Participants:
Series Code: HIM
Program Code: HIM001200S
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00:02 Child Impact International is an organization
00:05 that gives hope and fosters permanent positive change 00:08 in the lives of disadvantaged children 00:10 and their communities. 00:13 Countries include Zambia, Kenya, India, Nepal, 00:19 Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Myanmar. 00:22 Child Impacts investment 00:24 in the lives of more than 3,500 children continues 00:27 to yield infinite returns. 00:29 Outreach spans from child rescue operations 00:32 to providing an education and a home for deaf 00:35 and blind children and orphans. 00:37 Above all, Child Impact's sponsors give hope 00:40 to the ones who need it the most. 00:54 When we look into the eyes of a child, 00:57 we are looking into the future because they are the ones 01:00 who are going to shape and mold the world of tomorrow. 01:03 It is our opportunity today to mold 01:06 and shape them for a better future. 01:08 While there are many organizations 01:10 that try to do this, there are few 01:12 that have as long and successful a track record 01:15 as Child Impact International. 01:18 In this episode, we will be looking at the history 01:21 and mission of this Christ-centered organization 01:24 How much sacrifice Jesus made for us 01:27 and how much God loves each one of you. 01:30 It all started back in 1966 01:33 with a young woman named Maisie Fook. 01:35 Maisie wanted to send clothing to needy children in Korea. 01:39 So she and her husband Dennis registered Asian Aid Australia, 01:42 which later expanded to the United States 01:45 as Asian Aid USA, 01:46 and then became Child Impact International. 01:50 Their efforts attracted the attention 01:51 of a 26 year old Helen Eager, who began volunteering. 01:56 I think the first time, I was involved with anything 01:59 with Asian Aid, we went to Maisie Fook's house 02:02 to pack some clothes 02:05 that they were sending to South Korea 02:08 because Asian Aid actually started in South Korea. 02:11 And, I can remember I only own one, 02:15 very nice cardigan, and I took it off 02:18 because it was hot 02:19 and somehow my best cardigan must have gone to South Korea. 02:24 But, and then we actually sponsored a girl 02:26 to do her nursing in South Korea. 02:31 Shortly after, they saw the need 02:33 that Vietnamese children had for education 02:35 and expanded their work to help them. 02:37 Unfortunately, they weren't able to operate there for long. 02:41 War had been raging in Vietnam for around two decades, 02:44 but the fall of Saigon in 1975 02:46 and the subsequent communist takeover of the country 02:49 meant that it was no longer safe to work there, 02:53 but this did not stop the mission 02:54 of Asian Aid in other areas. 02:56 When Maisie heard of the need in Bangladesh, 02:58 she knew where they were going to expand. 03:00 She really loved Bangladesh 03:03 and they had different things 03:06 they were doing there as well as educating children. 03:09 They had one place where they had the women making baskets 03:14 and this kind of thing. 03:16 A major milestone for the still young Asian Aid 03:18 also happened in Bangladesh. 03:21 They saw that Monosapara School was going to close. 03:24 So they stepped in to save it. 03:26 Today, Monosapara 03:28 is one of the largest Adventist schools 03:29 in Bangladesh. 03:31 Helen Eager was inspired to see the work 03:33 that Asian Aid was doing, 03:35 but felt that she could do more 03:37 by starting her own organization. 03:40 I was living in Cooranbong back in those days 03:43 and we actually wanted to start our own charity, but they said, 03:48 New South Wales was not registering 03:50 any charities at the moment. 03:52 And so we requested to become a branch of Asian Aid. 03:57 And so we became the Hunter Valley branch 03:59 in Cooranbong. 04:01 During this time, Helen did a lot to increase 04:03 the work of Asian Aid, helping it to expand into India 04:07 and other countries. 04:08 I think it wasn't until 1979 that I started going to India. 04:13 But from about then I went every year to India 04:16 and then a little bit later to Bangladesh 04:19 and Nepal also every year 04:22 from 1979 onwards. 04:25 All these trips helped Helen to know the needs 04:28 that each area had. 04:30 After 23 years of leadership, 04:31 Maisie Fook retired from Asian Aid in 1989. 04:36 Helen stepped in as CEO 04:38 and led the organization's continued expansion 04:40 into more countries and more ways to help children 04:43 and the medical needs of the poor. 04:46 Helen oversaw the establishment of orphanages, 04:48 schools and developed a bond 04:50 with many of the sponsored children 04:52 that helped to shape their lives. 04:54 I'm like Eager, in this life, I thought of doing service 04:57 because she has sacrificed a lot for us, child like us. 05:01 So, I thought this field that medical field has got 05:06 a lot of opportunities to serve in the rural areas. 05:10 My early memories of her, she used to give candies 05:13 and every time she used to greet us, 05:18 she used to give us a hug, a kiss. 05:20 She used to tell us a lot of stories. 05:22 And then she had so many, 05:24 so much to tell us every time she came. 05:28 Her kind and loving influence can be seen 05:30 in the smiling faces of many generations of children 05:33 who have had the privilege of being around her. 05:37 In 2002, after many years of renting, 05:40 a school was constructed for the deaf in Kollegal India. 05:44 This school provides food, boarding and an education. 05:49 It is also a beacon of hope to many deaf children, 05:51 since it is located in a poor rural area 05:54 where it's hard to get an education, 05:56 which is especially true for the deaf. 05:59 Many of the children who have graduated 06:01 from this school have gone on to have successful careers. 06:05 The next year, ASI continued growth 06:07 with the blind school opening in Bobbili, India. 06:10 This school is home to over 100 children 06:12 who are able to realize their dreams. 06:14 Some work in government 06:16 while others have become teachers 06:17 and many other careers. 06:19 After 16 years, as CEO, 06:21 Helen Eager stepped down from that role, 06:23 but continued to work with Asian Aid Australia. 06:26 Inspired by the work that Asian Aid Australia was doing, 06:29 a group in America decided to form Asian Aid USA. 06:33 After several years of operation, 06:35 Jim Rennie became the CEO of Asian Aid USA. 06:38 The organization expanded the amount of schools 06:40 and orphanages that it either partnered 06:42 with or directly operated. 06:44 Asian Aid USA later changed 06:46 its name to Child Impact International. 06:49 In 2016, Jim led the way in addressing a need 06:53 that he had seen in his travels around India. 06:56 Over the years as I visited India, Bangladesh, 06:59 and Myanmar, I became very aware 07:02 of the number of children being trafficked. 07:06 We've even had children disappear from our schools. 07:10 They've gone home for the holidays 07:12 and simply disappeared from the village, 07:15 they're being trafficked. 07:17 And the problem is huge. 07:19 And I just felt the burden that we had to do something. 07:22 We had to play a small part in helping rescue children 07:27 from the various aspects of trafficking. 07:31 Jim decided that the best way to address the problem 07:34 would be to form a partnership 07:35 with a non-government organization in Bangalore. 07:39 Operation Child Rescue was formed as a project 07:42 of Child Impact to assist children 07:44 that are abandoned 07:46 or trafficked beginning in India. 07:49 Child Impact was excited that it could help 07:51 in some small way in giving rescued children hope. 07:55 With a desire to reach more needy children, 07:58 Asian Aid USA decided to change their name 08:00 to Child Impact International. 08:03 This name reflects far more clearly 08:06 the critical work that we are doing 08:08 with very needy students, 08:10 their families and mission schools. 08:12 Child Impact International gives momentum and direction 08:16 to a bold road strategy that will impact 08:19 the lives of thousands of additional children. 08:22 This name avoids any confusion in regards to where we work 08:27 and what people consider Asia. 08:30 This name gives a clear distinction 08:32 between this organization and Asian Aid Australia, 08:36 which are completely separate Since then, 08:40 Child Impact International has lived up to its new name 08:43 by expanding into Zambia. 08:45 We'd always had a strong request for Africa. 08:48 There are many people 08:49 who have a burden and a heart for Africa. 08:52 And so we looked at it and we were very excited 08:55 find Riverside Farms that we could partner with. 08:59 Riverside Farms give us good management. 09:02 They operate a good school so that we can be confident 09:06 that our sponsorship 09:08 on the ground is very effective. 09:12 Riverside Farms has and continues to grow 09:15 by adding more buildings to meet the great need 09:17 that Zambia has for education. 09:20 The expansions includes secondary education 09:23 that will enable up to 150 sponsored students 09:26 to continue their education. 09:31 In 2017, Helen Eager, fully retired, but the impact 09:34 that she has had on thousands of lives continues 09:37 Helen Eager is an amazing woman. 09:41 And just two weeks before filming with us, 09:44 I was able to meet her in Australia. 09:47 She's getting on in life, but she still has a passion 09:50 for the children, the work that she did 09:53 to establish Asian Aid and what then in America 09:57 it became Child Impact is just an amazing story. 10:01 She's really a mother Teresa in action. 10:07 She's now retired in the city of Brisbane in Australia. 10:12 Helen's had a really tough time lately. 10:15 Her husband passed away and she lost all of her house 10:18 and belongings in the Australian bushfires, 10:21 but she's still committed to the children 10:24 even the day that I picked her up. 10:27 She'd just been down to the shop 10:28 to buy some more wool. 10:30 And she was knitting jerseys for the kids in Nepal. 10:34 I just ask for your prayers for Helen, 10:37 and we certainly stay in touch with her. 10:40 And we certainly keep her up-to-date 10:42 on the amazing work that she established 10:45 in so many countries. 10:47 Please pray for Helen. 10:49 In spite of all of the challenges 10:51 Helen has faced, 10:52 her main focus continues to be the children. 10:56 I'm just more grateful than I can express 11:00 that Child Impact is growing and doing so much to help 11:04 as many young people as possible and children, 11:07 small ones as well as bigger ones. 11:09 And Jim Rennie has been telling me 11:11 some of the opportunities and some of the extra things 11:16 that you're all doing. 11:18 And I think it's just wonderful and I'm very grateful. 11:21 Sponsoring a child and giving them an opportunity 11:24 to get an education and to do something special 11:29 or useful with their lives is just, 11:31 it has just changed the lives of thousands 11:34 and thousands of children 11:35 that I have actually seen myself with the, 11:40 and many of them still contact me. 11:42 And I think from memory in Bangladesh, 11:44 they said once that about half of the workers 11:48 in the church in Bangladesh had been sponsored children 11:53 that had grown up and we're now working in, 11:57 working for God. 11:58 And I just think that it's an amazing ministry 12:03 and we just want to thank everyone 12:06 who's been involved. 12:07 It's just... 12:09 Words fail me. 12:12 From its humble beginnings with Maissie Fook wanting 12:15 to send clothing to needy children in Asia 12:17 to now operating in seven countries 12:19 around the world. 12:20 The dedication of these faithful workers 12:22 can be seen in the thousands of change lives. 12:26 Lives that would otherwise have had no hope. 12:29 Sponsors like you have made it possible for Asian Aid to grow 12:33 over the last 55 years and to expand. 12:35 This is why Asian Aid USA changed its name 12:38 to Child Impact International. 12:40 Thank you. 12:41 Your sponsorship has made all of this possible 12:53 Sponsoring children in activities 12:57 like these mission schools and opportunities 13:01 is a tremendous way 13:03 to help form the character of young people. 13:07 As they look to the future, 13:08 they will never forget their association 13:11 in a Christian environment. 13:13 And by God's grace, 13:15 many of them will become 13:16 members of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. 13:19 It is absolutely a powerful witness to sponsor 13:23 a child in Child Impact and so many other organizations 13:29 that help young people to find Jesus. 13:34 Sponsoring a child, not only has short term effects, 13:38 but it has a long-term effect. 13:41 Sponsoring a child is investing in the character 13:44 of a young person for eternity that we're taping this 13:48 right here in Myanmar 13:50 at the Myanmar Union Adventist Seminary. 13:54 And about one third of the students or one quarter 13:57 of the students are being sponsored by Child Impact. 14:01 People who become workers in God's church, 14:05 people who make an impact in the community 14:08 have been people who have been sponsored. 14:11 Your sponsorship is absolutely 14:14 an investment in the future of the church. |
Revised 2021-07-23