 students
00:10:29.19\00:10:32.03
enrolled at present
00:10:32.06\00:10:33.40
and Child Impact
sponsors 60 students.
00:10:33.43\00:10:36.26
There is always a need
for sponsorship in schools
00:10:36.30\00:10:38.47
such as this which
were mainly established
00:10:38.50\00:10:40.44
to cater to the needs
of lay members' children.
00:10:40.47\00:10:43.30
But these schools also
have other pressing needs.
00:10:43.34\00:10:45.71
And for
organizations like Child Impact,
00:10:45.74\00:10:47.58
it becomes a
challenge to strike a balance
00:10:47.61\00:10:49.74
between providing
education to the children
00:10:49.78\00:10:51.81
and helping fund
infrastructural needs
00:10:51.85\00:10:54.12
at the school.
00:10:54.15\00:10:55.68
As I visit Myanmar,
00:10:55.72\00:10:57.42
I can see that
some people have done
00:10:57.45\00:10:59.55
some amazing work here.
00:10:59.59\00:11:01.56
There's been some large
donors who have stepped forward
00:11:01.59\00:11:04.66
and invested in infrastructure.
00:11:04.69\00:11:07.30
And now we have a
golden opportunity
00:11:07.33\00:11:10.20
to use this infrastructure,
00:11:10.23\00:11:12.37
and sponsorship is a
key way that we can ensure
00:11:12.40\00:11:15.77
that children come from
the non-Adventist villages
00:11:15.80\00:11:19.57
and from communities,
00:11:19.61\00:11:21.21
and their lives are
impacted by the resources
00:11:21.24\00:11:24.31
that we do have here.
00:11:24.35\00:11:25.88
These resources
that were envisioned
00:11:29.72\00:11:31.39
by church leaders and
generous donors years ago
00:11:31.42\00:11:34.12
continue to be a
blessing to hundreds of children
00:11:34.16\00:11:36.52
that pass through its gates.
00:11:36.56\00:11:38.19
It is indeed a
golden opportunity
00:11:38.23\00:11:40.10
for us to ensure
00:11:40.13\00:11:41.46
that it continues to
benefit needy children
00:11:41.50\00:11:42.93
and their
families in this region.
00:11:42.96\00:11:44.80
Sponsorship is a
key way to make certain
00:11:44.83\00:11:47.17
that these
facilities are not neglected
00:11:47.20\00:11:49.07
and fall into disrepair.
00:11:49.10\00:11:51.01
For Esther's
friend, Thine Siet Shey,
00:11:51.04\00:11:53.64
Mountain View
Academy has been her home
00:11:53.68\00:11:55.44
since she was
brought to the school
00:11:55.48\00:11:56.81
when she was just a child.
00:11:56.85\00:11:58.21
Her parents live far away
and have never come to see her.
00:11:58.25\00:12:01.62
Today, Child Impact sponsorship
has not just given her a place
00:12:01.65\00:12:04.99
to live and learn,
00:12:05.02\00:12:06.35
but it's given
her a chance to know
00:12:06.39\00:12:07.72
and accept Jesus as her savior.
00:12:07.76\00:12:09.99
Having a good day?
00:12:10.03\00:12:12.73
Friends, here I am sitting down
with Esther's friend, Thine,
00:12:12.76\00:12:17.00
who's been on this
campus for five years.
00:12:17.03\00:12:19.70
She's been here
since kindergarten,
00:12:19.73\00:12:21.87
and now she's in
the second grade.
00:12:21.90\00:12:23.81
What an amazing story.
00:12:23.84\00:12:25.17
One of our local pastors
became aware of her story
00:12:25.21\00:12:27.61
and her family's
plight and then he brought her
00:12:27.64\00:12:30.08
to this campus where she's been,
00:12:30.11\00:12:31.98
now in the second grade.
00:12:32.01\00:12:33.88
Not only is she
in the second grade,
00:12:33.92\00:12:35.25
all that time, she's not
been able to see her family.
00:12:35.28\00:12:38.72
But her life has been
transformed and changed.
00:12:38.75\00:12:40.86
And the smile that you see today
00:12:40.89\00:12:43.73
is because she's
not only been here
00:12:43.76\00:12:45.26
but she's been baptized,
00:12:45.29\00:12:46.63
she's been able to meet
Jesus as her personal Savior.
00:12:46.66\00:12:49.83
And the difference has been
because of what you've done,
00:12:49.86\00:12:51.90
her life is being
transformed and changed.
00:12:51.93\00:12:54.27
Her world is not
what it used to be.
00:12:54.30\00:12:56.44
Her world is
expanding and growing.
00:12:56.47\00:12:58.31
And the donations may seem small
00:12:58.34\00:13:00.24
but the impact to
her life is something
00:13:00.28\00:13:02.64
you'll never be able
to measure in this life
00:13:02.68\00:13:05.38
but maybe in eternity.
00:13:05.41\00:13:07.55
So thank you for all that you do
00:13:07.58\00:13:08.92
for Child Impact International
and thank you for what you do
00:13:08.95\00:13:11.92
to make a difference in
the lives of young ladies
00:13:11.95\00:13:14.69
like Thine and Esther.
00:13:14.72\00:13:16.66
Ellen White says,
00:13:19.39\00:13:21.00
"True education is
the harmonious development
00:13:21.03\00:13:23.47
of the physical, the mental,
and the spiritual powers.
00:13:23.50\00:13:27.14
It prepares the student
00:13:27.17\00:13:28.50
for the joy of
service in this world
00:13:28.54\00:13:30.24
and for the higher
joy of wider service
00:13:30.27\00:13:32.47
in the world to come."
00:13:32.51\00:13:33.84
What an opportunity for us
00:13:33.88\00:13:35.41
to impact the lives
in the mission field.
00:13:35.44\00:13:38.15
Your sponsorship
is not just preparing
00:13:38.18\00:13:40.22
these precious
children for the world outside
00:13:40.25\00:13:42.68
but for the world to come.
00:13:42.72\00:13:44.95
Sponsors have a huge
role in the mission field.
00:13:44.99\00:13:48.72
What it does,
00:13:48.76\00:13:51.19
it goes a long way, sponsorship,
00:13:51.23\00:13:53.46
it helps with their
books, their education,
00:13:53.50\00:13:56.36
food, a
dormitory, but most of all,
00:13:56.40\00:13:59.63
it prepares them for eternity.
00:13:59.67\00:14:01.84
They're learning about the Jesus
00:14:01.87\00:14:03.44
they have never known at home.
00:14:03.47\00:14:05.77
But when you sponsor a child,
00:14:05.81\00:14:08.84
it is truly
preparing them for eternity.
00:14:08.88\00:14:11.91
And that's what
this is all about.
00:14:11.95\00:14:14.02