FAMILY UPDATE NEWS #29 -- April 1995 DO
The only way to win the world . . . is with the love of Jesus!--Which we're doing and showing as we're going, and we'll keep on winning if we keep on loving them with His love, praise the Lord! So make each new step to each new country a loving step, and let each new leader be a loving leader, and each new [Home] a loving one!--And we cannot fail. Praise His name! For love never fails! Let's win the world with His love! Love your way in, through, out and around it!--Long live love! (ML#151:56, 1/72).
April 1995, Home Services, Zurich, Switzerland.
(For JETTs and up. Selected portions may be shared with children younger than JETTs at the discretion of their parents, teachers or shepherds.)
NOTICES
PRAY FOR MARIA! DO 2988 4/95
--Mama's Prayer Request for Strength, and the Lord's Admonition to Pray for Her. Maria #269
Dear Precious Family,
1. God bless you! I love you so much! I know that many of you are battling in various ways, both physically and spiritually. In addition, perhaps you are feeling incapable of making the changes required of all of us in order to live the "Love Charter." But I'm so proud of you for hanging on, for trying your best, and trusting that the Lord will help you to grow and progress!
2. Recently I've been battling too. I've been battling a number of physical afflictions and I want to ask for your help in prayer. I've been very weak of late, weaker than I've ever been before. My eyes have been extremely sore, which in itself drains my energy. On top of that, I am already quite anemic and have been for some time. And now, my last two periods have each lasted several weeks, and were much heavier than normal, which has seriously sapped my strength.--And yesterday, just a week after my last period, I began to bleed again. Whenever I changed positions, I felt a bit faint, but, thank the Lord, I'm doing better with that. Right now I am barely able to do five minutes of exercise at a time, slowly walking back and forth, as the strain on my heart is too great to do any more, and over-exerting myself usually results in headaches and exhaustion. I have a bad cough, almost no energy and can only work for short periods of time and then need to sleep. I'm constantly tired and achy due to lack of exercise.
3. When praying with Peter about this feeling of constant exhaustion, the Lord spoke some comforting words which were a help to me and I believe will be a help to those of you who are also battling physical or spiritual afflictions:
4. (Prophecy:) This affliction is not a chastisement. It is a lesson, an illustration of carrying on in spite of weakness, an illustration that My voice can still be heard in the midst of weakness; an illustration of being faithful to do that which thou must do in spite of thy weakness; an
illustration of how weak so many of thy children feel when it looks like there is so much to do and so many changes ahead, and they feel they have no strength for the task. But I say they do have strength--strength that they know not of.
5. "And as in thy weakness thou canst tap into My strength and hear My voice and receive My directions, so can these. And as thy weakness is only for a time, so is their weakness. Even as thou dost wonder if thou wilt have the strength, so do they wonder and worry. But even as I will heal thee and strengthen thee, so will I heal and strengthen them. Even as thou must carry on in faith though feeling weak, so must these. Even as thou hast faith to know that I will heal thee and I will make it better and I will strengthen thee, so must these have faith that even though it all seems so insurmountable and even though they worry and feel as if they are nothing and have no strength of their own, I will heal and strengthen them and I will make all things right.
6. "Thou wishest to be strengthened now, but thou must understand that I work this work. They wish to be strengthened now and to have all of their problems sorted out and all of their answers now, but I test and I purge and I wait to see if they will hold on and trust.--And as they do, the sunrise of My strength shall rise upon them and they shall be filled with warmth, with comfort, with strength and with great satisfaction. For they will feel the healing power of My Spirit as it moveth upon the weak and the weary bones and raiseth them up, newly strengthened for the battles ahead.
7. "For even as a sickness passeth, My children do also pass through a short time of weakness and confusion before I bring them into My Promised Land of the spirit." (End of prophecy.)
8. Thank You Jesus for Thy wonderful strengthening words. I pray, dear Family, that this will encourage you to hold on and keep trusting, just as it has helped me.
9. I want to take this opportunity to thank you all for praying for me during the Family Birthday Celebration. I greatly appreciate it. It was wonderful to know you were uniting together to seek the Lord on my behalf. I also very much appreciate your taking time to hear from the Lord for me and sending me the beautiful prophecies you received. While listening to them, it surprised me how many times the Lord pointed out the importance of your prayers for me, not just for my anointing, but for my protection and health as well. I've selected a few quotes from those prophecies to share with you:
10. (Prophecy:) Therefore uphold her in your prayers. As ye did pray for My David, pray now for My Maria, for she is in desperate need of your prayers. Therefore sin not in ceasing to pray for My Maria.
* * *
11. To whom much hath been given, of the same much shall be required. And it shall be required of you to uphold the arms of your queen through prayer.... It is required of you, her children, to daily pray fervently for her, for she is but a weak vessel and she has great need of your prayers.... It is your duty to uphold your queen and to protect her and keep her from any evil thing. It is required of you, her children, to pray fervently for her daily.
* * *
12. Unto this one who fears My name shall the Son of Righteousness arise with healing in His wings. But ye must pray and seek My face for her as ye did for David in the past.
* * *
13. Pray for her, for she depends upon your prayers. She needs your prayers, she needs you to do your part.
* * *
14. Do you love My Maria? Then pray for her, keep her in your prayers. Uphold her in your prayers.... If ye wish to hear My Words, ye must pray. If ye desire things from Me, ye must pray and do your part. Ye must not let her fall. I would not that anything should touch her, because I love her, but ye must help Me with your prayers, because the Enemy goeth about as a roaring lion, seeking to devour her, to discourage her, to hinder her. I have hosts of angels that will be loosed by your prayers. So pray for these to surround her and help her. If ye will do your part, I will do My part.
* * *
15. Treasure her, love her, and pray for her always, for she needs you. She needs you to uphold her hands. She cannot do without you, just as you cannot do without her. (End of prophecies.)
16. Aren't those beautiful? I sometimes battle about asking you to pray for me, because I know you have so much to do and so much to pray for. But I know I need your prayers just as these prophecies say. Sometimes when those in my Home suggest that I ask you to pray for my afflictions, I hesitate to do so because my afflictions, though seriously affecting me, seem minor compared to those of some of you. It's humbling for me to have to ask you to pray for me, but not only has the Lord made it quite clear that I need your prayers, and that you are supposed to pray for me, but that I am supposed to ask you and that I should not compare my afflictions with those of others. The following prophecy was received by Gabe when I was praying with him during our April 1st Pentecost Prayer day:
17. (Prophecy:) The Enemy is angry! There is a war in the heavenlies, as the demons are fighting My children and fighting My Queen Maria and trying to hinder as I pour forth My Spirit of love upon My children. The angels are rejoicing as My Spirit pours forth, but the Enemy and his demons of Hell are fighting. The Enemy is angry because of the Spirit of love that is being poured upon My children.
18. So ye must pray and fight all the harder and not give up! Be not weary in well doing. And ye, My Family, must pray for My Queen Maria. It is your job to pray for her, for she can't make it without your prayers. She has no strength of her own, so you must petition Me for My help. That is your job, to pray for her. And it is the job of the queen to ask for her people to pray for her, to express her needs so that they can pray for her. For this is My will and this is My plan, to use her afflictions to draw you close to Me so ye can feel united as one body in prayer and in spirit. For though ye cannot all be together in the physical, ye can be together in spirit.
19. As she petitions her people to pray for her and to call upon Me for her, they feel one with her. They feel part of her in spirit as they call upon Me to help her in her afflictions. So she should ask and make her requests known, and fear not and worry not and compare not her afflictions to others. For she needs the prayers of her children and the prayers of My people around the world.
20. Ye must pray for her, especially in these last days, for the Enemy is trying to hinder this new revolution of love, this day of changes in My Family. Do continually pray for your queen, for she needs your prayers, and she will need them even more greatly as the darkness comes and the Enemy continues to fight.
21. What can you do?--Ye can pray! Ye can petition Me, ye can pray to Me and thank Me for My answers. And what can your queen do?--She can make her requests known and make them clear so ye know her needs, and so ye know that she cannot make it without your prayers. Your prayers will win the battle as ye overcome the Enemy in these Last Days. (End of prophecy.)
22. Well, I don't want to fail the Lord by not asking you for prayer, and I know you don't want to fail the Lord in not praying for me. So let's both please the Lord, OK? I'm sharing my prayer request with you and asking you to please pray for my strength and healing. Please also pray for our Home members, most of whom are presently fighting physical afflictions, including migraine headaches, bad colds, stomach problems and general fatigue.
23. You're such a wonderful Family and I'm very proud of each one of you and your love for the Lord. Please know that we are praying for you too, for your physical and spiritual strength, and that the Lord will give to you as you have given me: "Pressed down, shaken together and running over" (Luke 6:38) with love, joy, fruitfulness, victory, supply, and many lives changed and souls won for the Lord's eternal kingdom! I love you! Thank you also for your faithfulness, your love for the Lord and His Word, and your dedication to Him and His Family. You are a great joy and inspiration to me! God bless each of you.
Much love,
Mama
THANK YOU FOR YOUR VIDEOS!
By David and Techi
Dear Family,
We love you! Thank you so very much for all the exciting and interesting Family videos that you have sent us. It is always a special treat when we are able to see one, and we are thrilled to see some of the many exciting things you all are doing.
We pray for you, our wonderful Family, so much, and then when we are able to get a little glimpse into your lives and work through these videos, it encourages us so much and makes us want to pray for you all the more! We know that it must be a sacrifice sometimes to take time out of your busy schedule to work on them, and we just want you to know that we really appreciate all your labors of love and efforts to share your life with us.
Because we can't be there to see all these things firsthand, these videos mean a lot to us. We feel even closer to you when we're able to see all of your happy, loving, smiling faces, and get to know you personally! We're able to see the hard work that you have done, your Spirit-filled witnessing and singing, some of the precious souls won to the Lord's kingdom, your happy Homes, and how much you all love the Lord and are willing to do anything for Him! It is such an inspiration to us, and we're so happy to be a part of this wonderful Family with so many wonderful, sweet, happy, on-fire, and loving people! God bless you all! Keep fighting for Jesus! We love you!
Love and prayers,
David and Techi
SEX, SLANDER, AND SALVATION
By WS Staff
A new anthology of scholarly articles on the Family has been published by the Center for Academic Publication of Stanford, California. The book, entitled Sex, Slander, and Salvation, was edited by James Lewis and Dr. J. Gordon Melton. It includes 15 papers (chapters), written by highly respected academics from North America, Europe and Australia.
As soon as stocks of this book are available, the NPCs will be sending a complimentary copy to each DO Home. Your Continental Office will also inform you how to order additional copies.
Overall, this is by far the most comprehensive and objective book ever written about us, and it would be good to try to get this volume into the hands of authorities, libraries and academics interested in the Family. However, not all of the articles are 100% accurate or favorable. Each of the authors views us from their own perspective, and some are critical of the Family and Dad in some respects. While it may seem unfortunate that they don't fully understand some aspects of our beliefs or explain them the way we would, this may work in our favor; it certainly shows that this book is not a "whitewash" or pro-Family propaganda. It is interesting to note, though, that those who knew us the least at the time of their writing are the most critical, having mostly secondhand information to go on. Those who had the most contact with us and studied us directly were generally the most impressed with the Family, and this is reflected in their writings.
We advise those of you who would possibly consider giving this book to your close contacts to first familiarize yourselves with the contents. It does speak quite frankly about FFing and other controversial subjects that might be shocking to those not already aware of these things.
Another, much shorter booklet written by Dr. Melton is also in the works which might be more appropriate to send to parents and other relatives. You'll be given further details on this book once it's published.
WANT ADS
MATE/DADDY WANTED
My name is Meekness Nightingale. I am from Jamaica, and I am 40 years old. I have four children, ages 8-14. We have been praying for a sweet daddy and mate. If you have children, please also feel free to write, as we could be the answer to each other's prayers. It all has to be the Lord, so if you feel led, please write care of the EURCRO office. We will be looking forward to hearing from you.
MATE WANTED
God bless you! I'm writing to ask if there are any single brothers that want to team up with me and work together and be a companion. My name is Spring. I've been in the Family for 20 years. I'm Italian, 39 years old, and am in Italy right now. If you are interested, please write care of the EURCRO office. Love, Spring
MATE/DADDY WANTED
Hi! My name is Christina and I'm a 39-year-old Gemini. I have been in the Family for 14 years. I have 3 beautiful girls--Amber (12) Michelle (6) and Elizabeth (4)--and one sweet son Robin (10). We have prayed for a "real" daddy/mate to help make our family complete, and want you to know that you have a special place in our hearts. Having been in Melbourne, Australia for many years now, we are praying and looking forward to a change once the children's socialization activities are completed in July. We are open to a change of fields--wherever the Lord leads! If you feel that you might be the one the Lord is calling to fill this need, please write today care of the PACRO office. I am waiting to hear from you and will reply as soon as you do! Much love, Christina
MATE/DADDY WANTED
Hi! I'm a Virgo, 39 years old and have been in the Family for 17 years. My name is Dove. I have four sweet, precious little girls: Crissy (10), Angie (8), Joyanne (6), and Rachelle (2). My main ministry has been teaching, although I also have a burden for witnessing and soul winning. My eldest daughter also has a real talent for soul winning, and the others are learning. We have had a taste of pioneering since coming to Brisbane, Australia three years ago, and would like to broaden that experience in the future. But as you can see, we are an all-girl team and so are looking for a sweet, on-fire mate and daddy to work with in the exciting days to come. If you find a burden in your heart to join us, please write to me care of the PACRO office. Love, Dove
MATE WANTED
Hi! My name is Mercy and I am a Hong Kong Chinese national, age 29, living in Taiwan. I am praying for a sweet and loving mate. I have been in the Family now for 12 years. Please write and send me a photo care of the PACRO office. GBY! ILY! Mercy
ASIA
BENEFIT CONCERTS ROCK INDIA MUSIC SCENE!
In response to a special request from Kanti, a very dear long-time supporter and Family member, 22 Family singers, musicians and dancers performed a series of benefit concerts in Bombay and New Delhi for India's National Association for the Blind. (See prayer request in FUN #28.) The Lord honored dear Kanti's faith, and rewarded the hard work of all who participated. The concerts were a great success, and resulted in a tremendous wave of good publicity for both the National Association for the Blind and the Family.
The international Family troupe performed five shows--three in Bombay and two in Delhi. The songs, dances and emcee dialogue were tailored to each audience, ranging from government officials and city fathers to university students to inmates at Tihar Jail, India's largest, where the Family has been ministering for about two years. Midway through the program, a seven-minute video clip which explained the Family's work in India and worldwide was shown on state of the art equipment above the stage.
Clips of the New Delhi concert and prison show were broadcast nationally on two different TV programs, reaching an estimated 40 million viewers. India's largest wire service, PTI, to which 365 newspapers in India, as well as papers in Australia, Germany and the Persian Gulf subscribe, released a two-page article. Newstrack, the TV unit for India's most prestigious magazine, aired a program on the Family on March 28th. The shows were also filmed, and plans are underway for a one-hour concert, compiled from the best footage, to be broadcast on national TV.
"THE WORD IS OUT!"
The following article, from the March 7th edition of the Bombay Times, which included a beautiful color photo of the show troupe, is just one of over a dozen major articles that appeared in Bombay and New Delhi papers and magazines, reaching millions:
"TUNING IN TO INDIA"
Francesca Correa on Heart to Heart, a pop group with a mission, led by Jeremy Spencer, formerly of Fleetwood Mac
Sounds of "Go, Johnny Go" almost knock me flat as I enter the Sophia Bhabha auditorium. The place is teeming with blue-eyed blondes, Spanish beauties and handsome Chinese men, who are dancing, singing or studying their lines. Everyone seems to be looking at this not-so-young but rather vibrant bearded gentleman, who is twirling and twisting his guitar energetically. As he concludes the number with "Johnny come home..." all thumbs go up and there is an enthusiastic round of applause.
The word is out, an unusual troupe is in town. Twenty-two artists from "The Family"--a voluntary organisation which promotes social causes and with members all over the world--are giving performances in aid of the National Association for the Blind. The troupe is led by Jeremy Spencer, one of the world's leading slide guitarists and former Fleetwood Mac linesman, the star attraction of the group. He formed the band Fleetwood Mac with Mic Fleetwood in '67, but left it in '71 in order to work as a missionary.
"It's very hard to exist in the music world. You end up making far too many compromises and eventually pay a price just to be up there. I personally didn't feel like paying the price, any price, so I quit. But, I didn't leave my music. I joined hands with the group I'm working with now, promoting social causes throughout the world, through the medium of song and dance. Music is the strongest influence on folks everywhere, especially on the youth," says Jeremy.
And what better way to put it across than through a universal language. Universal they certainly are, with performances in Spanish, Thai, French, English and even Hindi. Peter Fisherman, one of the lead singers, says he became fascinated with Hindi on first coming to India. He then went on to learn an old Hindi film number of the mid-'70s--"Yea dosti, hum nahin todenge." His accented rendition is brilliant with Jeremy Spencer boogeying in the background, strumming furiously on his Dobro guitar. The other compositions, however, are originals, usually interwoven with a deep message to mankind. Like "Sabes Bien" ("Hang On to All the Good Things") and Eres Tu ("It Is You"), two beautiful Spanish tunes sung by the lovely deep-throated Quiti from Argentina.
There is also a very touching, "Reach for the Sky", sung by young Angelina, an American who was born in Thailand. This is Jeremy's favourite number, a song originally written by their keyboard player [from Thailand], dedicated to the handicapped people of the world.
"When I was younger," reminisces Jeremy, "I was influenced by the music of the '50s. Buddy Holly and Cliff Richards were my inspiration in '59, as was the blues singer, Elmore James. But, then, God knows what happened to music down the years. Now my music is personal, with very little outside influences. My favourite composition is a song called "Bend in the Road", which I might try out with the group here. And my other favourite is, "It's Like Heaven". I will also be doing my Elvis impersonation in Rockin' Reggie, which will have the audience in splits--at least I hope so!"
Jeremy continues to tune his guitar for a while, then adds: "India is truly a wonderful place, fascinating culture, warm-hearted people and mystical charm. I'm sure our music will have mass appeal. It's a mixture of soft rock, ballads, blues and lots of dance sequences choreographed by members from Europe and America."
There are nine lead singers, which means an entire cross section of music by singers of varying tastes, though it will mainly be rock and roll, and pop, "no heavy metal," says Jeremy. Most of the performers are young, between 18 and 21 years of age, but at this age, instead of grooving and rocking and experimenting with drugs, they are all very determined to bring a little happiness to the underprivileged. A selfless attitude indeed. One can only hope that more will follow their lead.
PRISON SHOW CAPS INDIA CONCERT TOUR!
From the India concert team: Our last performance--held at Tihar Jail in New Delhi, where the Family has had a very fruitful CTP ("consider the poor") ministry for the past two years--was perhaps the highlight of the entire series of concerts! This show put everything into perspective.
The fund-raising concerts for the National Association for the Blind had all been attended by India's social elite, and three of the four were held in some of India's finest concert halls. For those shows, we had to put a lot into the technical aspects: costumes, sound system, lighting, filming. All that was needed and important; ticket prices were high, and people expected a very professional show. We prayed that once on stage, the performers wouldn't worry about being technically perfect, but concentrate on letting the Lord's love shine through.--And it did! Those concerts touched hearts and were a great success. Praise the Lord!
But when we performed at the prison, it didn't really matter what costumes we wore or how professional we sounded; we just needed to sing from broken hearts to these poor, desperate people. The Lord's Spirit fell so heavily that almost everyone was in tears by the end of the show. Even the most hardened and cynical were touched--including three foreign girls who we had been watching throughout the show. (There are a number of foreigners in this prison.) Earlier, these girls had snickered at some of the songs, especially an anti-drug song which had been written for CTP programs in Thailand and translated into English. (We learned later that they were all in prison for drug offenses.) During the last few songs on the program, some of our singers walked out into the audience and reached out to all the prisoners. At one point Angelina (YA) went up to these three girls and took command in the spirit, looking into their eyes and singing straight to their hearts. She held their gaze and loved them with the Lord's love in such an intense way that they couldn't keep up their hard fronts. The next few songs were also very powerful, and by the end all three girls were in tears. So were all of the performers and those of us who were watching. Several of the inmates were still weeping as they received the Lord right before the prison guards led them away. They begged us to visit them again.
We were also very surprised to run across one of the Family's friends in this prison! He is quite wealthy, and either owns or manages a large domestic airline. We don't yet understand what he is being charged with, but needless to say, he is quite broken due to his present circumstances and living conditions (this prison was built to house 2,500 prisoners, but now has 8,000)! He was in tears and prayed like a little child to receive the Lord, and also asked the team to visit and feed him the Word.
This show was a very moving experience for us all. Several of us commented as we were leaving that our hearts ached for these people. The need was so great and the people so desperate, it was very hard to leave! Thank God for the dear Family members who faithfully minister at this prison. They are helping to meet a tremendous need!
FAMILY MEMBER IS GUEST SPEAKER AT MUSLIM CONFERENCE!
From Gideon, Ana, Heidi, Peter, Joy and Mary, Pakistan: Gideon was asked to be one of the guest speakers at a prestigious conference of Muslim intellectuals, artists, authors and statesmen in our city. There were about 400 people present. The theme was centered around the coming of God's kingdom on earth in the near future, as many Muslims also believe that we are living in the Last Days. The goal of the conference was to promote the idea that if one day indeed there will be peace on earth, then we need to begin working together towards that goal now. The speakers were asked to address this topic, and Gideon was specifically asked to explain what the Scriptures have to say about the Last Days and Jesus' return.
Gideon's speech lasted for 25 minutes, and it was a compilation of quotes from "The Holy War," "Stand Up for Religious Freedom!--An Appeal to Muslims from The Family," "Change the World," "Signs of the Times," and the Book of the Future--a real opportunity to feed all these people the Words of David! It was very well received, and afterwards many commented that they found it helpful. A transcript of the speech will also be sent to all the attendees at a later date.
"TODAY I SAW LIVING FAITH!"
From Peter S., Thailand: When Renee went to be with the Lord (see Prayer List 22:37), we explained the situation to one of our friends and supporters, who is a Catholic priest. (Father S. is a new bottle, and always appreciates any Word or counsel we offer him. Last Christmas he gave Family posters to his 1,000 students in place of Christmas cards.) He immediately offered a burial plot and a memorial stone, and was quite interested to see how we would conduct the service. He wasn't disappointed!
The service, led by Renee's husband Tim, was a joyful celebration of songs and lots of Word, including quotes from Mama's Letters about Dad's graduation. It was a beautiful testimony for all present--Renee's parents, her sister and especially Father S. "Today, I saw living faith!" he said afterwards. He was thrilled with our view of death as a graduation from this grade, and our full confidence that Renee is now happy in Heaven. "Others have talked about Heaven, but they don't seem to have the faith that their departed ones have moved on to something better." He was so turned on that he asked for copies of all the song sheets, the poems and quotes which Tim shared, and everything else that we have on the subject! Then he added with obvious satisfaction, "Now I have a real missionary in my cemetery!"
CHANGED BY THE WORD!
From Sunny, India: While going DTD one day, we met a very precious Christian who works as an evangelist and lives by faith. He told us that he had previously been a leader of the RSS, a fanatical Hindu movement which is violently anti-Christian. He told me that he had set out to do what Martin Luther did, but in reverse; that is, he wanted to write a "95 Theses" of all the mistakes Jesus made. He intended to nail this to the doors of churches, to stop people from believing in Jesus. So he read the Gospels through thirteen times, looking for faults and mistakes that Jesus made, and as he was reading them for the fourteenth time, the Lord spoke to him very clearly through a passage about Jesus' enemies trying to catch Him in His words, that they might accuse Him. (See Luk.11:53,54 and Jn.8:3-6.) At that, he broke down and wept and gave his heart to Jesus. Thank the Lord for the redeeming power of His Word!
FAR EAST AND AUSTRALIA
FORMER CHIEF EDITOR OF SHUKAN BUNSHUN LOSES HIS JOB!
From the Family in Japan: Mr. Hanada, who was the chief editor of the Shukan Bunshun three years ago and responsible for printing many slanderous articles about the Family, lost his latest post. The Bungei Shunju company, which owns the Shukan Bunshun, transferred him to the job of chief editor for their Marco Polo magazine. After he published an article which offended the Jews, the US-based Simon Weisenthal Center made an official complaint to the Japanese embassy. Also, the Israeli embassy in Japan lodged a complaint with the Bungei Shunju publishing company. A number of the magazine's main advertisers withdrew their ads in Marco Polo and Shukan Bunshun. As a result, Bungei Shunju made a sudden decision to stop publishing Marco Polo, and released Mr. Hanada from his post. The Shukan Bunshun has also been the center of widespread public criticism and at least one court case involving other recent articles.
GOD'S WHEELS OF JUDGMENT ROLL ON!
"Australia Ravaged by Natural Disasters in 1994" read the headline of an article by Bill Perry for the worldwide UPI news syndicate. Perry detailed three major disasters: Australia's worst bushfires on record, the worst drought in living memory, and unseasonable gale-force winds which created dust storms and dumped vast amounts of valuable fertile topsoil into the Pacific Ocean--a devastating loss for farmers.
SOUTH AMERICA
FAMILY SINGERS TAKE PART IN UNESCO VIDEO!
From Matt, Brazil: Together with other members of the Inter-religious Movement, the Family participated in the recent filming of a video which was produced by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). They sang in a choir which included members from a wide array of religions, from Buddhist monks to Presbyterian pastors. The song they filmed was a nice Brazilian Christian song which really preaches Jesus.
One Family member was afterwards asked to become a director of the Inter-religious Movement.
WHAT LENGTHS PEOPLE WILL GO TO GET OUR TOOLS!
From Andre, Brazil: While hitchhiking we were picked up in a simple car by a man who seemed to be a humble worker. We witnessed to him briefly, and as we were leaving the car, the Lord gave us a check to give him a poster to really feed him. I'm glad we did, because when I opened my briefcase, he saw the videos inside and exclaimed, "Are you the people with the Treasure Attic videos? My boss is a federal government representative, and he is going crazy looking for you guys!" He gave us his boss's phone number, and we visited him later. As it turned out, he had spent three months looking for us, and even put three ads in the local paper. He said that his two-year-old son can't pass a day without watching our video "Let's Have Fun!" He then bought five more videos. Had we not been faithful to witness, we would have never met this precious man. Praise the Lord!
(Editor's note: We receive many testimonies about people who get videos or other tools from Family members and want more, but don't know where to order. Please be faithful to give those who receive our tools an address where they can order more videos and other Family materials.)
MIRACLE MOTORS!
From John, Jasmin and Joao, Brazil: The director of a major auto maker for all of Brazil has agreed to sell new vehicles at a discount price to any of our Homes in Brazil. Being able to buy new vehicles is in itself a miracle, since due to Brazil's economic situation there is a waiting list which takes about six months. This discount means that brand new cars are now within the financial reach of almost all Homes. Meanwhile, the price of used cars is now very inflated because of the new car shortage. This is a golden opportunity for the whole Family here to be able to upgrade our cars.
CTP PROJECT GETS MAJOR BACKING!
From Amos and Paloma (TS), Brazil: This month we received a donation of about $35,000 for our "consider the poor" project, from two people we have never met.
EUROPE
INTERNATIONAL WITNESS AT UN CONFERENCE!
From Willing and team: We attended the UN World Conference for Social Development and the adjacent NGO (non-government organizations) forum, which were held in Copenhagen during the second week of March. This was supposed to have been the largest meeting of world leaders in history.
The Lord worked it out for us to have a booth in the complex which housed the NGO forum, and thousands of people passed by, stopping for lit and asking questions. We simultaneously manned our booth, held seminars in the conference halls and took the kids around to the various buildings to perform.
The stars of our team were the 12 kids in our show group, each of whom dressed in a traditional costume representing a different part of the world. They drew a lot of attention, and became the unofficial "mascots" of the NGO forum. We were interviewed and/or filmed--including the kids' singing--by 30 or 40 media crews, including CNN, BBC, Danish National TV, Spanish TV, and Belgian Radio. A host of international reporters, including reporters from the widely read The European newspaper, also gathered material for articles on our presence at the conference. The Family's second outreach video was also shown in full on Danish national TV during this time.
UN CONFERENCE: MORE AC PREP!
From Willing: There were several groups at the NGO forum that all work for the same goal: a one-world government. They are directly involved with the UN, have representatives within the UN, and have access to people with influence in that organization.
When we asked a representative of one of the attending NGOs why so many of the NGOs are interlocking (i.e., the same group of people are on the board of directors of a number of important NGOs), we received a very interesting answer: "They are the New World 'servers.' Through the United Nations, they are preparing the way for the christ." According to this person, there is a network of people (servers) within the UN who are working together to promote religious tolerance, interfaith relations, etc. All servers have now been notified that the moment when the christ will reveal himself is rapidly approaching. He took his vow to be incarnated as the christ in 1945, they say, and is now working in the United Nations. Everyone is guessing who he is. The servers are divided into workers in the fields of religion, psychology, economics, etc. The Trilateral Commission and Masons are at the core of this work. Right now there are efforts going on at the UN Summit to put 33rd degree Masons in positions of political power, this source told us.
NEMETH GEZA DIES
Nemeth Geza, self-appointed "cult-buster" who led a number of slanderous attacks against the Family in Hungary over the past few years, died suddenly of an apparent heart attack. "Let the lying lips be put to silence; which speak grievous things proudly and contemptuously against the righteous" (Psa.31:18).
PARLIAMENTARY HEARING ON FREEDOM OF RELIGION IN RUSSIA
From Ela: A team of seven Family members attended the Russian parliamentary hearing on freedom of religion in Russia, held on February 14th. About 600 representatives of various traditional and nontraditional faiths were present, and many were given time to speak.
One of the main speakers was British NRM expert Dr. Eileen Barker. She told of her 25 years of experience with NRMs, and explained about "INFORM," an organization which keeps unbiased information on NRMs and often serves as a go-between for parents and members of religious groups. She also highlighted the fairness of the Russian constitution, and debunked the theory of "brainwashing." She definitely made a lasting impression, as throughout the rest of the hearing people kept referring to what she said, either confirming or trying to refute her statements.
Many of the attendees received a condo of the "Brainwashing" statement and an open letter which gave a brief description of the Family and our experiences with the ACM in Russia. Selected delegates and parliamentarians received comprehensive packages of Family materials.
NEWS FROM CROATIA!
From Rebecca: Here are a few highlights of a recent short road trip to Varazdin: The day we arrived in Varazdin, we found accommodations in one of the refugee camps where we'd held one of our programs before, and spent that evening talking with the refugees. They were very happy to see us again.
The next day we traveled to Cakovec, and went to the schools, hospitals, military base, police department, supermarkets, restaurants, cafs, post office, train and bus station, etc. Each place we visited, we left stacks of posters on counters, along with a sign which invited the public to help themselves to free copies. We also passed out posters to "everything that moved," and sent many of the people we met home with little packages of lit for their friends and families. We received some wonderful responses to this, including one from the general of the local military base who was very thankful for the posters, DFs, Gospels of John, the "Somebody Loves You" tract and a tape which we gave them. He said: "This is what we really need, especially those of us who have been fighting for years."
The third day, we went to Koprivnica, a little town northeast of Zagreb. Again, we went everywhere giving out the lit. Three boys and three girls, ages 12 to 16, gave out posters with us. At one point we had hundreds of children following us through the town. Everybody was very sweet. We gave a sponsored video to the children's hospital, and prayed with the children. By the end of the day we had distributed everything we brought with us--12,000 posters and various other lit!
From Christina: Our home team has been doing follow-up in Zagreb, and we encourage those to whom we minister to help us to give out the Word. One day two of us went to a school for handicapped children. We had received a letter from one of the teachers who had written to a Family postbox in Hungary, so we decided to go see her. We had a wonderful time, singing to and talking with the children and teachers. They were all very touched by our visit, and we gave them lots of posters and a tract entitled, "The Advantage of a Handicap." The teachers promised to distribute them to other schools. Several of the children hung on to us, and wouldn't let us leave until they had given us their addresses. So precious!
FAMILY PARTICIPATES IN ITALIAN TV TALK SHOW!
From John Simple: We were invited to participate in a panel discussion about NRMs on Parlato Semplice (Simply Spoken), a one-hour daily TV talk show which has one of the largest viewing audiences in Italy. Also on the panel were NRM expert Dr. Massimo Introvigne, two ACM figures, and spokespersons from two other NRMs.
We prayed together before going, and the Lord spoke beautifully. When we asked for a spirit helper to assist John, especially with speaking in Italian, several people received the name of an Italian reformer and martyr whom they knew little about--Girolamo Savonarola (1452-1498).
We arrived at the studio early, which gave us the advantage of being able to meet the two co-hosts of the program and answer their questions about some of the more sensational accusations of our detractors before the show began. This also gave them an opportunity to get to know us on a personal level, and we believe this helped set the positive tone of the show.
Dr. Introvigne opened the show by explaining the negative connotation of the term "cult," and from that point on the term "movement" was used instead. Next, the three attending NRMs each gave brief presentations about their groups. John gave a simple, clear presentation of the Family's goals and Christian nature, which one of the co-hosts followed with a couple of questions about our children and educational program.
The two ACM representatives were introduced only during the last 15 minutes. As we had prayed, their presentations were short and unclear and seemed to make a poor impression on the public. Dr. Introvigne's presentation, on the other hand, was clear and powerful and he appeared head and shoulders above the other "experts." Among other things, he dismissed quite convincingly the brainwashing theory and exposed those behind the Waco tragedy!
After the show, we received quite a few positive comments from friends and relatives who watched it.
BI MEDIA VICTORIES!
From Chad (YA): We made three TV appearances in December. On BBC 2 (nationwide), Gideon, Rachel and Chad were on a talk show about NRMs. The audience was full of anti-cultists, counter-cultists, ex-members and academics. We were able to speak our piece on most topics brought up, attacked brainwashing theories and delivered the salvation message. Leicester cable TV (local station) did a favorable piece that was a very good witness. Their show included interviews with Gideon and Chad, and footage filmed at the media home. Chad and teen Keren also appeared on a teen magazine show, along with young members and ex-members of other religious groups. Overall, it was a positive witness, and we got lots of air time during which we gave the salvation message and rebutted allegations which appeared in the press recently. This particular show was broadcast three times, reaching about 150,000.
Gideon also participated in a BBC radio discussion on the topic of "media coverage of NRMs." Dr. Barker and Rev. Canon Slee (the Church of England's top spokesperson on religious movements) were also guests on this show, and both were very supportive in their remarks about NRMs. We were also guests on a radio program broadcast on BBC's southern station on the subject "has the established church failed?" This also resulted in a strong, clear witness. Praise the Lord!
OUR TOOLS ARE IN GREAT DEMAND WITH SCHOOL DIRECTORS!
From Martin, Slovakia: The director of one school explained that many parents don't want their kids watching the videos which are sold in shops because most of them are violent. When we presented our videos she said, "You are the answer to our problems!" She took four videos and then prayed for salvation. Another director saw our videos and asked how many we had. She took all 14 we had with us and said, "This is our chance to get them, and I don't want to miss it!" A third director didn't even ask to preview the videos. He also took all the videos we had with us, and even checked our bag to see if we had anything else! When he found the tapes, he took all of those too!--That's how desperate teachers here are for our tools. Before, they taught their students about communism; now they teach them about Jesus with our tools!
"IT IS A RIGHTEOUS THING WITH GOD TO RECOMPENSE TRIBULATION TO THEM THAT TROUBLE YOU!" (2Th.1:6)
Some months ago, the Family made a dramatic exit from Bulgaria after authorities there rejected our message and smeared us in the media. The judgments which we warned them would follow have begun to fall, as indicated by the following excerpts from a news article:
SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) -- Bulgaria is considering evacuating some of the capital's 1.5 million residents to alleviate a water shortage that has already meant three months of rationing for most people.... Sofia has been rationing water since November when the city's main reservoir dropped dangerously low due to a drought.... Some of the little water there is has been lost through leaks in the city's 90-year-old pipes and much of the rest is becoming increasingly polluted as levels continue to fall.... After every 18 hours with water, most residents must go 54 hours without water.
IMPORTUNITY AND FAITHFUL WITNESSING PAY OFF FOR PIONEER TEAM!
From Aaron Actor: Several of us went to Vienna to raise funds for our team to pioneer a country in West Africa. Our first day there, we went to the embassy of our prospective new field, and many sweet folks took videos. One embassy official was so excited about our appeal that he put us in contact with a Christian man, Andy, who is an economic advisor for that country. Our first meeting with him in his office lasted five hours. He has weekly lunch-hour Bible studies with other Christians from the organization he works with, and they happened to be meeting the day of our visit. I explained our vision, and told him that we needed to raise $5,000 in order to get set up on our new field. He got behind us immediately, and began praying about ways to raise money for us. His first step was to set up a meeting for us to explain our pioneer efforts to his African Christian fellowship, as well as to the local church he attends.
The African fellowship was very special and quite different from any of the churches I've ever attended in America or Europe. They began with some songs which were very simple--promises from the Bible set to what sounded to me like tribal chants, with no instrumental accompaniment. One of the women led a cappella, then everyone entered in, clapping and swaying to the music. Then they shared a few testimonies from different members and had a conversational prayer (very much like we do it) for political situations, individual requests, etc. I shared my testimony, and explained the Lord's call in my life to live and work in Africa. I also told them about the prophecies and visions we received about Africa, which really flipped them out! Andy got up afterwards and told the group that the most important thing they could do in life was give to missionaries like ourselves. "When you give to missionaries, you're giving to God Himself," he explained. He really had the anointing!
The next morning we attended the church service, and the same thing happened, except after I shared my testimony and plea for help in setting up our new missionary work, 20 of the 150 people attending the church service came forward, laid hands on me and prayed for every aspect of our pioneer work. Then several gave beautiful prophecies, including an 85-year-old Austrian woman. Her prophecy said, "Not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit, saith the Lord, shall ye conquer this land." Then she started praying in strong tongues and weeping. Another prophecy seemed to go along with the changes the Charter is bringing. It said, "The Lord will do mighty miracles through this team. Miracles that you always dreamt about and read about will now happen, miracles that will bring the peoples of this dark land to Me. You'll be a witness in new ways, that no one there has ever done before." This went along with a vision that a Family member had when praying with us at home earlier that day. He saw a vision of Dad in Heaven talking to church and missionary saints of the past, saying, "Hey, look at my people!" Dad was very proud of us for striking out by faith to pioneer and get the Charter rolling. Praise the Lord!
So Andy helped us raise a total of $2,000 at just those two meetings, both within a day and a half of our arriving in town. He also helped organize a few other fellowships later in the week to help us raise the rest of what we needed. We are also gathering the names and addresses of many committed supporters.
We feel the key to this "success story" was being importunate in prayer. Every spare moment throughout the day we spent claiming promises and praying for specific aspects of our witnessing, follow-up, and fund raising. Also, we witnessed all the time to everybody we met along the way, and the Lord blessed it! Praise the Lord!
NORTH AMERICA
ATLANTA CITY COUNCIL HONORS THE FAMILY!
From Seek, USA: The teens were invited to sing for a meeting of the city council of Atlanta, Georgia. It was a "full house," as many members of the public had come to hear the discussion of the city's budget and salaries for the policemen and firemen. We were asked to be "the entertainment before the fireworks!"--Ha! They also told us in advance that we would be given a certificate of commendation, but we never expected what happened!
We were asked to stand and sing behind the council members, who were seated on a stage, facing the audience. After the first song, the council president read aloud the following from a beautiful wooden plaque, and then presented it to us:
"Whereas, the Family Singers are an international Christian missionary organization of adults, young people and children who have worked as missionaries for many years in various foreign countries; and
"Whereas, the Family Singers have worked in a number of relief projects across the United States, including setting up the first shelter for victims of Hurricane Andrew; and
"Whereas, the Family Singers were the entertainment for the 'Feed the Hungry' program during Thanksgiving and performed for Egleston Hospital, St. Joseph's Hospital, Fulton County Juvenile Correctional Institute, Bridge Juvenile Detention Center and the Methodist Children's Home during the Christmas holidays; and
"Whereas, the Family Singers are presently setting up two new Family Support Centers which will be open to the public for counseling and instruction in child care and family values:
"Now, therefore, the Atlanta City Council commends the Family Singers for their dedication and commitment to the needy of our city and society through music and song, and hereby proclaims Monday, February 20, 1995 in the City of Atlanta as
"THE FAMILY SINGERS DAY."
Then the teens sang another song and the council members shook their hands as they left the platform. We had prepared a package for each council member which included a personal letter, an introductory letter about our international and local work, a color photo, a flyer, and "To a Worldchanger." The lady who invited us had passed these out before the meeting, and many of the council members were already reading their copies by this time. We were thrilled, and took lots of pictures of us holding the plaque!--Hallelujah!
DC SHOW TROUPE VISITS ATLANTA!
From Ahlai, USA: Things looked pretty bleak when, en route to Atlanta, our "Family Singers Live" motor home gave up the ghost.--But the Lord came through, as He always does! We provisioned a tow truck to get us to a garage, and after witnessing to the driver, he took us all out to dinner, received Jesus, gave us a $100 donation and introduced us to a friend of his who needed our prayers and encouragement. His friend's wife has cancer.
Time would fail us to tell of each wonderful show that the dear Atlanta Family booked for us, but over 900 souls have been won in our first four days here. The mostly Hispanic congregation of a small Catholic church gave a generous "love offering" and took lots of our tools. Two Methodist churches received us warmly and loved the dances and testimonies most of all.
Six hundred and forty kids in a Catholic middle school, age 5 to 14, prayed to receive Jesus after our rousing songs and "Rock in the Road" and "Garden" skits. When Shanti and Jason asked at different times who understood the message of the skit or song, the kids jumped out of their seats to answer. The mother superior later told them, "Keep the valuable lessons and example of the Family Singers in your hearts, not just for the day, but for the whole year."
We sang for 500 workers from a company who may help provide the big vehicle we need to take our show on the road. Then we visited the local TS Family at their fellowship meeting, where we did a show and joined them for lunch. The TSers also have some very exciting leads for possible future engagements for the Family Singers, God bless them!
GP DAILY MIGHT IS A HIT WITH FRIENDS AND CONTACTS!
From Marc, USA: As a New Year's gift, we sent copies of the GP Daily Might to a number of friendly academics and NRM contacts. Several of them have responded very enthusiastically, including one woman from another NRM who said, "I keep it on my desk, and read it every day. The illustrations are just beautiful, and the words are so inspiring and encouraging."
CHURCH MINISTRY UPDATE
From Seek, USA: When we visited the head of a local Catholic youth department, who is also a teacher, she explained that she is concerned that the teen students in Catholic middle schools learn to have a personal relationship with Jesus and let the Bible work in their hearts. She doesn't feel the catechism accomplishes this. She published a Family flyer in a newsletter to all the churches in her archdiocese, and encouraged us to contact the youth leaders and directors of middle schools in the area. One school immediately invited us to perform. We were also invited to do an hour-long presentation of our work during a Catholic retreat, followed by a musical program that same evening.
DEAR FRIEND NOW IN THE ARMS OF JESUS!
From Kristina, USA: The wife of one of our lawyers went to be with the Lord, after a ten-month-long battle with cancer. She received the Lord in early November, and this brought about a wonderful change in the way she faced the future, even as her condition worsened. Prior to receiving the Lord, she had been very despondent and discouraged; afterwards she was cheerful and had a real fighting spirit. I visited her often, and she became sweeter and sweeter each time I saw her. It was difficult for her to concentrate and draw faith from the Word--due, no doubt, to the pain she was in or the pain killers she took to relieve that pain--but she had a lot of faith in my faith and the Family's prayers for her, God bless her!
After the funeral, her husband invited us to their house. He really loves Dad, so he was encouraged when I told him that I had had a vision of Dad greeting her as she arrived in Heaven and helping her get adjusted. Praise the Lord!
NEWS OF FRED JORDAN'S MINISTRY
From Joy, USA: I called the Fred Jordan Mission at 5th and Towne, and was told that they are still feeding the homeless, distributing clothes, and having daily church services in both English and Spanish. The mission is run by Fred Jordan's son, Joe Jordan. Fred's TV program is also still going, and is run by Fred's wife. They don't sleep anyone at the mission anymore, except for a group of young men who are being rehabilitated in a six-month "discipleship program," said to be the toughest mission program in Los Angeles.
REACTIONS TO "STAND UP FOR JESUS" TV SHOW!
From Christie, USA: The teens' weekly TV show, Stand Up for Jesus, has been on the air for a little over one year. More and more, we are meeting or hearing from people who watch the show regularly. Here are a few of the reactions we have received:
One night the teens were driving home from witnessing, and Sam didn't notice that the speed limit had changed. He was driving 10 miles per hour over the limit, and a policeman pulled them over and was about to give him a ticket for speeding. Sam explained that he hadn't seen the new speed limit sign, and started witnessing to the policeman. As soon as he said that they were the teens from Stand Up for Jesus, the policeman tore up the ticket! "My wife would kill me if she knew I gave a ticket to the teens from Stand Up for Jesus!" he said. "She loves your show and watches it every week!"
Another night, a team was provisioning at a restaurant. and as soon as they mentioned the TV show, the manageress said, "Stand Up for Jesus? Of course I'll help you! My grandmother keeps me up till midnight every Saturday night in order to watch your show!"
Shiloh was witnessing in Beaumont, Texas, and met a young pastor who was a bit skeptical at first, thinking we might be a weird cult, etc. But as soon as Shiloh mentioned the TV show, he totally changed! He said, "I love you guys! You're doing a great work! I just moved here from Houston and my wife and I watch your show every week!" When Shiloh gave him "The Signs of the Times" poster, he flipped! "Oh, yes!" he said. "This is the picture of Jesus from the TV show!"
CHICAGO TEEN SINGING TEAM PERFORMS AT CHURCH MUSIC FESTIVAL!
From Julie (16) and teens, USA: We were invited to perform at a church's yearly youth music festival. Other Family members had sung there in previous years, and they were very happy to have us on the program again.
Nearly all who attended were young people, and among them was a big choir made up of young adults and teens. We were the only whites there, but everyone was very sweet and took us in with open arms. After we sang for them, they knew we really loved the Lord. We sang "Oh, Happy Day," "This Little Light of Mine" (the Family version, which they really liked), and we danced to "Jesus the Light." On "Jesus the Light," everyone really got out of themselves and clapped and danced along with us. On the part where it says, "Give me a 'J'" they all shouted "J," etc. It was a lot of fun.
As we were leaving, many of the sheepiest kids followed us outside and we were able to witness to them one-on-one. The wife of the pastor who hosted the gathering also followed us out and asked if we could help her learn to minister to the gang members and drug addicts that come to her church for help. She said she could tell that we knew how to relate to the youth, and was looking to us for help and guidance.
MAGAZINE DIRECTOR QUITS JOB RATHER THAN SMEAR THE FAMILY!
Mexico: Until recently, a one-time-critic-turned-friend of the Family was the director of a well-known religious magazine. He has now quit his job with that magazine, largely over disagreements with the editor involving articles about the Family. Our friend refused to publish more slanderous articles against the Family, and the magazine refused to carry the positive article he had written about us. The owner of the magazine offered to double his salary, but would not agree to stop attacking us, so our friend turned down the offer.
MEXICO'S NEW PRESIDENT RECEIVES TAPE AND POSTER!
From Cacho and Crystella (YA), Mexico: In December, Ernesto Zedillo was sworn in as the new president of Mexico. Everywhere the new president went, he was heavily guarded and no one except the press could get anywhere near him. One day we had planned to meet with some of the former president's staff at the presidential palace. While standing there, one of the security men came running up to us and announced that President Zedillo was arriving and they wanted a group of 20 "observers" to be present for his grand entry into Los Pinos, the Mexican White House. So we were included in the first group of 20 and they quickly instructed us where to stand. We observed a flurry of activity as hundreds of soldiers with machine guns lined up in perfect formation, and special police agents hurried about nervously barking orders into their hand-held radios. We quickly wrote a note to President Zedillo and put it in an envelope along with a "How to Win" tape and a poster. Because of the tight security, we weren't able to get to Zedillo, so we explained our work to one of Zedillo's top guards. He promised to give it to Zedillo the next morning.
Several days later, we got a telephone call from the president's secretary, informing us that President Zedillo had received the tape and poster. She asked for our address, and explained that the President wanted to send a personal thank-you letter for the gift! (This is the second time the president's office has contacted us at our Home; the first was from the former President Salinas, who also got one of our tapes.)
FAMILY'S SPEECH FROM CEREM CONFERENCE PUBLISHED!
Mexico: A complete transcript of the speech which a team from the Family presented at the CEREM Conference (Center for the Study of Mexican Religions), held in Acapulco, has now been published in a book entitled "The Role of the Churches in Mexico." It is now selling in bookstores throughout the country. This publication was co-sponsored by the Ministry of the Interior, CEREM and a university. The speech includes a summary of our basic beliefs, our views on democracy and human rights, and an explanation of our policy regarding voting and our relationship with society in general. The context of this discourse was taken mostly from the statements and quotes from Dad on these subjects, so it offers a clear and accurate report. This book also includes the speeches given from representatives of Catholic, Jewish, Protestant, Evangelical and Islamic religious groups.
THE FAMILY IS A TOPIC AT HUMAN RIGHTS MEETING!
Mexico: Well-known writer and academic Raul Macin invited a team from the Family to a human rights conference where he spoke about the Family. The five-day conference was held at UNAM, one of Mexico's top universities. Macin talked about the origins of the COG/Family in California, and recounted the accusations against us in Mexico in 1976 and 1993 in Argentina. In his dissertation he said, "You may oppose them, and you can dispute their doctrines, but you can't deny them their right to believe what they will."
FAMILY CAUSES NO SMALL STIR AT ACM MEETING IN MEXICO CITY!
From Cacho: After seeing a poster on the street advertising a March 5th ACM conference led by Jorge Erdely, representatives from the local Homes got together to pray about a possible course of action.
Ten of us went incognito and sat in on the conference. We had agreed ahead of time to be careful not to do or say anything unless the speakers said something directly against the Family, or if we felt it necessary to defend religious rights in general. In case the need arose, we made some fold-out hand signs: "NOT TRUE!" "FALSE ACCUSATION!" "RESPECT OUR FREEDOM OF RELIGION!"
Over two thousand people attended, mostly Christians from various denominations. Judging by the very sophisticated equipment, the organizers obviously had big financial backing. At least 50 "bouncers" patrolled the aisles, several wearing headsets or carrying hand-held radios. Our five two-man teams each sat in a different part of the auditorium. We had agreed ahead of time that I would be the first one to put up my sign, and that would be the cue for the others to begin holding up their signs at appropriate times.
Sure enough, 20 minutes into the meeting Erdely started ranting and raving against the Jehovah's Witnesses, the Seventh-day Adventists, and finally the Family. He prepared the audience for "shocking truths," and asked those who happened to belong to one of the churches he was going to speak about to show respect and maturity by holding their piece until the end of the meeting. "Some people are fanatics about their faith," he said, "but I hope there aren't any in this audience."
Then Erdely started talking about a group he'd heard about that sells tapes and videos, which is very "corruptive." "They give out posters to deceive the people," he said. "Be careful with these people. They look like they're full of love, but they are in a sect called the Children of God. They are out to deceive you, and they use prostitution!" At that, I unfolded my sign that said "Falso!" (Not true!) Immediately Erdely pointed his finger at me and screamed, "Why are you doing that! Put that sign down, or I'll have you thrown out! You'll get your chance to say something at the end of the meeting!" I answered in a loud voice that I wasn't going to just sit there while he falsely accused our group of prostitution. By this time one of his bouncers had his arms around me and forced me to put my sign in my lap. "Don't do that again or we'll have you taken out," he said.
Erdely started off again with the same accusations and I stuck my sign back up. Hosy and Cristina also put up their signs which read, "Respect Our Right of Religious Freedom!" and "Not True!" Within a few seconds, three goons grabbed me by my arms and waist and started dragging me out. I looked over my shoulder at Erdely and told him that this was not a fair and open meeting, that he wasn't allowing us to speak up or defend ourselves. He said, "You're one of those fanatics I was talking about, and your leader is another one!" As soon as he said that, all of our teams yelled, "That's not true!" and held up their signs. A dozen bouncers came running, and it turned into a big scene. Reporters took pictures as we all got dragged out.
A lady who had been sitting next to me gave me her telephone number and asked me to contact her. She was also mad at the way Erdely and his group had attacked her evangelical church, accusing them of using hypnotism and sex on their members. While we were getting thrown out, she told the people sitting around her that Erdely was a terrible sample of a Christian and that he would reap what he sowed. Others agreed with her. The following day, she informed me that after we were thrown out, Erdely didn't say anything else against us.
When the conference finished, we did a Holy Ghost sample outside, with Augustine leading the teens and YAs in "Make Me an Instrument of Your Peace" and "Jesus the Light!" It was powerful! All the people coming out of the building just froze on the steps and stood there for a long time listening to our songs and taking pictures of the protest signs that the teens held high as they sang. Dozens of people took pictures, and police squad cars with flashing red lights pulled up. We sang for about 30 minutes as the police looked on. They seemed to enjoy the music. Two government security men asked us if everything was okay. A couple of reporters interviewed us in the midst of all this activity.
(Editor's note: God bless these Family members for their fight and fire, which in this situation triumphed over the Enemy's lies. However, by publishing this article we do not mean to imply that others should always adopt this course of action. In some cases, such behavior could be offensive and counterproductive and reflect poorly on the Family. So please remember that each situation must be judged on it's own merits. This type of counterattack should be agreed upon by everyone concerned, and confirmed in united prayer. Please refer to the Charter, page 48, point 10.K.)
REACTIONS, COMMENTS
AND PERSONAL WORDS
THANK YOU, DEAR FAMILY, FOR YOUR PRAYERS!
From Pearl, BI:
Dearest Family,
God bless you all. I really love you and am so very very thankful for you, your prayers and your continued faithfulness to the Lord and His service. I have felt for a long time that I would like to write to you and tell you just how much I have appreciated and benefited from your prayers.
It's hard to know where to start, because you have been praying for Sammy and me, my brother Johnny and everyone else involved in our court case for such a long time, and so much has happened. In the three years since the case began, the Lord has done more for us than I could possibly list here, but I want you all to know that your prayers have interceded on many occasions; the Enemy has been defeated and confounded by the Lord as a result. If we hadn't prayed, things wouldn't have happened and the Lord would have had to let the Enemy "win" in some instances. It's like the story of Job: If he had given up, the Enemy would have won a victory. But he kept praying and believing, and look what the Lord did!
As a result of your prayers, the Lord has not only done major miracles for the case, but also for Sammy and me personally. I'm sure that if it hadn't been for Mama's love and concern and your desperate prayers as a result, I would not still be here today. The spiritual battles would have easily overcome me if it hadn't been for all of you upholding me in your prayers. There were times during the case that I definitely felt the presence and power of your prayers helping me to keep going. Feeling that presence of angelic helpers in the spirit gave me strength and courage at times when I was fainting. Your prayers have been like glue that kept me together. I also believe that I have grown a lot since the case began. I love and understand the Word more than before, and have learned to lean on and depend on the Word and the Lord in a way I had never experienced. The bottom line is that I know that prayer works, that the Lord answered your prayers and that He will continue to do so as we wait for the final judgement (which has been postponed until May 1995, or later). Please keep praying!
Sometimes things have gone contrary to our natural expectation, but they worked together for good in the end, such as the cases in Australia. That happened not long after the case here began, and it looked like a real defeat for us. But look at what the Lord did! The collective outcome of those cases turned out to be a super plus in our favor. A lot of other good has also come out of our court cases, such as the statements, etc.
My favorite song now is "Somebody Prayed." That song speaks to me personally now, and means so much. While the hearings were going on, when different Family members came from other countries or Homes to testify in the case, they all told me how desperately and how much they had been praying for me, and that was so encouraging. Most of you have never met me, and yet you have poured out your hearts to the Lord on my behalf, and that is something that I will be eternally grateful for, as will Sammy.
Thank you, thank you, dear Family, for your prayers and for your support. They have played the most important part in this case. I am as thankful for each of your prayers as I am for the dear team here who has been fighting by my side during this case. Many of you have made personal sacrifices to fight this battle with me. I thank the Lord for Mama, who had the vision for the Prayer Lists and for teaching us all the importance of intercessory prayer. We can truly say we are a Family! Thank God for that, and for something worthwhile to fight and live for.
For all of you who are specifically having to stand up for the Family in difficult media battles, I'd like to say: Keep going and fighting! I know the Lord will strengthen and anoint you and give you encouraging victories. It really is worth it all to get the truth out. As Jesus says to us, "Rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in Heaven" (Mat. 5:12).
Thank you also for all the prophecies that you received for us. They have been a very great encouragement to me. It has been an extra special blessing to have that direct word from the Lord because I know it specifically applies to the situation at hand. I think it is so sweet and thoughtful of Mama to ask different Homes to pray and hear from the Lord in this way, for different ones who are going through particularly difficult times. It's been very encouraging to have those to stand on. I think just as special is knowing someone took the time to pray specifically for me and made the loving effort to hear from the Lord for me. When I have asked for prayer or have gone through a particularly difficult time or need extra guidance or encouragement, it has meant so much to me to have people pray with their whole hearts and get prophecies.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for all your prayers. I still really need them, as waiting for the ruling is also a test--a time to learn patience and endurance, and a time to fight fear of what the future holds. I love you all and I pray for you.
With lots and lots of love,
Pearl
P.S. to all you dear, sweet children who have prayed for Sammy and me: Your prayers and the verses, cards and gifts that you sent me have a special place in my heart. I still have all the cards you sent. I wanted to write to you all and thank you individually, but don't have all your return addresses. So may I say thank you to you all now? You are so sweet and precious. I know that Jesus hears your prayers, and that you are very, very special to Him. He loves you very much. He will take care of you, and cause everything that happens in your lives to work out for good. We love you.
Love, Auntie Pearl and Sammy
I'VE NEVER SEEN A WITNESSING OPPORTUNITY LIKE KOBE!
From Sweetie, Japan:
I am so very happy the Lord let me go and help with the relief work in Kobe. (See the FARs, "Relief and Rays of Hope after the Kobe Earthquake.") It was life-changing for me personally, and I can hardly remember a time when I've felt so fulfilled and excited about witnessing.
Being with the needy from morning to night, hearing their heartcries, seeing them so touched by our love and concern for them, and seeing them so happily receiving Jesus as their Savior has been wonderful! In the 21 years I've been serving the Lord in Japan, I've never seen a time like this! I think I got a taste of what our ministry in the Millennium will be like--trying to reorganize the world after a major disaster.
Helping in the Kobe work has made me proud of all the wonderful training that Dad and you, Mama, have given us over the years--training in everything from working with people to physical handyman jobs. It's all coming to the fore in Kobe, and many individuals, organizations and volunteers from other groups are coming to us to learn how to do it. Everyone recognizes that we are one of the only groups of volunteers that really knows what they're doing, and some are even coming to live with us to learn from us! What a testimony!
Letters like "No More Visiting Hours" (ML#2422) and "How to Witness to Pagans" (ML#2389) have really come alive. Also, another Letter that really helped me while in Kobe is "Salvation in the Spirit World" (ML#1476). I was burdened about all the people who lost some of their family in the earthquake. They of course were very happy to receive salvation, but I knew they would be worried about what happened to those who already died. I wasn't sure if I could properly explain it myself, so I did a Word study on the subject and found that Letter, which was super encouraging and enlightening. We had a united devotions with all the adults to read "Salvation in the Spirit World," and it was so inspiring and faith-building to remember all that Dad said about how those who have died without receiving Jesus will have another chance in the unseen state where they went when they died.
I'M LEARNING LOTS!
From JETT Steve:
(Editor's note: In a comment which was published with the prayer requests in FUN 20, Mama said about Steve: "JETT Stevie . . . has been completely blind from birth [yet] the Lord has given [him] a beautiful spirit and a special gift, and made his affliction a special blessing to him and to others. We're sure he is going to have a great ministry in the days to come." Steve then wrote the following letter to Grandpa and Mama in Braille:)
Dear Grandpa and Maria,
God bless you, I love you. I just heard in FUN 20 about praying for those that have eye problems. That part you wrote about me was pretty neat. I also liked the Hope of the Future that talked about music. [Editor's note: See "Let's Talk Music!--A Discussion of Music Questions," Hope #43.] It had a lot of good strong counsel in it and was very inspiring.
I've been learning lots of lessons, such as not to space out and to stay in the Word, because time is short. I also very much like those drama tapes that you sent me. They have very good lessons in them. I've been getting in the Word every day, but I still need to do it more. I'm thankful that I can read and write Braille very well now. I have a Braille Bible which I read and memorize from. School has been going very well, and I'm having lots of fun listening to all the tapes that come out. They're terrific. I can hardly wait for the rest of the tapes that will be coming out.
I hope you both are doing fine and healthy. Thank you for everything. Please give my love to David and Techi.
God bless you all, I love you!
Love, Steve
PRAYER REQUESTS
(Editor's note: Because Prayer List 24 will reach you very soon, if it hasn't already, we are including here only prayer requests which we received after that Prayer List was finalized.)
MAMA:
1. Mama: For strength, healing, energy, sufficient exercise and freedom from headaches and colds. Also for members of Mama's Home who are fighting physical afflictions.
FAR EAST:
2. That the Family in Kobe, Japan will be able to continue their fruitful witnessing and relief work without any serious repercussions from a falling out with the local businessman they had been working with, and that the Lord will open new supply lines for the food and other items needed by the earthquake victims. Also for housing for the team, which will take a miracle considering that tens of thousand of homeless are also looking for houses.
3. That the situation involving the controversial Japanese religious sect Aum Shinri-Kyo will not have any negative repercussions for the Family in Japan or elsewhere. Aum Shinri-Kyo is being investigated in connection with a March 20th incident in which sarin, a deadly nerve gas, was released in several Tokyo subway stations, killing 11 people and hospitalizing 5,500 others. The Family has had no connections with this group, but nevertheless, the ACM is trying to take advantage of the recent tragedy in Tokyo to promote their persecution of NRMs in general.
SOUTH AMERICA:
4. Brazilian Sunny, who is anemic and in her eighth month of pregnancy: that the Lord will strengthen her and give her a safe, easy delivery.
EUROPE:
5. For the implementation of "Find Fertile Fields" (ML#2973): for each member and family in Western Europe to find the Lord's will for them; for the Lord's supply and open doors; and for those in Eastern Europe or other fields who are preparing to receive some of the Family who are leaving Western Europe.
NORTH AMERICA:
6. Rachele (YA) underwent an emergency operation after a cyst on her ovary ruptured. The operation went well, thank the Lord, but during the operation it was discovered that Rachele is one month pregnant. For a full and speedy recovery, and the Lord will miraculously keep the baby from the affects of the anesthesia.
* * *
We give to others in their need
No greater love and care
Than when we give them to the Lord,
Surrounding them with prayer.
Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family