Participants:
Series Code: HIM
Program Code: HIM000214A
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00:07 Child Impact International is an organization giving hope,
00:11 previously called Asian Aid. 00:13 Child Impact International is an organization 00:15 fostering permanent positive change 00:18 in the lives of disadvantaged children 00:20 and their communities. 00:21 Child Impact is committed to making a difference 00:24 in the lives of children and those who are in need. 00:27 Serving communities in India, Nepal, Bangladesh, 00:30 Sri Lanka, Myanmar, 00:32 and will soon expand to other countries. 00:34 For the last 50 years, 00:36 Child Impact has invested in the futures of people 00:39 and their investment has proven infinite returns. 00:42 Driven by the dedication 00:43 to helping those who have the least, 00:45 Child Impact is an organization 00:47 focused on the welfare of children, 00:49 implementing diverse development projects 00:52 and sponsoring thousands of children. 00:54 Their outreach spans from child rescue operations 00:57 to providing an education for orphans, 00:59 deaf, and the blind children, 01:01 giving them a sense of place, a home. 01:04 But above all, 01:05 Child Impact is an organization giving hope, 01:08 giving hope to children, giving hope to communities, 01:11 giving hope to the ones who needed the most. 01:14 This is Hope In Motion. 01:20 Our television series 01:21 Hope In Motion has been a big success 01:24 and we want to continue 01:26 to share with you some of the field stories 01:29 that we have filmed over the years. 01:31 So just from time to time, it may refer to Asian Aid 01:35 as we reflect on these great stories 01:38 as we share them with you. 01:42 Welcome to Myanmar. 01:44 I am standing on the bank 01:46 of the Delta region of this country 01:48 and as we look out onto the river, 01:50 this plays an integral part in the lives and economy 01:53 of the people in this country, 01:55 through fishing as well as transportation. 01:58 Ninety percent of the people in this country 02:01 practice Buddhism. 02:02 In fact, Myanmar 02:04 is one of the most religious Buddhist countries 02:06 in the world. 02:08 When looking at the proportion 02:09 amongst the people, population 02:12 as well as the amount of income that they spend on religion. 02:18 This presents a great challenge to the mission 02:20 of the Seventh-day Adventist Church 02:22 here in Myanmar. 02:23 But this is beginning to change slowly. 02:26 Adventist education plays a central role 02:30 in the spreading of the gospel in Myanmar. 02:34 But challenge is that a decent education 02:37 is expensive, 02:39 most people can't afford it. 02:41 But this is where 02:42 an organizational like Asian Aid 02:44 has such a great deal of impact. 02:46 They are concerned and committed 02:49 to the welfare of children in need here. 02:52 Join me on a journey 02:55 as we see what Asian Aid is doing 02:58 to strengthen and further the mission 03:00 of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Myanmar. 03:07 Myanmar or Burma 03:09 as it used to be called is in Southeast Asia. 03:12 It borders China, India, Bangladesh, 03:15 Laos and Thailand. 03:17 It has naturally absorbed some of the cultural influences 03:20 of these neighbors. 03:22 For years, colonial rule was seen here but then, 03:26 rampant ethnic strife 03:28 caused a military backed government 03:30 to take power. 03:32 But more recently, 03:33 civilian rule has come to be established 03:37 and the country has opened up its doors 03:38 to the outside world. 03:41 There is peace and freedom. 03:44 This is good news for the mission 03:45 of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Myanmar 03:48 and these supporting ministries like Asian Aid. 04:00 Myanmar is predominately a Buddhist country 04:03 where over 85% of the population 04:06 practices Buddhism. 04:08 Public evangelism is banned, 04:11 but the Adventist message is slowly trickling through. 04:15 The main reason for that is our school system. 04:18 Our Adventist schools are a wonderful place for us 04:21 to introduce Jesus to the children 04:24 at a very early age, 04:26 but being a poor country, 04:28 many children struggle to attend school 04:31 and get a good education. 04:33 This is where Asian Aid has its biggest impact. 04:37 Last year at the GC session in San Antonio, 04:40 I was privileged to do a benefit concert 04:42 for Asian Aid 04:43 so that more children could be sponsored. 04:46 When I heard about the work 04:47 that is also being done here in Myanmar, 04:49 I was naturally curious 04:51 and I wanted to come here and see for myself. 04:53 I wanted to see exactly what Asian Aid is doing 04:56 to bring hope, salvation, and a future 05:00 to children in need in Myanmar. 05:20 I was first taken to Myanmar Union Adventist seminary 05:23 or MUAS, 05:25 as it is commonly known here. 05:27 Now, MUAS is the only Adventist institution of higher learning 05:33 in Myanmar, 05:34 and it plays a very important role 05:37 in developing young minds 05:39 to be future torchbearers for the church. 05:43 We have only one Adventist College in Myanmar, 05:48 and it is very important 05:49 because all youths of Adventist Church in Myanmar, 05:54 they come here to study. 05:58 It helped them 05:59 to get the education for their life, 06:02 and also their spiritual education 06:05 to prepare for testimony to others 06:10 about the love of God. 06:12 Right now we have over 600 students 06:15 this semester. 06:18 And most of our students 06:20 come from financially poor background. 06:24 And our members scatter all over Myanmar 06:30 from different regions and states. 06:33 So in my union mission, 06:37 the church have a good anticipation 06:41 on these young people. 06:43 They are the future of the church. 06:45 And they have solid Adventist education 06:50 in this institution only. 06:56 The seminary is a beautiful campus. 06:59 As I was given a quick tour, 07:01 I heard music coming from the auditorium. 07:04 Intrigued by the sound of violin filling the air, 07:08 I went to the auditorium 07:09 to find beautiful young ladies practicing. 07:15 Using and developing your talents 07:17 for God's honor and glory. 08:44 All right. 08:45 Fantastic. 08:47 I have been here at the seminary 08:48 for just a few hours, 08:50 but one of the things 08:51 that has brought me the most joy 08:52 was to hear them practicing. 08:54 We were walking around the campus, 08:56 but we could hear this wonderful beautiful music. 08:59 You know, these young people come from different places 09:02 and different backgrounds. 09:04 But something has brought them together, 09:07 music and Jesus Christ. 09:09 You see, some of these songs 09:11 that praise the Lord are the first exposure 09:14 that they have to Jesus, 09:16 but this is a way 09:17 in which they are coming to learn about Jesus Christ. 09:20 Asian Aid is making it possible 09:23 for these young people and many others 09:25 to be able to dedicate their talents and their lives 09:28 to share the love of Jesus with others. 09:33 Young people using their talents 09:35 for the glory of God 09:37 and witnessing it 09:38 on one of the frontier mission fields 09:40 of the church is a true blessing. 09:43 In fact, the spirituality that emits 09:45 from the students and staff alike 09:47 is very encouraging to me 09:49 and many other visitors 09:51 who have visited this campus over the years. 09:54 It reinforced my belief in the Adventist school system 09:58 and the role education plays in witnessing 10:01 for our Lord and Savior. 10:04 I believe that in the country of Myanmar, 10:07 probably more so than in many other countries 10:10 in the world, education is vital. 10:12 And I believe so, 10:14 because education seems to be the platform 10:18 in which many non-Adventists or Christians 10:23 get to know about Jesus Christ. 10:25 And so from my particular perspective, 10:27 education is vital in this country. 10:30 It is important that we subsidize it, 10:32 it is important that we, 10:34 that we really create the environment 10:37 in which children have an opportunity 10:40 to learn about Christ. 10:43 But a good education is not easy to get, 10:46 particularly in rural areas. 10:49 Especially in a poor country like Myanmar 10:52 where obtaining a good Adventist education 10:55 is not within reach 10:56 of a majority of Adventist families. 11:00 As you know, Asian Aid operates in six countries in Asia, 11:04 and recently into Myanmar. 11:07 Now traditionally, Asian Aid takes the child 11:09 based on need 11:11 and places them in an Adventist school. 11:14 Poverty is a vicious cycle. 11:16 And in Myanmar, 11:18 there is a lot of poverty. 11:20 And the great thing about education 11:22 is that it helps break that cycle, 11:25 that cycle that has an impact 11:27 not just on the child but on the family. 11:30 And this is why sponsorship in a country like Myanmar 11:34 is very, very significant for the total population, 11:39 not just on the child but on the family 11:42 and on the village they come from. 11:45 I truly believe 11:46 that our Adventist schools and seminaries 11:48 not only serve as an educational institution, 11:51 but also as a beacon of light to the community it serves. 11:57 Talking about community, 11:59 I was anxious to visit some of the neighboring villages 12:03 and see for myself, some of the circumstances 12:06 that these students come from. 12:37 I am in a small poor village, deep in the heart of Myanmar. 12:41 You wouldn't know it, 12:43 but our school is actually not too far away. 12:46 In our western comfortable cultures and countries, 12:49 we've probably heard about poverty, 12:52 we've read about it, we've seen pictures 12:54 but unless you are here, 12:56 it's hard to fully grasp and understand what it's like. 13:01 The children you see behind me live in this village. 13:04 Their parents go out and work 13:06 under backbreaking conditions all day. 13:09 That means that these children stay here, 13:12 they don't have the chance to go to school, 13:14 and when they grow up the cycle is perpetuated. 13:18 They can only go to work where their parents worked 13:21 and this continues. 13:23 But Asian Aid is making it possible 13:25 for these young people 13:26 to be able to go to a Christian school, 13:28 get an education, love Jesus 13:31 and then serve others and God. 13:35 I just got a letter 13:37 from our sponsored daughter Sheila. 13:38 I've got to tell you, 13:40 there is nothing like getting one of these letters. 13:42 Our family has been able to sponsor her 13:44 through Child Impact International. 13:46 Because of that, 13:47 she's got a great place to live. 13:49 She's got good food. 13:50 She's got great clothing. 13:52 Best of all, 13:53 I now found out she's in college. 13:55 She's in nursing school. 13:57 There's nothing like getting a letter like this. 14:00 You need to start getting these letters too. 14:02 Listen, through Child Impact, 14:04 you can make a huge difference in the life of a child, 14:07 and I promise you, 14:08 it's going to make a huge difference 14:10 in your life too. |
Revised 2019-06-10