Srilanka, May 9 -- Early morning in Galpalliya is a quiet time, yet the air vibrates with sounds of chiselling, and chirping young voices drifting from a small hut behind the Holy Cross Church.

Sunlight spills through open windows, casting long shadows on partially finished statues of saints and famous people. Behind the scent of paint and clay, something miraculous is happening here.

At the center of it all is Fr. Samantha Thushara, a Catholic priest with mud on his shirt and a vision in his heart. For more than a decade, Fr. Samantha has been working quietly behind the scenes to reshape not only statues but lives.

A Workshop of Wonders

Walk into his workshop, and you'll find young artists deep in focus: some sculpting life-size cru...