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Sterling Van Wagenen stood on a patch of crumbled highway in Sumatra, Indonesia, the vine-covered white stripes in the middle the only evidence of the roadway it had once been. It was a highway that started nowhere and went nowhere, a lonely witness to the tsunami that had devoured Southeast Asia a year earlier.

“It was very humbling even a year later to see the devastation that occurred because of that tsunami,” says Van Wagenen. “Everyone we talked to had lost family members; whole villages were wiped out.”

The rebuilding process has been slow, but the world’s humanitarian aid has been tremendous. The LDS Church stepped in with funds and volunteers, working alongside the other organizations and volunteers determined to reduce the suffering of victims.

Van Wagenen is the executive producer of a new BYU Television documentary exploring the LDS humanitarian aid program, following its history and its projects everywhere from Indonesia to Ghana to Mississippi. The documentary, Acts of God, is divided into four episodes and will premiere on BYU Television between this spring’s general conference sessions.

The production of Acts of God would not have been possible were it not for the generous financial support of Rex and Ruth Maughan, says Van Wagenen. With funds in place, director Travis Babcock and his production team were able to get out and witness the lives of the individuals touched by the humanitarian aid program, exposing a world of humans while telling the story of the program’s goals and accomplishments.

“A lot of people romanticize what is going on in these countries,” says Damian Dayton, co-producer. “They just see the sullen, sad faces of the victims. But these are people—they realize that these are the cards they’ve been dealt, and they’ve been able to find happiness.”

Dayton remembers a visit to a leper colony in Ghana, where a pair of senior missionaries distributed wheelchairs.  There they found a well-educated man who had lost his legs to leprosy. When they brought a wheelchair to him, his young grandson climbed up on it and simply giggled with glee. “These are people with a lot of joy and happiness in their lives,” Dayton says. “And we find that wherever we go.”

Another man Dayton met, Marzuki, is a master boat builder in Indonesia. His wife was killed in the 2004 tsunami, leaving him with seven sons and no livelihood. As the Church worked through another organization to bring funds back into the business, Dayton said he was touched to see Marzuki take his ancient art infused with modern science and teach his sons a trade. The big, gruff man grew emotional as he expressed gratitude for the gift he had received.

“I’m so grateful I can work next to my sons,” Dayton recalls Marzuki saying. “They will have a future now because of the work this church is doing.”

Acts of God looks at the stories behind LDS Humanitarian Aid with an unblinking eye, Dayton says. Though the LDS Church was not directly involved in the documentary’s production, leaders opened the doors for the production team to come in and see for themselves the triumphs and trials inherent in international humanitarian intervention. The Church also facilitated interviews with Bishop Burton of the presiding bishopric and with the missionaries involved in the work.

“Everyone has their own beliefs about why we’re doing this [humanitarian aid],” Dayton says. “Some people think this is our back door to missionary work, but from what I understand, the General Authorities say we’re doing this because it’s our Christian duty. The poor we will have with us always, but that doesn’t take away our responsibility to try and lessen that and lift up our brothers.”
-by Dani Grigg

Acclaimed composer, Jon Schmidt plays live on stage to three dances choreographed around the seasons fall, winter and spring. The national a capella award-winning group, Vocal Point has collaborated with The Dancers’ Company on a medley of pieces celebrating summertime that is sure to have you tapping your toes.

You will see inspiring and uplifting favorites such as Ascendance and Home, as well as a new rip roaring Lindy Hop-style dance called Swing! Swang! Swung!

Have a Ball!, choreographed by former Nikolais dancer Susan Lloyd, is an athletic and driving piece using bright red balls to redefine the stage space.

Faculty member Pamela Musil has choreographed a touching tribute to her parents and their generation who courted during the World War II era. Video, ’40s music and wonderful partnering take us on a sentimental journey. The program’s music ranges from Steve Reich to Michael Bublé and combines with the dance to provide an incredible concert and evening of art.

Last year, the Dancers’ Company was selected to perform at the Kennedy Center in Washington D.C. in the prestigious American College Dance Festival, which presents the best of the country’s university dance programs. This spring, Dancers’ Company will travel to Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Jamaica and present many of the same dances you will see in this program.

Watch your program guide for air times for this exciting new program, which is scheduled to air this April.

The Mormon Way of Doing Business, based on Benedict’s recent book of the same name (released by Warner Bros. in January 2007), provides a close-up view of how religious convictions and business practices can and should be integrated.

This program features interviews with Jim Quigley, the CEO of the accounting firm Deloitte and Touche USA; David Neeleman, founder and CEO of JetBlue Airways; Dave Checketts, former CEO of New York’s Madison Square Garden; Kevin Rollins, former Dell CEO; and Gary Crittenden, CFO of American Express.

BYU Television continues to grow and expand in the cable market. Below are the latest cable markets that have added BYU Television to their line up:
Bresnan Communications-Kalispell, MT
GCI-Kodiak, AK
GCI-Juneau, AK
Cable One-Borger, TX