Participants:
Series Code: HIM
Program Code: HIM001214S
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00:02 Child Impact International is an organization
00:05 that gives hope and fosters permanent, 00:07 positive change in the lives of disadvantaged children 00:10 and their communities. 00:13 Countries include Zambia, 00:15 Kenya, India, 00:18 Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Myanmar. 00:22 Child Impact's investment in the lives 00:24 of more than 3,500 children 00:26 continues 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. 00:53 Child Impact International is a nonprofit organization 00:57 whose sole focus is uplifting impoverished children 01:00 around the world 01:01 through education and the gospel. 01:04 This episode will focus on what Child Impact 01:07 is planning to do in the future 01:08 to accomplish the goal of helping children. 01:11 Now this episode is too short 01:12 to be able to cover all the areas they are working in, 01:15 but instead we'll highlight a few key ones. 01:18 India is a large country 01:20 and currently home to much of Child Impact's work. 01:24 While most of the children that are sponsored 01:25 through Child Impact are not disabled, 01:28 the ones that are receive the best education possible 01:31 in an environment that enables them to reach 01:33 their full potential. 01:35 The Kollegal School for the Speech 01:36 and Hearing Impaired 01:38 is located in a rural setting in Karnataka, India. 01:41 It has a wonderful campus with over 100 students. 01:45 Without this school for the deaf, 01:47 there would be very little help for these children. 01:50 Those who are deaf are treated very poorly 01:52 because deafness is considered a curse. 01:55 Some families will try to hide the fact their child is deaf. 01:58 Sometimes fathers will leave their families 02:00 because they don't want the shame 02:02 of being the father to a deaf child. 02:04 But graduates from this school 02:06 have been able to live fulfilling lives 02:08 and get well-paying jobs. 02:10 Child Impact is committed to not only the continuation, 02:14 but also growth of this needed school. 02:17 The school needs a new boys' dormitory. 02:20 New government requirements 02:22 means that we have to have separate buildings 02:25 for the boys and girls. 02:26 And so, Child Impact is very committed to the future 02:31 of the deaf school and also wants to start 02:34 a major project 02:36 building a new boys' dormitory. 02:41 Child Impact also helps children 02:43 who suffer from another disability 02:46 and that is sight impairment and blindness. 02:48 A child who is born blind or becomes blind 02:51 from an accident or disease has little hope 02:54 for a positive future. 02:57 Some view them as a curse, 02:59 while others look at them as a liability to themselves 03:02 and their families. 03:04 The most they can hope for is to do menial tasks, 03:07 while some are locked away, or worse. 03:10 Child Impact International saw the need 03:12 that these children had and opened a school 03:15 designed to help them reach their full potential. 03:18 This school has helped thousands of blind children 03:21 to live full lives by giving them an education 03:24 that opens many, many doors for them. 03:26 Even though we face many challenges 03:29 like getting qualified teachers to go to the location, 03:33 we are very committed to improving 03:35 the quality of education, 03:38 to improving the quality of long term education, 03:43 so that these children have a chance for a future 03:46 and are able to get a job. 03:50 Child Impact was concerned about children 03:52 that have been trafficked and babies 03:54 that have been abandoned. 03:56 That's why they decided that the best way 03:58 to address the problem would be to form a partnership 04:01 with a non-government organization in Bangalore. 04:05 Operation Child Rescue was formed as a project 04:08 of Child Impact International 04:10 to assist children that are abandoned 04:12 or trafficked with an initial focus in India. 04:16 Child Impact was excited 04:17 that it could help in some small way 04:19 in giving rescued girls hope. 04:22 They have not only rescued many children and babies, 04:25 but also helped to rehabilitate those 04:27 who have gone through some of the most 04:28 traumatic experiences imaginable. 04:31 We want to grow our rescue programs 04:35 that are involved in trafficking 04:36 and other child rescue activity. 04:40 We plan to expand Operation Child Rescue 04:44 in the further cities of India, 04:46 expand into Bangladesh and look for opportunities 04:50 where we can partner with other people 04:53 that are on the ground 04:54 and have a team on the ground doing the rescues. 04:58 Even though growth is important, 05:00 it's also vital that quality does not suffer 05:02 in the shadow of expansion. 05:05 That's why Child Impact pays close attention 05:08 to what is happening with the children 05:09 that they are sponsoring, 05:11 making sure that they are well taken care of, 05:14 and that the education that they are receiving 05:16 reaches a good standard. 05:17 What's our future in India? 05:19 Well, we are going to have to plan very carefully. 05:23 I have to be honest with you 05:25 that some of the Mission School education is now dropping below 05:29 a certain standard. 05:31 And we have an obligation 05:33 to ensure that our children get an education 05:37 that's at least at government standard, 05:39 and the government acceptable level. 05:42 So we're going to choose very carefully 05:45 what schools we take on 05:47 and where we're going to operate in India, 05:49 so that we can probably do a little less, 05:52 but do it far more effectively. 05:55 We will not drop any children, 05:57 and we're very committed to the children we have. 06:00 We're very committed to the special needs school, 06:03 we're very committed to the orphans. 06:06 But we just simply are going to have to look carefully 06:09 at where we operate 06:11 and how we operate and do it better. 06:16 Child Impact International is constantly working 06:18 to live up to its name by not only increasing 06:21 the amount of children sponsored, 06:22 but also expanding into new countries. 06:25 It's very exciting that in the last few years, 06:28 Child Impact International 06:30 has been on a growth curve. 06:34 And we're very appreciative to the donors, 06:37 the supporters and the sponsors that do support us. 06:42 We want to grow the children that we minister and help. 06:48 We want to grow our sponsorship program. 06:51 And we plan to expand that. 06:53 We will grow in Bangladesh and Myanmar. 06:57 And we're also expanding in other countries. 07:01 As I record this, 07:02 we're just expanding into Kenya, 07:05 and also into other African countries. 07:09 One of the first African countries 07:11 that Child Impact expanded into was Zambia. 07:16 When Child Impact expands into a new country, 07:19 they look for an established ministry to partner with. 07:22 In Zambia, they found Riverside Farm, 07:26 which is a long running ministry 07:27 with a great track record. 07:30 The partnership between Child Impact 07:32 and Riverside Farm has opened opportunities 07:35 for them to expand in the future. 07:38 When we built the new school, we were planning to build it. 07:40 And then when we got in touch with Child Impact, 07:43 that's going to allow us to put the school at capacity. 07:45 There's no reason to run the school 07:47 with just a handful of people 07:49 who can afford to come to the school 07:51 because they're working. 07:53 And you have this whole set of kids 07:55 who are completely unserved, 07:59 the ones who need it the most who wouldn't be able to come. 08:01 And so this provides that opportunity 08:02 because even with the farm and us being able to do some, 08:07 it allows us to have teachers for the full set of teachers 08:10 and provide for a lot more kids that way, who wouldn't get in. 08:15 So in the previous school, we had about 70 kids 08:18 that were packed in. 08:21 And so now we'll be able to go up to about 120 this year, 08:26 and then we'll add on and we'll go, 08:28 I think it'll end up being about 200 kids 08:30 that will be in the school. 08:32 Child Impact and Riverside Farm are also looking forward 08:35 to the opening of a secondary school, 08:38 which will allow them to offer continued education 08:40 for sponsored children. 08:42 Up to 150 students will be able to study 08:45 through the 12th grade once it opens in early 2022. 08:49 It can seem like the future of Child Impact 08:51 is mainly about the organization, 08:53 but it's really about the children. 08:56 The growth of Child Impact in the future means 08:58 that the lives of more children will be forever changed. 09:01 They will not be stuck in the poverty cycle. 09:04 They will not be stuck at the village 09:05 doing backbreaking menial labor 09:07 just to have barely enough to eat. 09:10 But even more important, 09:11 Child Impact works with the Adventist Church 09:13 to give these children a lifesaving knowledge 09:15 of Jesus Christ, 09:16 a knowledge that they would probably never have known about 09:19 except through sponsorship. 09:22 By being a sponsor, 09:23 you're not only helping these children today, 09:26 but are also participating in the Great Commission 09:28 to teach the whole world about the gospel. 09:32 It is exciting to see how God has blessed 09:34 the ministry of Child Impact International. 09:37 All of what you've witnessed and much more 09:40 has been possible through generous sponsors 09:42 and donors like you. 09:43 My name is Tom Evans, 09:45 CEO of Child Impact International. 09:47 I'd like to share with you a vision going forward. 09:50 This statement captured my attention in the video. 09:53 It is vital that quality does not suffer 09:56 in the shadow of expansion. 09:58 At Child Impact, 09:59 we are committed to strengthening 10:00 our existing ministries in India to the blind, 10:03 deaf and orphans along with the human trafficking projects 10:07 under Operation Child Rescue. 10:09 Our work in Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, 10:11 Sri Lanka, now in Zambia and Kenya will continue. 10:15 The quality of our sponsorship program is a top priority. 10:19 While we strengthen existing ministries, 10:21 I'm also inspired by the prayer of Jabez in 1 Chronicles 14. 10:25 Jabez called on the God of Israel, 10:28 "Oh that You would bless me, and enlarge my territory. 10:31 Let Your hand be with me." 10:33 That is my prayer for Child Impact International. 10:36 Why? 10:38 Lives are being transformed. 10:40 I'd like to share part of my personal passion 10:42 for ministry to children. 10:44 When my wife and I were dating, 10:45 she said that she would like to have 10 children. 10:48 Well, I didn't believe her, so I decided to take my chance, 10:51 and hope that she would change her mind. 10:54 Twenty years later, 10:56 I've discovered that children don't have to be biological 10:58 to be part of your family. 11:00 Yes, we have biological children, 11:02 but we have opened our home to 11:04 provide respite for a foster parent, 11:06 posted exchange high school and college students, 11:09 sponsored several children, and more recently, 11:12 we adopted two boys from an orphanage 11:15 in Eastern Europe. 11:16 The total of children is easily surpassed 10 11:19 and it continues to grow. 11:20 My wife was right. 11:23 Friends, children are close to God's heart. 11:26 The reward of investing in the lives of children is eternal. 11:30 I'd like to especially encourage you 11:31 to do something tangible in the life 11:34 of a vulnerable child 11:35 or perhaps 10 or more children. 11:38 Would you partner with Child Impact International 11:40 to reach more children? 11:42 Let's enlarge the territory as God opens doors. 11:45 You can donate and sponsor a child 11:47 by visiting childimpact.org 11:49 or by calling 423-9100-667. 11:54 Thank you, and may God bless. 12:20 It's hard to believe that Christmas time 12:22 is approaching again. 12:23 I'm Tom Evans, 12:25 CEO of Child Impact International. 12:27 Every Christmas, we feature our very important 12:30 major appeal, which we call impact gifts. 12:34 This year, we are focusing on 12:35 three significant opportunities to make a difference. 12:40 The challenge that COVID has left us within 12:42 the third world countries where Child Impact operates 12:45 continues to pose many difficulties. 12:48 Their tremendous needs are compounded 12:50 by shortages and cost increases. 12:53 The most tragic of all is human loss due to the pandemic. 12:58 It feels overwhelming 12:59 and almost insurmountable at times. 13:02 I'm very grateful for the Lord's blessing 13:04 and the generosity of Child Impact supporters 13:07 and I'm proud of the work that this has allowed us to do. 13:10 Impact gifts is our most important appeal for the year 13:13 and now has an extra sense of urgency. 13:17 During this Christmas season, we would like to invite you 13:19 to partner with us in the following three ways. 13:23 First is the Where Needed Most Fund. 13:25 This not only supports our operation, 13:28 but also allows us to support urgent requests we receive. 13:32 Unexpected challenges arise 13:33 and we want to be prepared for this. 13:36 Where Needed Most is the key fund 13:38 to running our organization and helping others. 13:41 The next fund is the Blind, Deaf and Orphan Fund 13:44 which is a key program 13:46 to help serve the special needs children who we support. 13:49 These precious children with special needs 13:52 are a significant focus 13:53 of our ministry at Child Impact. 13:56 Our third appeal is Operation Child Rescue 13:59 which is doing such an amazing work in rescuing, 14:02 rehabilitating, and simply giving hope 14:05 to many trafficked and vulnerable children. 14:08 Please give thought to how you can support us 14:11 at this critical time. 14:13 You can go to our website at childimpact.org 14:16 That's childimpact.org 14:18 I'm thankful for the Lord's blessing 14:20 and for your support. 14:22 May God bless you. |
Revised 2022-01-06