The Grapevine Issue #4 October 1, 1996
DO/TS
October 1996, The Family, Zurich Switzerland
IN THIS ISSUE
your views and opinions...2
pioneering ...3
mama's mailbox ...4
open forum ...5
new movie ratings ...6
letter to the editor ..6
feedback ...7
what's up ...7
rumor mill ...8
e-mail responses included!!
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WORLD NEWS
Testimonies from our Family Web monitors
California
(From Eden:) We love you, and are so inspired by the wonderful fruits of the Word via our Web site! We hope you too have discovered the power of this wonderful tool and are not only using it yourselves, but are encouraging your friends and contacts to visit our site. If your friends don't have their own computer and modem, they can always use their company's, or even that of any public libraries that offer this service.
To give you an idea of the amount of activity our Web site generates, to date we've had 127,000 requests for information. (This does not mean that 127,000 individuals have visited our site -- that number is probably more in the 15-20,000 range. But it means that the various parts of our Web site have been accessed a combined total of 127,000 times.) People have either read or downloaded over 1,323 megabytes of information, including Mountain Streams, Reflections, Daily Mights, Statements, clips from our audio and video tools, etc. This totals approximately 350,000 pages of text. -- Pretty neat for a free Family library that runs itself!
We've had visits from people in over 38 countries that we know of, as well as from many unspecified locations worldwide. We also receive approximately 50 e-mail responses a month, and this is growing. These include inquiries and requests for more information, requests for contact with a local Home, orders for literature and tools, and many responses from students who've "surfed" our spot and who are looking for information or research material.
Of these e-mail responses, we've been able to forward many either to local Homes who have then been able to follow up on those interested in meeting us, or in the case of the foreign language responses that have come in, these in turn have been sent to the appropriate Family offices.
We wanted to thank those who've responded to our request for GP phone numbers, e-mail or postal addresses! Already half of those who have responded with their address have received names and addresses of sheep to follow up on! Please keep those addresses coming -- we need your help! Thanks!
Another wonderful fruit of the Web site is further progress in the Ministry of Reconciliation. Many TS and former Family members, as well as friends and relatives, communicate through our site and have been able to either "find-a-friend," have a question answered, or simply re-open avenues of communication that have not been available to them for one reason or another.
Here is a recent and inspiring testimony about Thomas, in Germany. He wrote us several times before finally making personal contact with a local Home. Here are excerpts from his e-mail messages and a response from the local brethren who were able to meet him personally:
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(E-mail from Thomas:) Hi, I read a bit about you and I'm very interested to get in contact with you! Do you have a German contact? I live close to Frankfurt (40 miles south) and I would love to hear from you soon!
I just read some words David Brandt Berg said! Please get in contact with me, sounds very interesting and I would love to hear more about you! I think you really are a Family with love and you are helping each other -- not like now in our world! I just read one of the posters on the Web site and I'll keep reading some more words! What could you recommend to read or who to get in contact with?
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I've been looking for the Family since I was a kid and I heard something about you in school. They said we were to watch out, because they said you and some others were extremely dangerous! But I heard, and now I also read it in the Internet, that love is very important to you -- that cannot be dangerous!? Love is also very important to me and that can not be wrong, is it?! I'm sorry that my girlfriend doesn't have enough love for me, but I've not the power to quit with her! I don't know if I can find here what I'm looking for, but I hope!
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I can't wait to get in contact with you! I'm now like a kid that is waiting for his birthday! They [the Family Home in Germany] didn't contact me yet (but it's just one day after I gave you my phone number) -- do you have a phone number for me where I can get in contact with the Family in Europe?
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(Eden:) During this time, Thomas became so desperate to meet with someone that he even called us in the US, so we were able to talk to him personally! We don't know how he got the number calling from outside the country. Thomas was finally put in touch with a Home in his area and here is their initial response to meeting with him:
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(From a Home in Germany:) We met Thomas twice already and he is a precious sheep. The last time we had dinner together and he got saved. Thomas is hungry for the Word, and we gave him different follow-up material to read, and also started him on the DFs. He phoned this morning again, wanting to come over for a Word study.
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(Eden:) Here are some other e-mail responses which we received from other people, for your interest:
I'm a family physician in Korea, and also a daddy who has two children. I and my children had a chance to view your Kiddie Viddie home videos (clips on the Web). My kids are now very eager for the full videos. Could I find some way to get those? I really praise your great job for children all over the world. Thank you in advance. (PS: Is there any Kiddie Viddie which can be close-captioned?) (Note from Eden: The local Home in Korea had already sent us their GP e-mail address, so we were able to forward this request for tools and a potential local contact to them for immediate follow-up!)
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Hi! My name is Alec and I have just recently been saved. There are a lot of false doctrines out here. Is there anything you can do to guide me into the right path? Also, I heard about the Family from one of my friends. Two girls from your organization were passing out "The Lion, the Dragon and the Beast" posters in Hamtramck, Michigan, two weeks ago. I didn't get a chance to meet them but I applaud them for reaching other people. I don't know their names but I would surely like to meet them. It would be great if I could be around other Christians. Is there anything you can do??
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Please, could you tell me how I can buy the videos, tapes and books you have available? I am so interested in buying all those, please give me more information. Also, let me know what other materials you have available for sale and if I could pay with American Express. (End of e-mail responses.)
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(Eden:) Thank you for your prayers for this ministry! If you would like to be involved in meeting or following up on some of these precious people, please send us your GP e-mail address or telephone number! Thanks!
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Answering Family 800 number calls
California
(From Tim and Eden:) It's a blessing helping with this ministry, and although sometimes a bit hectic, we get to help and minister to a lot of precious people. The largest reaction segment we get, aside from the longer reconciliation type calls, is from the posters. More specifically, 50% of the poster calls we receive are about "The Lion, the Dragon and the Beast" poster!
Preceding the DC and West Coast TS/DO fellowships, the number of reconciliation type calls was way up, and now following them it's way down. The fellowships have been wonderful in getting people plugged in again and in touch with each other! It's slowed down a lot, to about 10-15 calls a day, but it varies.
We had one interesting flurry of calls from Austin, Texas, this month, with people very touched by the lit and our sample, so whoever went through there did a good job! May there be many more! -- God bless our witnessers!
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Analysis of Family Web site
(From Vince, WS:) Comparing the usage of the Family Web site in August 1996, with the usage just three months earlier, it is easy to see a substantial increase across the board in the number of requests in most areas and on most pages (sections of the Web site). Here are some examples:
The Family Home Page: increase of 36% (7305 requests in Aug. vs. 5404 in May)
Various Bible Chapters: increase of 1,071%! (656 requests in Aug. vs. 56 in May)
Various Statements, etc.: increase of 84% (including Statements newly added to the Web.)
Various DM Pages: increase of 80% (572 requests in August vs. 317 in May)
Various Tribute Pages: increase of about 50%
Posters Pages: increase of 38%
Various Other Lit: increases ranging from 10% to 228%
From the usage patterns, it seems that the people who do log on and explore an area of the Web site (such as the Tribute or the Statements) are spending more time in there, and reading more thoroughly. Also, the new items in the "Latest News" section get a lot of interest. One interesting statistic is that whichever month we are in has by far the largest number of hits on that month's DM pages. In other words, people are logging on to read the day's Daily Might.
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MEETINGS AND FELLOWSHIPS
Taiwan teen meetings
(From YA Clair [of John]:) We have about 55 young people here from ages 14 to 21, as well as some nationals, who have come from China, Taiwan and Okinawa [southern part of Japan, which is close to Taiwan] to attend these meetings, which started on September 12th.
Jeff (CRO), Abner (of Endureth, VS) and Marie Claire (SGA) led the keynote meeting after a good prayer and a few inspirational songs. Amongst our keynote topics, we talked about any fears or apprehensions that people may have had before coming here. Some of the teens and YAs brought up that they felt perhaps they were in for a lot of correction, or that some of the freedoms granted by the Charter would be taken away. Others were worried that they would be required to "perform" or do things they didn't have the faith for, etc.
Jeff and Abner shared a few battles of their own that they had been faced with before coming to the camp. Jeff talked about the fear he had of not being liked by the young people and not knowing how to relate to or communicate with them. -- So it looks like we're in it together! It was a blessing to get those things out in the open so now we can start afresh and give the Lord a chance to expel those fears and worries.
We also talked about the nationals and why they especially were invited to this meeting. Abner shared how Dad has always emphasized the training of our national disciples, and since most of them have not had that much input over the years, it's important that they get the opportunity to receive as much training as possible, as we need more national leaders.
Jeff shared some key points with everyone on why we are having these meetings. Firstly, to show the videos from Summit '96. Secondly, for fellowship, as it's not often we get together. Thirdly, to hear from the young people.
He encouraged the teens to ask questions and get things off their heart regarding how they feel about the Family as a whole, how the Charter is affecting their lives, how we are doing in following it, and also any comments or things they would like to see changed or talked about. He stressed how it's very important that the young people voice their opinions about things, even if it seems contrary to what's being said, otherwise he may go away with the impression that they are a bunch of man-pleasers. Yuck! On the subject of agreeing with everything on the surface, but underneath or to others disagreeing and spreading doubts, he said, "Don't tell your peers, tell me! I want to know what you are thinking and feeling."
A question that was posed to the young people was, "What topics would you like to discuss together during this time?" Some topics that came up were: "Go for the Gold," the "Loving Jesus" series, witnessing and fund-raising, System music, books and movies. We'll be having open-forum discussions on these points during the meetings.
(From Jeff, CRO:) At first it seemed we were in for some of the same problems that we faced in the meetings in Australia (see Grapevine #1), but it seems the young people here are not as discouraged or embattled, although they do have similar weaknesses.
Still, there seems to be a high level of receptivity and hunger from the teens for all the Lord wants to give them. They, like the Australian teens, are a sweet bunch of young people, and we have fallen in love with them!
Meetings in Thailand
(From Stephen, CRO, Asia:) The meetings to show the Summit videos to the senior teens and YAs from the Homes in Thailand will be held at the Training Center and will last for one week, hosted by Joan. The senior teens and YAs from all the field Homes will be in attendance, about 60 all together. Six or seven senior teens have come from Indonesia for this as well.
We have been able to show the Summit videos now to much of the Family in our field, and we think we'll be able to pretty much cover the entire ASCRO area, both young people and adults, by the end of the year. We've shown them to our young people and adults in four of our main Service Homes in Bangkok, and to everyone in the Service Homes in Indonesia and Bombay. All of the adults in Delhi and Nepal will be seeing them, and we hope to send a special team to the Philippines shortly to show them to everyone there.
Recently the VSs were able to show them to the Homes in Eastern Thailand, and there is a meeting planned for all of the Homes in northern Thailand in ten days time. This doesn't include the various meetings we've had and will be having, for our young people, nationals, etc. We're hoping to put together a more complete plan that will enable pretty much every Family member in our area to be able to view these either in a meeting, or via VS/CRO visitation by the end of the year.
Central US Visitation Team
(From Abi, CRO, US:) These last few months have been quite full -- we've done a lot of traveling, while showing the TS Fellowship and Summit videos to the DO and TS brethren throughout the Central US.
Ezekiel and I go to a city, usually traveling with one or two of the VSs. About a week before our trip, we send a message to the Homes in the surrounding area, telling them that we will be coming through with the videos, giving them an overview of what we would like to do and asking for their help in organizing the fellowships. Once we arrive, we usually show the videos at night to both our TS and DO Family together and visit with the Home members during the day.
In many cases, this time of viewing the videos together was the first time that the area Homes had gotten together for fellowship for a long time. They are so busy that it is hard for them to stop for fellowship. But the videos gave everyone an excuse to come together, and I believe that after seeing the fruit of this time together, most Homes really want to promote it and have more get-togethers.
There are usually two or three TS Homes in each major city and they are very sweet, and love the Word and the beautiful message that is coming through these videos.
Southeastern US Visitation Team
(From Simon, CRO, US:) This past month we visited eight Homes, at which time we held four DO/TS Summit Video meetings. These four meetings were attended by a total of approximately 120 brethren. We showed the Summit videos in some of the individual Homes that we visited as well. To visit these eight Homes and hold these four meetings, we traveled 6,000 kilometers (3,750 miles) by car.
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IDEAS, TIPS AND SUGGESTIONS
Posters pay off
USA
(From Matthew Amos and Ava Newlove:) We've been doing a lot of clowning events for special events like holidays, fiestas, fund-raisers, etc. To make it a further witness, we give a poster to each person getting a balloon or a face painting. This does tend to make our "profit" a little less, but we have learned that it more than pays off in increased witness.
A few weeks ago we ran out of posters and failed to re-order, so we found ourselves clowning without the posters. In almost no time we found things going awry, and the whole ministry was just not as fruitful and anointed as before. Then we got some posters and began distributing again. We immediately noticed a night-and-day difference, although in the physical (location, people, event, etc.) nothing seemed any different.
We've had a lot of brethren ask us how we can afford to hand out a poster to each person, when we actually ask so little for our balloons and face painting. We are now telling them we can't afford not to, as we know that doing this ensures that things will go well for us!
Filing income taxes
USA
(From Marianne, Peter Fighter, Mary and David:) A tip on filing income taxes: I found that if you are involved in "consider the poor" ministries with different organizations, they can give you a paper with the amount of hours you contributed for deduction sake. Then you take the amount of hours times minimum wages and that would be your donation to a non-profit organization.
Also, keep track of your mileage for going to and from the place as that can be a deduction also. We donated some videos to the library and they gave us a receipt for the full amount of what we would normally sell the videos for. So, keep track of those receipts so you can hang on to the Lord's money!n
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YOUR VIEWS AND OPINIONS
Persecution prep
(From Juan, SACRO:) We were thankful to read in a recent message from Mama and Peter about continuing to train our young people to speak to the media and authorities. This is something I feel would be good to remind the Family of. Just because we're in a time of "peace" doesn't mean that war, in the form of persecution, isn't in the near future. We'd better be prepared and work while there is peace, keeping our proactive work alive.
This might just be my impression of things, but it seems that we go from one extreme to the other, like a pendulum. When we were having to fight court cases and persecution in different countries, everybody was geared up to visiting their neighbors, local police, judges and influential people. Now that things seem to have died down persecution-wise, many Homes have sort of forgotten about persecution prep.
I feel we should be reminded that now is the time to do the proactive work, so that when the time comes that the media goes to our friends and contacts, they will be willing to say, as the blind man in the book of John, "All we know is that once we were blind, and now we see, thanks to what the Family did." I think in some areas, our "consider the poor" ministries have been somewhat forgotten, due to the urgency of raising funds to survive. However, these ministries are important, not only as a witness and to be able to help the local communities where we live, but it's also a good testimony and sample to the media and authorities.
Food stamps and welfare
USA
(From Christina, Patrick and Christina M.:) We personally don't want to be on welfare, because we feel the testimony to our sheep that makes the difference between us and other Christians is that we live "by faith."
Yes, it is more of a struggle sometimes and perhaps we do not have as much materially as those who do have that extra income. But we know that our sheep are amazed at how we live and trust the Lord completely. -- And He does miracles for us daily!
So our concern is that our testimony could be watered down by using government support. Some outsiders even look down on people who use these benefits, as they feel they are paying taxes for people who are able to work but who don't want to, which is a legitimate concern in this country.
Pregnancy and marriage
USA
(From Rachel, SGA:) I've been particularly concerned the last few months about the topic of pregnancy and marriage, and wanted to share my heart and feelings about it. This concerns YA and teen pregnancies, which we have recently been having a lot of here. It does seem that many are staying single rather than getting married.
I just wonder if the attitudes of our YAs and teens are right. Are they really praying and hearing from the Lord about going all the way before the girl gets pregnant? Then after she gets pregnant, are they taking it seriously and maturely? It seems it is kind of a fly-by-night attitude with many.
Granted, not all situations and attitudes are the same, but especially for the children's sake, I think there needs to be a lot of prayer involved. When a pregnancy has occurred, new parents may even need to put their present feelings aside and consider what will be best for their child. All children need a father, and I think when possible it should be the exception rather than the rule not to stay together. The Word is very clear on this subject, but I think the full counsel is not being taken.
Of course, it is also very clear in the Word that the Lord will take care of our precious single moms, and whether single or married, a little child is such a wonderful blessing!
When you meet someone else's contacts...
(From a Home in the US:) We are centrally located in a major city, and we have a lot of people passing through, both from other Homes in the US and from abroad. We enjoy the fellowship and like being of service to our brethren. Our Home's population is small and busy, but most of our visitors have been understanding of this and have been willing to pitch in and give a hand while here.
However, the problem that we have had, and the reason for this comment, is that, being the promoters that most Family members are, there has been a tendency for our visitors to try to promote their work and needs to our friends and contacts that they meet while here in our Home. These are people that we are working with, ministering to, and looking to for the support of our local work.
Most of our local friends and supporters are not wealthy, and if they give to Family members passing through, they feel that they are (and they are!) still giving to the Lord's work, even if it is the money that they normally would have given to our Home if the other need had not come up. There is a lot of wealth here in the US, but having been on foreign fields for many years, I have seen that it is not always as easy to get support here as it is in some foreign countries.
I wanted to suggest that brethren visiting Homes, whether they come from a foreign field or from other Homes nearby, if they meet people that are already Family contacts, that they not try to plug for their projects or needs without first getting an okay from the local Home. With a lot of our friends, even a casual mention of needs is enough to solicit their help, as they are so sweet and want to be a help. But, especially in Homes like ours, where there are always people passing through, it is a bit discouraging to introduce our supporters to brethren passing through, and then to see them give their tithe or monthly support to the visitors.
We want them to have the vision for the whole Family, but it is hard to make time for follow-up and feeding our sheep and friends, because our financial needs are pretty significant too. "The husbandman that laboureth must be first partaker of the fruits" (2Ti.2:6). Could we mention something to the Family about this?
Use it -- don't abuse it
USA
(From Marianne, Peter Fighter, Mary and David:) I'm concerned about some Family members' attitudes about "using the System." In some ways, it seems they are "abusing it." In the States, some Family members buy things at the store, use them, and then return them to get their money back.
Here are a few examples: In one case a sister bought matching sweaters for her kids to take pictures, then she returned them to get her money back. A YA got a pair of jeans, fell when skating, skinning the knees of the pants, then returned them saying they were the wrong size, and purchased another pair. A couple of young people wanted to buy a lawn mower and edger, mow 20 lawns to make some money and then return the equipment to get their money back. (The shepherd put his foot down on this, saying this was going too far.)
There was a program on TV about this type of activity as it is becoming widespread, and they label it "fraud." I think we should always be honest in our dealings, as people really watch us, especially when they know we're missionaries or Christians. Even though others may do it and think it's okay because everybody else does it, they expect more from us, as we are supposed to have higher morals.
DO members' attitudes towards live-out and catacomb members
Japan
(From Stephen, [of Rejoice] VS:) One of our long-time live-outs shared his heart concerning the attitudes of some DO members towards them and other live-outs. They don't like the way they feel they are looked down upon as "second class citizens." I think our DO members need to change their mentality towards live-out and catacomb members. I believe the Lord's highest calling is to be a full-time DO disciple, but I also believe that the Lord has a special calling for everyone, and some people are simply not called to be DO members, but to be live-outs or catacombers -- and the Lord loves them all.
But some Family members look down on them as being not as committed as they are, or merely a "sheep." Perhaps some live-outs and catacombers are happy to remain "sheep" and to be spoon-fed by DO members, yet others want DO members to consider them "disciples" just as much as DO members are. -- Especially those who have a lot of fire, or those who have been in the Family as live-outs or catacomb members for years.
I believe that the DO Family in Japan would greatly benefit if they would value the live-outs' opinions more. We do many things which offend Japanese people, and thus can be a poor sample of Christian love. I believe we are doing better in this area than 10 years ago, mainly because we listened to what Dad and some of our live-outs and kings shared with us. These live-outs are learning how to get through to the Japanese people's hearts, and they have a lot to offer. Of course, we may not be able to apply everything they share and it may not all be right, but at least we can show them love and respect by sincerely listening to them.
Impressions from an SGA CRO
(From Jason [25, of Cedar], USA:) In traveling, it has been inspiring to see the fruit of the Charter in action, as there are many "Charter Homes" that are making it work and are doing well! Sometimes my feeling is, "I wonder if I have as much faith as these guys!" You see that they've carved a work out of the land, so to speak, making a work where there was no work! Hearing all the miracles involved in setting up their Homes is just amazing, and you really feel like these are real missionaries!
Some of the Homes have their own unique ministries and witnessing opportunities, whether it be working as volunteers with the Red Cross, marriage counseling, provisioning and shipping goods to Russia, part-time teaching, etc. They have a vision for their ministries, and have made them a witness. God bless them!
Parenting our kiddos
(From Leilani [SGA, of Samuel], Brazil:) One big change that I have seen since the Charter has been the shifting of a lot of childcare workers to other ministries. The main responsibility for the children that used to be on them, has now shifted to the parents. Since some parents were rusty in their parenting, childcare may not look like one of the areas that has improved since the Charter, but I think it's helping us to zero in on it in a more substantial way. A teacher or childcare person may move around from Home to Home, but if we parents can learn to shepherd our kids ourselves, then it will be a long-term solution.
I feel the Letter "Go for the Gold" caused a revolution in the way people feel about children and in the comments they voice about them. On subjects such as getting pregnant, YAs having growing families, etc., there was quite a bit of openly negative talk before, so it was a blessing to have more of the Lord's mind on it, and a good reminder on how He views each of our precious children.
I know at present there are not many who have a desire to help in childcare, but it is a real need. It is special to take care of kids when you know their parents really appreciate you. When it is more of a personal thing with the parents and there is a connection between you, it makes you want to give and do more for their children. I have noticed that a lot of the folks who are still in childcare and who have stuck to that ministry are the ones in situations where it's more homey and you become "part of the family." I think that as childcare in general is pulling away from an institutionalized mode of operation, perhaps more of our young people will have the desire to again take up the challenge in this area.
So, although initially to some it might seem that the Charter has thrown things up in the air a bit in this area, I believe it's going to bear more lasting fruit as we are building on more stable ground.
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(The Grapevine consists of news from Family members around the world, and is not intended to be an official organ to reflect WS policy or views. Family policy and spiritual guidance will continue to be published in the GNs and FSMs.)
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PIONEERING
Turkey
(From Cephas, CRO, Asia:) Turkey is not as poor and needy physically as other Mideast countries, but the feeling you get is that there is an overwhelming spiritual void amongst the youth, and how empty and desirous they are for something in their lives.
This year alone over six million tourists visited Turkey. Turkey has opened up quite a bit, and is very European in nature, in that its people and youth are quite free and open. The country is not fanatically Islamic as are some of the other Mideast countries, but it is more similar to Indonesia, and possibly even more free. The military is still very present, but more in the background, although there are still accounts of repression.
Though Turkey seems quite open, it is still a Muslim country and you have to use a lot of wisdom and love to win these people. The brethren in Turkey feel that music is a key to minister the Gospel there, particularly to the youth.
Our Turkey team now includes Bani and Mercy and their 10 children, and Mark and Tabitha and their five children. John and Rose Mideast have recently joined the team with their three younger boys. SGAs Gideon and Paloma and their baby, as well as Paloma's sister, Dolly, who recently came with them from the States, have joined the main Turkey team also. Another team, consisting of Sam and Ruth and their two daughters, have moved on to pioneer another smaller city. The need in Turkey is great, with Istanbul alone having 12 million people to minister to, so there is a need for dedicated laborers!
Many Turks do not speak English, therefore all of our tools and lit need to be translated, and this is a bit of a challenge. The brethren have used some System translators who are in the process of translating the Treasure Attics. They have also had many Reflections and DF classes translated, which they have used extensively for witnessing.
The folks here are planning to send out a personnel want ad for smaller families, singles or YAs (it's more difficult for larger families here), who have the burden to reach a Muslim field but who would have a long-term vision, painstaking perseverance, patience, and who would not mind not seeing instant fruit, or results in large quantities, etc.
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MAMA'S MAILBOX
[Editor's note: In deference to those who have written in confidence to Mama, she has omitted the full names from the letters she submits to this section of the Grapevine. Consequently we will only use these folks' initials. If you don't mind your letter being published with your name included, please make a note of this in your letter to Mama. Names will only be left in if she receives prior permission from the author of the letter.]
Dearest sweet Mama,
I love you so much and can't thank you, Peter and the Lord enough for the wonderful words of life that you faithfully pass on to us, they are life-changing! I wanted to pour out my heart to you about the things the Lord is doing in my life.
Recently I've been going through a Jordan-crossing time in my life. I've felt like giving up so many times and have felt useless to the Lord and the Family and very discouraged. I am married and have four wonderful kids, but I felt I was losing my spark and like my fire was slowly going out.
Since the Loving Jesus revelation, my relationship with the Lord has changed dramatically, and I've started to love the Lord in this new and greater way, and for the first time I truly feel like the Lord's Bride! It's wonderful!
Along with that, the Lord has been zeroing in on areas in my life that I have been unyielded in. I finally sat down and examined my life and the areas that I was failing the Lord and being disobedient. I finally faced the facts and said: "Do I believe in this Family and the Word? Am I willing to make the small sacrifices that the Lord is requiring of me to be a committed, whole-hearted disciple and live the New Wine?"
Thank the Lord, He helped me make the right choice to yield to Him and to "go for the gold" in every area and to not allow the Enemy to have any Huddersfields in my life. I prayed and said all this to the Lord, and boom! -- He began to work! Mainly on little areas of unyieldedness and disobedience in my life, but one of the main areas (and the one I feared most) has been the importance of the One Wife vision and the Law of Love. It's something that we all believe in and it sounds good, but I have never really had to put it fully into practice myself.
Sad to say, I don't think I had captured the true spirit of the Charter and what it's all about until now -- the spirit of reaching out to others in love and sharing all. My husband and I have been together for four years and a couple of times I shared with others, but it wasn't really done in the spirit of the Law of Love, but rather as something "on-the-side," sneaking. I hurt my husband a lot, but he was very loving and forgave me.
However, I've been scared of this ever happening again or that it might happen on his end. Well, sure enough it did! Recently he went on a mission and shared with one of the YA girls a couple of times. When he came Home, he was completely honest about what happened. I believe he did it in the right spirit, but I was totally crushed. Everything I feared came upon me and I felt very threatened. The Enemy exaggerated everything in my mind and I went through incredible battles over it. However, the Lord used this to open another chapter in my life and begin another stage of my growth.
I was having such battles about it, yet at the same time I wanted to yield to what the Lord was doing and to how He was working. I knew the Lord wanted us to enter into the spirit of the greater Family, and to overcome some of these fears that we've had. The Lord was so sweet and He encouraged me, saying if I just yielded to what He was doing and took it by faith, that He would be able to take me further, and that this was another step in my yielding everything to Him -- something which I was praying so desperately for. This has not been an easy test -- in fact, it has been one of the hardest -- but I really want to make this grade and not be left behind in the spirit.
We prayed and read some beautiful things from the Word together and I believe the Lord is using these things in our lives to help us grow in our marriage and in our relationship with Him. I love you and pray that this will encourage you a bit!
Much love,
(R., a female SGA)
PS: I wanted to say a special "thank you" to King Peter for sharing all your lessons on jealousy and yieldedness. They have been a great source of encouragement and help to me.
Dear Mama, Peter and Gary,
Thank you for your sample of dedication, love for the Lord and submission to Him as you fervently seek His Words and put them into action. Your sample of speaking face-to-face with the Lord, along with my companion's prayers, were my sustenance and strength in the difficult days I went through before and during my current appearance in court in Argentina. Marquevich, unfortunately, had our old case from 1993 returned to his court.
The judge, taking advantage of our case returning to his court, asked rather trickily and in bad faith for an "amplification" of the testimony that those accused had already given (nearly three years ago after the raids), using as an excuse that "new evidence" had been found. His perverse intentions could be clearly seen by the fact that the summons calling the first three people to testify was sent to an incorrect address, thus our lawyer was not aware of the summons. When the time limit was up, the judge ordered the arrest of some. After an appeal lodged by our lawyer, the judge summoned them again.
From the beginning we were encouraged by beautiful and reassuring prophecies, in which the Lord, the Holy Spirit, Dad, Queen Esther of old, Family member Peruvian Pablito Chino, and even one of our friends, a lawyer who went to be with the Lord last year, spoke. All of them predicted that everything would work out well, and that in the end there would be a victory.
My main battle wasn't the possibility of being arrested, but the fact that just three days before the trip I had recovered from acute pneumonitis, which had left me very weak and thin.
The atmosphere in Buenos Aires was intense. We knew we were being watched and our telephone was tapped. Yet seeing the other brethren's attitude of dedication and trust in the Lord strengthened me.
The Lord spoke to me explicitly several times through His written Word, especially through the Word Basics. Knowing the moments of tension and uncertainty that I would be experiencing, the Lord told me to "have faith and not look at the waves or the circumstances." However, other promises I received, while on the one hand promising me His comfort, also said, "Fear not what you will suffer. ... Be thou faithful unto death and I will give you a crown of life." Thinking about how much I'd have to suffer occupied my mind incessantly during the last few days before I was to testify.
When we got together with the brethren in the van to pray, we all felt that the judge was showing his true colors and that he intended to harm us. I silently prayed, "Lord, You've got to give this answer to me. If I go [to testify] and it's a mistake, it will be my head; but if I'm supposed to go and I don't, I will have unleashed a new attack against the Family, and I will have failed You." Then He told me, "Open the book and look," and gave me some very specific Word to hold on to. I needed to hear God's voice like that, explicitly and in detail, in order to overcome fear and worry, and find strength to do His will.
That night was a Gethsemane for me. Several times I had to kneel by the side of my bed to seek the Lord for strength and comfort. I had eaten almost nothing for two days and had slept very poorly. I had to change my bedclothes twice during that night, as I broke out in a sweat that left me totally drenched. At night's end, the Lord rewarded me with this little jewel: "I will deliver you. ... You will not be delivered into the hands of the men of whom thou art afraid." How faithful and understanding the Lord is! He understands our suffering and knows just what we need to hear from Him to find peace and calmness of spirit.
The next day I went to court, but I wasn't able to testify. The court employee gave us the excuse that they had a lot of hearings. The truth is that they weren't expecting us to actually show up, and consequently, they were not prepared. The appointment was postponed until the following day. This began to confirm what our lawyer had told us.
That night Jane and I listened to "Power in Persecution" quotes read by you, Mama. As I listened to your peaceful, delicate voice quoting those wonderful promises, tranquillity overwhelmed my soul. I felt like a baby being nursed in your arms, totally safe -- "safe in the arms of Jesus." In that moment, I felt the Lord had sent you in the Spirit to feed and comfort me. This experience helped me to know you more intimately, to perceive more clearly how much of the Lord there is in you. In a way, it was like discovering you or meeting you for the first time.
The day I finally testified, I was calm and trusting. The Lord didn't fail me. He upheld me with His arm while I needed it, which was all the time. In the end, what our faithful lawyer expected came to pass, and the Lord's promises were fulfilled. The judge didn't have anything "new" to show. The court employee only asked the same stupid questions that they asked in '93, and the session was a ridiculous farce.
Those days renewed my relationship with Him. I felt more intimately how much I need Him. That night I spent alone waiting also helped me to imagine how His suffering and His waiting must have been.
My prayer is that this experience helps me renew my dedication to the Lord, and above all, to be conscious of and to value the rich legacy that Dad left us and that identifies us as a movement: "Learning to find and recognize God's will, and to have the faith to do what He asks of us."
God bless you always. I love you from the bottom of my heart.
Your son,
J.A.
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OPEN FORUM
(From Jenna, for the Grapevine team:) Hello, everyone out there! Up for a new section? How 'bout an "Open Forum"? Here's the idea: In each Grapevine issue, we'll pose a question that would be interesting to have people's feedback and opinions on. Let's have this issue's question be about music:
A number of young people (no one really knows exactly how many) are into watching music videos (like MTV and other channels) or listening to System music (to refresh your memory: like radio, Walkman, headphones, CDs, music stores, malls -- you know, that kind of thing).
Question: Well, what is the attraction of System music? Why do they (or you, to bring it down home) listen to it? How does it hit you? How does it make you feel? What's been the fruit of listening to it in your life, or do you have any thoughts on how it affects others?
It's an issue, isn't it? -- Why not talk about it?
Now back to the real world! -- Obviously, we're only going to be able to print responses if you send them in! So if you like the idea of this new column, then do us a favor and answer the question! If you think this is a trashy idea, hey -- don't write in... and you won't have to read what others have to say about it in the next Grapevine!
I just got a panic! "What if millions of you write in? How are we going to put it all in the Grapevine? Okay, calm down! It's gonna be okay. Relax!" In all seriousness, and exaggerating aside, if we get 20 or 30 responses to the above music question ("day is looking good!"), we won't be able to cram them all in the Grapevine. But rest assured that we'll put in as many as we can (or the most pertinent excerpts), and will try to pick those that represent all aspects, so it won't be one-sided. -- Open forum = debate. This is your paper, and this column is for your views and thoughts. -- Make it honest! And keep it short and to the point!
So write 'em up, will you? Oh, I just remembered a key point: Since you'll be commenting on "hot" topics, we'll give you anonymity by only using your initials. So our rule will be this: If you don't mind your name being printed, let us know when you write in (and you'll get full credit for your comments!) Otherwise we'll stick to initials. Of course, it makes it more interesting when you send in your age, where you live, whether you're married/single, etc. -- So if you want your name pubbed, let us know.
As soon as we start hearing back from you, we'll launch this new section. In the meantime, like for the next issue, we'll probably just include another "Open Forum" question for issues to come. So get your responses in right away! We can't wait to hear from you! E-mail gets to us quickest, but get it to us however you can! Thanks!
[From the Editors: Thanks a million to those who sent in Grapevine contributions for this issue, particularly those who tried out our new e-mail address. As you can see, we appreciate and have used your input! Let's hear more from you -- and the others of you out there who we know are just dying to write in! You're the ones making the news, so e-mail us today! Put your country, city and Home "on the map"! Have a good day!
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W.S. NEWS
Peter, Gabe (the shepherd of Mama's Home) and Joy (secretary) are now on a six-week trip in the States, during which time they will attend two series of week-long meetings in California and Florida. Each of these delegates' meetings will be attended by approximately 50-60 young people and adults from the NACRO area. The purpose of the meetings is to inspire and strengthen our adults and young people, as well as discuss pertinent issues. Peter will be teaching classes as well, similar to those he gave at the Summit (but on other topics), which will be videoed so that they can be shown at other similar meetings elsewhere, God willing! Please keep this in your prayers!
During this trip, Peter will also be meeting with some of our academic and lawyer acquaintances, and God willing will be interviewed by a theologian friend of the Family, David Millikan, who is presently making a documentary on the Family for an Australian TV program. Peter will also attend a small meeting of former members in Florida, which we hope will help resolve some of the differences between current and former members.
Another important aspect of Peter's trip is that, together with Gary, they will take a number of concrete steps to implement some of the decisions that were recently made in the meetings held at the Folks' house regarding setting up the legal apparatus needed to make the GP Pubs unit fully functional. More news should be coming about this later, but please keep this in your prayers as this is very much a pioneer effort in unfamiliar territory. Thank the Lord, He has been leading each step of the way, and the events so far are inspiring! Please also keep Peter and Gary's health and security in your prayers. Thanks!
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MOVIES
Movies Rated for Senior Teens and Up
NIXON (1995)
Anthony Hopkins, Joan Allen
Drama/character study portraying Nixon's political career, and the events leading to his impeachment. Three hours long; produced by Oliver Stone. Interesting look at the behind-the-scenes workings of the US government and political shenanigans of that era, but may need some explanation for those not familiar with the events depicted. Some may find it a bit slow-moving. Could be a springboard for further study of the events of the early '70s. (Note: You may find it interesting to read ML #219, "Special Police Powers," after this movie -- a prophetic dream which Dad had before the Watergate situation came to light.)
Movies Rated for Junior Teens and Up
BED OF ROSES (1996)
Christian Slater, Mary Stuart Masterson
Drama/love story between a woman executive and a florist. Sweet story with lessons on honesty and trust in relationships.
CITY HALL (1996)
Al Pacino, John Cusack, Bridget Fonda
Tense political drama involving corruption in New York City. Well-acted but with the usual shootings that characterize this genre of movies. Good lessons on conviction, and the far-reaching results of small compromises. May be suitable for some JETTs, with discussion.
Movies Rated for JETTs and Up
HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME, THE (1996)
Animated (Voices of Tom Hulce, Demi Moore and Kevin Kline)
Disney adaptation of the famous novel by Victor Hugo, with good parallels on the struggle between good and evil, sacrificial love and a victorious approach to persecution. Children may find it intense and scary in parts, and many adult emotions are portrayed which they may not understand. However, it could be suitable for younger age groups with previewing and explanations as needed.
WHITE SQUALL (1996)
Jeff Bridges, Caroline Goodall, John Savage
Drama/character study set in the early 1960s. True story of a sea captain and his wife who run a school-at-sea for teen boys, teaching teamwork and responsibility while sailing their ship on a difficult journey. Thought provoking lessons are learned by all involved through being caught in extreme circumstances.
RESTORATION (1995)
Robert Downey, Jr., Sam Neill, Meg Ryan
The life and loves of a frivolous young English doctor during the post-Cromwell reign of Charles II of England, who faces many challenges and experiences that shape his character. Good lessons on unselfishness, using the gifts God has given, and "makings through breakings." Sensitive viewers should beware of one scene where a man has a wound which leaves his beating heart clearly visible. (You can see it coming.)
Non-Recommended Movies
GET SHORTY (John Travolta, Gene Hackman; 1995)
INNOCENT, THE (Campbell Scott, Isabella Rossellini, Anthony Hopkins; 1995)
PRIMAL FEAR (Richard Gere, Laura Linney; 1996)
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LETTER TO THE EDITOR
(From D., 17, sent in by e-mail:) I wanted to comment on the letter the Home in Australia wrote in issue #2 of The Grapevine (page 4, section: Letters to the Editor) concerning movie ratings.
Though I agree with what they said about some movies being a bit heavy and violent for PG moms and not pleasing to many, I don't think we should water down and begin rating only "lovey-dovey" type movies. Like the editor said, you can't please everyone, and what is one man's meat is another man's poison.
Take the movie "The Scarlet Letter" with Demi Moore, for example, which was mentioned in their letter. Even though there is quite a bit of violence in the movie and some parts can get quite depressing, the lessons contained in the movie are very "heavy meat," you could say. There is a very strong anti-System and anti-System church message in the movie, which is something Dad often preached too.
So while some movies are not to everyone's liking, we shouldn't go to the opposite extreme and start rating only Bible movies or movies that have no violence, because we might miss some good lessons in these other movies.
Another movie I'd like to give as an example is "In the Name of the Father" with Daniel Day-Lewis. Some people found this movie to be shocking and disheartening. But then others found it to be full of lessons on not giving up in spite of negative circumstances and on trusting even when all Hell breaks loose.
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(Got any comments on an article in The Grapevine? Send in your thoughts and feelings in a Letter to the Editor today!)
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MEDIA WITNESS
Twenty-four years as a missionary
Venezuela
(From Emanuel and Joy:) A journalist had been calling us for an opportunity to write an article about Joy's 24 years as a missionary. The journalist works for the second best newspaper of the country, El Nacional, and is the wife of a former member who was a friend of Joy's in the System. This former member is a well-known theater director, and had made a play about Joy's life 15 years ago, mentioning the COG and our way of life. The journalist explained to Joy that the article would be along the lines of her life as a missionary of 24 years. The next day she came over with a photographer.
We left for a faith trip before the article came out and we were praying for the Lord to do something victorious. When we called Home from our faith trip, we were told the article was excellent and that a lot of our friends had called, telling us how good it was.
We arrived Home a couple of weeks after the article was published. At the airport we were going through customs with three big suitcases, and a custom guard asked us to go into a side room to have our luggage checked out. As soon as we went into the room, we began telling the guards that we were missionaries and that the things inside the suitcases were for our missionary work. One of the ladies looked at Joy and said, "Oh, I know you! You are the missionary lady from the El Nacional article." Joy told her that we had not read the article yet and she said, "It's super good and beautiful! Move on! Move on! Do not open their suitcases!" Praise the Lord!
Our childcare methods on TV
Japan
(From Jonathan and Sarah:) We had a fun day being filmed by the local TV station here, which is doing a show on different methods of education and childcare. The show will be aired at 8:00 p.m. at the end of the month, on a very popular TV show. After the filming of our "day in the life" type segment, the dear translator exclaimed, "Wow! That really helped me! I would like to have six children too! You're my dream family!" We pray it will be a good witness and bear good fruit in reaching this wonderful city.
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WHAT'S UP
Does the Lord answer prayer -- or what!?
Brazil
(From Samuel [SGA, of Leilani]:) During our recent VS meeting, one meeting was devoted to praying for seemingly "impossible" situations in our area. One desperate situation concerned the rent of our Home, which was due in a few days. Since we were having these meetings, we weren't able to spend as much time out witnessing; therefore we were short financially. We needed a miracle! Our Home also helped to house some of those attending the meetings, and also had some Home members attending as well. We knew it was now up to Him to do the miracle! While praying, someone received a vision of the Lord telling an angel to go down and work it out.
That same day, Jeho had provisioned a car wash, and while the car was being washed, he came across this sweet Korean man who was waiting his turn. They got into talking and when Jeho started witnessing to him, this Korean man mentioned that he had been hoping to meet some missionaries as his wife wanted to help a missionary work, but they were not sure how to go about it as they were somewhat disappointed with the churches. They had just lost their 11-year-old daughter, and were going through a very difficult time in their lives. This man, who is a Christian, felt that Jeho was a Godsend in answer to his prayers. The next day they went to see this man again, and although he was very busy, he wanted to know more about our work.
During their meeting, the man took out a piece of paper and asked what we needed. They told him that we needed monthly support, a van and help with tool distribution, which he happily agreed to help with. He offered (US) $1,000 a month, and said he would get a couple of his friends to do so as well. He said to give him a few weeks to work on getting us a van. In the course of their conversation, our folks mentioned that our rent was due in a couple of days, to which he responded, "No problem, I'll deposit the money for you," which he did the day our rent was due, praise the Lord! What a miracle! The following Sunday he and his wife visited our house. They were just flipped!
After the VS meetings were over and our Home members were able to return to their regular outreach, we were able to witness on the weekend, and the Lord did tremendous miracles in our distribution and finances. In the last 15 days the Lord has helped us raise over $5,000 and we've had two of our best weekend witnessing pushes in the history of our Home! We distributed 179 CDs, 83 videos, 29 cassettes and a multitude of posters which bore a couple hundred souls, two good friends and possible supporters.
(From Juan, CRO:) Aside from the above, in that same week, the following miracles happened in other Homes: Out of the clear blue sky, Tommy received a donation from a friend which allowed them to get a vehicle for their Home -- a 1994 Fiat, in good running condition. This will help him greatly in his ministry of visiting officials and doing media work here in Brazil. Another Home, that of Joo and Clara and SGAs Pablo and Rejoice, while witnessing at a street light, met a man who invited them to his office. The next day when they visited, they were surprised to receive a check for (US) $13,000!
Aside from that, John and his mate, Esther, were pleasantly surprised to find that one of their main supporters, Paulo, had bought a brand new mini-van for them and had it delivered it to their door. Another brand new nine-passenger Asia Towner van was also donated to Pablo and Rejoice's Home.
Most recently an old-time friend of the Family has offered to purchase a house and has given Jeho the okay to look for a property for an approximate value of $150,000 (US). Not that the house will be donated to us, as the friend wants to invest the money in property, but we will be the stewards and will live there rent-free. We've been praying for the impossible and it is happening! Good witnessing always pays and there is no higher paying job than that of preaching and distributing His Words.
All this as a result of our desperate prayers for the Lord to supply the needs of the Homes here and to prove to us that He is real and that He wants to supply for His children, because they are faithful to witness and distribute His Words. The Lord seemed to indicate to us that that's one of the things that He wants us to spread around when we visit the Homes -- to exercise the gift of prayer, the gift of prophecy and to be more expectant, so that we don't have to be rushing around so much in our own strength.
In the prophecies we received in our first prayer meeting, He indicated that He wanted us to exercise our faith in calling for the spirit helpers that He's made available to us. We did this, and we had some amazing people come speak to us. Amongst the ones who spoke was General Patton, who said that lately he's been commissioned to help us in the Argentina case, which has begun to flare up again. Soon after General Patton had spoken to us and told us that he and other "war experts" will be helping from Beyond, we received news from Jane in Argentina that all of a sudden Judge Marquevich had decided to postpone the interview with some of the ex-jailed members. For no apparent reason his secretary called our lawyer, telling him that the case was being set aside until further notice. We believe that it must be the work of those who are now helping us from the spirit world!
The above highlights a common problem that many of our Homes are having. They don't feel they have the time to spend with the Lord because there are so many needs in the Home that keep them all busy just surviving. Consequently they miss the blessings that He has promised to bestow upon us, if we will just spend time in communion with Him.
Three wishes granted -- through prophecy
(From Laurie, WS secretary/layout artist:) Because of strained relations in the past, I really didn't want to go see my relatives, even though it had been 16 years since I had visited them. A little while ago I was very sick in bed for a week, unable to hardly walk or move with severe pain. I prayed and asked the Lord why this illness was happening and what I wasn't yielding to in my life. I got as clear as day that I wasn't yielding to even praying about the possibility of visiting my parents, and that the Lord wanted me to do that. So I promised the Lord that I would yield and bring it before Him in prayer. When we did so, He confirmed that it was His will for me to visit them, and said beautiful and amazing things about my visit and what a tremendous victory and testimony it was going to be.
A week or so later, I phoned my father and he was delighted that I was coming. The next day we received an emergency call from my father saying that within a matter of hours after I had called him, my mother had unexpectedly gone into the hospital having developed a bad case of pneumonia. This prompted further prayer on whether I should leave sooner than I had planned or if I could leave down the line a little, as my mother had been in and out of the hospital and on death's door a number of times over the past 20 years. This second prophecy session definitely had more of a sense of urgency about it, indicating that this harvest was ripe, was ready, and if left to wait would rot; that there was no need to wait or delay and that I should leave in ten days. However, it also stated that my mother would not die before I arrived. So with that, I was on my way in ten days time!
When I arrived my mother was still in the hospital, however, she had miraculously recovered from the pneumonia, and was now off the life support system she had apparently been on for a number of days. I heard that they didn't think she was going to make it. But miraculously she got it together and everyone told me they felt it was because I was coming. When I walked into the hospital room I didn't even recognize her. She was only 61, but looked about 80. She was thrilled to see me, and the next day she came home from the hospital. She needed a little assistance getting around, but she had a walker which enabled her to get around the house.
A week passed and everything was going well. My mother was slowly getting better, but was still extremely weak. It was about halfway through my visit when one evening I noticed she was hardly there; she was barely eating anything and was so weak.
The next morning my father came into my room and said that my mother seemed to have taken a turn for the worse and I'd better come right away. As I went into her bedroom, she was tossing and turning, and I could tell she was very distressed. I was trying to find out what was wrong, but it seemed difficult for her to talk or convey to us what was wrong.
My mother kept pleading with my father, "I don't want to go back to the hospital. I don't want to go back on life support!" My father was trying to console her that he would be with her and that she wouldn't be alone, but she was pretty insistent, saying, "No, no, no! I don't want to go!" At this point I was just praying, "Lord, You have to do something. I don't want to see her go back there either."
My father then left the room to call the ambulance and to get ready to go to the hospital, but unbeknownst to us at this time, the ambulance had apparently gotten lost trying to find our house. Left alone with my mother, I was trying to make her comfortable, talking to her, telling her I loved her and trying to otherwise reassure her. Then, right out of the blue with my eyes wide open, I had one of the most vivid visions I've ever seen. It was of my grandmother (my mother's mother) and my auntie (who had died a few years ago) in Heaven, making what seemed to be the final touches on a sweet little cottage which I assumed to be my mother's house there. There were a group of other people with them who I didn't recognize. My grandmother and auntie were saying to each other, "Come quickly, we have to finish up! We have to be ready to meet her!"
I was shocked and awed by the whole vision. I thought, "Oh, my God, she's going to go!" Then, before I could do or say anything, my mother suddenly sat right up in bed, her eyes wide open, in one of the most coherent and alert states I'd seen her in. She looked straight at me and said, "I feel like crying because I'm going to miss everyone so much!" With this comment, I realized she was either seeing the same thing I was seeing, or she knew she was going. Then she lay back down and closed her eyes again.
As she lay there, I laid my hand on her forehead and started praying, as well as trying to communicate with my mother through my prayers, telling her that I loved her and that she could let go now and she would go straight into Jesus' arms. I prayed that the Lord would take her now so that she wouldn't have to suffer anymore. Then she calmed right down, and stopped her tossing back and forth.
At this point I was pretty much an emotional mess, so I left the room to take a breather in my room, and my father went back in to be with my mother. My brother had also arrived.
A few minutes later my brother came into my bedroom crying, and fell into my arms. He told me that our mother had died. I cried tears of sadness, happiness, relief and rejoicing for her all at the same time! As my brother is a born-again Christian who believes in the gifts of the Spirit, I told him about the vision I'd seen. He right away exclaimed how beautiful it was, and told me that I just had to tell my father about it. We went back and forth about it, me saying that he probably didn't even believe in visions, and my brother insisting that I just had to tell him.
So I went out to the living room and said, "Dad, I have something to tell you. This is not easy for me, because I don't know if you'll believe this or not, but I had a vision before momdied." From there I went on to tell him all about it. His reaction was amazing, he absolutely flipped out! He said, "We've got to tell everyone about this! -- This is incredible!" He was so encouraged and his whole face lit up! I was so thankful for my brother's faith and encouragement to share it with him.
Then my father called the vicar, a woman priest, who came over immediately. Then my father, right in front of the vicar, tells me, "Tell her your vision!" Meanwhile I'm thinking, "Gee, thanks, Dad! She's really going to flip out over this one!" But anyway, I swallowed my pride and told her the vision. She was quiet for a moment, slowly nodded her head and said, "Well, yes, we would like to believe that these things happen. We hope that this is so" Such little faith! I just looked at my father and he looked at me.
Later I said to my father, "Dad, I'm not sure if we should have told the vicar my vision. I don't know if she believes in that sort of thing." He said, "Well, it happened, so you have to tell people!" He was like a new babe, so excited by what the Lord had done, wanting to tell everyone about it, ha!
Then I had the faith to tell him about the prophecies we'd received for my trip. I explained about prophecy, how different people had prayed and heard from the Lord for me, and I proceeded to share excerpts of the prophecies with him. Such excerpts were: that my mother was "on the door of the Kingdom," that this was going to be a tremendous "witness and testimony," that the "Shepherd was gathering in His sheep," and I needed to leave "in ten days' time," and that "my mother would not die before I arrived," etc. Well, he absolutely flipped out -- he was completely sold on it! It was like the whole spirit world was suddenly opened to him. My home country's primary religion hardly even believes in the spirit world!! Yet he was open for anything -- anything! He was converted, a totally changed man!
During the remaining evenings before I left, my father had the idea to type up all that had happened and had now affectionately coined it "the testimony." We sat down together and typed up the events that had happened surrounding my mother's death, which included my sickness, hearing from the Lord that I should visit, the prophecy excerpts received, my vision, how the ambulance got "lost," which I now believe the Lord engineered as my mom did not want to go back to the hospital, etc. He planned to photocopy this and mail it to the ones he felt could receive it, but that hadn't been able to attend and hear it at the funeral.
Had the ambulance come directly to the house, the paramedics would have preempted or interrupted the vision, and my mother probably would have died in the ambulance or at the hospital. However, by the time it arrived, she had passed into Jesus' arms.
My father told me later that my mother had three wishes before she died. One was to see me again. The second was to have family photos taken, which we had taken the day before she died, and the third was not to go back to the hospital on life support. So the Lord granted her three wishes.
My father's sweet parting words and request to me was that if I received any other words from the Lord, any other visions or any direction for his personal family, could I please write and tell him. He's very open and receptive.
So the Lord abundantly fulfilled all that He promised about this trip! It made me realize how very much we have in comparison to other Christians out there! -- All the wonderful Words and training we've received through Dad and Mama! It's yet again confirmed to me what I know is going to be a wonderful ministry for the Family -- using prophecy for feeding and witnessing! To see my father so changed by it is remarkable.
Siberia summer SWIFT
(By the Baykal Team; [YAs] Lorraine, Piper, Dave and Russian Ruth, sent in by e-mail:) Here's an account of a terrific month-and-a-half long summer SWIFT to one of the most beautiful places on the face of the Earth -- the awesome and breathtaking Lake Baykal in Siberia! We had a wonderful time witnessing and leading people to the Lord while enjoying the wonders of God's creation. Here's how it began:
We were all set to hit the road but we lacked the needed posters. Excitement filled the air when we got word that Moscow had sent a shipment of posters our way. We called the shipping agency and found out it would be arriving that day, so we bought train tickets to leave that night. Imagine how desperate it made us when we heard that the train with our shipment of tools had been derailed! We got on our knees, rebuked the Enemy and claimed a miracle.
A ray of hope shone our way -- the agency said there was a possibility that our shipment had been loaded onto another train that would arrive that evening, but we would only know once it had arrived. Trusting the Lord, we continued with our preparations. Finally word came that our tools had arrived and a team went to pick them up. Picking them up turned out to be another miracle, because the person in whose name the shipment had been sent was not in town. But after explaining the situation to the director, they allowed us to pick up the posters in the nick of time to catch our train! Whew! The next couple of days were spent aboard a train, witnessing and chug-chugging through the Siberian countryside.
We arrived in Irkutsk, a city near the southern tip of Lake Baykal. We provisioned hydrofoil tickets to cross Lake Baykal to the city of Sevierobaikalsk, which means "North Baykal." It was a splendid sea cruise, lasting a total of 12 hours, covering over 600 kms (375 miles). We docked late in the evening, not knowing exactly what to do. We found out there were no buses to take us to town; there was only a line of taxis who were asking quite high prices. The Lord led us to talk to one taxi driver who kindly agreed to take us where we needed to go for free. We had worked it out to stay with the mother of a friend of ours from Novosibirsk.
The taxi driver was an angel; he drove us in circles for a long time trying unsuccessfully to find the house because there's no order in the house numbering. Then we mentioned the name of the husband of the lady we were going to stay with and it turned out the driver knew him and where they lived. -- Another miracle! A few minutes later we found ourselves in the comfy little cottage of this sweet lady who put us up for a few days.
In smaller Russian towns most people live in quaint but spartan little houses, often without running water or indoor toilets. It was a neat experience to live with them and experience how so many people live in this part of Russia. People grow their own food and most people have their own chickens for eggs and a cow or two for milk. People who live in apartments almost always own a little plot of land outside town, where they grow their livelihood. Most people spend every summer weekend working these plots.
The city of Sevierobaikalsk is small compared to most Russian cities. It's a new city, founded about 25 years ago, when the construction of a large railroad crossing Siberia was begun. The people here are from all over Russia, as well as the Ukraine, Belarus, Kazakhstan, etc. The majority of the people were friendly and receptive.
The Lord did so much for us there, including giving us the opportunity to sing in "Pioneer Camps" (summer camps for kids), the local hospital, kindergarten, army base, fish factory and to people in their homes, etc. In total 750 people received the Lord, and we left behind at least three active outside witnessers, one of whom is a very potential disciple!
We had a remarkable time! On two occasions our friends took us to the gariachi ustuchki's or hot springs, which are pools built so people can soak year round in the hot water that comes directly from the ground. The Lord was so good to us! When we left, many of our friends and sheep gathered at the train station to see us off, some asking for last-minute batches of posters to give out. We are determined to return this winter, as many people have asked us to come back. -- It was an experience to treasure forever!
Reactions from JETT camp staff
USA
(From Simon, CRO:) The Miami JETT Camp benefited the attending JETTs immensely, but I believe the most enthusiastic attendees were our first and second generation adults and YAs who helped staff and shepherd this event. Since the implementation of the Charter, and the subsequent indigenuity of our Homes, coupled with little visitation or direct outside shepherding during this time, a lot of our adults have been feeling a bit alone in the fight. Some were feeling a little dry and unsure of themselves, while others felt that all of their training was not being used or received by some of the young people in their Homes.
Here are some excerpts from reactions by the staff members and shepherds who attended:
(From David G. [SGA, of Rosita]:) I guess, like a lot of Family young people, I'm trying to find something that I can sink my teeth into, a ministry or place of usefulness, so it was refreshing to be able to pour into these young minds some of the training I've received over the years. I'm going to try my best to continue helping the JETTs in my Home when I return.
I saw a good sample from the adults here, and I was impressed by their dedication and desire to see each one make it. I also saw some of their hidden talents come out and it made me realize how young at heart most really are.
As far as spiritual lessons, I feel like I learned just as much, if not more than the JETTs. I was convicted by much of what was taught and can definitely apply these lessons to my own life. I want to thank the Lord for making this a special time for us all -- it has definitely been a time of re-dedication.
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(From an SGA [sorry, no name given]:) The JETTs really are looking for role models among the older teens and YAs, and it stresses to me the importance of my sample, not in a self-righteous, holier-than-thou way, but more down to earth like a big brother who makes mistakes but still loves the Lord and the Family and is always striving to be a better disciple.
I know that in most cases, instant changes won't happen, but my prayer is that they can look back at this time and think, "That's when it all started, and my decision was made there," just like I did when I was their age.
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FEEDBACK
(From Daniel, 17, Brazil, sent in by e-mail:) I have really been enjoying the latest FTTs, especially the numbers with a lot of rap and dance style music, and the songs sung with the soul, black-type voice.
Checho, the way you sang "Till the End of Time" on Plugged In and "Safe in Your Arms" with Claire on Hot or Cold is absolutely electrifying and sensational. Another song which blows my mind is "Win the World Together" on Hot or Cold. Special thanks to all of you singing this one -- Daniel, Checho, Hopie, etc. Keep singing away for Jesus! And of course I want to thank all the young people in the Family who are recording the FTTs for doing such a good job -- keep it up! I especially would like to hear more disco, rap, hip-hop and soul music being recorded. -- Go for it!
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(From Jessy, 19:) I just love the new "Open for Love" tape! I think this is the best tape we've done yet, in that every single song is such a hit! The songs are sung with so much feeling. -- It's like taking a spirit trip! Wow, whatta high! A big THANK YOU to the studios that worked on this -- DC Studio, Peru Studio and the Brazil Local Language Studio. It was nice to hear such a neat variety of singers and styles, all so good! Can we have another one? Boy, who needs System music when we can top theirs, because we've got the Spirit. It's so nice to listen to during my praise and prayer times, because, even though I can't always come up with the words I want to say to Jesus, I can just listen to the songs and sing along with them and it puts into words exactly what I feel.
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(From Emanuel, Taiwan:) I wanted to write about our music -- more specifically the kind of music we've been receiving on the FTTs. I'm a music lover, and I have to say that not only is the Spirit so powerful in our music, but the styles and variety are not just comparable to what the System is producing these days (and particularly what the younger generation likes), but the quality is equally good, if not superior! Our music really turns me on!
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(From Maria, YA:) Stir It Up is mega-awesome! Man, our tapes just get better every time. Congratulations to all the guys (and girls) that wrote, sang, tracked, mixed, etc., etc., to make this tape possible. The song "Behold" is so cool and "Wings in Prayer" that the BAS did is just a dream song. It's like, I'd associate myself with this music any day! I had no idea Family music would ever roll this good. It's so in the house. I'm hearing it every day and twice on Sunday! Somebody should make a music video to some of these songs. -- If not to distribute to the GP, at least for us. -- Yo, that would be a killer, like real good!
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RUMOR MILL
A rumor has been going around that WS has endorsed or approved a number of Christian music tapes which were not mailed out to our Homes worldwide. WS has not endorsed nor approved any such tapes.
This rumor seems to have originated from two sources. The first source was a number of young people from the HCS who have moved to or visited other areas. They were in possession of some non-Family music tapes which they played in the Homes they visited and in some cases duplicated for others. Because these young people were from the HCS, which houses the IVM and the JAS, it was apparently mistakenly assumed that WS had sanctioned these tapes.
Although those at the HCS produce both video and audio material under the WS umbrella, the HCS itself operates much like other Service Homes. It is self-governing and votes on most matters, and works out its own Home policies and regulations without direct WS participation or shepherding. The only areas in which WS actively participates and interacts with those at the HCS are in their IVM, JAS and productions work.
The second source of this rumor was from a number of young people who attended Summit '96. Apparently a few of the young people who attended the Summit brought some non-Family music tapes with them. A few of those attending then copied these tapes and have since played them for others on their fields. Because these tapes "came from the Summit meeting," it was misinterpreted by some that they were approved or sanctioned by WS or by Peter and Gary, who were leading the Summit. Peter and Gary had no idea that these tapes were circulated or duplicated at the Summit and did not sanction or approve them.
When WS endorses or approves tapes, they will either produce them and send them to every Family Home, or they will officially give their approval in a WS publication.
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SEND IT IN!
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The Grapevine
P.O. Box 870756
Mesquite, TX 75187-0756
U.S.A.
Our e-mail address is as follows: grape@ibm.net (Please send your articles unencrypted for now. Thanks.)
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Urgent Prayer Request
We just received news that Michael (18, of David and Charity in Duluth, Minnesota) has had a serious motorcycle accident. He has already undergone a nine-hour operation, and the doctors' initial assessment is that he will be paralyzed from the neck down. The latest we have heard is that some feeling is beginning to come back into his legs, which is a miracle. Please pray desperately for his healing and that he will not be paralyzed. "Prayer is not the least we can do, but the most we can do."
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NOW THAT'S FUNNY!
A young man wanted to purchase a gift for his new sweetheart's birthday, and as they had not been dating very long, after careful consideration, he decided a pair of gloves would strike the right note: romantic, but not too personal. Accompanied by his sweetheart's younger sister, he went to Nordstrom (mall) and bought a pair of white gloves. The sister purchased a pair of panties for herself. During the wrapping, the clerk mixed up the items and the sister got the gloves and the sweetheart got the panties. Without checking the contents the young man sealed the package and sent it to his sweetheart with the following note:
"I chose these because I noticed that you are not in the habit of wearing any when we go out in the evening. If it had not been for your sister, I would have chosen the long ones with the buttons, but she wears short ones that are easier to remove.
"These are a delicate shade, but the lady I bought them from showed me the pair she had been wearing for the past three weeks and they were hardly soiled. I had her try yours on for me and she looked really smart.
"I wish I was there to put them on for you the first time, as no doubt other hands will come in contact with them before I have a chance to see you again.
"When you take them off, remember to blow in them before putting them away as they will naturally be a little damp from wearing.
"Just think how many times I will kiss them during the coming year. I hope you will wear them for me on Friday night.
"All my love.
"PS: The latest style is to wear them folded down with a little fur showing."
-- Sent in by Julie (17; USA)
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Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family