Participants:
Series Code: HIM
Program Code: HIM000225A
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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 00:25 and those who are in need, serving communities in India, 00:28 Nepal, Bangladesh, 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 to helping those 00:44 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, deaf, 01:00 and the blind children 01:01 giving them a sense of place, a home. 01:04 But above all, Child Impact is an organization giving hope, 01:08 giving hope to children, 01:10 giving hope to communities, 01:11 giving hope to the ones who need it the most. 01:14 This is Hope in Motion. 01:31 Carl Ginger's involvement with Child Impact International 01:34 as one of its board members 01:35 has taken him to India many times. 01:38 The vibrancy of life in India 01:40 is something that has captivated him, 01:42 and it's a place to experience and appreciate life. 01:45 For Carl, this was one such opportunity. 01:48 He is traveling with Jim Rennie, 01:49 CEO of Child Impact 01:51 and his fellow board member and friend Dittu Abraham 01:54 to the school for speech and hearing in Kollegal. 02:03 As they drive down into the campus, 02:05 the children appear from nowhere to greet them. 02:08 Their smiling faces and their warm welcome 02:10 was rewarding for the visitors. 02:12 The children were all well groomed 02:14 and were all ready for church. 02:22 I'm here at a church service with these children 02:26 and getting their responses 02:29 toward the questions we ask about Jesus Christ, 02:32 the energy they have, the commitment they have, 02:34 the pleasure in being part of a church service. 02:37 It truly is amazing. 02:39 This is something we can give these kids 02:41 that they would never have, 02:43 never have had the opportunity of knowing Jesus Christ, 02:46 and we are going to see results for eternity. 02:58 The church service was an amazing experience 03:01 that changed some of Carl's unconscious preconceptions. 03:05 These disabled children clearly demonstrated their ability 03:08 to praise God, albeit in their own way 03:11 but it also demonstrated the role we play 03:13 as an institution and a church 03:15 in reaching out to this community. 03:18 When I look at this place, 03:19 I'm convinced that this is exactly 03:21 what God wants us to be doing as a church 03:24 that working with the children 03:25 who otherwise in society would be rejected, 03:28 and cast aside, 03:29 and not provided the means to an education. 03:32 I think this is what the church should be doing 03:34 as part of its gospel outreach. 03:36 This is a testimony to the love of Jesus Christ, 03:40 for the most rejected, 03:42 for the most ignored part of society. 03:46 And these children are just the type of people 03:48 we should be serving. 03:51 Children like this are often seen as a liability 03:55 by the family and by the community. 03:57 This school changes that, this school gives them hope, 04:02 this school gives them an education 04:04 which in most cases enables them 04:06 to have a job and to have a future. 04:08 And then many of these children assist in funding 04:13 or supporting their family or village. 04:17 This school makes a difference far beyond the child 04:22 that attends here. 04:27 The school for speech and hearing 04:28 is what Child Impact is all about, 04:31 helping children in need 04:32 and giving them an opportunity 04:33 to look beyond their disability, 04:36 rejected by their family and society, 04:38 they would have lost all hope, 04:39 but this school has given them hope, 04:41 it has given them a future. 04:43 And for boys and girls that live here, 04:45 it has given them a place they can call home. 04:48 This is also having an impact on their family. 04:51 Their immediate family can be proud 04:53 now their child can achieve something 04:55 and have a job. 04:56 This school is making a difference 04:58 far beyond the education 04:59 the child receives at the school. 05:02 When we say, reaching out to the least of these, 05:06 this is what we mean. 05:07 This school and what happens here 05:10 is reaching out to the least of these 05:12 who would have been rejected by their society, 05:16 their family had no hope, 05:18 this school has made a difference, 05:20 and so they've gone from being the least of these 05:23 to being something to having a career, 05:26 and then actually impacting 05:28 on their village or with their family. 05:36 Lakshmi is a 12-year-old girl at the school. 05:39 She was born deaf and has been at the school 05:41 since she was just two years old. 05:44 Lakshmi's parents separated when she was just a baby. 05:47 And her mother was having a hard time 05:49 bringing her up along with her older sister 05:51 and brother who was also deaf. 05:53 Lakshmi is right now doing fourth standard here, 05:58 and we are hoping that 05:59 she will finish her studies from our school, 06:01 go on to do college just like her brother, 06:04 and be able to earn a living. 06:06 Now the reason why Lakshmi's mother and father 06:09 were separated is because of some family issues, 06:12 and they've been separated for more than 10 years now. 06:16 The father lives with his mother 06:19 in another state, 06:20 and the mother brought up all these three children 06:24 by working in a factory that makes noodles. 06:28 And because she's not able to give them a good education, 06:31 she has put both her hard of hearing children 06:34 over here in our school. 06:37 Lakshmi's mother married when she was just 16. 06:40 Although such practices exist in rural India 06:43 since ancient times, 06:44 it would be hard for someone to assimilate this mentality 06:47 especially for a first time visitor to rural India. 06:51 Lakshmi's mother was also got married at a very young age 06:57 and that's the same thing 06:58 that she did with her elder daughter. 07:01 And we are hoping that that same thing 07:02 doesn't happen to Lakshmi 07:05 that she will be able to finish her studies, 07:06 her college, and then get into a good job, 07:08 and then look for getting married to someone. 07:11 We're hoping that that'll happen to her. 07:14 One can only hope 07:15 that Lakshmi will have the opportunity 07:17 to break the shackles of their long observed traditions 07:20 and compulsions, and hope that education 07:22 will let her have the freedom to choose 07:24 how she wants to live. 07:35 Lakshmi's family lived in a nearby village, 07:38 and Carl was anxious to meet them. 07:40 Upon arriving at her village, 07:42 it was clear that Lakshmi's family loved her very much, 07:45 and she loved her family. 07:47 The home was certainly minimalistic, 07:49 but hospitality was evident. 07:51 Seeing how content they were with 07:52 what they had was such a blessing 07:54 and a valuable lesson to all addicted to consumerism. 07:58 Carl got to talk to Kalavathi, 08:00 Lakshmi's mother through the help of Rajkumar 08:03 who was translating for him. 08:12 Her wish is her two children got educated in this Asian Aid, 08:15 through Asian Aid, sponsored through Asian Aid. 08:18 And there are many children in the villages, 08:20 she also want them to get educated same thing. 08:23 She want more sponsors to come forward 08:25 so that many children can come to the light. 08:29 Although the pain of life struggle was deep within her, 08:31 one could sense how happy she was knowing 08:34 that her daughter Lakshmi was well taken care of, 08:36 and she was thankful for what we could do as an organization. 08:40 Rajkumar, we've just been talking to Lakshmi's mother. 08:44 There must be lots of other children in these villages 08:48 who have disabilities. 08:52 What would be the situation if there was no help? 08:57 If there is no outside help, for example, like Asian Aid, 09:01 the other NGOs in India, 09:04 families like this will suffer very much. 09:09 And the pathetic situation is, 09:11 if there are no NGOs coming forward 09:13 to help them like these kids, 09:16 the society will be dropping them to one corner. 09:20 They'll not come out, and they can't get exposure. 09:24 If people, 09:28 the society from outside 09:29 comes and helps people like these small villages, 09:32 remote villages, 09:34 children like Lakshmi will come up much brighter. 09:38 Their future, they can read it. 09:40 Otherwise, their future will be in debris. 09:47 You know, this is an example of what can happen 09:50 when someone like Asian Aid gets involved 09:53 and sponsors get involved in the child's life. 09:56 We can transform the person, give them a future, 10:00 create opportunities for them to be themselves, 10:04 be what God intended them to be. 10:07 What a privilege to create, and generate, 10:11 and multiply hope. 10:23 For someone like Lakshmi, 10:24 having a loving family is a blessing. 10:27 Because her mother wanted the best for her, 10:29 she was willing to leave her 10:30 in a school's boarding environment 10:32 just so she could give her the education 10:34 she otherwise would be unable to provide. 10:37 Most of these children understand their difficulties 10:40 at home, and understand the opportunities 10:42 they have been given by their sponsors, 10:44 and are ever thankful for the part 10:45 they are playing in their lives. 10:48 I'm sure that these children are very thankful 10:52 to their sponsors 10:53 and the sponsors should know this 10:56 that every day the children pray for them. 10:59 There's not a day goes 11:00 without the child praying for their sponsors. 11:03 And we are very thankful to the sponsors. 11:06 And they know the importance of sponsorship. 11:09 It's because of that sponsorship that they are here, 11:12 and they are having new friends, 11:16 a new life given to them. 11:21 Well, when I come to the school, 11:23 it's just touching. 11:25 I wish the sponsors could be here. 11:27 I wish the sponsors could really see 11:30 beyond the difference they're making. 11:32 The kids are so happy. 11:33 The kids want to touch you, 11:35 they want to communicate with you. 11:37 And without the sponsors, this simply wouldn't happen. 11:41 It's bigger than their education. 11:43 It's bigger than the child at the desk. 11:45 It's giving these kids a delight in life, 11:48 and that's what I see when I come here. 11:51 When Jesus was on this earth, He invited the poor, 11:54 the blind, the lame, the deaf into the temple 11:58 and had fellowship with them. 11:59 Jesus mentioned that when we do service 12:01 to the least of these, 12:03 we are doing service to Him, 12:05 and this is what Jesus meant to take care of the ones 12:07 who are less fortunate than us. 12:09 What a blessing it is for us to be in His service. 12:13 Many times I question myself asking, 12:16 "Am I doing the preaching work here, 12:20 or am I doing some kind of service?" 12:22 But then I realize 12:23 what Jesus told that true religion 12:25 is to take care of the orphans, the widows, 12:29 and the less fortunate ones. 12:31 And then by seeing the lives of these children transforming, 12:35 it gives me hope and courage, Yes, what we are doing here is, 12:39 any day, the best thing that we must be doing. 12:42 It's important that the church has these services going on. 12:50 Today, this school for speech and hearing 12:52 is a beacon for Christ in this area. 12:54 With this school in Kollegal, 12:56 Child Impact International 12:57 is not only bringing hope to the children, 13:00 but also the community 13:01 as it sees practical Christianity in action. 13:04 The church could not have scripted a better outcome, 13:07 just being there and demonstrating love 13:09 on a consistent basis 13:11 reflects the image of God. 13:15 These children are preparing for their final exams tomorrow. 13:20 And it's clear 13:22 that these children are being prepared 13:25 not just to survive, 13:26 but for a future tomorrow and a future for eternity. 13:30 And for Asian Aid to be involved 13:33 in creating these opportunities really warms my heart. 13:37 It's helping me see what it is really to be human. 13:41 And I'm so glad to be part of that. |
Revised 2019-10-31