the grapevine
(Issue #24; August 1, 1997 DO/TS)
Copyright 1997 by The Family
The Grapevine
PO Box 4938
Orange, CA 92863 USA
e-mail: grape@ibm.net
Celebrating our one-year anniversary!
kidbits
-- Raj Deep David Lama, 1st child, born to Kalyani and John S. -- ASCRO
-- Cheryl Linette, 2nd child, born to Peace and John on April 20th. -- ASCRO
-- Jenna Nicole, born to Rachele and Ivan on May 5th. -- USA
-- Patrick Oliver, born to Tabitha on May 19th. -- USA
-- Sammy, born to Abigail and Mike on May 22nd. -- USA
-- Samuel, born to Abi and Mike on May 22nd. -- USA
-- Nathan Darren, 1st child, born to Renee and Peter PPC. -- ASCRO
-- Baby boy (no name given), born to Crystal and Daniel in June. -- India
-- Samuel, born to Ruth and Simon Setfree on June 3rd. -- Japan
-- David, 4th child, born to Meekness and Philip on June 6th. -- Africa
-- Florence Marlene, born to Sarah and Joseph on June 9th. -- Japan
-- Emily, born to Crystal and Jesse on June 12th. -- Japan
-- Baby boy (no name given), 5th child, born to Sarah and Mark on June 17th. -- Taiwan
-- Twin girls, Elsa and Eldora, born to Mercy and Abe on June 19th. -- Taiwan
-- Christopher Richard, born to Liz and David Foto on June 22nd. -- Canada
[Picture of twin girls, Elsa and Eldora]
expecting
-- Ashley (of Jonathan), pregnant with #2. -- Croatia
-- Maya (of Tim Stone) six months pregnant with #1. -- USA
-- Fay (of Stefan, Bosnian couple that joined three months ago) is pregnant with #1. -- Slovenia
tidbits
getting hitched
-- Tim and Davida finished their engagement period and got married this month! They went on a trip to Odessa and were able to provision everything they needed for the wedding. We also held a beautiful ceremony for them at home.-- Russia
think deep
You may give without loving, but you cannot love without giving.
The greatest achievements are those that benefit others.
world news
Spanish HomeARC
SACRO
(From SPALIM:) You might've thought it was just wishful thinking an elusive illusion that you would never be able to get your hands on an unreachable "castle in Spain" some pipe dream of a group of zany translators another ship with broken sails another hopelessly unrealistic quixotic promise but no seores! the Spanish HomeARC has been born at last!!! -- An entire electronic library on a five-inch in diameter circular piece of plastic!
Almost 1300 MO Letters; 577 Daily Bread Condos; 76 FSMs; eight books (Daily Might 1, the GP Daily Might, Grandmother's Streams that Never Run Dry and Hem of His Garment, Word Basics, and The Memory Book); the Love Charter; Hope and Kidz mags; FARs; transcriptions of video and audio tapes; tracts; Statements; a collection of provisioning letters and formats for documents, and Reflections. -- And to top it all off, the English HomeARC is included on the same CD! All at the click of your mouse! -- For only $8 (South America) or $10 (North America and the rest of the world). (One free copy will be sent to every DO/TS Home in Latin America.) Place your orders now through your reporting office, as we have a limited stock!
Around the world
-- 1200 kg of donated processed cheese passed the borders and laboratory tests and has now been distributed and eaten by children in nine institutions throughout Slovakia. -- David, Sara, Janek and Sophie, Slovakia
-- We had a chance to deliver a live sheep from our farm to the Pope at the Vatican. Nehemiah was able to attend the special Easter mass, at a place reserved only for close friends. -- From Nehemiah and Maria, Italy
-- PerfecTV station continues to broadcast our Kiddie Viddies via satellite to all of Japan. -- Giddel, Kumiko and Jonathan, Japan
-- We appeared on a Spanish TV channel, sang several songs and advertised our tools, and we have been getting responses! -- Andrew Greeneye, USA
-- Daniel (19) and Johnny (13) were interviewed about their missionary work by KBS (a major Korean TV station). -- Tim and Debbie, Korea
on the net
SACRO
(From SPALIM:) Our Spanish Internet site has officially opened! Our address is: http://www.lafamilia.org. Pay us a visit while surfing through the WEB, or invite your Spanish-speaking sheep, friends, contacts or relatives to take a peek and get a good feeding! Or if you need any Spanish lit for your outreach, just strike a few keys and download it straight into your computer.
We are starting small, with just a few basic items, but have committed ourselves to adding new articles as frequently as possible. -- So check us out often! You'll have access to an overview of the Family, different pubs in Spanish, testimonies, etc. Heaven's the limit! Anyone wishing to place photos, articles and hot news of your local outreach in Spanish-speaking areas, please send them to us by e-mail to: familia@lafamilia.org.
WS
(From Blake:) The Family WEB site has been greatly revised, with lots of new material added. The addresses have also been changed slightly. The listings below will give you an idea of what each address includes. You can then decide which address to give to family, friends, and contacts.
http://www.thefamily.org/thefamily
This address is mainly for GP purposes and first-contact people, and contains the material listed below. This address is included on GP pubs.
Activity Reports - up till the July issues
Around the World - links to other WEB sites: Thailand, Latin America, Russia, Countdown to Armageddon, etc.
Daily Might - no changes
History - short history page from color brochure
Lit Trunk - redesigned, new material added: Hale-Bopp tract, etc.
Musical Key - redesigned
Photo Tour - redesigned
Poster Gallery - redesigned, new posters added
Videos - redesigned
Feedback - allows feedback to us
http://www.thefamily.org
This address is the full version of all that we have on the WEB.
Activity Reports - through July issues
Around the World - links to other WEB sites: Thailand, Latin America, Russia, Countdown to Armageddon, etc.
Daily Might - no changes
Dossier - media- and legal-related material, redesigned, lots of new material coming soon
FreeZine - new! Two editions of the Free Zine are already on; more coming.
History - short history page from color brochure
Lit Trunk - redesigned, new material added, Hale-Bopp tract, etc.
Musical Key - redesigned
Our Founder - redesigned and new material. Now has 90+ MLs, 14 new photos of Dad, 30+ sound clips of Dad!
Photo Tour - redesigned
Poster Gallery - redesigned, new posters added
Videos - redesigned
Feedback - allows feedback to us
Family WEB site responses!
-- From Trust and Arrow (Lamb Home), USA
Today I was at an AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) picnic and a friend of mine told me about The Family. He gave me a paper containing information on the revelations of John that fascinated me. I am intrigued by your message. -- Jesse
I was 11 when we left the Family, but I never lost my faith in Jesus or the Family. Recently I was really depressed and didn't know why. I cried the whole day. I drove to a hilltop and asked God to help me. I came home and lit a candle and asked Him to give me a sign, and I guess He did -- two days later I received your letter and I knew it was the sign. In my heart you are all still very much with me. The years I spent in the Family (I grew up in the Family) were the happiest years of my life. It gave me so much strength and helped me to be the woman I am today. -- Claire (20)
That really blows my mind to see all these nice pictures of my good-looking guru at last. I printed some of them out right away. Can these eyes lie? Never ever. -- Manfred
Over the past few years I've taught at universities in China and Great Britain. I have been following the philosophy of David for some time, and am willing to support your ministry in any way possible. -- Dr. B.R.S.
May '97:
Total e-mail Received: 123
Total e-mail Sent: 102
June '97:
Total e-mail Received: 153
Total e-mail Sent: 105
legal and media
Russia - President Boris Yeltsin rejected a controversial bill that would have restricted religious organizations that were not officially registered within the country at least 15 years ago (see prayer request in Grapevine #23, legal and media). This is a tremendous victory! Yeltsin has sent it back to the parliament, who can overhaul it or let it lapse. However, please continue to pray that the Duma accepts Yeltsin's decision and the law will be shelved or that deliberations about it will take a long time.
brotherhood
NACRO
(From Ahlai:) Dust, Ahlai, Miguel, Meeky and the DC Band visited the greater Toronto area for 10 days. Our Family there was able to soak up the delegates' meeting videos, and enjoyed an area-wide fellowship meeting.
Joy, Beth and the Toronto Rivers Home hosted a three-day JETT/junior camp (at a provisioned mountain campground), along with Miguel, Meeky, Vas and the DC Band. Sixty young people attended. Our Word theme was the new "Believing Prophecy" GN. There was also plenty of recreation, skits, swimming, dances and fun.
The VSs and the DC Home hosted an area-wide fun and fellowship picnic day at a nearby regional park. A total of 160 brethren from Pennsylvania, Maryland, Washington DC, Virginia, and Virginia Beach attended. It was a very uniting time of inspiration, fellowship, cookouts and group activities.
A team from the DC Home also attended Barney's July 4th three-day weekend TS/former member fellowship meeting. About 150 people attended. Dust performed a wedding for four couples, along with a host of musicians (Zac and Shelly, Joash Crow, Simon Black, Elam, Jeremiah Singer), who followed it up with a parade of old time Family music.
Mexico
(From Ezekiel:) Robin (VS) and I held a get-together mainly for the adults in the area, as we had held a couple of camps last year for the JETTs/teens/YAs. We watched portions of the delegates' meeting videos on unity, and it was a beautiful time of fellowship together.
(From Jason, Cedar and the "Guad-Squad" Family:) We held a three-day mini-camp (literally camping) for 11 JETTs and teens in our Home's backyard in Guadalajara. The topics of our classes were witnessing, soul-winning and the Endtime. "Why Witness" (GN 741) so motivated us that during the second day of our camp, we all hopped in a couple of vans, and a few hours later came Home rejoicing, after leading 240 souls to the Lord! The encouraging thing is that it didn't take much time to organize this camp. It's something that others can do in their city with a little prayer and unity.
Thailand
(From Ammi [VS, of Markus]:) We held a Nationals' meeting in Bangkok, attended by almost all of our Thai disciples in the country. We had a wonderful time together, sharing testimonies and lessons, and viewing portions of the video Peter made during his recent visit, where he shared prophecies for the ASCRO area.
France
(From Joh [of Milcah]:) We just had our yearly fellowship meeting (DO/TS) in a beautiful vacation park, with 150 attendees from several countries. It was a beautiful four days of Heaven on Earth. Willing and Mary (VSs) were there to listen to all our trials, pleas and wishes, etc. God bless them for being such loving samples.
Chile
(From Leila [VS]:) We held an inspiring three-day meeting for 20 JETTs here in Chile, filled with Word classes, inspirations, get-outs, special activities, and open forums.
Japan
(From Jon [VS]:) We recently held two JETT meetings (each one-week long, with a total of 95 JETTs attending!) back to back from late May through the beginning of June. The camp was located in a very picturesque area of Japan, at the bottom of Mount Fuji. The government facilities we used included a gym, tents, dormitory, classrooms and dining room.
These camps also featured "The Band," who temporarily forsook their Homes and ministries to help inspire our JETTs with their musical talents. The Lord shone through them as Josh anchored the band with his bass playing, while Chris D. and Mike D. (D = drummer) beat some life into the drums, Sammy overwhelmed everyone with his singing, Makoto "killed" the audience with his lead guitar ("Death, the Ultimate Orgasm!"), while David hammered away beautifully on his keyboard. There is no doubt that the Lord was on our side! -- And the JETTs loved it!
The classes were mainly done in skit form, giving the JETTs the vision of carrying on the Revolution. We had classes on worldliness, witnessing, the Endtime, the CVC course, importance of learning Japanese, the Charter, etc. We were awed by the receptivity of the JETTs. Most had never attended a JETT camp before. We are very proud of them for the commitments they made during this time.
Switzerland
(From Mary MOM:) From May 3rd-13th, the Lakehouse Home opened their doors to host 37 teens, YAs and SGAs from England, France and Belgium for the showing of the delegates' meeting videos. We had 10 shepherds and staff members (all senior teens/YAs/SGAs) present. It was wonderful to see the young people shepherding and interacting with their peers, and their peers respecting them, loving them and talking with them about the needs of the work -- mainly the needs of the JETTs and junior teens. Six of the young people committed themselves to go to a mission field, while others made decisions to remain in the Family and try to do their best to bring to pass the commission handed down on the videos.
pioneering
Croatia
(From Angelina [15, of Andrew and Miracle]:) It was past sundown on the magnificent Dalmatian coast of Croatia in war-torn Dubrovnik. The moon shone brightly and its light reflected softly on the waves of the sea. Amidst the serenity of the night, light waves crashed effortlessly on the shore. What a perfect and romantic setting for an evening walk. David and I decided to make the best of this perfect eventide. We strolled down the sandy beach; I stripped down to my bikini and took a late night dip. Talk about refreshing -- ahhhh!
While I was attempting to re-clothe myself, David struck up a conversation with some young people who invited us to go swimming with them. He said we'd return as soon as he got his trunks from our campsite, which we did. I also brought my guitar. We then walked to a distant pier (this beach is far from deserted) and sat down. A crowd gathered around us and we began singing. We sang "Peace in the Midst of the Storm" and a few other songs which they enjoyed.
Coming to the end of our little "get-together," David asked if they wanted to go to Heaven, but they all agreed that they wanted to go to Hell. Yikes! So David pulled the joke about the guy who went to Heaven and got bored, so he went and visited Hell. He went to parties every night, there were plenty of gorgeous girls, and he had a great time. So he went back to God and said he'd like to move there. God said it was fine, so he packed all his stuff and left. Upon arriving in Hell, the Devil was there with a pitchfork and fire, ready to jail him. He asked, "What happened?" The Devil answered, "Immigrants are different than tourists." Ha! They all had a good laugh, and all fifteen of them prayed to receive the Lord.
Turkey
(From the Istanbul Home:) With the arrival of warm weather, and a set of grandparents visiting the already-crowded Istanbul Home, we sent a SWIFT team (Tim and Tab, John and Rose, teens Gabe and Brandt, JETT Marianne, and our 4 children) to the ancient town of Halicarnassus. Its modern name is Bodrum, nicknamed "Bedroom" by the locals. Every "Turkish delight" imaginable can be found in this bustling tourist center.
Our trip turned out to be a non-stop string of miracles. The Lord provided a cruise liner from Istanbul to Izmir, including delicious meals. On the cruise we struck up a conversation with a man and showed him photos of the various CTPs we are involved in. He turned out to be the advertising manager of a large pharmaceutical company, and exclaimed that he wants to donate medicine to our projects instead of spending so much on advertising.
After visiting the Family in Izmir, we took a four-hour bus ride to Bodrum. A Crusader castle dating back to the 1400s separates the town's beautiful twin bays. The streets are full of European and American tourists who flock here to get a taste of the Orient while still enjoying Western comforts. We journeyed on to a house on the other side of the peninsula, which one of our friends had let us use. It was an ideal place for the kids to be while the teens and adults spearheaded the witnessing attack in this virgin territory. It was also a test of our faith when we first arrived there, as we discovered this house was 8 km (5 miles) out of town over rough roads, and we hadn't been able to provision the use of a car! But the Lord turned this seeming defeat into a blessing, as while hitchhiking, an elderly man picked us up. He turned out to be an influential government figure, and we became close friends during our time there.
We spent the first day of our trip in prayer, receiving the Lord's directions and plan of attack. The results were phenomenal, and probably the largest witness here since the days of Paul. Our team distributed over 260 tapes, 20 videos and hundreds of DF classes. Everywhere we went the people received the Word with gladness.
We had initially been hesitant to take children on this pioneering venture, but the Lord provided and supplied our every need. The self-proclaimed largest open-air disco in the world, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea, provided all our meals (for all 11 of us). When our team had to renew our visas, a private charter company took us all for free on a round trip to a nearby Greek island.
We are presently opening our 3rd Home in Turkey, and 2nd in Istanbul (a city of 14 million), which straddles two continents, Europe and Asia! So if you feel the need for a change to a fertile Muslim field of over sixty million Gospel-neglected people, and want to taste the real "Turkish Delight," yes, we do need you. Write to us via ASCRO for more info. Send donations via your TRF!
studio news
PAS
(From PAS team:) The Latin CD is out: "Ritmos Sin Fronteras" (Boundless Rhythm). Hope you all like it and it gets you dancing! Mucho amor a todos! (Editor's note: See ordering information in an upcoming Grapevine issue!)
Our Home just moved to a new location. All you readers can imagine what that is like if you've ever closed down or opened a Home. We had to build two studios, which the Lord miraculously supplied for, and now we're rollin' again!
We've been working on a project for the GPU for the updated series of Kiddie Viddies (for the purpose of mass marketing). We've re-translated, re-recorded, re-sung and re-mixed 17 kids' songs in the process! We are also working on four new songs for the two upcoming Loving Jesus tapes ("Forever One," "Desire to Love," "In the Ballroom" and "I Hunger for You"), and we're still aiming to complete our Spanish Loving Jesus tape for our Latin Family.
babymania
-- By Jaz, Free Zine country
(From Mercy [of Byron], Lithuania [pregnant with #9!]:) I had a comment concerning our sweet young mommies and how close to each other it seems they have their babies. I was wondering if maybe they wean their babies too young? In the CCHB #1, it was suggested to nurse babies for up to 1-1/2 to 2 years old, and many mommies can testify that it is the Lord's natural way of distancing pregnancies.
Personally, I enjoy nursing my babies as long as possible, as it builds such a sweet relationship with the child. Besides that, it forces me to slow down and it is a wonderful time to have "Praise Time" and cuddle time, both with the Lord and the baby.
I felt like trying a little experiment and letting my youngest nurse as long as he wished. Guess what? He just stopped a few weeks ago -- at three years and 10 months! It was the funnest time I had with any of my babies. We enjoyed each other so much and built such a sweet, close bond with each other that I want to do the same with the next one. I'm sold on it! (Note: Of course, older babies and toddlers need solid food as well as breast milk!)
I wonder if sometimes mommies want to stop nursing their babies because they have so much to do and feel it's too time-consuming. -- But then they get pregnant with the next one, and have hardly had time to enjoy the last one! I'm not promoting nursing just to distance pregnancies, but rather, taking things slower, enjoying each child as it comes and maybe letting them be small a little longer rather than hurrying along to see them grow up. They will grow up soon enough and become independent.
I can see that pattern in myself. When I was young and had my first children, I wanted them to grow up quick and pushed them along. But now after this experience with my 8th, where I slowed down and really enjoyed each stage of his "littlehood," I wish I could do it again with the others and thoroughly enjoy each of them when they were small.
Maybe you think that nursing so long spoils a child, or keeps him in a baby stage, or causes him to become clingy? Well, I personally found out that it doesn't have to be. These problems can happen to a child whether he is nursed long or not; it does not depend on the nursing, but on the mother's attitude toward the child. Of course, nursing a child longer has drawbacks, such as being disturbed more often, or not being able to leave the child in the care of others for a long period of time (several days), so it's not always possible for every mommy to do that. But if a mommy has time and is available, I can say from experience that it's fun and fulfilling.
(From Jaz:) I can't tell you any stories from personal experience on this, since Kimberly is only eight months old (and still vigorously sucking away!), but here's some interesting "expert advice" on the subject!
Continued nursing has considerable benefits for a toddler. Breast milk retains its nutritional and immunological values throughout the course of lactation. As a mother's milk output declines with gradual weaning, both the nutrients -- protein, fat, and iron -- and the immunological components in her milk increase in concentration. This may help ensure the health of children whose diets are restricted by allergy, by their parents' habits, or by poverty.
Many parents feel nursing also helps a toddler get to sleep easily (some mothers call their milk "knock-out drops") and wake up gently. Nursing helps the toddler deal with hurts, both physical and emotional, and provides solace after encounters with strangers, crowds, and all the new and frightening experiences of the toddler's daily life. Because nursing enables a toddler to maintain an intimate connection with the person he/she needs most, employed mothers feel it is especially important to their children.
If you're looking for a "window for weaning," then consider your child's stage of development, how he/she is behaving, and how he/she seems to feel. Make sure your child is not only emotionally at ease but also physically healthy, because sickness and even teething can make weaning very difficult. Consider outside influences, too -- for example, the availability of loved ones who can distract your child from the breast by providing attention and affection, and also the weather (trying to wean while you're stuck indoors for the winter may not be worth the trouble). Remember that, in general, the older your child gets, the easier weaning will be. Keep this in mind, too: If your child becomes overanxious or depressed during weaning, you can always give up weaning for a while, and try again a few months later. In the meantime, you may be able to reduce nursings to a more tolerable frequency, perhaps just twice a day, at naptime and bedtime.
A mother who nurses without restriction can usually expect a period of lactational amenorrhea -- the absence of menstrual cycle during breast-feeding -- lasting one or two years. Ovulation usually occurs shortly before, or within a few months after, menstruation resumes. If you are still amenorrheic in the second year of nursing, you will probably ovulate, and thereby become fertile, before you have your first period. A small minority of women, however, never ovulate while they are nursing. If you want your children's births closely spaced, you may decide to wean so you can get pregnant again. (Note: Nursing does not necessarily guarantee you won't get pregnant. Some women do become pregnant while nursing.)
(Excerpts from "Time to Wean?", by Kathleen Huggins, R.N., M.S. and Linda Ziedrich; The Nursing Mother's Guide to Weaning.)
backtracking
Our apologies! Please disregard the JOIN THE CREW "tip of the day" published in Grapevine #23. The truth is that viruses cannot be carried in e-mail messages; they can only be transmitted via an e-mail attachment. Oops!
find-a-friend
* Zophas and Charity, where are you? This is Sara (alias Chenaniah). E-mail: marchbank@aol.com.
* Shawn Harvest (of Beth) would like to contact James Newman (of Peter and Mary) last in El Paso, TX. E-mail: mike1972aol.com. Add: 4712 A-Forest Dr. Suite 297 Columbia, S.C. 29206.
* Daniel Mayo would like to contact Christopher Chatwic. I last saw you in Bolivia. Add: Casilla 14, Santa Cruz, Bolivia.
* Hanna B. Meyer, please contact the Swiss/German PPC via your ABM or e-mail: diefamilie@bluewin.ch.
* Promise and Flor (of James and Trust) in the PI, please contact Khrystell (of Stephen and Joy). Add: Khrystell L. Casilla 41-00-63 Lima 41-PERU
* Michelle (of Gideon and Sara) and Autumn (of Shalom) would like to contact Sara Clinton (of Steven and Faithy). Add: 10400 S. Post Oak Rd. Suite E-229 Houston TX 77035.
* Joseph (live-out/46/Aquarian, medical doctor) is eager to get together with another live-out or TSer who has a burden to work in India. Add: PO Box 1556, Cochin 13, India. or Tel:0484-320152.
* Irish Tim (now Michael) would like to contact Andrew Peter (English). Last saw him in 1979 in Ireland. Add: S. Barr, 20 Nine Acres Blose, Manor Prk. London E12 6AU.
* Virginia Smile (Venezuelan) wants to contact Mark and Faith (Ecuador), Mercy Lamb (American). Add: c/o Arun C. Rao #4 Mandir Market, Pushp Vihar Sector IV New Delhi 110017 India.
tip of the day
-- from an alpha geek
If you want to delete a file(s) without moving it to the Recycle Bin: With the mouse, select the file or files to be deleted. Then hold down the Shift key while pressing the Delete key. (Note: If you have Norton Protection installed, you will still be able to recover the file if necessary, using the Norton UnErase program.) Unfortunately, files cannot be "wiped" (securely deleted so that the data can no longer be recovered), using Windows Explorer. To wipe a file, use the Norton File Manager program to delete it, selecting the "wipe" option in the delete menu.
I'm wondering ...
Q: I heard that the Family Fun project has been given over entirely to the BVM, and that the IVM won't be producing any spots for the Family Funs anymore. Is this true? -- Amy, 14, Japan
A: Yes, at least for the time being, as the IVM is concentrating on producing the next Treasure Attic series (See Grapevine #23, Studio News). God bless our BVM crew! Here's a tidbit we just got in from Treasure Attic land:
(From Timothy:) Last night the TA crew started their first "night shift" of dialog filming for the upcoming TA series. It's easier to film at night since we're now going into the summer months and the studio is very hot during the day, plus once they get on a roll they have to make the best use of their time. God bless them, they usually finish at around 6:00am or 7:00am. So for the next month they are going to be on a "jet-lag" schedule, going full blast! Thanks for your prayers!
Life in Africa, part II
-- Excerpts from Lisa's (CRO) reports
The last time I wrote, I was on my way to Port Harcourt from Lagos. The oil companies in Nigeria have small planes to take their employees around, and we provisioned a flight down the beautiful coastline of Nigeria on one of these. Upon arrival in Port Harcourt, we provisioned a taxi ride to go see a friend of the Family who is from Hong Kong. He supplied us with a car and driver to get us around for the next two days, and also gave us 1,000 pairs of flip-flops to distribute to the children at the medical project (CTP). An oil company also paid for us to be able to use a four-wheel-drive vehicle, complete with a driver, for a week at the medical project.
A few days later, three more Family members came from Lagos to help with the medical project, and we drove out into the bush. Seeing the great need and the meager supplies, and being able to witness to and use the power of prayer to help many was an unforgettable experience. Eve and I stayed in a room together with two of thie female Nigerian doctors helping with the project. We ate the local food with our fingers, and became one in most ways. Conditions were rough, but it didn't matter because spirits were high. Please pray for Eve, who came down with a severe case of malaria, but the rest of us stayed healthy and fit. Thank the Lord!
After breakfast and devotions at 7:30, we started work and worked without a break till 8:00 at night when we had dinner; and then went back to work again, sometimes till 10 or 11 at night. Upon request from us "weakly whites," we stopped to have lunch breaks after a couple of days, ha! Nights were a bit restless because of the heat, all the strange sounds, and lots of mosquitoes. We helped out in the pharmacy, and were able to present the salvation message to crowds of waiting patients several times a day. However, we found the one-on-one approach most effective. Aaron and I went from bed to bed talking and praying with the patients. I broke down crying time and again during these days, as there are so many precious people to reach and such a great need.
When it was time to return to Lagos, the Lord supplied a provisioned flight, and a free ride home from the airport as well. We witnessed to the driver and explained that we had just come from the medical project in the south. This man was from one of the nearby villages and was so pleased to hear what the Lord had done.
On the plane I talked with a sweet man who has a business in Abba (Nigeria). He's a born-again Pentecostal and was praying up a storm as we took off, this being his first time flying out of the country. He served as my bodyguard during the rest of the trip (he is a young, huge guy and his hobby is boxing!), and I helped him with all the practical ins and outs, filling out papers, etc., as he was so nervous, poor guy.
Now I'm in Mombasa, which is the second largest city in Kenya. Besides Nairobi, this is where most of the Family's projects and contacts are centered. Today I went around with Franz and Lily to visit some of their friends and contacts. We ended the trip by bringing provisioned food and clothing to some friends in the slums here in Nairobi who are taking care of 160 orphaned children. The whole experience was heartbreaking and I couldn't help but cry. I so wish that we could do more!
The political situation here in Kenya is quite tense. They are having elections, and there is rioting and looting in town, so we're all staying home for now, which makes it a perfect time for the video showings. The riots have mostly been downtown and at the university (which is only minutes away from this Home). Cars and buses have been stopped and looted along the main highway, so we are very thankful that we stayed put. There is quite a bit of animosity towards whites and Indians. Although on the surface things seem a bit nicer and more organized here than in Nigeria, the gap between the rich and the poor is very great and the resultant problems with robberies, assaults and unrest are the same here.
Nevertheless, it has been exciting and wonderful to see the Lord's loving care, as bad things are happening to people all around us, yet He has kept us out of danger.
ideas and tips
Sun warning
We have a lot of outdoor ministries and fund-raisers here, and some people have been badly sunburned. Overexposure to the sun over the years brings with it a high risk of developing skin cancer.
-- Mary Annul, Rejoice and Sam, USA
Name card witness
Lydia and Johane suggested making a "business card" with a Bible verse on the front and a simple salvation prayer on the back. So far we have made cards of 1Cor.10:13 and 1Thess.5:16-18, with prayers.
-- Isamu, Japan
ask-a-midwife
-- By Rose Midwife, USA
Q: Is it true that you shouldn't drink any alcohol when you're pregnant, or is that counsel dated? What effect does alcohol have on the unborn baby? What about coffee, tea or other caffeinated drinks?
A on alcohol: Concerning drinking alcohol during pregnancy, most doctors and midwives will tell you not to drink any at all. The reason for this is that most women in the world don't know how to "stop" once they start, so the counsel is "none at all."
In the Family, since we are allowed to drink only such a low amount of alcohol, the mothers could safely drink their normal quota of alcohol. However, they should not go over the limits set in the Charter, and they should only drink their quota if they enjoy it and have the faith for it, and not just to "keep up."
Fact: It has been proven that more than three beers, two glasses of wine, or two hard drinks per day will cause damage to your baby. Once your baby is damaged by alcohol, it is called "Fetal Alcohol Syndrome" or "Funny Looking Kids" (also FLK). These babies have funny looking faces, usually with the eyes placed either too far apart or too close together or the nose flat. At birth this might be the only sign of damage; however, they can be slow learners or have even more serious brain damage.
A on caffeine: Concerning caffeinated drinks such as coffee, black or green tea, most soft drinks, chocolate (as in hot chocolate or candy) and cocoa, I normally ask mothers to stop completely once they know they are pregnant (or before becoming pregnant, if they think they are going to become pregnant), throughout the pregnancy, and while nursing. If this is too hard, I ask them to go to decaf, and then to try to even get off decaf coffee or tea, as these still have a little caffeine.
Reason: In the letter "Breakdown" (ML#66), Dad explains how caffeine affects our grown bodies. If you think about the size of your baby and the caffeine you drink, can you imagine how much you are speeding up everything in your baby? What do you think would happen to your baby of one day, one week, one month, or even one year if you were to give him an eight-ounce bottle of coffee? Don't you think the baby would be a bit overactive, unable to sleep, and probably nervous?
Also, when the mothers drink caffeine, they don't get as hungry as normal, and therefore don't eat as well as they otherwise would. The caffeine destroys vitamin C and tears down other nutritional needs in both the mother and the growing baby.
Once the baby is born and the mother is breast-feeding, caffeine destroys breast milk. In some mothers it might not seem to cause much difference, but in other mothers it decreases the amount of milk to the point that they need to supplement their milk or wean the baby completely because their milk supply is too low; or their milk is so water-like that the baby doesn't receive enough calories from it to grow, and therefore is always hungry.
fruitful fields
Africa - (From the Nigerian Pioneer Home:) Our Home would love to help your team get set up and started in any west or central African countries. E-mail us for information; let us know when you're coming and how we can help. We look forward to reaching this untouched part of the world together! E-mail: std@infoweb.abs.net.
grapes of thankfulness
A heartfelt thank you to Sonny (SGA) and Mark (SGA) from the NUTs Home in Russia. When they found out about my dilemma (pregnant, my hubby far away, with a two-year-old, needing to get to the airport with all my luggage, stranded 'cause our Home's only car had just broken down), they immediately volunteered to take me -- right after their tiring train ride! (Anyone living in Russia knows just how tiring those train rides can be!) So here's my thanks to (girls, take notice!) two fine, upstanding Family men!
-- a young woman
Have you ever grabbed one of the latest pubs, opened it up and read what seemed to you like so many pleas and requests for help, finances, etc., for all sorts of worthy and needy causes and thought, "Someone ought to help those folks!"?
We would like to say a big, sincere and heartfelt "thank you" to these precious brethren, who, after reading our want ad for help, were cheerful givers and helped with donations large and small! -- Jonathan and Clara (Colombia), Jere, Mariane, Pedro and Sara, Charity, Lydia and Rosi, US4002, PR6500, the DC Media Home, Andrew, Lily and Joy, Paul and Ruth.
With your donations and a few extra shekels, we were able to make a trip to Germany to purchase a good standard station wagon! It has been such a blessing already! Thank you all!
-- Moscow Media Home, Russia
letters to the editor
King Peter arranged to have an ad in the Grapevine for our kitchen personnel at the Japanese LIM, and we soon received two responses from senior teens. One of them, Lord willing, will be joining us soon from Austria, TTL!
-- Phoenix, Japan
I was enlightened by your recent open forum on single mothers! After the many different contributors had spoken their piece, I could hardly believe how much wisdom had been gathered just from hearing everyone's opinions and testimonies. The subject was approached from so many angles that it was awesome how much I learned. People commented on things that hadn't even crossed my mind. I now have more appreciation and understanding for single mothers, and for those helping them, plus a greater insight into the subject. Let's have more open forums!
-- Jonathan Nubes, SACRO
"Were we a cult?" in Grapevine #21 came just in time, as only a few days ago I was thinking that yes, we were a cult. So thanks, John! You helped clear away some of the questions I had.
-- T. (14)
There is one point that wasn't mentioned anywhere in the open forum on single parents -- that the single moms do help support the Family whenever they can. Do you know how? -- Financially! I know of a single mom who faithfully supported our Home for a year, and another one supports me from Europe! Here we are talking about how to make it easy for them and bingo! I receive a "special gift" from one of them! It made me feel so special, as I am rather limited in my physical activities.
-- Abner O., India
Mama on my personal mail
-- jewels from intercom conversations
Peter and I love to hear from people and we try to answer whoever we can, especially those that really need help and counsel. But once we have sent someone a personal answer or a personal prophecy, if they write us a second letter, we probably won't be able to reply or send them another prophecy, as there are just so many people who write in and need our help. They can continue writing us, and we always appreciate hearing from them. We'll certainly listen to their letters and pray for them. But as far as sending them repeated personal prophecies, although we wish we could, in most cases we simply can't, because that would mean that others who desperately need a direct message from the Lord wouldn't be able to get one.
ws news
In the middle of July, Peter, Ana and Rebecca headed off to Europe for a six-week visitation trip. We'll keep you updated as their trip progresses. During this trip, Peter will be holding a number of meetings, which, Lord willing, will be filmed for the benefit of all! Please keep their travel, health and safety in your prayers. Here are excerpts from Peter's reports to Mama:
(Peter:) I met with the various departments at the European MM Home, to get an idea of how things work there. I met with the team who works on the Mail Ministry and heard all about their tremendous work. Then I met with the legal team, and the audio/video department. They're very busy and a tremendous asset to the area. Then I moved on to the productions team, which handles the layout, printing and production. This one office sends out mailings in Russian to the Ukraine and Russia, and they also handle the mailings in Romanian, Bulgarian, Czechoslovakian, Polish, Albanian, Croatian, Serbian, and Slovenian! I also met with the staff ministries: childcare, the cooks, the business people, the teamwork, etc., which was very sweet.
It was touching to hear about the mail ministry. They have over 80,000 addresses of people that they've mailed literature to over the years. In all, they've sent out nearly 600,000 letters to date! They do this on a basis of sending out a mailing or two to those who write in (usually in response to having received a poster), and if people respond, they continue to send them mailings. Each time they receive a response, they send the next mailing. They have thousands of people who have been going through their course, and there are 32 mailings in the course, based on the Daily Foods (and now the Living Waters). They say it takes about three years for someone to get all the way through it, and quite a few have now done so. After that, they give them the Treasures book and Treasure Hunts.
Every month they also send out between three to seven hundred poster packets (each containing 100-500 posters), to people who have asked for posters to distribute. Many people ask for 10,000 posters, but the MM Home just can't afford to send them that many. So there are a lot of people out there getting out the lit who have never even met the Family before!
They are doing a tremendous job of feeding these folks and making them into part of the national church! In fact, one of the Romanian girls that's in that Home is fruit of the MM. She was a mail member for quite some time, and then eventually became a catacomber and later joined full time.
On top of that, they also have what they call the Russian Kids mailings. They get a lot of response from children who see the KVs and TAs that are broadcast throughout Russia. So they write back to the kids, and also send a mailing to their parents, which bears a great deal of fruit.
I held a two-hour meeting with the MM Home, reading a prophecy of encouragement received for their Home, and a general message the Lord gave about the structure Homes (the same one I read in the Homes I visited in Japan and Thailand). God bless them! What a tremendous team!
movie ratings
Movies for Junior Teens and Up
IVANHOE (1997)
Steven Waddington, Susan Lynch, Ciaran Hinds
Five-hour miniseries based on the Sir Walter Scott tale of the noble Saxon knight Sir Wilfred of Ivanhoe as he battles the minions of the scheming Prince John. Some scenes of graphic violence, in particular the fight at the end.
SPEED 2 (1997)
Sandra Bullock, Jason Patric, Willem Dafoe
Sequel to "Speed." Annie and her new boyfriend are vacationing on a cruise ship when it is taken over by a madman. Some violent and unpleasant scenes. Entertainment only.
Movies Rated for JETTs and Up
GOOD FIGHT, THE (1992)
Christine Lahti, Terry O'Quinn
Drama about a woman lawyer who takes on a powerful tobacco company in court when an acquaintance dies of cancer. Good portrayal of legal battles and bucking the System.
Movies Rated for MCs and Up
RUDYARD KIPLING'S THE SECOND JUNGLE BOOK (1997)
Jamie Williams, Bill Campbell
Live-action version of the famous story of the little boy who grows up in the forest amongst the wild beasts. Certain scenes may be frightening for some children.
Non-Recommended Movies
COLOR OF NIGHT, THE (Bruce Willis, Jane March; 1994)
TRIGGER HAPPY (Jeff Goldblum, Richard Dreyfuss; 1996)
notices
A "Nu Beat"
(From WS:) On some of our recent GP cassette and CD releases, we've used the name "The Family Band" on the jackets and songbooks. While working on the new GP tapes (coming your way soon -- some for teens, some for all), our musicians and producers were inspired with the idea of changing our band's name on future releases, to give them a fresh and more contemporary approach and appearance. After polling a number of adults and young people on the field, the name "Nu Beat" was chosen. On upcoming GP tapes, instead of crediting "The Family Band," we'll be referred to as "Nu Beat."
While it was nice in that it related to the Family, "The Family Band" sounded a bit too "old-fashioned" for a band name, and for many people might evoke a picture of a country-western style band, which is not an accurate portrayal of most of the music we're producing to reach the youth of today.
We asked the Lord for a confirmation of this change, and following are excerpts of what He had to say: "The people seek a new thing. They seek a new sound, and they look for new things; for they are not satisfied, and do hunger and thirst. I have a new beat, and I have promised new sounds, new rhythms, new lyrics to reach out and to captivate, to win -- to cast My net upon the waters to catch many fish for My Kingdom, for My glory. I will put upon this name an attraction that will draw them in from the highways and byways -- those who are rich, and those who are poor. I shall place an appeal upon it that will strike a chord in the hearts of those who need these songs. The songs I have given, they are all a new beat. This is the new heartbeat that they yearn for.
"For these are tapes designed for the lost and hungry -- those who need Me, or need more of Me. My songs shall not return void, but they shall accomplish the purpose wherewith they have been sent. These songs shall help many to become nu creatures in Christ Jesus, where old things shall be passed away, and all things in their lives shall become nu, so that they may join with you in My city -- Nu Jerusalem."
now hiring
NPC job offer
PACRO
(From PACRO:) The PACRO NPC has an opening for a single person (senior teen/YA/SGA) to help with getting out the Words. We are looking for someone who can use printing equipment and computers, or who wants to learn; or someone who can drive and be happy behind the scenes at least for a good part of the week. If you can stay in Japan for six months before having to make a visa trip, that is a plus. If you feel the Lord is calling you, please pray about it and then send a message to PACRO, including some info about yourself, and we'll get back to you with more details. We need you now!
Spanish-speaking typists
SACRO
(From SPALIM:) Offer to all Spanish-speaking typists or apprentices: If occasionally you have some free time on your hands and you don't know what to do, why twiddle your fingers? How about some fun feeding typing practice retyping MO Letters in Spanish into a computer? We need help with our second edition of the HomeARC in Spanish. And there is a juicy reward: for 80 typed pages you will get a free copy of our newly published Spanish HomeARC! (By the way, Ariana [of Andy and Mara], you already earned the prize!) If interested, contact us through your reporting office and we'll give you an assignment.
support-a-missionary
-- Help us continue ministering to children with AIDS! Fruitful puppet ministry; reaching youth with the Endtime message! Send donations via TRF (RO-010). Add: C.P. 4-410, 8700 Constanta, Romania. -- Constanta Home.
-- We'll send regular supporters' photos, video clips, official receipts of our ministries with youth, road trips, our center for homeless children, etc.! E-mail: most@telecon.inform.perm.ru or via ABM (RU030). -- NUTs, Russia.
-- Mass distributing of posters, exciting road teams, CTPs, (children's hospital, prison, rehabilitation centers). Be a part through your support! Need you desperately! E-mail: pio@flame.dp.ua. Via TRF: Philip, Gentleness and Faith, Ukraine.
-- The Arabic Lit-Pic/PPC produces lit and videos for 240 million Arabs! Pioneering Mideast situation with very limited outreach and support! We appreciate every donation to make our ministry possible!
what's up?
Four acres
Chile
(From Sam [CRO]:) In Grapevine #17 (see "Prophecy faith trip") we shared some testimonies about a fruitful road trip to Pucon, a city in the south of Chile. Since then, the people of the town have decided to donate four acres of land to the Family, with a contract that will be renewed every 10 years. The town also offered to build a cabin for us, and has an idea of creating a campground which will help generate support for our witnessing projects from the many tourists who come to visit the beautiful lake, and some of the best ski slopes in South America.
The Baptist Church heard that we were The Family, and despite the negative coverage we have received throughout the years, they love us more because we are so on fire and radical!
What's cooking?
Japan
(From Nehemiah and Chrys:) "Well, we've got lasagna, spaghetti Bolognese, enchiladas and a few more goodies!" No, we have not opened a restaurant, but the Lord has used these delicious dishes to open doors and reach many with His love!
It began last September, when, on the recommendation of one of our friends, we were asked to give a five-class cooking seminar. We like cooking, but we didn't consider ourselves professionals or qualified to teach a seminar on the subject. But after praying and counseling, we decided to go for it. We did some research and experimentation, and came up with menus, ingredients lists, etc. Each class was two hours long, and our eldest children -- Paula (17), David (16) and Angela (13) -- also participated.
While cooking, we explained about the ingredients and their uses, as well as interesting customs of the different countries that we have been to in our missionary travels. We were interviewed by the local newspaper, and on the last day of the community center's festival the mayor of our city stopped by to visit our "Italian Corner" booth. We gave him lasagna to go, exchanged business cards and had a chance to introduce ourselves and our work. During the two-day festival, we sold 120,000 yen (US $727) worth of lasagna. We are now invited to hold another mini-cooking seminar, and received a letter from the board of education, saying that they would be honored if we accepted their request.
Humanitarian aid
Siberia
(From Faithy:) This month we finished the distribution of the 300 tons of food aid, with a total of 39,000 immediate recipients, and a year's supply of food to hospitals, orphanages, kindergartens, schools, and Social Protection! We were also able to give five tons of food aid (worth $10,000) to the Siberian Family.
A special thank you to all the Family volunteers who helped in the reaping of almost 1,000 souls at the distribution site! It really is what made this year-long project of getting the food to Siberia worth it!
In June, I attended the US Department of Agriculture Annual Meeting of 150 private volunteer organizations (PVOs) in Washington, DC. Ours was the only PVO for the whole Siberian Region. The chief advisor to the Vice President on Russian affairs also received me and we discussed the new aid bill now passing through Congress, which will provide one billion dollars in new aid to Russia. We need your prayers as we continue to reap this harvest!
Fax ministry
Africa
(From the Namibia Home:) A year ago we started a tiny "fax ministry," which has continued to grow. Every week we send inspirational faxes -- stories, anecdotes, verses or Daily Mights -- to people the Lord puts in our path. The Lord supplied a fax-modem, so sending them takes only a few minutes.
We kept feeding our friends with the treasures of the Word, and the Lord took care of our needs in return. During the past year, through our "fax-friends" the Lord supplied: gasoline, clothes, shoes, office equipment, furniture, car services, food, diapers, envelopes, a hotel room for W&Rs, and more. Several of our "fax-friends" have since joined our video sponsorship program.
FAF recipient
Hungary
(From Jonathan [of Mary]:) About two years ago, I was losing sight in my left eye (I already have very poor sight in my right eye, and have always primarily depended on my left eye for reading, etc.). I went for a checkup and discovered I had suffered a retina separation. This is an eye condition repairable only if it is operated on within 10 days, or you go blind. I couldn't go out and try to raise funds for an operation in that state, so we sent in a prayer request and an explanation of what had happened.
We got a speedy reply that the FAF would help us with the expenses. Hospitals in our field aren't very expensive, but it was such a blessing not to have to feel burdened for the Home having to meet this expense on such short notice. It made me so thankful for the Family and the FAF being there to help in that situation. On a follow-up eye operation, the Lord did a miracle and my doctor had decided to help me by giving me the operation free of charge. (Editor's note: Family, please keep Jonathan's eyesight in your prayers. Thanks!)
open forum
(Jenna:) It's so interesting to hear from people on the other side of the world (from wherever you happen to be!) on these open forum topics, isn't it? Here's another current issue that Mama and Peter are particularly interested in hearing your thoughts, honest feelings, and responses to. Thanks for writing in -- it's your paper!
* Have you ever thought of leaving the Family? (Don't worry, it's fairly normal if you have.) And if so, what made you decide to stay in the Family?
* Or, if you've had a close friend who backslid, why did you decide to stay in the Family even though they left?
your views on issues
Sad and mad
Asia
(From a female SGA:) I had an experience recently that made me so sad, mad -- and I don't know what other emotions welled up inside me -- but they were many! I have some brothers and sisters who are on the mission field; they're just simple sweet missionary kids. But when I visited them recently I hardly recognized them. What had happened?! Was it some worldly pull from the field they were in? -- No, it was some SGAs who thought they were real "cool dudes" (they were DO, mind you!).
They came from some other "cool" field for a visit, but in the process, undermined everything that made these little guys precious and beautiful! Now the kids wanted to leave the Family, they hated this and that, they used language that may be common elsewhere, but sure isn't used where I come from and I would never want my kids using it.
Okay, I know our cool dudes may not have been responsible for everything that went wrong with these guys, but their sample made them feel like they were on the ends of the Earth and that they were really "out of touch" in being sweet missionaries who didn't listen to System music or know too much about worldly ways. They now felt they needed to "get with the beat!"
Just a minute here, the Word I've read says that the "cool" place to be is in the Lord's will -- so you could be in Timbuktu and be in the real "cool" place for you. So can we please respect the Lord's will in each other's lives? These fellas also let'm know that listening to shepherds was outta style, because, "Hey man, that's just their opinion against yours. And they ain't got no right to shove their opinion on you!" Sure doesn't sound all that Word-based to me!
Well, our SGA friends stayed for a few short weeks and then moved on, leaving behind lots of dissatisfied kids toying with leaving the Family, or at the very least, their field. Is that what we mean by being bellwethers? To have some 22-, 23- or 24-year-olds come in and be a pitiful sample to someone who is half their age and doesn't know any better?
I understand the desire to burn free, and of course it's your prerogative not to live in some fields that may "cramp your style" or be a little too rough for your liking. That's fine. The Lord wants us to be happy and serve Him where we feel most comfortable! But I trust that upholding the standard of the Word hasn't been tossed out with the "new day," because we're never going to be able to survive and our kids will never survive without a little more grounding in the "stuff that counts!"
So can't we just put aside our coolness, at least when we're around someone who is going to mimic everything we do? Let's have a little more maturity and be a little more responsible and think of someone other than ourselves! I don't think that's too much to expect of someone who professes to be a grown adult. Do you?
Begging for Jesus
Hungary
(From Shiloh:) When the Letter "Shiners or Shamers" first came out in 1973, I tried litnessing the next day! I was so amazed that it worked, and I got hooked on it! I've always thought it was so exciting to get the Word into people's hands! And it's such a blessing that the Lord has shown us a way to "live of the Gospel" by making it pay (1Cor.9:14). I especially like getting out the Endtime posters, as that's the one thing about Christianity that many people don't know much about.
It's hard for me to understand why someone would want to get a System job (unless, of course, they know it's the Lord's will) and get paid so little per hour, when even someone who's not very good at postering can do better than that! Last summer a team of four of us were able to raise enough funds in three weeks (postering two or three hours a day) to take a three-month SWIFT to England, Hungary and Russia. Again this year, we raised enough funds in just a few months of postering to SWIFT to Russia for six months.
There are so many advantages to postering:
* You are getting out the meat of the Word.
* Being out witnessing makes it possible for you to meet sheep to follow up on.
* You get a lot of fresh air and exercise.
* You can enjoy God's creation, instead of being stuck in an office, factory or fast food joint somewhere.
* You can choose your work hours.
* You can travel and try other cities or countries, which is interesting and educational.
* You meet many different types of people and learn how to talk to almost anyone.
* It keeps you in shape spiritually, as you're out fighting the Enemy every day.
* It can really pay financially.
I've heard some people say they don't like postering because it's "begging." A good Letter to read on the subject is "Seed Corn, Hot Cakes and Beggars" in Volume 15. Dad says, "So don't be afraid of a little thing like being accused of being a beggar! Let's beg for Jesus! Let's beg for Him to bless this work and bless these posters and bless the message and bless the people that hear with salvation!--And bless us so much we can get this job done in a hurry so that the Lord can come!" (ML#1885:70).
Encrypt it
Japan
(From John, Pandita and Phoenix:) It seems there has been a lot more exchanging of addresses and telephone numbers amongst members recently. We're concerned, as no matter how secure we keep our addresses and telephone numbers in our computers, if friends are keeping each other's addresses and telephone numbers uncoded in their personal possession, security between our Homes is basically blown. Could everyone be careful about this? (See the Charter, pg.130: B-D.)
Comet changes
India
(From James Newlove:) In March this year the Hale-Bopp comet arrived. Comets herald changes: Eight things there be a comet brings, when on high it doth horrid range: Wind, famine, plague and death to kings, war, earthquake, floods and direful change.
We have already seen the deaths of the great Chinese leader, Deng, and Michael Manley, who served three terms as prime minister of Jamaica. We have seen major earthquakes in Pakistan, Iran and China; major floods and unprecedented tornadoes in the States; direful change with communist China taking over Hong Kong after 150 years of British rule, and in the UK with the Labor party coming into power after 18 years of conservatism. Mother Theresa also stepped down as head of the Missionaries for Charity.
I'm sure there are more changes to come, as we look for the arrival of the "superman" that will set up his New World Order.
Young to young
Europe
(From R. [18]:) Seeing the love that Mama and Peter have for our TS brethren really encourages me, as I was TS for five years. When I was TS, I didn't have any contact with Family young people -- only teens that had left. I heard all sorts of stories from these young people about why they left the Family, and was convinced that no young person could be happy in the Family. This was my state of mind until I went to a TS meeting and met some DO YAs who attended. As one DO SGA talked to me about the Family, I could see that he was sold on his life and was happy. This had a great impact on me, as he was the first young person I met that was sold out on life in the Family.
I feel it might be a great help to our TS teens to have a DO young person minister to them, spend time with them and pour into them. It is so easy to feel lost and alone as a TS teen, and lose all vision for the Lord. It would mean so much if someone could again give them the vision for Jesus.
Disappointing freedom
Thailand
(From a female:) Some people have commented that because TS members are not required to stick to everything in the Charter, they are free to watch all the TV and videos they want, listen to System music, etc. No doubt some TSers are more committed and dedicated disciples than others, just like some DO members are more on-fire than others. I think the idea that something's "not allowed" or permitted in the Family might make it look -- especially in the eyes of our young people -- more appealing or tempting. In reality, this is not the case, and too much "freedom" can be sadly disappointing.
silver anniversaries -- secrets to 28 years of happy marriage
While we're enjoying the anniversary occasion, two long-time couples wanted to share theirs with you! -- And their stories! Enjoy!
[From Johnny B. and Ruth, Brazil; photo accompanying testimony.]
he said: In August, Ruth and I will celebrate our 28th wedding anniversary together. --That means 28 years of being in love with each other and the Lord! Looking back through what seems to be a lifetime of experience together -- all the way from Huntington Beach to New York, from Spain to the Middle East, from India to Japan to South America -- it's pretty clear to see how important was the decision we made while sitting at Dad and Mama's feet in the living room of Camp Laurentide on that early morning of August 22, 1969.
In those early days of the Family there were no premarital relationships as we know them today. The best way you could get to know your potential spouse was usually to go witnessing and win a few disciples together! After that you really knew what was going on inside the head of the person you were considering marrying. The very first time I kissed Ruth on the lips was when Dad said, "You may now kiss the bride!" -- And I've been kissing her ever since!
Yes, we've had our ups and downs, but the Lord has blessed us with a lot more ups than downs, and we have to give Him all the credit for that!
she said: I'd have to say that the One Who gets all the credit for our marriage lasting all these years is Jesus! It's truly a miracle and I can't take any of the credit. When first considering the possibility of entering into a serious relationship, I had major reservations since I hadn't seen many happy marriages. There were also certain conditions that I considered prerequisites to a good union, and looking at it in the natural, I could have found many reasons for thinking it might not work!
I was in my late twenties when we first met and already somewhat set in my ways. But I've since learned that God can overcome anything -- including age differences, background differences and all kinds of other supposed "incompatibilities," including sun signs. (Johnny's a Taurean and I'm an Aquarian.)
I met Jesus a few months before I met Johnny, and I had already witnessed the Lord's miracle-working, life-changing power. Anything was possible to me at that point, and I was willing to give it a try. Right from the start, my husband represented the Lord to me, and our relationship was Word-based. The Lord confirmed our marriage in prophecy, because if there were any two people who couldn't have made the decision of getting together, it was us. We loved each other as a brother and sister. We were very close and confided in each other right from the start, but as far as having the faith to actually get married, that really had to be the Lord.
Today, I'm very thankful for the unifying bond of love that the Lord has given us both with each other and with our flesh-and-blood children and grandchildren, as well as all of our second generation adults, all the way down to our beautiful babies. (Two of our four children are in the Family: Nathanael married to Glo with two of our grandchildren, and India married to Gary with their three little love bugs.)
A Few of Our Marital Secrets
-- Don't rush into marrying someone you don't know. It took us five months to get to know each other before taking the plunge.
-- Make sure you and your prospective mate are a good witnessing team. Imagine yourselves on a far-flung field all alone, just the two of you with Jesus. Can you see yourselves changing the world together? If not, forget it.
-- Don't get married unless the Lord tells you to. Don't do it just because you're "in love." Make sure you're attracted to each other -- physically, yes, but most importantly, spiritually!
-- How do you know it's the Lord's will? He'll show both of you!
-- When you say, "I do," believe in your heart and mind that it's for the rest of your life! The longer you stay together, the more your love will grow.
-- Honesty will help hold your marriage together. Never keep any secrets, even if you think it'll hurt your mate, but pray about the timing of your presentation, which is very important.
-- Have an active sex life. Have as many children as you can. We only had four, but they were the joys of our lives, and when our marriage went through rough times, our love for the kids helped keep us together. You could say we had an easy time with only four kids, but to tell you the truth, we wish we had a lot more (which the Lord gave us in our shepherding)!
-- Follow the Law of Love if you get involved in any other relationships. Not following the Law of Love could mean disaster for your marriage.
-- Pray together about any major changes, such as change of Homes, fields or ministries.
-- Respect the Lord in your mate.
-- Be patient before pointing things out to your mate. Wait until the Lord tells you that the time is right, even if it takes days or weeks before doing so.
-- When there's a disagreement, let it pass. If you let an argument subside, you usually find out that what looked like monstrous mountains were only tiny pebbles.
-- Don't be afraid to apologize. One of you is going to have to do that if your marriage is going to work, and it's probably going to have to be you half of the time!
[From John and Abi (formerly Eli and Tara) Fisherman, Brazil; photo accompanying testimony.]
Our 28 years of marriage goes back to when we were 15. We're both Pisces, born in the same year -- just 19 days' apart! We were introduced after Easter Sunday Mass in 1964, 33 years ago! That was the beginning of a relationship of dating for the next 5 years, and then marrying at age 21 in 1969.
Though we knew each other very well and loved each other, we weren't too keen on getting married at the time. We each had our own agenda, as most young people do, and it didn't include settling down just then. However, unbeknownst to us, the Lord had other plans, and He inserted the deciding factor into the equation, so to speak -- our first child (and I might add, that divine intervention occurred the very first time we "went for the gold" -- bingo!). Michael (Francis) was actually born first and then we finally yielded to the Lord's will to get married. Megan (Marianne) followed three years later -- just three months before we joined the Family in January, 1973.
Having been married for four years and pretty much set in the ways of being a little mother and housewife to my husband (who had a successful System career), considering the Family lifestyle and the sacrifices required in those early days, it was a very big test for me in particular to give up my independence and come live and die for Jesus! I was basically following my husband at this point purely by faith, as in my heart I knew his decision to join the Family was right, even though I didn't know what the future would hold.
The struggling and decision-making of that first year in the Family brought us closer together as a couple, as I began to clearly see (as John had seen from the very beginning) that this was where I belonged, no matter what sacrifices were involved. The Lord always brought us through every trial, and we were able to climb the mountains ahead because we both had made that definite commitment to the Lord that the Family was where He wanted us to raise our family -- and family He gave!
Before joining the Family, we had discussed having just a few children -- after all, the world was already overpopulated! Boy, we sure changed as the Lord kept sending them along to us -- six boys and two girls, and we would have happily had more! That's all I wanted to be -- both in the Family and before joining -- a mother! We can't remember one time when we both were not excited about each one of the love gifts He'd send to us! It didn't matter what the circumstances or difficulties were, we knew that the Lord would not fail to care for His own, and that "happy is the man who has his quiver full." (Psa.127:5) The Lord's promises were once again tried and proven true. We now have four grandchildren as well.
We've had many exciting adventures over the past 24 years, living and working in eight countries on four continents, and traveling to or visiting at least 14 other countries! We never would have dreamed this possible when making that first decision to drop everything to follow Him!
One amazing testimony of supply was in 1980 when the Lord showed us to leave France -- our home for more than six years -- and go to Argentina. At that time, we had another partner in our marriage, Maria (who stayed with us for six years and has four children with my husband). The three of us and our then nine children, plus another couple with a child, a single brother and a new disciple believed the Lord wanted us to go to Argentina and live on the road, and to take our two vans and caravan to boot! We didn't have a clue (nor the money) as to how we or our vehicles would get there, but we had the faith that the Lord would supply. -- And supply He did!
I'll go back to the previous summer when we had provisioned two tanks (140 liters) of diesel over the phone from the owner of a trucking company. When we returned home in the fall, we invited this man to one of our shows at an old people's home. Surprisingly enough, he came, and that was the first time we'd actually met him. After the show he told us that our performance was terrific and then asked us if we needed a car. Wow! From two tanks of gas to a car! We invited him to have dinner with us and shared our personal testimonies and our vision to go to Argentina. He was very impressed and visibly touched. He then asked how we were going to get our vehicles there, and we replied that we didn't know. Without hesitation, he said that he would ship them for us! What a miracle!
In the end, he agreed to pay half of the $10,000 shipping costs and gave us the names of three shipping companies with whom he worked. We contacted them, and after we'd already moved out of our house by faith, one of the three agreed to donate the other half! That was just getting the vehicles to Argentina; all of us still needed to fly there. Amazingly enough, one day out of the blue, we received a check in the mail for the equivalent of $8,000! Suffice it to say, "Where God guides, He provides!" Three years later, through another incredible set of miracles, He moved our entire family (which had grown to 12 children) to India after telling John in a dream to "sell all that thou hast and go to India!" And on and on the story goes. Regardless of the number of children or the distance we needed to travel, the Lord never failed to supply!
The key to success in our marriage, and sticking together through thick and thin, has always been a deep commitment to the Lord's will in our lives. Even though we were reluctant beginners, we knew He had put us together as a team for His service. So when there were rough and stormy seas or times when we both felt like "throwing in the towel," we've stuck to our commitment to the Lord and each other. -- "For better or for worse, in sickness and in health." As Dad has said, "Marriage is forever -- unless He's the One changing things!"
So our advice to young couples is to keep hanging in there. Don't give up, 'cause boy oh boy, the rewards are worth it! You'll look back and remember with joy all those beautiful times raising your children and all the amazing, wonderful and exciting times the Lord brought you through.
Heaven's Library report
(From Jenna and Darren:) To date we have sent out six issues of Heaven's Library, containing a sum total of 18 stories. These six books total 112 pages, and include 35 pictures (God bless Jac, Tamar, Kristen and Spiro for their artwork!).
At present, we have over 70 individual stories in the pipeline, eight of which are comprised of ongoing chapters or adventures (not including The Perfect Ones). This adds up to over 500 pages of stories that are soon to come your way. Besides that, there are over 30 Christmas stories, many of which will be coming your way for fun reading this Christmas, Lord willing.
Initially, most spirit stories were received by those in WS. However, at present, 51% of the stories that we have on hand (excluding the Christmas stories) have come from the field! Stories have been received by members of all ages: OCs, JETTs, teens, YAs, SGAs, FGAs, even live-outs! Of the total, 67% have been received by FGAs, and 33% by young nationals, SGAs and teens.
Ghostwriting takes off!
-- Reactions to the "Spirit Stories" GN and Heaven's Library
* I feel a whole lot better after reading these "Heavenly novels" than when I read a System novel where you have to wade through a lot of garbage to glean any lessons. -- Crystal (YA), Russia
* I feel we are reaping these gifts from the Lord as a result of loving Him more! -- Joseph French, Heaven and Sara, USA
* An answer to the need for edifying, feeding stories for our children! What a fantastic tool this could be for the GP as well, especially if nicely illustrated with pictures. -- Steven and Christina, Sweden
* I was so excited, I could hardly wait to get to the end of the GN so I could stop and receive a story! -- Joan Love (18), Moldova
* When the next set of mailings came, the kids' first question was, "Are there any more spirit stories?" -- Abe, Libby, Tim, Tabi, Betty, Czech Republic
* I have been receiving spirit stories (and recording and sending them in) while putting my children down for bed, and they now beg me for them every night. All the kids are so expectant! And so I pray that the Lord will do it for their sakes. Then "boom," someone appears, just like that, and gives a story! It amazes me! -- Mary MOM, Europe
* This new revelation shows how close we are to the Endtime, as it said we'll have a clearer connection with the Lord during these Last Days. -- Sharon (18), India
* As I have a terminal illness and have extra time on my hands, I prayed and got the beginning of a story -- it's a mystery! I love the spirit and all that dear Mama is willing to share with us. -- Joy Pioneer, Canada
* I love kids very much, and since I'm a single with no kids, I think getting stories is the best thing I can do for them. I already got one story! -- Ruby Happy, Moldova
* I really enjoyed reading the new stories with my little sisters. We can't wait for the next ones to come. -- John (19), USA
* Not only are they fascinating stories, but they help our kids to be more loving, obedient and thankful. -- Philip and Sunshine, Canada
* Thank you for these fantastic stories! My kids are all avid readers. The stories are revolutionary, and the kids are hanging out for more. -- Matthew and Mary, Australia
The Birth and Life of the Grapevine
-- by Jenna and Yvonna
Two-and-a-half months after "we three girls" (Katie [a.k.a. Rebecca], Jenna and Yvonna) arrived at the Folks' house, we were to begin in earnest on our first WS "pubs project." Up until then, much of our waking and working hours consisted of helping around the house, helping with small office projects, transcribing prophecy tapes, getting adjusted to life behind the scenes, and going through that infamous battle-victory-battle-victory cycle. Sound familiar? (Note carefully that the cycle always ends on victory.)
One fine day, in the beginning of August '96, Peter called a late afternoon meeting, and to our surprise, us three girls were invited. (Yikes! What have we done now?!) In attendance were some of those illustrious personalities such as: Matthew, Francis, Joy and Bonnie (longtime WS secretaries) and Heather, Apollos and Luke (who were visiting at the time). No, we weren't in big-time trouble we were about to witness the birth of a new pub!
Peter shared with us all a new and somewhat far-out inspiration the Lord had given him and Mama -- that of creating a Family newspaper. And thus the Grapevine (though title-less at the time) was born. The prevailing idea was to create a forum for the free exchange of Family news, accomplishments, information, ideas and viewpoints; something simple, needing a minimum amount of editing, perfecting, proofing, etc. The primary goal was to get news out to the Family now -- not six months down the line.
Then came the unveiling! Peter and Francis had spent that morning gathering material from CRO and VS reports, and mail from the Homes, and laying out a mock-up of our first "newspaper" issue, so that we could get the concept of what this new pub was meant to be. It didn't dawn on us until nearly the end of the meeting that this "baby" was being put into our six little hands, and that if it was going to get out to the Family every two weeks, we were going to have to make it happen. One recollection we girls frequently chuckle at is Peter's initial suggestion that the Grapevine be a free time project. -- Of course, as our "baby" began demanding more time and attention than our free time could give it, all agreed that it was okay to work on it during "company time."
We ended that first meeting with a time of prayer and hearing from the Lord, and received a confirmation on this new endeavor and Dad's "go for it" message about getting out the Grapevine. As a point of interest, our formerly title-less pub was titled "the Grapevine" by King Peter and confirmed by the Lord in prophecy.
So then what happened? Hmmm to be honest, we've conveniently opted to forget the first few Grapevine issues -- our humble beginnings -- so unfortunately, we are unable to share with you the process the first Grapevines went through before getting to you. We just can't remember! But no doubt the process must have been miraculous, since none of us knew what we were doing, ha! One thing we do remember is that we got a couple responses from the authors of certain articles (bordering on the controversial) whose names were included along with their write-ups, without our having obtained prior permission from them. (Sorry 'bout that, guys! We're getting wiser with age!) Thank you to all those who have been contributing your names along with your articles, although it seems that a favorite name and location is still "Anonymous, from planet Earth."
Let's move to the present now. We'll take a look behind the Grapevine scenes and see just how things work, and what happens to your article once you send it in until such a day as you see it printed (perhaps in a much briefer form!).
We receive a number of e-mail contributions, practically on a daily basis. Snail mail comes in much slower (obviously), but we still receive sizeable batches (of terrific contributions!) from time to time (to date we've probably received a couple hundred pieces). Your contributions are skimmed through, then generally categorized. Then it's time to pick and choose what's gonna go in the next Grapevine, and there is so much fresh material to choose from (not to mention the comments and suggestions from your TRFs, some of which get passed on for the Grapevine)! The beauty and attraction of e-mail is the rush we get when we read a testimony that is just a couple of days old, or get a "feedback" clip about a new tape that you know just hit the Homes a week ago. Now that's keeping in touch.
Of course, there are standard Grapevine sections which need to be filled up, and then there are feature articles and Open Forums (don't forget the movie ratings!), etc., so each time it's a whole new ball game. We want the sections to be somewhat balanced out, and to present both sides and to be a fair representation of the feedback we've gotten from you. We also try to remember that our teen/SGA/adult Family members possess a sundry variety of tastes, so we want to try to have something in each Grapevine that will appeal to everyone. Probably about 200 GN pages worth of material is selected and sent to our first-stage editing crew for what we call "pre-editing." Mind you, that all has to fit into 12 final Grapevine pages!
[Box: The Grapevine crew: Initially the three of us girls were the Grapevine team. However, as the Grapevine e-mail inundation began to rain down upon us (we're at flood stage now!), we pulled Darren in to help us with the first-stage editing. Katie gradually began to work on other projects, such as going through the Dito book (which is up for reprinting), and since more recently she's been traveling with Peter, she has pulled out of Grapevine work entirely. We still consider her a founding Grapevinette (as we were dubbed by the field), and when she's not traveling (as she is presently; we love you, Katie!), she still helps out by reading the Grapevine for content, and by giving us free advice. Meanwhile, Darren has been concentrating more on the Heaven's Library series, so another young male (check out "Where We're Headed!" [ML#3136] for his name!) has been a welcome addition to our pre-editing crew.]
Basically, what the first-stage editors do is go over the articles and try their best to cut them down to a few paragraphs or less, without losing any important points. Now if that sounds simple, just you try and take a 12-page, incredibly inspiring, detailed testimony and minus 11.5 pages, while retaining the excitement, inspiration and plenty of interesting details, of course! It's quite a feat. (So if you wonder why so many details got "lost in the translation" to the Grapevine, it's because we just don't have a lot of space! Some longer testimonies do get snapped up by the FSM department for publication!)
[Fact box: In the first Grapevine, all the material came from 33 messages/reports/letters. In the latest Grapevine, material was pulled from 189 files. That means something from each of those 189 files was printed in that one issue!]
Just in case something was missed, the potential article is gone over again, to check that it still says what it was originally intended to say, that nothing necessary was omitted. Of course, the finer editing of punctuation, spelling, grammar, etc., is done at this second stage.
The next major hurdle our little Grapevine friend has to make it over is our proofreading team. But first it's gone over by a pre-proofreading team of Francis, Yvonna, and Katie (when here). We know, you're probably thinking, "All these proofreaders! Hey, it's just a newspaper. Isn't this overkill?" Honestly, it's just to save ourselves time and trouble, 'cause you want your pub to be as print-ready as possible, and it's nice when your fellow Grapevine colleagues can catch that awful typo (check out one that was missed in Grapevine #12, page 11; second to the last line on the page! Yikes!), spot those couple of words that mysteriously vanished, or discreetly inform you that Mauritania is a country, not an illness. It's also nice to get feedback on certain articles, or suggestions of additions/deletions to make, before it hits the main proofreading team. Their corrections are incorporated, and off goes Grapevine through the modem wires to another WS unit, where dwell the proofreading heavyweights (five of whom go over the Grapevine).
It is in this boxing ring that we occasionally have to fight for our prized material. Jaz or Bethy might see a cool article that they've "gotta have" for the Zine. Our FAR editor gets jazzed over that pioneering testimony, and wants it for his next Family Activity Report. But we've got a good give-and-take system going, and we all pass files around. If something fits better in another pub; or a "special" is being done on that very topic and your article has "cherry on the cake" written all over it; or maybe if your WS friend is just having a bad hair day, and you know that one article will make their morning, then off it goes on its merry way, to meet its new "master"!
So while the Grapevine sits for two or three days with the heavyweights, we catch up on the get-out and sleep we've missed during the last 12 days of Grapevine rush (just joking!). Whew! In reality, though the Grapevine is one of our favorite projects, it would be highly inaccurate to say that it is our only project. So while this composition may give the impression that we are of a one-track Grapevine mind, our working hours are filled with many other projects -- big and small.
Now let's shine the spotlight on some of our other Grapevine contributors: the audio/video studios who let us in on what's happening in the music and video world; the CRO offices who pass on a good chunk of Grapevine articles to us -- lists of who's baby booming, new disciples, the top 10 shiners from their area, etc.; legal and media teams around the world who keep us informed of the goings-on in their arena; other WS units who contribute to the WS News section and help keep you "in the know."
Peter also regularly contributes to the WS News section, which is always a special treat! -- And now we get contributions from Mama, in our new "Mama on " column! Fun! The CROs and VSs kindly let us use clips and excerpts from their reports as well. Oh not to forget Jaz (and movie review team), who faithfully compiles the movie blurbs for each issue (hip, hip, hooray!), as well as her Babymania column. There are other column authors (or answerers, should we say), such as Rose Midwife, and possibly yet others to come. We're not slowing down yet!
Soliciting the above information has necessitated a couple hundred phone messages, and during our spare moments, we continue to send out pleas for newsworthy tidbits and updates from the four corners of the Earth. Is this a plug or what?
(Jenna:) Wait a sec I just re-read the above and our whole setup is sounding more organized each minute! To be frank, we can tend to be a bit last-minutey. Maybe I should rephrase that at least I am; Yvonna is more of the plan-ahead, doesn't-relish-rush type. Good balance. She is understandably thrilled when the Grapevine is (over)due to spend a couple of nights in her computer for layout, and I shoot a timely note off to Kristen, asking her to illustrate a cartoon for Jaz' latest Babymania article.
"Now how am I supposed to lay out the Grapevine when there's still art on the way, Jenna?" "Kristen's quick! Don't worry, Yvonna. She'll have it to us in no time." Thankfully for me, Kristen is quick, and for the good of our readership, Yvonna also loves (or splendidly tolerates) these last-minute additions to the Grapevine, of which customarily there are several. To cope with all this fun, and to work such a short turn-around pub (every two weeks), you gotta be best of friends -- and we are.
When we get the Grapevine back from our proofreading team (Luke, Stephanie, Bethy, Jaz, and our no-name FAR editor), it's correction time! They note standard proofreading points, such as security, editing, punctuation, grammar, etc. Plus, they comment on what they don't understand, what is unclear or could be misinterpreted, etc., and it helps us know what to further clarify, etc.
Then after Matthew looks it over, the Grapevine hits the big-time: on to Mama and Peter for their approval. Then we wait for the lone intercom beep (that's Mama; everyone else beeps twice). It's such a relief to hear her say, "Praise the Lord, girls! This Grapevine was terrific! So interesting!" (Whew!) And once her and Peter's suggestions, additions or subtractions have been incorporated, the Grapevine is practically home free.
(Yvonna:) With three days left on our Grapevine calendar, Jenna sends me the so-far finished product for layout. Meanwhile, at her desk the process is beginning all over again, as she categorizes the incoming contributions in prep for the next issue. For me, it's time to drop everything, reach for my FTT comp, and get in gear for the master challenge of transforming endless columns of text into an eye-catching, appealing format. Hold it
"Jenna, are you crazy?!? There's no way we're going to fit 17-18 pages of text into 12 pages!" "Of course we can, just squeeze it in." (My threats to drop something begin.) "Okay, you can drop the think deep." "That's not going to help much." "I know you can do it, girl." "If this keeps up, we'll need to invest in magnifying glasses for the Homes ... ." As always, with her support and determination, it works out fine.
After layout, our now more en vogue pub goes to Joseph Reader, who pores over each word for typos and misprints that somehow managed to slip by all the other hands. -- And this guy is good! When it comes to proofreading, he catches almost everything (he wasn't named Reader for nothing!). He also checks to see that the graphics and fonts are in order, so all the NPCs have to do is open the file and print it. Then your newspaper is off to the NPCs! -- On the 1st and 15th of every month, rain or shine!
So that's the story! Gotta run now this issue was due on the desks of the pre-proofers an hour ago! Oops! We love you!
[Fact box: Tidbits: The "most contributed to" Grapevine sections are probably: feedback, find-a-friend, cute kids, what's up, and revealing commentaries on the following issues: movie ratings, TS/DO, and single parents. Our recent "cool talk" exchange from Kenya has been climbing the charts too. We've gotten 338 comments/reactions from the field about the Grapevine. 321 have been positive, and 17 have been negative (or what we prefer to term "constructive criticism").]
Grapevine factoids:
-- 0-1 A.G. (Anno Grapevinae)
Total Grapevine issues: 24
Total Grapevine pages: 284 (A4 - equiv. to 568 GN pages)
Total articles published in the Grapevine to date: 1,436
Total word count (24 Grapevine issues): 349,570
E-mail messages received to date: 1,269
Regular Grapevine feature sections: 41
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ladies and gents
two teens say: We think girls shouldn't label all boys as being "unloving" or not so "gentlemanly," 'cause not all boys are the same. They should be more considerate when guys try to be nice to them; just to be loving and to accept their love won't hurt 'em.
-- a junior and a senior teen, Colombia
she said: I really liked Toby's article (Grapevine #20, Gents and Ladies [About girls stereotyping boys as sex-mongers, thus hindering the developing of simple friendships or getting to know someone of the opposite sex.]). It explains a day-to-day fact. If we all could try our best to keep in check the comments that go around, it would take some pressure off those in question and allow any feelings to arise if the Lord moves in that way. After all, there's nothing wrong with it. I understand why it's harder to fellowship while on a walk than in private places. Words are real things and being in public almost always brings in a third opinion. True, we should not be fearful of the opinions of others, but, hey, I'm human! Let's make it easy for each other to be good.
PS.: Toby, thanks for including your name.
-- Tabitha (23), Brazil
he said: There are so many nice girls out there on the mission field, looking for a nice guy. Am I right? This may surprise you, but there are also a lot of cool dudes looking for nice girls. Right guys? (Right!) So what do you say why don't we get it together! I'm not talking about marriage, but you can do that too. What I'm saying is: Why don't we mix (Oh no, change!) some of these "boys" and "girls" Homes together? I'm sure we could balance it out if we tried. Are we gonna get it together or what? Or we can just keep living like a bunch of nuns and monks. (No thanks, man, that's really not the vision!) So let's "just do it"... now!
-- Mike Eric (16), Romania
she said: In Grapevine #18, someone said: "It's sweet when guys are there when you need them. Whether it's to help with a heavy load, or just for a hug. I've known a few guys like that and their little acts of love and kindness are unforgettable." That's really true! I have always lived in Homes with boys, and there was only one time I received a hug when I really needed it, but I remember it perfectly. It would be nice if more guys would be like this one guy that gave me a hug three years ago, when he saw I was going through trials, which was so special to me. GUYS, get out of yourselves and leave your pride aside and be more affectionate with us girls -- and we will too!
-- Anonymous girl (15)
he said: Dear "two YA girls in Russia," (Grapevine #16, Ladies and Gents; who commented that when it comes to the crunch, it's not just your computer knowledge or how well you play basketball that counts.) I heartily agree with your comment, not being too good at basketball myself! I wish (and believe a good deal of other single guys would agree) that more girls had that same attitude. But it is often all too easy to notice that the "flamboyant" and "sporty" type of guys seem to attract a great deal more attention -- and women -- to themselves, than those of us who are more on the quiet side.
The truth is, everybody has something that they're good at. I wish that gents like us, who perhaps don't seem that "cool" on the outside, would not feel like we had to compete for the attention of the ladies that those who are great at lay-ups or lay-outs seem to get for all their showiness.
-- D. (21, male)
she said: I enjoy being a woman and doing things I think men would expect of me, things that are just common courtesy even in the System. Maybe I'm romantic and old-fashioned, but when I think of Dad, my image of him is that he is a real gentleman, and I think of melting in his love and presence. I believe he would want us to treat each other with gentleness, good manners -- and a lot of that is just plain love and caring.
I'd like to see more romance in the Family. It would be nice if our young men could get some training in how to be a gentleman and how to court a woman. These things are very meaningful to women, and little acts of thoughtfulness can enhance any type of relationship. It doesn't have to be overboard, but loving gestures, etiquette and gentlemanly words can have astounding effects, which can then overflow into close relationships with sweet or romantic gestures and acts.
Boys might notice that to be appealing to women, you don't have to be handsome. Gentlemanly qualities help a man to become more charming, and this is often the type of men that are popular. We don't have to reserve this kind of interaction for guests. It's nice to see it happening around you.
-- adult single mother
he said: She and I got together and we had a super good ! No, it's not what you're thinking. I'm talking about that nice, intimate "something" two people can have. -- A talk, of course, ha! I think that sincerely and deeply sharing what's on our hearts is one of the most precious experiences there is.
I do love, need and enjoy that wonderful physical encounter -- don't get me wrong -- but there's something to be said for the mutual baring of souls. I understand this can't be done pell-mell, but if and when the opportunity arises, I find it to be a great uniting factor. There's so much we can learn from one another, no matter what the differences between us. This is what makes us different from the rest of the world -- the fact that two people, a generation apart, can be friends and have so much in common.
I've lived behind the scenes for many years, and one of the sacrifices was that we didn't have young people living with us. Now, thank the Lord, some of you brave souls have stepped out and joined us, and what a blessing that is! Some of you are probably thinking: "This old guy, we know exactly what he's so happy about!" Well, do you really want to know? Take a guess at what I'm most thankful for since young people joined us? Friendship is the right answer. It didn't happen overnight; we all had to learn lessons about relating to each other, but I now feel blessed and privileged to have made some very dear new friends.
The point I'd like to make is: If there happens to be an FGA in your Home who shows interest in you, maybe he's interested in getting to know you. Be friends! Give that person the benefit of the doubt, be they male or female, and don't be afraid to have a heart-to-heart talk for fear of what it might lead to, because beautiful lessons can be learned from one another and sweet friends can be made.
-- FGA male, WS
she said: I definitely agree with Toby about how some people think guys are only after sex (see Grapevine #20). I've known guys whom I could basically talk about anything with, with neither of us feeling that the other person was "coming on" to us. It was totally a friendship thing, and it was nice to have a change from always hanging out with girls. Not all guys are "sexmongers," and they should not be generalized; it's almost like labeling people. On the other hand, there have been guys that had "one-track minds." I much prefer the other type; when you can feel it's a friendship-type thing and nothing more to it. (PS.: I still enjoy having boyfriends and so on. I'm not some kind of weird person who keeps guys at a distance, etc., just to clarify.)
-- female, 17, Europe
Happy Birthday, Mama!
There once stood a palace in country fair
Where lived a king and a beautiful queen.
They ruled with a hand that was loving and firm,
Yet they were humble and their task often unseen.
The queen was beautiful and gracious,
With a smile like a soft summer breeze,
A loving and gentle demeanor,
And eyes deep and clear as the seas.
They daily communed with their Creator
And passed on all to the sheep of the land,
And the people were strengthened and nourished
By the jewels that fell from their hand.
And onward they led the people,
Brought them near to the Creator's side,
They opened new mysteries of the Kingdom,
And helped them become His Bride.
And when the people went through dark times,
The queen's love shone like a torch in the night,
Rallying the nations against the forces of evil,
Calling them to rise up in prayer and to fight.
Then the King went forth from his beautiful Queen
With a royal embassage of love,
To inspire and encourage the people
With words from the Creator above.
Then a glorious day came around once more,
Commemorating the day of her birth,
Celebrating the joyful occasion
When she made her arrival on earth.
A joyful shout rose in the air,
And the bells with joy were ringing,
A great celebration was now at hand,
And all the people were singing:
"Happy birthday, dear Queen Maria!
To serve you we truly are blessed.
May He bless you as this new year is dawning,
And grant you His strength, joy and rest."
Then the Creator looked down from Heaven above,
At His Queen who was ever so near,
And said, "I honor you now on this day of your birth,
For I'm yours and I hold you so dear."
"Happy Birthday, dear Queen Maria!
You have given Me every part,
I renew My pledge of love to you,
For you are always held close to My heart."
-- Lisa (18), Hungary
thanking
(From the Heaven's Library editors:) Andrew Grace (USA), Andrew Greeneye (USA), Daniel Sky (HCS), Delight (of Abner), Italy, John F. (USA), John Morning (Bangkok), Peter Picture (HCS), Ray Jolly (Japan), Sara (of David), BI, Sparrow (Thailand SC), Tommy French (Thailand), Angela and Celeste (of Aaron and Joy), Colombia, Mark (of Victoria) India, Pandita (Hilltop, Japan), Rejoice Evermore (EN491), Steven Ascribe (LJH, Japan), Suzi Branch (Pakistan), Isaac BI (EN417).
feedback
A big thank you to Ben G. and TJ for the song "Never Alone" on Bold 'n' Brave. It's magic and there's something electrical in it (other than the guitar, of course!). Sound symphony! Hearers' delight! Give us more!
-- Meekness (27), Africa
Destined is really cool. I especially like "You're My Light." I love it when you guys make teen-style music with all that rap in it. It makes me think I never want to leave the Family. I love it!
-- Jasmine (12, of Zach and Lydia Lightman), Thailand
I think we need more of our older musicians to record songs. Simon, all your latest songs have been hits! Thank you immensely!
-- a satisfied customer in Thailand
It's nice to hear quality musicians that produce good songs and have awesome voices like Simon Black singing "You're My Light" and "Lady Maria" on Destined. He sticks to his own style and is original with his melody and lyrics.
-- Cecy (19), USA
[Cute Kids Comic: Jenny (4) was sitting on the porch with her dad and I watching the storm. After the first big flash of lightning, she looked up at us with big eyes. "Daddy, Daddy!" she said, "God just took a picture of us!" -- courtesy of Joy Rose (21), U.S.A.]
[Fruit of the Loom/Fruit of the Grapevine comic]
[Day in the Life of the Grapevine comic]
Shine On:
TEAMWORK
Per Adult
Total
SOUL SHINERS FOR JUNE '97
Samuel/Rosita, Mexico
1,000
2,000
Bartholomew/Candelaria, U.S.A.
800
4,000
Pablo E., Chile
728
2,185
James/Anna/Martin/Amy, Brazil
502
3,017
Ezequiel/Rejoice/Jonathan, Brazil
500
2,500
David/Alma, Mexico
358
717
Francisco/Kitty, Bolivia
230
690
Martin/Nina/Sebastian/Esther, Italy
214
1,070
Cid Larson/Serena/Isaac Larson, Mexico
213
1,067
David/Promise, Costa Rica
210
630
POSTER SHINERS FOR JUNE '97
Michael/Maria, Japan
1,600
3,200
Andrew/Lily/Franz/Mary, Kenya
1,583
9,500
Ben Fisher/Harvest Gold, U.S.A.
1,310
2,620
Timothy/Rejoice/Dove, U.S.A.
1,032
7,225
Abner/Esther/Andrew/Katie, South Africa
1,000
6,000
Chris/Lena, Japan
947
2,843
James/Claire, Japan
904
4,524
Jonathan/Clare, Japan
895
3,581
Mark/Maria/Marianne/John, Slovakia
825
4,950
Abner/Promise
824
1,649
TAPE SHINERS FOR JUNE '97
Pablo E., Chile
226
679
Michael/Lisa, Switzerland
212
638
Tim/Vicky/Rebecca/David, Chile
165
825
Samuel/Claire/Maria/Cid/Serena, Mexico
83
415
David/Madalena/Francisco/Joana, Brazil
78
394
Seth Fre/Lily Fre/Laura/Peter, U.S.A.
60
301
Andrew/Crystal/Angela/Maureen/Gabriel, U.S.A.
58
350
Christopher/Gentleness Newman, Mexico
55
221
Jonatan/Clara/Abner/Felicidad, Colombia
54
217
Steven/Rose, Switzerland
47
95
VIDEO SHINERS FOR JUNE '97
David/Esperanza/Santiago, Peru
54
216
Emanuel/Rubi/Pablo/Teresa, Ecuador
42
212
Francisco/Paloma/Victoria, Ecuador
41
247
Cephas/Clara, Brazil
36
73
Jimmy/Joy, Taiwan
33
66
Johannes/Cielo/Timothy/Jeremy, Brazil
27
110
Abe/Joanna, Peru
27
110
John/Claire, Taiwan
26.5
53
Matthew/Micah, Taiwan
26.4
132
Miguel/Paloma/Ester, Brazil
26.0
104
[End]
Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family