the grapevine
(Issue #26; September 1, 1997)
(CM/FM)
Copyright 1997 by The Family
The Grapevine
PO Box 4938
Orange, CA 92863 USA
e-mail: grape@ibm.net
The Grapevine consists of news and views from Family members, and is not intended to reflect WS policy.
Suggested reading age for this publication is JETTs and up. Parents or shepherds may read with or allow portions to be read by younger ages, at their discretion.
kidbits
* Kevin Alladin, born to Jacintha and John Fighter.--India
* Jessica Alexandra, 12th child born to Glory and Jonathan on June 29th.--USA
* Yoshinori (boy), born to Joy and Dust on July 4th.--Japan
* Anthony and Jonathan, born to Libertie and David on July 6th and 7th.--Japan
* Julia Noelle, born to Christina and Art on July 11th.--Japan
* Casey Brandon, 2nd child, born to Nina and Mike on July 16th.--USA
* Alysha Nicole, born to Sharon and Jamie (YAs) on July 18th.--Japan
* Baby boy (no name given), born to Meek on July 29th.--USA
* Amelie Claire, born to Chantal and Thomas (SGA) on August 29th.--Thailand
expecting
* Sarah (of John Newheart) is pregnant with #10!--Canada
* Marie (18, of Zacc and Paloma On Call) and Mike (YA) are expecting their first baby on August 27th. They are engaged and will be getting married this month.--USA
tidbits
new disciples
* Michael Daniel Fisherman (38, Japanese), joined in Japan
* Pietro Mini (28, Italian), joined in Australia
status change
--FM to CM
* Sophia Jo (17, Japanese; of Elisha and Libertie/FM), Japan
* Miguel (17, Japanese; of Gideon and Joan/FM), Japan
* Aaron (17, Australian; of Aaron and Abi), Australia
* Raquel (Bruni, 19), Fabio (20), Clara (16), and Michelle (14), Brazil
* Philip (18) of Martin and Esther, Germany.
* Timothy Adams (22, Ukranian), Europe.
world news
highlights from around the world
-- I've been in touch with Prince Romanov (descendant of the dynasty that ruled Russia before the Communist Revolution) about some CTP areas we can work together in, as he's into getting hearing aids for Russian children with hearing difficulties. As a result, Gideon and I were invited to a special evening tour on the rooftop of the Hermitage Palace (former Imperial palace in Petersburg and now a famous art museum). It's the first time they ever let people up there, and they only invited 30 people. We had a special meeting with the director of the Hermitage, and we hope to be working more closely with these two men.--Nat, Russia
-- David Icke (writer of anti-New World Order books) came to Sydney to give seminars. Paul was able to witness to him and give him a package of PENs and Statements.--Paul, Joy, Sarah and Angela, Australia
-- One congressman has come over twice this month for fellowship and to study the Word with us. Another congressman has asked us to give him Daniel classes.--John T., Brazil
-- Our kids' singing group performed at the Sheraton for the Independence Day celebrations four days in a row. The response was overwhelming. A reporter from Delhi's most widely read newspaper interviewed us. This year being India's 50th anniversary of independence made this a very big deal. The kids also performed for the Grand Flag Unfurling Ceremony on the night of the 14th.--Delhi Service Home, India
moving missionaries!
Mexico - This month we arrived in Mexico! It's a tremendous victory living such a simple lifestyle, and it immediately had a very positive effect on our children.--Servant and Seek
Mexico - We arrived here one month ago, inspired by the Letters "Mexico, a Needy Mission Field" and "Will You Answer the Call?" We were a little nervous about leaving the plush field of the US and having to struggle on a more fruitful but more difficult field. The Lord certainly has kept His promise to us to supply our every need!--Nehemiah and Sara
El Salvador - We finally arrived at our new destination: El Salvador! What a beautiful country!--Juan, Marie and Eric B.
think deep
Maturity doesn't come with age; it comes with acceptance of responsibility.
pioneering
Uzbekistan
(From Gideon:) We were able to spend a full month in Tashkent. It's a beautiful place and the people are sweet and sheepy. Maria and I got visas through a part-time job teaching English six hours a week. While in Tashkent we were invited by three teenagers (punk rockers) to go camping and hiking for two days by a lake close to Tashkent. It was a good opportunity to teach them the Word and get close to them, as they were very hungry.
Indonesia
(From Indonesia Service Home:) Our teen/YA road team returned safely after a fantastic faith trip driving all the way through Central Java, then taking the ferry to Bali. They had a blast personal witnessing to the hundreds of travelers and vacationers sprawled along the beautiful beaches, as well as reaching many precious locals with the posters, tapes and salvation message! They provisioned some fun outings as well, such as whitewater rafting (for their team of 15!) and had loads of fun! They also visited both of the Family pioneer Homes in the area, and showed the delegates' meeting videos. The teens had a witnessing storm, getting out nearly 3,000 posters and winning over 560 souls!
Croatia
(From Ray Swiss:) Imagine driving into an area where for hundreds of kilometers you see nothing but destruction, and almost each person you talk to has lost at least one loved one. If you speak German or English, you'll find plenty of broken people who are willing to pour out their hearts to you. They also desperately need material help.
A team of seven went on a three-day trip to Bosnia to bring humanitarian aid. We first visited Cazin, where the Family has been helping to bring supplies to an organization who is caring for the 1000 orphans. We passed on lots of donated clothing and food. The next day we went to Petrovac, where the Family had done some free concerts. We had an orthopedic leg and hospital uniforms, which we donated to a needy hospital. Many people lost their legs during the war, and some still do, as there are millions of mines still scattered about.
On our way out of Bosnia, we stopped by a village in ruins to take some photos, when some bedraggled children walked out of the ruins. We ended up giving them our last bit of food and baseball caps. They were so thankful. The Bosnian people need you!
studio news
BLAST
(From Pedro:) A recent exciting challenge at BLAST was putting the final touches on and mixing the last four songs of the Latin CD before mastering it. After that we worked on three songs for a "Loving Jesus" tape in Spanish and Portuguese. Paulo recorded a new version of "Oh Bom Senhor" and two brand new loving Jesus songs the Lord gave him recently in Portuguese. We'll have to postpone the finalization of this tape until after August, as we've now launched into full-fledged Christmas productions.
By the end of August we hope to finish the Portuguese version of Christmas Treasures, as well as an enhanced (in quality, with a few revamps and new recordings) Los Mejores Villancicos (Best Christmas Carols), a Spanish tape we worked on in '88, and that at NACRO's request we're including on our BLAST July/August agenda. We're presently producing a number of CDs in Spanish here in Brazil, which entails mastering them at BLAST. Daniel Steven, who's not a BLAST resident musician anymore, having gone with dear Flor and their two children to a field Home where they are being a super blessing, has helped to make that a reality.--Thanks Daniel!
Uncharted (GP tape; compiled from FTTs)
--coming soon to a tape recorder near you
side a
1. Your Love Takes Me Higher (3:50)
2. They Got the Money (3:36)
3. The Famine (5:10)
4. Johnny's Shoes (3:20)
5. Uncharted Seas (4:02)
6. Psychic Waste (3:19)
7. 'Til the End of Time (6:28)
side b
8. Heaven Beyond Tomorrow (4:24)
9. Professor of Love (3:44)
10. Are You Ever Lonely? (2:55)
11. Friend of a Broken Heart (5:14)
12. No More War (4:10)
13. Out of the Darkness (4:29)
14. Please Call Home (4:45)
brotherhood
Indonesia
(From Peace [of John P.]:) This month Marie, John P. and I conducted a nine-day junior teen/JETT camp for a total of 28 attendees from around the country. Other attending shepherds included Steven (of Faith), Dove SGA, Marie (of Tim), Divina, Tim SGA, Paul (of Crystal), Mariko YA and Virginia (senior teen). During the camp we showed portions of the delegates' and Summit meeting videos. The teens and JETTs were very thankful to be able to partake of the wonderful counsel and input from the Lord, Mama and Peter.
The camp was a wonderful success, a time of feeding from His new living Word, learning to wield the "new weapons," praising the Lord, loving Him and each other, and finally, making a renewed commitment to Him. It was amazing to see the Lord pour down His gifts on many of the JETTs and teens who had never prophesied before. Before the camp was over, many had begun receiving prophecies for themselves and others during their morning and evening prayer times.
USA
(From Ahlai:) At the end of August we will be holding our first Family Camp on the East Coast. Over 400 Family members have already registered to attend! We have invited a number of famous Family musicians (SGA and FGA), along with our DC Band and Show. We hope to compile an audio tape of some of the live music we will be enjoying there, as well as a two-camera live mix to capture the highlights of our gathering.
Mexico
(From Jason, NACRO:) The original idea for the "Mini-Kamps" we've been holding was to keep them small and "local"--for one or two cities at a time. But our recent camp outgrew its name. Word got around, and Homes all over northern Mexico asked if their young people could come. The result: 34 JETT and teen attendees! We had a lot of activities packed into our three days and three nights together. One adult from every area was involved, either as staff or as a room shepherd.
Another key at these camps has been to go personal witnessing together. On our "Soul Winning Attack" in Guadalajara, we teamed up an adult, YA or senior teen with a JETT or junior teen. We offered a prize for the soul shiner for the day, and these guys just rolled! Sometimes we underestimate our JETTs, but when the challenge was placed before these guys, they practically pulled us along. I went with two JETT boys, and towards the end of the afternoon they hardly let anyone pass without giving them a tract and trying to get them saved.
At the recent Monterrey camp, we all packed into a motor home and a few vans, and descended on a large downtown walking street/park. Again, the kids really shone, and we won 359 souls in two hours. The witnessing was the payoff for all the Word and classes that we were pouring into them, and it helped them realize that witnessing is what everything else is for.
Being able to do fun and exciting things alongside our younger brothers and sisters really lights my fire! I know the more that we SGAs and FGAs jump in together to help, the more disciples within our ranks we are going to see "joining"! TYJ!
legal and media
Europe
(From Gideon and Rachel:) We attended the religious liberty conference held in Paris at the beginning of August, organized by the Rutherford Institute (an international legal and educational organization specializing in the defense of religious freedom). We met a number of lawyers, and followed up on many academics that we already knew.
We found that talking about our own lives and children and showing our pictures touched people's hearts and showed them that we are "normal"--not that having 12 children is exactly normal, ha! We passed out information packs and witnessed quite a bit. People were genuinely interested in our spiritual beliefs, and several were touched personally.
Brazil
(From SACRO:) In August Globo TV began to advertise that their weekly investigative reporting magazine program, "Globo Reporter," would cover the subject of sects in Brazil. Though it did have a negative spot about the Family, mostly rehashing old lies and distortions, generally, the whole program was weak and extremely "tabloidish." We rejoiced at how the Lord answered our prayers to bring it to naught, and saw His wisdom in showing us not to give them an interview, as with no fresh material on us to distort, there was quite little they could say against us. PTL!
what's up?
Computers fall through
SACRO
(From SACRO:) After having received confirmation from a multinational computer company on the approval of a large donation that would have provided computers for most of our South American Homes (as reported in Grapevine #7), the company contacted us to say that due to a recent severe financial cutback, it will not be able to carry through on its pledge. The brother who has been ministering to the people in this company will continue to follow up on the director, who said we could send a letter of request next year, although he couldn't make any promises. We know that there's a Romans 8:28 in everything and that our loving Husband doesn't take anything away without giving something better. Please continue to pray with us for His supply of good computers for all our Homes, which will facilitate their jobs and communications and provide access to the HomeARC.
Academic credits prophecy
USA
(From Marc and Claire:) An academic who is writing a book about the Family mentioned to us that he has reread several times the prophecies Mama and Peter sent him, and he is amazed to see how the Lord has been guiding. He has already seen one of those prophecies fulfilled: The Lord indicated that his book should not be included in a series that a fellow academic wanted to put together, and shortly thereafter the series fell through. It was clear that it really wasn't the Lord's will that his book be included. He also said that he's been thinking and praying about possibly including something about these prophecies in his book. Regarding the appendix, where he will list the sources of the material in his book, he asked, "Shouldn't God's Word be included?"
Latvian persecution victories
Russia
(From David and Paloma:) Since our testimony came out in Grapevine #14 about the persecution we received in Latvia, including David and Samuel's imprisonment, the Lord has done many miracles that we would like to share with you.
When still in Latvia, we prayed about why the Lord would allow this persecution and hardship, and He told us that He wanted our light to shine in high places so He could be glorified. For 1 years we lived in a simple Russian flat, and only our friends knew about our missionary work. During the persecution, I had to relate to our home country's consul all of the things we've done in Latvia and show him the documents to prove it (thank-you letters, photos, videos, etc.). He could see the uncooperative attitude on the part of the Latvian authorities, so he communicated our situation to the Foreign Affairs department in Spain.
That same week the summit meeting of the Vienna-based OSCE (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe) was held, to which more than 50 countries of Europe and Asia belong. The OSCE and the Spanish government put pressure on the Latvian government to free us. It certainly reached high places! The president of Latvia was also aware of our situation.
Upon our arrival in Sweden, our consul was sweet and respectful of our work. When he saw our presentation album, he was amazed and asked our permission to make photocopies he could show to others.
Two months later the Spanish government received an official apology from the department of Foreign Affairs in Latvia, stating that they were sorry for the incident and that we had not committed any crimes. It was a great victory that they acknowledged our innocence. We sent a letter to the Latvian president, letting him know of our work in Latvia and how everything ended up. So out of a seeming defeat came a big witness!
During our time in Sweden, the Lord supplied housing, furniture, funds to pay for the baby's birth, dental work, all our family's needs for shoes and clothing (13 of us!), and all our baby needs--plus our daily living. We left Sweden by the end of March to join Jan, Eva and their four children in Astrakhan (southern Russia), a city by the Caspian Sea. God bless the three Homes in Japan, one in the USA and the Tenerife Home who sent us donations!
Our team in Astrakhan has four adults, one YA, one teen and 13 children. Our support is 100% by faith. If you would like to support us, please send gifts via your TRF. We are so proud to belong to this special Family!
Canadians moving on
USA
(From Ahlai:) Nearly every Home and family we visited in Toronto have a vision and goal of getting to a foreign mission field. They are convinced that it is the Lord's will, and have prophecies to back them up. There are large teams, YAs or whole families in Toronto that, Lord willing, will be arriving in India, Africa, Japan, Brazil, Mexico and Vietnam this year. It was encouraging to see the older generation teaming up and heading out with the SGAs--all very energized and on the attack.
Dad, the most radical and energetic of all, got his "second wind" and started the Revolution at about our age, when many outside folks are about to retire. What a guy and prophet! He set the example for us, and the Lord is giving us the same message today in Letters such as "Will You Answer the Call?"
Educational conference
Pakistan
(From Gideon:) A special panel discussion regarding education was to be held in a large auditorium in our city. The five panelists would each present a short lecture in their field of specialty, and then the floor would be opened to the audience for a question and answer session. The first four seats were to be filled by some of the most prominent names in the education field in our country. The Family was asked to fill the fifth seat!
I gave a short talk on early learning techniques, in which I explained the importance of the first years in a child's life, and gave a simple explanation of how to teach reading and encyclopedic knowledge to young children. The audience and panelists were quite impressed with the fact that implementing such a program would be relatively easy in this developing nation, where the literacy rate is only at 30%.
To conclude my short talk, I called my four-year-old daughter up from the audience. Joyanne sat on my lap in front of the microphone, cracked open an encyclopedia and began to read fluently. Needless to say, it was the "proof of the pudding."
Lice and lemonade
Russia
(From the Petersburg Homes:) Over the last couple years we have gone to the Lord about our projects, plans and ideas. This has led us to fruitful projects. Now we dare not make a serious move without consulting the Lord. We also pray about smaller decisions: what to do about a certain sheep; when someone should make a trip, should we get involved in a certain ministry, etc. When the Lord puts His seal of approval on something and we follow through, the project is guaranteed to work.
Someone wanted to give us a huge shipment of lice treatment, but sadly, we discovered we would be unable to import it due to government regulations. The MOP says, "When life hands you a lemon, try to figure out how to make lemonade." We figured our experience with this setback was typical and maybe other organizations would benefit from our experience in learning what can and cannot be imported and how to go about it. The Lord showed us that by training other organizations about humanitarian aid processes via a seminar, our "Consider The Poor" efforts would be multiplied. The seminar went very well.
Yesterday a European Union organization asked us to do an entire series of seminars throughout the year for charities. Prince Dmitry Romanov, descendent of the czars and heir to the Russian throne, wants the aid manual we're producing for his humanitarian aid projects.
If the Lord has led your Home to provision material that can be used for humanitarian aid to benefit the poor and needy, and you would like to work with a Home in Russia, please contact Nat. E-mail: family@thefamily.spb.su.
babymania
The First Nurse
[Episode 2 in the "Foolish Blunders of Our Past" Collection.]
In my zealous pre-baby reading of the Childcare Handbook, I noticed a clause explaining that a baby's regular feed on the breast lasts about 40 minutes (20 minutes per side). This outstanding fact froze in my mind, and somehow I failed to encase it in the other balancing factors also found within the same book.
When Kimberly was born, during my initial breast-feeding attempts I naturally deduced that I'd better let her suck long enough to get all the food that she must need. (She was obviously voraciously hungry, right?--I mean, look at her suck!!)
Suffice it to say that by the end of the first day, my nipples were so sore that I was crying at the thought of siccing the little chomper onto them again!--And with only colostrum coming out at that point, she couldn't get enough and would have sucked all day if I'd have let her!
Relief came at last with the suggestion that I give her only one breast at each feeding. That way each breast would get more recuperation time. That really helped! I also got ahold of some pure lanolin which I put on my nipples after every feed, and that kept them from cracking or bleeding.--They were pretty sore for a good two weeks though.
Moral: Start your voracious darling off with just five minutes or so of sucking on each breast, and work up to longer feedings slowly! But you can't always satisfy them with five minutes on the breast; sometimes they need more than that and basically demand it. Another wise alternative is to prepare the nipples before birth like Dad teaches in the Letters. (See also: CCHB 1, pg. 310-321,325.)
Exploring Cuba
(From Jasper and Juan:) Imagine that you live in a mansion with exquisite Roman architecture, sculpted ceilings, stained glass windows, and hand-painted Spanish tiles on the floor. You are a university graduate with a degree in medicine, and you teach at the university hospital. You work six days a week, including one 24-hour shift each week. But because you earn only $24 a month, your house hasn't been repaired or painted for over 30 years. One gallon of paint costs half your monthly paycheck.
The water heater broke down 10 years ago so you have no hot water, and the water you do have is cut off at 7 p.m. To save on matches, there's a live wire next to the gas stove attached to a ballpoint pen, which, when scratched on the metal burner, produces a spark and ignites the gas so you can cook. If you have a TV, there are only two channels and the shows are nightly from 7 to 11, showing old movies and state news (except on Saturday when they broadcast two "recent" releases). Hopefully your house is big enough that if one of your children get married they can stay with you--otherwise they have to wait to get married because there is no new housing available.
Vehicles from the '50s and '60s are predominant on the roads, except for an occasional Russian model from the '80s. Mass transportation consists of large tractor-trailer trucks transporting 200 people at a time. The locals sometimes call them the "Saturday night movie" because while riding in them you may be subject to violence, sex, and profanity--plus a few chickens here and there.
The government rations supply the bare basics, but a bartering system also exists. During our stay with one family, a student came to visit his teacher, bearing gifts of three filets of meat and two bars of soap. In another family's home, a pig was slaughtered and divided between family, friends, and neighbors. Survival depends on your relationship with others and sharing what you have.
More than 500,000 Cubans have university diplomas. All education, all medicine and all medical care are free. There is one doctor per every 500 inhabitants, but medical supplies and equipment are scarce. The hospital we visited had one 20-year-old ultrasound machine that is used for the prenatal check-ups of 6,000 women per year. The delivery room has no air conditioning, and disposable instruments and equipment must be used again and again; hospital bedding and food must be supplied by the patient.
Some 13- and 14-year-old girls offer themselves as prostitutes to tourists to help supply their family's basic needs. Desperation has even forced some men to pimp for their wives. Despite their dire conditions, they are a cheerful people; the Cubans' sense of humor is second to none.
This is what we saw during our 14-day exploratory trip. We are excited about the possibilities for humanitarian aid and spreading the Gospel to the 12 million people living 90 miles south of the U.S. We met with public health officials and the chief gynecologist of the only maternity hospital for a city of over 300,000 people to discuss humanitarian aid for them. We stayed with Cuban families most of our trip, spending only three nights in a guesthouse. We talked to many young adults who had never seen a Bible, nor heard the story of Jesus, etc.
We spoke to a psychiatrist who had attempted to leave Cuba by boat, only to find that his navigation was off and he had circled the island. Apprehended by police, he was thrown in jail for his attempt to escape. In his cell there was a Christian who, despite the near-total darkness, read the Bible to him by moving the book back and forth following a pin-hole of light coming through the door. Through the words read to him, the psychiatrist had a salvation experience and now leads a Bible study group of seven.
A 29-year-old architect and sold-out communist party member told us that she was too old to start believing in God. However, after hearing Juan's testimony about receiving the Lord at 43 years of age, she held hands with us to pray the salvation prayer.
We witnessed to two young prostitutes (ages 15 and 16), who readily accepted the Lord with us and said that the New Testament we gave them was the best gift they had ever received. Two days later, I received a telephone call from the parents of one of the girls. They told me the Bible was having a profound effect in their daughter's life, and invited us to stay with them on our next trip. Like many others we met, they begged us not to forget them. We witnessed to more than 50 people, 23 of whom received the Lord.
We are planning another trip to Cuba. Would you like to be a part? You can make a difference by going with us or helping to support this project, either financially or with humanitarian aid. Add: 1715 E. Fowler #134, Tampa, Fl. 33612. E-mail: tamfam107@aol.com.
(From Josias, Sara and team:) For the last two years our Home has been sending teams into Cuba from Venezuela. The work is growing ,and there is now a colony of on-fire catacomb disciples and many sweet and precious friends in this receptive field. We regularly help a children's home for 78 kids (ages 0-12), bringing as many supplies as possible (donated baby bottles, diapers, plastic pants, shoes, and clothing) on every trip we make. After Hurricane Lili, a mother and daughter team took help to the island's interior. We were able to win many souls, and are already receiving responses via mail from people that received our lit.
Despite the tight government control, the Lord has allowed us to continue witnessing, and He is also strengthening the nationals who, in our absence, witness and study the Word together. On one trip, we left 1500 tracts with them that we were planning to pass out during future visits. On our next visit we found that our nationals had distributed them all and had printed more to continue witnessing. They excitedly told us the miracles the Lord did in providing the paper and a trustworthy person to print the tracts for them.
In December '96 the national airline for Cuba went bankrupt, making it nearly impossible for us to continue our ministry to Cuba from Venezuela. When hearing from the Lord, He showed us to pioneer a Home on a neighboring island: the Dominican Republic. Our scouting team found the people to be sweet, humble and friendly. There are beautiful white sand beaches with crystal blue waters. Nearly 50% of the DR people are poor, 35% are middle class, and the other 15% are rich. We wondered how we were going to base out of such a poor field, when we were already ministering to Cuba, which is very poor. But the Lord said to trust Him, so we began raising funds to move our entire Home there.
In only two weeks, our house-hunting team found a beautiful house, located in one of the richest sectors in Santo Domingo, for $900 a month. Between the two islands there are 19 million people. We are a small team of four adults, one YA, three teens and nine children, but we are learning that there is no limit to what the Lord can do if we follow Him!--And we are learning to work side by side with our young people and kids.
The owner of a bakery near our new house in the DR found out that our young people sing, and invited us to a neighborhood reception. At this gathering, Elizabeth, Linda Rosa, twins Miguel and Gabriel, David E. and Josias met a group of wealthy and influential people who liked our songs and invited us to their homes. We learned that one man is a personal friend of the chancellor. He told us he will take us to meet the chancellor and will ask him to please help us to get our resident visas. What a miracle!
If you can help our pioneer work, please let us know through the ABM. If you have items for our CTP work, we have a way to transport things from the US. (Editor's note: Any teams wishing to go to Cuba, please bear in mind that Cuba is a sensitive country, under SACRO's supervision.)
find-a-friend
-- James (FM, on recent Prayer List) would liketo correspond with Family members. Add: Giovanni Serrati, via Stelle Alpine 5, 20089 Rozzano MI, Italy. Tel: (+39)(0)2/8253717.
-- Marianne (13, of Ben and Hannah) would like to hear from Leilani (of Isaiah and Fe); knew you in Argentina. E-mail: standup4u@aol.com. Add: G. Madrigal, Apdo. 11-523, Mexico D.F. 06101.
-- Cristina and Gabriel Martinez Monje (Europe) and Daniel Romero (Chile), please contact Raquel Elena (of Josias and Sara). Add: Apartado Postal 4588, Oficina Central Sto. Domingo, Rep. Dom.
-- Joao (from Chile, of Samaria) that lived in Brazil around 1980-84, please write to Tania. Add: Rua Joao Negrao 45, Ap. 831 Curitiba - BR. 80010-200
-- Mary Harmony (now Sofie; American) needs to contact: Trinity River (Denise Anton), Francesco Freechild (Ed Rieli) and Tekoa Country.
-- Jonas and Ania (Polish) would like get in touch with Praise (FM, England, formerly of Mark). Add: Russia, 462421 Orsk 21, PO box 61; or through Russian ABM.
-- Windy A. (19, of John and Sarah) is looking for Jonathan Heart, who was going to Russia. I knew you in Toronto, Canada, in '93-'94. E-mail: mtv@iosphere.net.
-- Christie (Colombian) is looking for Pandita (Esther Chilena). E-mail: pas@mailcosapidata.com.pe.
-- Katrina Daysman and Daisy (of Isaac), please contact Sharon D. (your sister) immediately. E-mail: Richard-Pat@t-online.de, or the Swiss ABM.
"A shot of encouragement and inspiration "
--Reactions to Peter's recent visit to Russia
During the time I've been in Russia, I've always felt like we were so far out in the boondocks, and the folks in the States or places like that were getting all the attention 'cause it's more practical to have meetings there. To have Peter come all the way out here to these far-flung corners of the globe really makes us little missionaries feel important and needed.
--Charlene (18), Russia
The prophecies Peter shared during the meetings hit the nail on the head. They were just what I needed to give me the vision again to continue on in Russia. I recently moved to an all YA/SGA pioneer Home. My time here has been one of tests and trials, but also a time of learning to hear from the Lord for every step I make. I now have the gift of prophecy, which I didn't have before. I am so thankful for this new day of hearing from the Lord; I wouldn't be in the Family without it. The Word and hearing from the Lord has been the rope that has held me up through these tough times. I used to go through trials about having so much prophecy in the GNs, but now there isn't enough! I love hearing what the Lord has to say! It's absolutely far out!
--female SGA, Russia
These meetings were so much more than I bargained for; I'm so thankful for them! It's been like a shot of encouragement and inspiration to receive this counsel and guidance on every subject--from unity to Western influences to working with nationals, etc.
Russia has been such a blessing for me; it was everything I prayed for. It's been rough, but the blessings and witnessing opportunities far outweigh any sacrifices. It's made me an in-season and out-of-season Christian. After being in the States for a while, I had almost forgotten how to personal witness! I would often look back on the days when I was younger and we witnessed nonstop; our life was one long road trip, experiencing daily miracles of supply, etc. I started to look at it as a time in the past--"for the days of the disciples"--instead of making it happen again. I was so thankful to come here and realize that those days are not at all over--they've only begun!
--Reina (20), Russia
notices
CTP WEB sites available
Taiwan
(From Peter, Fruit-tree Home:) I have my own Virtual WEB Server on the Internet which I use for re-selling WEB space for support. I would like to use the server as much as possible for the Lord's work, and was wondering if any Homes (preferably in developing countries) are interested in having a WEB site for their local CTP ministry hosted on my server. You could design your own site, or I could do it for you. Your WEB site address would be: http://www.hiserve.com/YourSiteName. If you're interested or have any questions, please e-mail me: peter@hiserve.com.
I'm wondering
Q: I've written to a few of the addresses from "Free (or Almost Free) Teaching and Learning Aids" from EDX#3. All my letters were either returned, or I've gotten a letter stating that they are no longer putting up the offer. Here are some of them: "Your Body and How it Works," "Daily Guide to Good Eating," "Kids Are Cooks Too," "Bicycle Safety," "Hi, Bike Pilots," and "Christmas Carols."--Paula (16), Nepal
A: (From Kristy, Family Care:) Yes, our apologies to any of you who have written to the addresses put out in this pub. I myself wrote to many of the addresses (after the EDX was sent out), and received similar responses! You can safely assume that most of those addresses are outdated and no longer valid. So sorry!
Q: I've heard that some Homes are giving the Love Charter to outsiders. I know that the Charter is DFO, but is it okay to give it to friends and contacts that have only recently met The Family, or who don't know much about our work and lifestyle?
A: (From WS:) Yes, the Charter is a DFO pub, so you can lend or give it to your friends. Everything written in the Charter is what we believe and live by; we're proud of the constitution that the Lord has given us, and it's part of our sample and witness to those who are interested in knowing more about us, or who have questions about our way of life. It's a good testimony!
The Charter is also on your HomeARC and you can print out portions of it for interested friends and contacts as you feel led.
Q: In doing some health research, I've found out some interesting things that could be helpful for others. Where should I send this type of information?--Tim, Marina, Simon, Ruth, Japan
A: You can send it to the Grapevine! DV, we'll be kicking off a health column in the near future, so any and all health-related tips or facts are welcome. If you're sending in already published material, please include your sources/references (i.e., author; his or her credential as an M.D., naturopath, nurse, etc.; and the name of the publication). This column will be checked by a medical professional.
The Perfect Ones
--a spirit story testimony
Q: The new Perfect Ones story is amazing! Can we get some more information on how it was given?--Straight into a dictaphone? Or was it written under inspiration? Was the prophet a YA/SGA or an FGA?--Very Interested
A: The Perfect Ones is being received (it's not finished yet!) by Luke, an adult man and teamworker of a WS pubs unit. (You know, the guy with the dino on his desk in the Zine article on "Arty." See also Grapevines #2, 3, 24). Here's some insight from him on receiving this story:
(From Luke:) When I first read about spirit stories, I started getting the beginning of a scenario right then. I had been a fan of Sir Walter Scott in the past and I felt he was giving me this story, which he later told me was based on real events and some real people, although there was a bit of artistic license involved.
The story would be centered in southern France during the first part of the thirteenth century and would feature the Cathars. He told me that the five principal characters would be Malcolm the Scot; Guillaume the young French nobleman; the young Cathars Heloise and Guy; and Esme the gypsy girl. At that point I put the thing on hold, as it sounded like it was going to be a book rather than a short story. Indeed, my "fears" have been realized.
I have been a history buff ever since I can remember, and I have read quite a bit about this particular period of history. I knew about the main historical characters involved, and also I know a bit about the Cathars, their beliefs and life styles. Incidentally, I've felt the Cathars have gotten a raw deal from history and the fact that the only contemporary information about them has come largely from those who participated in their eradication, so is therefore of doubtful veracity. I was interested in what Sir Walter would have to say about them.
It was a little while later that I prayed up the courage to sit down and try to get the story--dictating into a tape recorder. It has generally been late at night when I have enough time to actually get quiet and do this. The story has come a chapter at a time, with one chapter taking between 45 minutes to an hour to receive. It just doesn't flow eloquently; sometimes I sit or lie there for quite a while with the dictaphone on pause waiting for the words to come, but they come eventually. On occasions it all comes quite fast and furiously, and with a bit of drama, but other times it comes in a rather halting monotone. I have felt at times at the end of a session that what I'd gotten seemed very lackluster, but I have usually been pleasantly surprised when I've read the transcript.
I have formed a bit of a bond with Sir Walter. Sometimes there is even a bit of conversation back and forth with him. I know that sounds a bit flakey, but it happens. Scott often had a Scotsman as the hero of his novels, and Malcolm, the central character, seems to be his favorite character in this story. At times his dialogue comes out in a Scot's accent. His brother's dialogue (sneak preview of coming events) comes through in a heavy Scottish brogue to the point that the transcriptionist, dear Jaz, has a hard time understanding what he is saying. We have asked Sir Walter to tone it down a bit.
An interesting character is Odo, the "mad bishop." Here Scott seems to have invented a character to epitomize all that was wrong with the Catholic Church of the period. The actual bishop of Toulouse at that time was a man called Foulquet, so why Scott didn't use the actual character I can only speculate.
One of the scary things is that I have no idea where the story is heading. Wondering what will happen is not just confined to the whole book, but rather each chapter, as when I start getting a new chapter, I generally have no idea as to what will transpire. It has also been interesting that each chapter ends as a bit of a cliffhanger so that I want to come back and ask for more.
After the tape is transcribed by Jasmine and she does all the hard work of punctuating it, I go over it. Sometimes I run into spots that need elaborating on, clarifying or editing. I then pray and ask the Lord to lead and guide me in it. Once it is done, I turn it over to the tender mercies of the Heaven's Library editors and proofreaders, who often come up with more points that need clarifying or explaining, and ideas for fact boxes.
I hope this is helpful and inspires more of you to get these stories yourself. It is not all that hard. It certainly beats wracking one's own brain to try to come up with one! PTL!
mama's mailbox
Dear Mama,
In the past when I've been on visitation and would spend some intimate time with someone, I've been cautious not to come on too strong with loving Jesus and blow them away right at the beginning of the date. I would go slow, saying a few love words to Jesus here and there, and see how they would respond. If the response was positive, I would continue and kind of "build up" as we went along.
During the dates I had on a recent VS trip, I was so inspired to see the guys so enthusiastic about loving Jesus! I'd just barely get out my first love words to Jesus and they would be right there with so many sweet things to say to Jesus too! I've seen that many times people do like to try it, but are sometimes a little shy and afraid to do so with the ones they live with. I think that sharing with a VS helped them, as they expected that I would love Jesus and therefore weren't afraid to let it roll! I think it could be very disappointing if I were to share with someone and not bring Jesus into our time together. In the experiences I've had, it's only borne good fruit!
--a female SGA/VS
Dear Mama,
I am a Thai national. In the past some people made fun of us nationals because of our accent when speaking English, and then the children started copying it from the older ones. I am glad that becoming one with us Thais is being emphasized, so we can encourage people to speak Thai, and it will become a strength in the Home. I am learning to keep my eyes on Jesus, so that even if something looks bad, I am able to let it pass. Thank you, Peter and Mama, for being a good sample to us.
--C., Thailand
Dear Mama,
Recently I have heard of or seen a few situations which have broken my heart. Most have to do with a lack of love, or just plain selfishness. For example, someone in a nearby Home asked me if I knew of anyone who might want to come for just a month to help one of our dear mothers who is about to have her ninth baby and is quite sick. She is also having to take care of the other children, and her mate is out most of the time raising support. When I asked if it was possible for this mother's daughter to come down from another city to help her mother during this one-month period, I was told that the daughter had said that she didn't want to be in a Home with a lot of people and definitely not around kids.
Now perhaps this girl had some other reason, but the facts were that she is a single and her mother is sick, has seven other children, and is about to have a baby. This made me feel so bad, as after all our parents have done for their children, it seems the kids should at least be willing to lend a helping hand in a crisis time like this.
In a lot of the world, if a relative is needy or sick it is customary for in-laws to come and help, even if they live far away. At least they pull together to help. Part of it is respect; sometimes there are selfish motives, but for a great part it is just tradition and it is expected. I know there are times when teens can't help their parents, like when they are in another country or truly busy, but if there were a way they could help in situations like this it would be so loving and nice if there would be a bit more bending and giving to help each other.
(Editor's note: There might be cases where it wouldn't be the best for someone to travel a long distance to come to the rescue if they are involved in an important ministry or are very needed in their present Home. Perhaps there is someone else that the Lord is calling to help. We are all One Wife and should be our brother's keeper; maybe by letting the need be made known in the local area, it would be possible to find someone to take the responsibility of helping the mother or helping to fill the need, whatever the case may be.)
--an SGA VS
movie ratings
Movies Rated for Junior Teens and Up
MEN IN BLACK (1997)
Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones
Sci-fi spoof about two members of an ultra-secret agency known as the Men in Black, which polices intergalactic relations, who are on the trail of an evil alien bug. Light entertainment only. Be prepared for some weird/frightening alien monsters and repulsive concepts.
AIR FORCE ONE (1997)
Harrison Ford, Gary Oldman
Action thriller about a hijacking of the US President's aircraft, Air Force One. Contains scenes of violence, but also good samples of bravery and heroism.
JACK AND SARAH (1995)
Richard E. Grant, Samantha Mathis
Comedy/drama about a gruff businessman learning to cope and take care of his baby after his wife dies in childbirth, with a sweet portrayal of how a baby can change someone's life for the better. Could be suitable for some JETTs.
PASSION AND PARADISE (1989)
Armand Assante, Catherine Mary Stewart, Rod Steiger
Drama set in the Bahamas during WWII, about an American playboy who falls in love with the daughter of a British millionaire and soon finds himself on trial for murder. The movie is based on true events, and gives an interesting view of politics in the Bahamas at this time, although the conclusion about the murder culprits is speculation.
Movies Rated for JETTs and Up
CRY FREEDOM (1987)
Denzel Washington, Kevin Kline
Drama/character study based on the life of black South African activist Steve Biko and his friendship with a crusading white newspaper editor. Young viewers should beware of some scenes of violence.
PRINCESS BRIDE, THE (1987)
Cary Elwes, Robin Wright
Fairy tale/adventure about a beautiful young woman who is kidnapped and must be rescued by her dashing lover. Beware of several unpleasant scenes. Entertainment only.
Non-Recommended Movies
SEVEN (Brad Pitt, Morgan Freeman; 1995)
MICHAEL (John Travolta, Andie MacDowell, William Hurt; 1996)
movie reviews
Michael (starring John Travolta)
(Dad speaking:) This movie is an insult to the archangel Michael! The archangels of the Lord are not weak characters like the fellow in this movie. They are powerful because they are yielded and obedient to the Lord and they shine with His glory! If this movie were portraying a sort of wayward angel, maybe I would be more tolerant of this tale. But this movie could not be farther from the truth.
This movie is designed to belittle the power of God! Even unbelievers know that Michael and Gabriel are some of the Lord's most high ranking and mightiest angels! It's an absolute disgrace to portray Michael as a beer-drinking, soda-pop-guzzling, smokin'-like-a-chimney, sugar-eating slob.
This angel is murmuring the whole time about having to return to Heaven, of all things! The Lord puts desires in the hearts of angels to go and help out folks on Earth, and of course it's enjoyable for them, but they also enjoy Heaven! It's an honor to stand in the courts of the Lord, and you can be sure that no angel or archangel would belittle that. The movie doesn't leave you with a feeling of hope, of looking forward to Heaven, or of faith and trust in the Lord and His holy angels.
Although it does have its touching moments, some fun music, and it seems like just light entertainment, I don't see very many redeeming qualities in this movie. It's designed to break down faith and belief in the power of God.
Every Family member oughtta be praying with each movie they see, asking the Lord how it is conditioning the masses, and how they can choose the good and eschew the evil. Nowadays when you see something about angels, you have to pray and discern it, because not all the System's portrayals of angels are of the Lord--and this one certainly isn't. Watch and pray, beloved, and discern the signs of the times!
letters to the editor
#1: I love the new feature "Mama On ..." I just beamed when I saw it, as I was a real Grandpa Jewels fan! Those tiny tidbits so interested me, as they brought us precious peeks into the more personal life (likes, dislikes, CC tips, prayers and praises, etc.) of our dear king, prophet and Grandpa! You got to know neat things that they would never publish a whole GN on, nor was it some timely emergency that had to be an LNF, but just so many little bits and pieces that we loved so much! Great idea!
--Angie YA, Katmandu
#2: I deeply sympathize and agree with the person who wrote "Sad and mad" (see Grapevine #24). We YAs and SGAs carry a lot of responsibility, as the younger ones look up to--or at least try to mimic--our actions; they unfortunately especially pick up on the bad ones.
On the other hand, any kid that has grown up in the Family should have a strong enough foundation that if someone comes along and for a few short weeks uses a little foul language or maybe says a few divisive things, the kid is not going to throw all their background to the wind and start thinking about leaving the Family. I'm not minimizing the effect one person can have on another--but let's face it, not everybody's perfect; sooner or later our kids are going to run into what some might deem as less than desirable characters. The decision to be here in the Family is between each of us and the Lord, and everyone has to be personally convinced of it. I personally think it's cool to be in the Family; no amount of bad samples from my peers is going to change my mind. The Family is not only people, it's ideals--the Word, which never changes.
It's our natural human tendency to look at man and compare, and try to copy those who we admire and respect; but man is liable to fail. If we put all our chips on the hope that everyone's going to be a good sample, we're going to be frequently disappointed. Of course, the need for bellwethers is still very great, as it sure makes things easier when you've got support and someone on your side. We should all strive to be good samples, but more importantly, I think we need to be grounded in the Word.
--Spiro (19), Free Zine country
backtracking
(From WS movie rating team:) Made a mistake! Please scratch the following movie from the "watchable" section of Movie List '97. Thanks!
METRO (1997)
Eddie Murphy, Michael Rapaport
(From WS:) So that you won't have to wade through the endless shelves of bad movies in the video shops, it has been our desire to supply you with a sufficient number of watchable movies to enjoy on your movie nights. We're terribly sorry that this movie, which is not considered a watchable movie, mistakenly got listed.
We would also like to take this opportunity to reiterate that just because a movie does not appear on the not recommended list, that does not mean that WS feels it's OK to view. There's a vast number of horror, violent, foolish, and obviously non-edifying movies that we don't even bother to preview. So we recommend that as much as possible you stick with the movies listed in the Grapevine and WS movie lists. Thank you and God bless you!
(Editor's note:) Backtracking on our last backtracking!--Third time's a charm! Our apologies! To those interested in SWIFTing in Russia: the Russian ABM's correct e-mail address is: chip03@glasnet.ru.
your views on issues
FGAs and nationals
Mexico
(From Robin, VS:) I have seen beautiful fruit from FGA brethren from the States teaming up with Mexican nationals. When I went to visit my parents, I saw that they had taken in Lirio, a single mom with four kids, who was eight months pregnant. They had only been together for a short time, but it was obvious that they are just what each other needs. Lirio's kids haven't had much schooling but are so eager to learn; they are a joy for my dad to teach. My mom went out witnessing one day with Lirio and came back overflowing with testimonies. They work together so well and can appreciate the strengths of one another, which is such an encouragement to both!
When I visited Seek and Servant's Home, I had a chance to talk with all the young people on Boaz and Paz' team. They are precious on-fire young people, but haven't had very much input since joining the Family. They have a tremendous vacuum for all the love and shepherding that Seek can pour into them. When Seek prayed about taking them in, the Lord told her that they would be like a healing for her, as she has been discouraged by seeing some of her own kids leave the Family. So she is once again feeling the satisfaction of being loved and appreciated. I think this is a beautiful sample of the uniting of the generations and helping to fulfill one another's needs for love, appreciation, being needed, and feeling important to someone!
Regardless of CM or FM
Japan
(From Jo [17]:) I recently rejoined from FM status, and something I hear frequently being said amongst CMers is, "What a shame that so-and-so is going FM!" I realize that being CM is a special privilege, something that nothing in this world can even begin to compare with! I also realize that it's not for everyone, and I think it's wrong to assume that because a certain person is becoming an FMer it means that they're in a sense backsliding or stepping down or being demoted.
"Man looketh on the outward appearance, while God looketh on the heart." I can say from having been an FMer and seeing others, that there are many FMers who are giving their all and doing their best for the Lord; they are true disciples at heart. At the same time, sad to say, there are CM disciples who aren't as dedicated in their hearts. From experience, I can say that being an FMer, or even being temporarily out of the Family completely does not necessarily mean you're missing God's highest will for you. If I had been CM all my life, I wouldn't have been as dedicated or serious about my place in the Family as I am now, and I would have definitely taken it for granted.
Sometimes we look too much at a person's status, and thus overlook the Lord's overall plan. It's wrong to condemn people or even to pity them when they're going through things or are being humbled, because that's often what brings out the best in them; if their faith is real, it'll come out as purer gold!
Charity begins
Asia
(From an adult man:) It is very commendable to see the Family sacrificing their time and money and laying down their lives for CTP projects--even at the expense of their health and safety. I am a FMer, and after reading testimonies from different CTP works around the world, we decided to get involved with the already-established one in our area. But lately, I've been realizing that my Home has a lot of needs. To mention a few: a refrigerator, TV, VCR, living room furniture, electric fans, etc. So I decided to spend less time on CTP and work to get our needs.
I feel bad because some Homes here have all their needs met, and even have an abundance of some things. They can raise tens of thousands of dollars financially and really provision a lot for their CTP, but I wonder if they "consider the poor" Homes also? Do they bother visiting the less fortunate Homes to see if they need help? To paraphrase a common saying, "Charity begins with the Family."
"If you build it, we will come"
USA
(From Miguel, VS:) I'm sold on the idea of areas putting together a camp, and having the VSs or outside help come in to assist.--It's the "if you build it, we will come" mode of operation. The last two camps we've held have been like this, with the local Homes organizing the camps, and then our VS team and a group of bellwether young people attending to help shepherd the camp, alongside the local shepherds.
ask-a-midwife
Q: Can a pregnant woman drink cranberry juice, or will it cause a miscarriage?
A: No, drinking cranberry juice will not cause a miscarriage. Cranberry juice is very good to drink if you have a bladder infection or a kidney infection. It is high in vitamin C, and the bacteria which cause cystitis (a urinary tract or bladder infection) cannot exist in vitamin C, so cranberry juice and lots of water are very good for combating cystitis. Also, cranberry juice is the only thing besides water that works to filter the kidneys. Your kidneys are the body's filtering plant for all liquids you take in. When you are pregnant, the baby's liquid waste is also sent through your kidneys, so your kidneys then are filtering for two people--baby and you! Water and cranberry juice both work well to filter or clean out your kidneys.
Did you know that the placenta makes new water for your baby every six hours, which means the old water is flushed out through the mother's kidneys? Part of the reason the Lord has this new water created is because the baby's urine passes into the water and his dead skin cells float in the water. He also drinks this water, so the Lord replaces it regularly so that it stays very clean. This is also why it's so important for the mommy to drink lots of water, so that her kidneys don't have to work so hard.
support-a-missionary
-- Someone adopt us! Time is short! Pioneer Home in Voronezh, Russia needs your support to continue getting the Words out! (Prayers: Send'm straight! Gifts: Through Russian ABMs to RU042!)
-- CHINA: Helping to reap China's great harvest in the Northeast is our vision. Want to be a part of it by supporting us? Send donations through TRF to Chris and Ruthie, PACRO. E-mail: gemcr@asiaonline.net.tw.
-- We can only get by with a little help from you--our Family and friends! Send any gifts (big or small) to the ME work via the ASCRO office!--Paradise Home, Mideast.
-- Calcutta Family needs monthly support. Also for costly trips to states bordering Burma. Add: J. Birdi, Box 16255, Sarat Bose Rd. P.O. Calcutta 700029, India.--Abel and Marie Claire.
Ask-Mama-a-Question
(From Jenna:) Good news! An upcoming Zine will be featuring an in-depth interview with King Peter. Don't miss it! "But wouldn't it be nice to have an interview with Mama too?" If you've ever had that thought--there's more good news! Mama has agreed to an exclusive interview--which will be featured in an upcoming GN (perhaps I should say upcoming GNs, ha!). But we lack one thing--the questions! Well, we have a few, but could use some more that are of special interest to you.
Mama is hereby opening the floor to you, the worldwide Family! You are free to send in (to the Grapevine) any questions you'd like to ask our lovely Queen Maria. You may remain anonymous. We can't guarantee that your question will be answered, but Mama will consider each one of them and will try to answer as many as possible and that she feels would benefit the Family to hear about. Far out!
This interview will most likely not come out for some time, but we need to begin gathering the questions now so that Mama can prepare and begin work on this GN "special"! Thanks for your help! Send your questions in today!
brief ads
-- Anyone (CM/FM) interested in doing export/import for support or other reasons, please contact: L. Walton, PO Box 5027, GPO, Bangalore 1, India.
-- I have a burden to help with French Family songwriting. Anybody interested? Add: Michel Berteaud, 1 rue Sainte Elisabeth, 06140 Vence, France.--David (of Sara), France
new idea from you!
How about a "Just-for-fun Shine On" column, so all the brethren in the CIS who distribute 10s of thousands of posters monthly "just for love" get to see their names up there once in a while, even if they don't get any shiner prizes?--Home in Europe
TOP TEN RUSSIA/EE "JUST FOR FUN" SHINERS!
PER ADULT
TOTAL
Pats Home -- Nat/Eva/Reina, Russia
3736
33630
Candle Home -- David/Rose/Clare/Suzy/Jon/Georgia, Russia
3151
25215
Palm Beach Home -- Benjamin/Lily/Mariangela, Ukraine
3000
15000
Oasis Home -- Matthew/Marie/Yana/Peter, Kazakhstan
2819
16915
Valour/Trust/Christina/Ruthie, Ukraine
2750
22000
Philip/Gentleness/Faith/Chiara, Ukraine
2722
24500
Ivan/Virginia/Angel, Russia
2710
10843
Becky/Francis/Kristy, Russia
2590
28500
John/Sunny/Christia, Russia
2552
17865
a peek into Mama's Home
--practical prophecy
(From Yvonna:) By now you've no doubt gathered from reading the New Wine that Mama's really into prophecy. Isn't it great? And obviously, there's a lot of it "happening" at our Home.
At some time or another, probably all of us have received or read a prophecy of encouragement or instruction and found it to be a great blessing or just what we needed at the time. Maybe you've been under the impression that prophecy is reserved for mainly spiritual guidance and instruction. But we've been experimenting and have found that our Answer Man likes to be involved in our practical activities as well! How about asking the Lord for some contemporary ideas to spice things up when it's your turn to lead devotions, prayer day, game night, a birthday activity or dance, or when you want a far-out message for communion?
Every other Friday, all of us on Mama's staff spend part of our morning together singing, reading and praying unitedly for requests from you folks around the world. Then some of us take "P 'n' P" (prayer and prophecy) time for specific field situations, and others divide up the worldwide Prayer List between them and have prayer vigil. (It's actually our Monthly Prayer Day, but we've found it easier to have two half days a month, rather than one full day.)
Everybody takes turns leading prayer time with a partner, which keeps it full of variety and fun for everyone. But what do you do when your name is next on the schedule? You can't get up in front of everybody with zero ideas of what to do! Well, you could always resort to what you did last time you were on, praying the same way, and you could even claim the same verses that you forgot to put back in the promise box last time you were on.
But if you want to come up with something interesting, new and different--something that everyone will enjoy--then hey, ask the Lord about it! After all, He is the "Mega-brain." He's always got an idea up His sleeve.
On one prayer morning, the planning team got together to pray ahead of time and the Lord showed them to serve breakfast cake and hot chocolate while having inspiration via video. They also arranged for two young people to come up to sing a prayer song a cappella. We've also had charade prayers, praise prayers (futuristic prayers, thanking Him for the miracles He's going to do in healing so-and-so, or winning such-and-such a legal situation) and other fun prayers that the Lord gave the ideas for. Once we had pre-prepared lunches, and everyone picked their partners by choosing an ML title out of a basket and finding who had the same one, then taking their little lunch and finding some different and interesting spots at which to eat and pray together.
If you're leading a meeting or praying for a certain topic, you can ask the Lord for inspiring insight into what your prayers are going to accomplish. If you're praying for the children, summer outreach, a legal or financial decision, you can ask the Lord what the effect of your prayers will be for you and for those you're praying for. It's sure to give everyone an increased vision and motivation to be good prayer warriors. Try it! You'll like it!--And it sure saves time!
rumor mill
Q: Awhile back Philip and Josiah who were both CROs in Europe went behind the scenes. Did they ever go back to Europe, or what happened after that?--a Home in the Mideast
A: Both Philip and Josiah are back on the field, after spending a period of time in a behind the scenes WS Home. Philip has returned to Europe, where he has rejoined the EURCRO teamwork. Josiah is now helping at the GPU (see Grapevine #9 for more details).
love 'n' life
Q: My wife and I have been married about a year, and we love each other a lot. Before we got together, we used to talk about how we never wanted to become familiar with each other, but lately we have found ourselves slipping into it more and more.--It's not that we don't love each other, but sometimes the negative reaction is what comes out first, and one cutting remark begets another. It's starting to eat away at us, and even though we keep resolving to stop, it's very hard to pull out of. What can we do to stop before it's too late?
A: In short: you need to get it out in the open by talking about your familiarity with each other and how it's manifested. Pray together desperately, and go on the attack to fight against it!
This is a common pitfall in any relationship. The Enemy knows that if he can get you to become familiar with your husband/wife, teamworker or close friend, then you will no longer benefit from their valuable input, suggestions and corrections. Once familiar with someone, you often fail to recognize the Lord in them, and consequently you take their comments and suggestions as being "just them," and not as Godly counsel, or as from the Lord.
Sadly, familiarity is a difficult habit to break out of, but "all things are possible" with the Lord's help and solid determination on both of your parts! You can become "new creatures" and start your relationship afresh!
Here are some tips:
-- Communicate honestly and openly.
--Discuss how your familiarity is manifested, and the detrimental effect it is having on your relationship. This will provide you with more of an incentive to resist your feelings of familiarity.
-- Pray desperately for the victory, and hear from the Lord in prophecy for specific instruction pertinent to your situation as to how to get it.
-- Have variety in your lives, and in the things you do together. Ruts and routines are a shortcut to the road of familiarity. Discover new things about each other; don't have the mindset that you "know everything there is to know about your partner" and "have done everything there is to do together."
-- Ask others whom you are close to for their help. If you are determined to get a victory over familiarity, then sometimes having an uninvolved third person help to point out your weaknesses can be informative and enlightening.
-- Look at your mate or co-worker as Jesus' love for you, and as the one that He put you together with--as a helper, a counselor, and a partner in your decision-making.
-- Apologize when you have become familiar, disrespectful or cutting in your remarks. Pray together, love each other and discuss how to do better next time.
-- You can sometimes avoid little bumps in the road by respecting each other's personal habits and preferences. For example, some people react better if they are given "space" first thing in the morning. Others may prefer not to be interrupted when they are in the middle of a work project requiring concentration. Respecting personal routines and preferences is a way of showing love, and you may get a more positive response by picking the right time to give a suggestion or to ask a question.
-- Some people find it helpful to work out a little code word or phrase which indicates when familiarity is beginning to set in. This way, both partners can be checked and aware, and are able to change the tone of conversation or interaction before familiarity gets the better of them.
-- Love and laugh, hug and kiss!--Rather than biting each other's heads off, try nibbling on each other's ear, or other even more erogenous zones! Enjoy each other!
As Dad said in "Be So Happy": "Under the almost unbearable tension of the most frightening circumstances, a good laugh nearly saved their lives and their nerves! After all, if you know the Lord's going to take care of it somehow, you can afford to smile and to laugh at how impossible the situation is, how ridiculous the circumstances, and you know God's gotta do a miracle! So why not laugh about it? (ML#159)"
gaining givers
We decided to set 20% of our income aside so we can give to the local common pot and still have gifts for missions on top of our regular 10% tithe. Our poster distribution has since tripled and our income has more than doubled for the month!
--Frank and Dove, USA
Last month we decided to set aside 1% of our income to give as a gift to those who need help in the Family, even though we had barely been making it financially since opening up our Home. The Lord blessed it and our income went up. This month we set aside 2% and we were still able to get some Home needs we'd been praying for. We surely never lose by giving!
--Jeremy, Phoebe, John and Love, Japan
feedback
The sax pieces on Lady Maria are totally orgasmic! Two thumbs up to our own Family Kenny G. (John L.). You certainly leave us breathless!--A sex fan oops! A sax fan!
--Mary (YA, available), Mideast
"Golden Seeds" is rapturing!--And the way you sing it, Katrina, is like ... ! I can't wait to get X-tasy!
--Ben (17), Ukraine
I especially like "Don't Put Down Your Crown," "We Will See the Day," "Days of Preparation," "Upper Road," "His Love Is Worth It All," and a big applause to Simon Black for "Lady Maria"!
--Jono (16), ASCRO
Congratulations to whoever wrote the song "White Sails." It's beautiful! I love it. You couldn't have made it better!
--Lucy Love (15), Mexico
"As Time Goes By" is terrific! Sylvia, you did a wonderful job singing and composing that song. It sends shivers down my spine!
--Celeste (15), Mideast
Thumbs up for Simon Black's "Lady Maria." How about more of those remakes such as "Elixir" and "Love Is the Sweetest Thing?" Would be great!
--Ariane (18), ASCRO
Thanks to the DC team for their great efforts to get the FTT compilation CDs to us. Hearing it on CD makes a world of difference! We hope the near future will afford us more FTT CD compilations.
--Sam, Croatia
Mama jewels on anointings
--Talking to staff members the day before Peter left for his Russia visitation
Each of you has a very big anointing. You don't have to go out there to have an anointing. Like the Lord told Peter, his anointing when he's here at home is just as great as his anointing when he's out there visiting. Isn't that interesting? The reason that it seems bigger out there is because it's a showier anointing--one that people have to see. But it's big here too, only it's in more hidden things--work on the GNs, business matters and writing letters, etc.
You here each have a great anointing too, just as each of our folks in the Family has their own special anointing for the job the Lord has given them. We have just as great an anointing here as we would if we were out visiting, because we have many spirit helpers that the Lord has given us for our job. So keep that in mind, and don't feel that you don't have an anointing, because your anointing is very great, even though you don't see or realize it.
now that's funny!
An engineering student was walking on campus one day when another engineer rode up on a shiny new motorcycle.
"Where did you get such a rockin' bike?" asked the first.
The second engineer replied, "Well, I was walking along yesterday minding my own business when a beautiful woman rode up on this bike. She threw the bike to the ground, took off all her clothes and said 'Take what you want.'"
The second engineer nodded approvingly. "Good choice, you wouldn't wear her clothes anyway."
ws news
Western Europe visitation
Peter, Ana and Rebecca have arrived home safely after a very successful six-week visitation to Europe and Russia. Thank you so much for your prayers for them during the time they were away, as your prayers helped to make the trip a blessing to many.
After leaving Russia, they held meetings with the European CROs and visited the CRO office and the NPC. Peter said, "As always, visiting the structure-type Homes is an inspiration. It never fails to move me that we have such dedicated people willing to give their lives day in and day out to serve the Family. The EURCRO office is about 50% young people, so it's a lively place. I was so impressed with everyone there. The FED department is producing all kinds of good material for mothers and children, and everyone is doing a tremendous job.
"Something that was especially encouraging was to hear from those who process the reports and answer the mail of our Fellow Members. They explained that over the past year and a half, they've noticed that the Fellow Members seem to be much happier. They attributed this to the increased amount of pubs they now receive, being able to partake of the Summit and delegates' meeting videos, receiving more attention from the Office, and having the opportunity to work and fellowship more with Charter Members. This was a blessing to hear, an answer to prayer."
After visiting the structure Homes, there was a three-day meeting held high in the mountains of Switzerland, with 60 representatives from throughout Western Europe and Africa. The meetings centered on many of the same topics that Peter had talked about during the trip to the EE and Russia, with the addition of a challenge for those who feel called to the mission field to make their way there now, as the need is great. The Lord also challenged those who feel called to remain in Western Europe to commit themselves to witnessing, especially to the lost younger generation, who are so desperately in need of the message.
There were seven delegates from Africa--three from South Africa, two from Nigeria and two from Kenya. Peter said, "It was incredible to listen to the testimonies of those from Africa. The Lord has done so many miracles for them and He's using them mightily. They are brave pioneers who have launched out by faith to lands which desperately need the Gospel. Africa is such a ripe field, much of it English-speaking, and it's just waiting to receive the Words of David! Lord help us not to fail to bring it to them. I was greatly impressed with all of those that I talked with from Africa; they are doing a tremendous job.
"Something that both impressed and encouraged me was to talk with SGA Oli, who along with his wife Marie and their five children (soon to be six) went to Nigeria over a year ago. Seeing their faith and determination, and realizing that here is a second generation young family who is willing to leave all the comforts of western living to launch out to unknown pioneer territory, showed me that our up and coming second generation has got what it takes to be the leaders of tomorrow."
Besides these meetings, the European PPCs held a meeting with Gallio, which Peter was able to attend, to discuss the needs, operations and new ideas for better, more efficient PPC service throughout Europe. The EURCRO teamwork is working out a plan to show the videos of the Western European meetings to the Homes in Western Europe as soon as possible.
PS. Our apologies to dear Gideon (Gibeah), for having mistakenly listed him in the last Grapevine as having not attending the meetings in Russia. We love you!
Book printing update
(From Sam and Greg, Asia:) The books that have already been printed include Lifelines 19, Junior DB 1, Hope TK, Kidz TK Books 1 and 2 and the Junior Lifelines. The printing of Lifelines 20 is now finished, and DV, will be ready to pass on to the binder at the end of this week. DB 11 is currently being printed, which will be followed by the From Jesus-With Love book next week. We have now received the originals from Family Care for the Kiddie Cat Book; hopefully we will take this to the printer this week.
We're aiming to have all 10 books completed by the first week of October. If everything goes according to plans, everything will be shipped out by mid-October. Please pray this will all work out and that both the printer and the binder will make room in their busy schedules for these four remaining books to get done.
Attack days
Mama and Peter asked us to print a big "thank you" to all of you who participated in this month's attack day for the upcoming book printing. The results of this fundraiser have not come in yet, but as soon as we receive them, we'll publish it in the Grapevine. And thanks in advance to all of you who will be participating in the September attack day! We're praying for you!
ideas and tips
US passports
We recently found out the following when obtaining a passport for the baby of a YA girl that to obtain a US passport for a baby born abroad (for those not residing in the USA): "If two people are married, and only one is a US citizen, then the residency requirement must be fulfilled of having lived five consecutive years in the US, with two of those years occurring after the age of 14."
But: "If the mother is a US citizen and not married, then she only has to prove that she has lived one year in the US."
(Editor's note: Please note that passport policies sometimes vary from embassy to embassy.)
--Gideon (of Heidi), Pakistan
Activity parties
A few Homes could get together and host a weekly activity party for the OCs or JETTs, who could fellowship while they make some childcare tools that our Homes so desperately need--like cutting out, coloring and felting flannelgraphs, making a set of math dots, etc. The hosting Home could provide a snack, music, etc. This would help the JETTs feel more fulfilled and would fill a great need for the area Homes. Plus they'd be able to have fellowship with others their age while accomplishing a needed service.
--Mary MOM, EURCRO
Australian families
It is not generally known that we are now eligible for a minimum Family Allowance for three years overseas. Previously it was cut off after three months. For our family with eight children it comes to (AU) $500 per month. You just need to send for the appropriate forms. It's a real boost on the field!
--A fellow Aussie
cute kidz
Note: All peanuts 'n raisins illustrations are taken from real-life Family cuties!
[Peanuts 'n' Raisins illustration; text below]
Jimmy (3) protested about getting dressed after his bath.
Jimmy: "I'm the prophet who went around naked."
Mom: "I'm the prophet's mother who beseeched God if her son could wear some undies."
Jimmy: "What did God say?"
Mom: "He said, yes."
Jimmy (reluctantly): "Okay."
--Courtesy of Jewel and Josiah, ASCRO
thanking
--for your spirit story contributions
Claire (10, of Tim and Cheerful; Thailand), Ruth (17, Thailand), Ben Fisher (NACRO), Rejoice (23, Thailand), Peter Picture (HCS, Japan), Pearl (DF Home, Thailand), Sue (of Rich, USA).
HomeARC helps and tips
WS
For those who do not yet have a CD-ROM drive on their computer, but have a large hard drive, or a removable storage device like a Zipdrive, you can copy the HomeARC groups you have room for onto your computer from the HomeARC CD (i.e., by connecting to another computer that has a CD drive via a "laplink" program). Each group is located in a separate directory on the CD, named after the group. Copy the directories you want to your hard disk or drive. Then do a "locate" (select "Options" on the HomeARC toolbar, then the "Search" tab, then the "Groups" button, then the "Locate" button. Type the drive letter of where you have put your HomeARC groups, followed by a colon and a backslash (e.g., C:
). Select OK. The HomeARC will now search for any ARC Groups that it can find on that drive, and will then load them into your Groups list. (See HomeARC helps file, "Locate Dialog" section for more info.)
-- You may have noticed when viewing a file which has italicized text that the spacing around the italicized text is irregular. This is a viewer problem, not a file problem.
-- Also, some have reported a few MLs that display in a weird way: The text is skewed, off the screen, etc. These files will be fixed in the next version of the HomeARC.
-- Thanks also to those who have sent in reports of typos, especially for identifying the file and problem text.
tip of the day
Word automatically puts a ".doc" or ".rtf" extension (depending on what format it is set to save your file as) onto a newly created file, even if you type another extension. If you want to create a file without the ".doc" or ".rtf" extension, type the filename in quotation marks when you are first saving it.
TEAMWORK
Per Adult
Total
SOUL SHINERS FOR JULY '97
Samuel/Rosita, Mexico
2,500
5000
Pablo E., Chile
680
2,041
Ezequiel/Rejoice/Jonathan, Brazil
500
2,500
Nehemiah Teacher/Sara Lynn, Mexico
475
950
Pablo/Hannah, Venezuela
445
890
Timothy F./Rejoice Eve/Dove F., U.S.A.
430
3,010
John/Joy, Ukraine
375
750
Peter/Hannah, France
327
981
John A./Charity/Erick R./Esther R., Mexico
327
1,966
Tiago/Priscila/Josue, Brazil
311
1,246
POSTER SHINERS FOR JULY '97
Peter/Hannah, France
3,470
10,410
Paul/Lydia/Masako, Japan
2,165
6,496
Gideon/Shellena/David/Sam, Romania
1,666
15,000
Abner/Esther/Andrew/Katie, South Africa
1,500
6,000
Michael/Maria, Japan
1,490
2,980
Timothy F./Rejoice Eve/Dove F., U.S.A.
1,279
8,956
Jonathan/Claire/Lydia, Japan
1,266
3,800
Danny/Christ/David/Prais/Love/Victor, U.S.A.
1,225
9,807
Samuel/Rosita, Mexico
1,200
2,400
Matt/Samaria/Livre, U.S.A.
1,043
2,087
TAPE SHINERS FOR JULY '97
Pablo E., Chile
140
422
Davide/Joan, Italy
127
255
Jeho/Consuelo, Brazil
85
680
David/Madalena/Francisco/Joana, Brazil
83
416
Rebeca/Estrella/Cromwell, Colombia
78
236
Seth F./Lily F./Laura S./Peter T., U.S.A.
60
301
Josue M./Abigail M./Santiago E., Costa Rica
54
325
Rufus/Reuben/Dulce, U.S.A.
51
155
Abel/Flor, Peru
51
103
David/Rosemarie/Steve, Czech Republic
46
276
Andrew/Crystal/Ang/Maureen/Gabriel, U.S.A.
46
276
VIDEO SHINERS FOR JULY '97
David/Esperanza/Santiago, Peru
55
222
Matthew/Mary/Micah, Taiwan
50
250
Francisco/Paloma/Victoria, Ecuador
43
260
Emanuel/Rubi/Pablo, Ecuador
41
83
Pablo E., Chile
35
107
Josue Siervo/Luz Siervo, Mexico
32
64
Joao/Maria, Brazil
24
124
Francesco/Claire, Taiwan
24
124
Mateus/Lily, Brazil
24
74
Jose/Celia/Rute/Jonathan, Brazil
23
239
[End]
Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family