Editor's note: Author James A. Mitchell is the president of VeAhavta, a nonprofit organization that supports the Grace Care Center in Sri Lanka.

The way they’re raising money, you’d think these kids were running halfway around the world this weekend.

In a way, they are. Sejal Gunaratnam and Tyler Carvette - fourth-grade classmates at Emerson School - are part of ‘Team Coexist;’ their participation in Sunday’s Dexter-Ann Arbor Run will benefit a home for needy children in northeast Sri Lanka, an island nation off the southern tip of India.

Their friends on the other side of the world will be cheering them on. Sejal and Tyler spent many Friday mornings this year having an in-class video conference with children at the Grace Care Center orphanage in Trincomalee, Sri Lanka. Fourth grade teacher Rob Bauman said the cross-planetary sessions easily moved past cultural and language differences in a way that kids know but grown-ups often forget.

“My students thought it was totally natural to talk, sing, and build a relationship with children halfway around the world,” Bauman said. “I was amazed every week at the power of caring people and technology to change our world.”

The Grace Care Center was established in 2002 to shelter impoverished, needy children in Trincomalee, a port town in northeast Sri Lanka. The girls (ages six to 17) who call Grace ‘home’ were born in a region torn apart by a quarter-century civil war, harsh poverty and ethnic hostilities. The nonprofit organization that supports Grace, VeAhavta, was founded in California until moving its base last year to Ypsilanti.

For nine-year-old Sejal, Grace was already part of her family. Her Coexist teammates include parents Aruna Sarma and Dr. Naresh Gunaratnam, a Sri Lankan-born physician at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital and one of the local officers and volunteers of VeAhavta.

“I talk with these girls every Friday, they are so friendly and so caring,” said Sejal. “At Grace Home the girls act like all of them are a family. They work together, play together, but most important care together. They deserve all we give them. These girls deserve a good future.”

The Grace Care Center - and Sri Lanka - can only now think about ‘future,’ following the end of the 26-year civil conflict that ravaged the small island nation. A little help goes a long way, and Sejal has been among the top fund-raisers of Team Coexist heading into Sunday’s event. With a modest budget, VeAhavta provides a home to 100 children and senior citizens, vocational training and day care services. For many of the children, Grace is their first opportunity to attend school or have three daily meals on a regular basis.

“These are the things I took for granted until now,” said 10-year-old Tyler, will be joined by his parents, Janice and Brian, brother Dylan (5) and (appropriately named) sister, Grace (9). “The money donated to the center will help them have a better life. It helps to pay for food, water, education, shoes and a place to live.”

Over the course of the school year, Tyler and his classmates were mostly surprised at the always-smiling faces of the Grace girls, considering their circumstances.

“Even though they don’t have much, they are so happy,” Tyler said. “They have taught me to be grateful for the things I have. I never understood how lucky I am to have family and friends who take care of me, love and support me.”

Tyler and Sejal prepared for Sunday’s race with an equal amount of running and writing, and between the two of them raised more than $4,500 in contributions as of Wednesday: Emails and letters to friends and family shared stories of the connection made between the children, of dances and songs performed near the Indian Ocean shores, seen and heard in southeast Michigan.

“I called and wrote everyone I knew, telling them how special my friends at Grace are,” said Tyler. “I told them about the dances and songs they sing to us every week. Raising money to help the girls is the least I can do to help them since they have helped me become a better person.”

VeAhavta is one of 11 team-supported charities in the Dexter-Ann Arbor Race on Sunday, June 6. More than 6,000 participants are expected at the event; for information visit http://www.dexterannarborrun.com.

To support Tyler or Sejal and Team Coexist - which as of Wednesday reached its initial goal of $12,000, visit Grace Care Center's website, and click on Sponsor a Runner. You can visit Grace Care Center on Facebook, too.

James A. Mitchell is the president of VeAhavta and the author of “It Was All Right: Mitch Ryder’s Life in Music” and “But For the Grace: Profiles in Peace From a Nation at War.”