the grapevine
(Issue #51; October 1, 1998.)
kidbits
the latest arrivals
Keana Brittney, 4th child, born to Comfy and Joe on July 3rd.Gambia
Jordan , 1st child, born to Seriah on July 16th.USA
Jazmine Erica, 3rd child, born to Promise and Eric on July 27th.Mexico
Stephanie, 1st child, born to Charity on August 5th.Brazil
Mia, 5th child, born to Teresa and Jimmy on August 7th.Japan
Alan, 2nd child, born to Abigail and Marcos on August 7th.Brazil
Heloise Melissa, 11th child, born to Heidi and Samuel on August 13th.France
Baby (no name given), 6th child, born to Virginia and Andre on August 15th.Brazil
Baby (no name given), 11th child, born to Claire and Jonathan on August 24th.Japan
Vincent Daniel, 7th child, born to Christina and Steven on September 5th.South Africa
Love Lines notice!
Issue #5 of the Love Lines is now compiled, and has been sent to all regular subscribers. Write in if you'd like to be added to the mailing list, or if you would like to submit an ad. Thanks!
RHYTHM 'n' GROOVES
Special Dance Edition FTT #14
singer/music/lyrics/producer
side a:
1. Dance Some More Sunny, Andrew V./Andrew V./Andrew V./Andrew V. (3:47)
2. Soul Song (remix) Niki/Sunny, Andrew V./Sunny/Philly D. (3:25)
3. Groovin' RAD, Celeste/Juno/Juno/Steve M. (3:37)
4. Elixir Jeff/Simon B./Simon B./Andrew V. (3:51)
5. Rhythm of Your Heart Sylvia/Andrew V./Andrew V./Andrew V. (4:00)
6. Recant (remix) Niki/Andrew V./Andrew V., Joan Claire/Philly D. (3:39)
7. Cool Breeze Lara/Martin, Jeremy/Martin, Jeremy/Nat (3:52)
8. E So Acreditar Francesco/Fernando/Fernando/Francesco (2:57)
side b:
9. Rhythm of this Family Philly, (Hopie, Niki, Lique)/Philly/Philly/Philly D. (3:43)
10. Spend Time (remix) Sunny/Andrew V./ Andrew V., Genai/Andrew V. (4:00)
11. Livin' & Lovin' (remix) Hopie/David Lamb/ David L./Philly D. (4:56)
12. Travelling Elaina/Martin, Jeremy/Martin, Jeremy/Nat (4:14)
13. The Way that You Touch Me (remix) Cryssy/Joanna, Katrina L./Joanna/Andrew V. (4:05)
14. The Lord Gave to Me Hopie/Simon B./Simon B., Andrew V./Andrew V. (3:40)
15. All the Love Angelique/Hopie, Andrew V./Hopie, Andrew V./Andrew V. (3:54)
pray for Eman Artist
from WS
Please join us in prayer for dear Eman Artist, who has suffered a stroke and is in intensive care, with half of his body paralyzed at present. Eman has been one of our faithful artists for many years, most recently working on three new GP posters, a new GP spirit story booklet, and he was about to begin working on a number of other GP posters. Please pray desperately for his complete recovery and for his encouragement, and that he will be able to regain full use of his body, and once again be able to use his art talents for God's glory. Your prayers can do mighty things!
world news
Ukraine During the first two weeks of August we distributed aid in the Kiev area which John from Kosice had brought with him. We also did three interviews and participated in two TV shows. We were able to give a simple salvation message and tell our personal testimonies. This resulted in a mass witness of over 300,000 people!Job and Esther
USA A local TV station has had us on children's programs. They would like for our kids' singing group to appear every week.Mateus
China The teens participated in a competition among the local universities and won first prize for their ethnic song and dance. Fe co-MCed it. It was aired by all the major stations and opened doors to job offers and new friends to follow up on.Andrew and Mercy
on the net
Web Report for International Family Web site and Members Only site August 1998
(Note: Aside from continuing to upload the latest pubs to the Members Only site, and the latest FARs to the GP site, the web team has been working on finalizing the songbook program. We will begin making more improvements and updates to the web sites shortly.)
1. GP and Members Only sites stats report
13 gigabytes were downloaded from the International Family site, averaging approximately 36.5 MB per day. The International Family site was also visited 3,890 times.
The Members Only site's stats have been climbing steadily. The site was visited 2,009 times this month and 1.2 gigabytes were downloaded from italmost double last month's stats.
2. Other interesting stats tidbits
Some of the favorites
51 Zines were completely downloaded this month.
102 Grapevines were also downloaded.
41 of Mama's Home's Crystal Streams screensaver sets were downloaded.
(From Trust, LAMB Home:) We've continued to add new Wine Press subscribers to our list and now send the WP to about 130 addresses per month. Every three or four months we send out "last chance notices" to those who haven't donated, and those who don't respond are dropped from the mailing list. Still the list is growing steadily.
Two of our most faithful Wine Press members moved to FM statusour first graduates. Since they were faithful tithers (combined tithe about $500 per month), we expected a dip in our income, but our income has remained steady. PTL!
think deep
"People are about as happy as they choose to be!"Abraham Lincoln
pioneering
Tarahumaras the Mountain Men of Mexico
Mexico
(From Carlos and the Project H.E.L.P. team:) In November 1997 our small team of four set off to explore the vast Bufa and Copper canyons in the Sierra Madre mountain range of northern Mexico in search of the Tarahumara people. With the help of Ramon, our Indian guide, we trekked six hours into the Bufa canyon along a precarious mountain trail that sometimes narrowed to no more than six inches on the side of the mountain walls. It was overwhelming to find a primitive society living in caves and rugged mountain dwellings in a natural setting far from the complexity of modern society. Here there were no telephones, VCRs or CDs. The quietness of the tall pine forests and chatter of birds brought a peaceful tranquility to this timeless zone where its inhabitants still lived as did their ancestors of the 1500s who fled to these mountains escaping the Spanish Conquistadors.
July 1998: This month we returned to the Sierra Madre to fulfill our promise to these simple people, bringing aid in the form of grains, medicine and other supplies. Thus we initiated the first phase of a five-year program to help the Tarahumaras in the village of Cuzarare.
The first Family team coming up from Mexico City had agreed to rendezvous with two other teams in Chihuahua, the capital of Chihuahua state (390 kilometers south of El Paso, Texas) and from there we caravaned in two vans and a mobile home to Cuauhtemoc City. The mobile home and one of the vans overheated with the long uphill roads and we had to leave them in Cuauhtemoc. This unexpected event left us unable to deliver the food supplies we had brought, as well as the additional cereal the Chihuahua granary had donated. We approached several trucking companies to come to our aid and in the end it was the Coca-Cola Company that donated the use of a truck and a driver to ship our cargo to the town of Creel where we set up base.
Our first day in Creel we went to visit the Cuzarare clinic where we knew the young woman doctor, Doctor Mayala. We had met her on our first visit the year before, and she had spoken of the scarcity of medical supplies and asked if we could help with the most urgent medical needs. Two of the project helpers, Franco and Leticia, were able to procure all the needed medications which we presented to the clinic that day. The doctor with teary eyes thanked us profusely.
Every weekend many of the Indians from the surrounding mountains come for the Sunday sermon at the village chapel, and for the weekly tribal meeting, some walking for more than two hours, but it's part of life for them. Many also come for medical checkups from Dr. Mayala. Over 9% of Tarahumara children from the surrounding villages suffer serious malnutrition. Other common afflictions are diarrhea, bronchitis, muscular pains, skin problems and parasites.
Saturday morning we set up our food operation in a log cabin belonging to one of the village elders. We organized a chain of teams to bag the corn, beans, rice, cereal and other provisions that we were to distribute to all the Indians that would be visiting the following day. We completed our task by Sunday at noon, in time for the first arrivals of Indian women carrying babies wrapped in blankets hung from their backs. By the end of that Sunday we had distributed food and clothing supplies to over 200 people. That evening, some of our team members set up a puppet stage and suddenly we had the children as well as their parents enthralled with interest and laughter.
We ended our stay at the village with a vigorous one-hour hike to the Cuzarare waterfalls. We were awed with the beautiful sights of God's creation here in one of the far corners of the earth, home of the Tarahumaras.
[Text box:] If you would like to contribute to the Tarahumara Aid fund, please send your donation (made out to "Family Care Foundation") to:
Project HELP (98-M06)
C/O Family Care Foundation
P.O. Box 6070
Orange, California 92863-6070
USA
If you're interested in participating in this CTP project, contact Carlos A. Cedillo at: fammex@orvinet.com.mx.
moving missionaries
We finally made it to Brazil! It was a real fight, as the week before the flight we didn't have tickets. We prayed and received some beautiful prophecies encouraging us that we would be on that plane. Someone got the story of Etta, and this really encouraged our faith. (See "Streams that Never Run Dry.") We continued to raise funds, but things didn't seem to work out until the last two days when the Lord started miraculously supplying funds for the tickets through relatives and friends. Sure enough, as the Lord had promised, we were on that plane! The Lord supplied all the funds we needed to come here in just a few days, and we're a pretty large family11!
Joy and Aaron, Brazil
We made it! It's a big victory just to be here in India. We have been "coming" for nearly two years! The Lord has done so many miracles to get us here, it's just amazing!
Michael, Michelle and Nicolai, India
notices
Time off for NPCs and LIMs
WS
(From WS:) Since our NPCs and LIMs have been pushing so hard on pubs over the last few months, and in fact throughout this year, Mama and Peter were concerned that they get some time off with their families for rest, recreation and refilling. So they asked the Lord if it would be all right for them to take a couple of weeks off after this pubs push is over.
The Lord said yes, and that we could "stop the presses for the sake of those who have toiled long and hard over them in recent months, and have worked harder this year than ever before!"
So both our NPCs and LIMs will be enjoying a much needed two-week break between October 17 and November 1, for rest, witnessing, time with their familes, etc. God bless them.
Since we won't be sending out any pubs during this time, that means there'll be a few weeks during which you won't get any new mailings. We hope you won't mind this little break in the flow of New Wine, especially since we've sent you so much already this year. In the same message the Lord gave us about the NPCs and LIMs taking time off, He said, "This has not only been the year of the Bottom Line but the year of the New Wine, as the wine from the vats of Heaven has been bottled and sent out like never before! If My children run out of the newest, freshest wine, they can sample the vintage of last month, or months and even years before. My wine is still good, and the mellowness and flavor only increase with age." So there's still lots available to read or reread!
Please make good use of this valuable review time as it's not often that you have this much time for rereading past pubs. We love you!
studio news
DCS
(From Godfrey, for DCS team:) We're very happy to announce that the Eagle Bleeds album is done and should be in your tape recorders very soon, DV! (WARNING!!! NOT FOR THE FAINT HEARTED!!! Just kidding, ha!)
What a miracle this whole project has been! We learned some real good lessons on prayer and seeking the Lord every step of the way. We hope you'll enjoy the music and be able to use the songs in your witnessing and outreach. We've now begun work on a "Simon Black" album, which has been going very well so far. The album will consist of 10-12 of Simon Black's original songs. This is the first time Simon's been able to actually help in the arranging of his songs. He's very excited about it and so are we. The Lord's doing it and helping us get some really nice grooves going and a nice original "Simon Black" feel. Please keep this project in your prayers.
Another bit of news is that Byron has now moved on from the DCS to another Home. God bless him for all his contributions to the FTTs! With the Lord's help, Vas and I are still plugging, plucking and pounding away! We love you!
what's up?
Junior teen visits
Europe
(From Michael:) This summer the Lord showed us to open our Home to various junior teens, mostly from Italy, who had asked to come and spend some time on the field. We thought we could invite teens, on a rotational basis, for a period of about 10 days each turn.
The Enemy tried to discourage us right away, by making us look at the size (too small) and the condition of our house; at our personal problems and thinking we wouldn't be a good enough sample, etc. Right after we decided to accept by faith the first batch of four teens, we heard that our landlord had sold our house! The temptation was strong to give up on the project and tell the teens and their parents that we didn't even know if we were going to have a house after all!
But the Lord didn't want us to give up, and gave us the faith to go on. Sure enough, by nothing short of a miracle we found a much better house, and were able to meet all the deadlines, still have the teens visit, plus everything else!
We learned so much: to be a sample more than a sermon; to have a couple of people officially in charge of the visiting teens' care; to organize fun activities to give them the Word and the Spirit; to take them out witnessing (some of them hadn't been personal witnessing in a long time); to give them a taste of communal living (most live just with their families and go to System school).
All of them wanted to stay longer, and some are thinking of joining a home on the field. And most of the time they were shepherded by two of our Italian new disciples who are also young and full of fire and inspiration! TYJ!
Welfare center
Pakistan
(From Stefan:) There is a welfare center near our Home, which cares for illegitimate newborns who are dropped off by their mothers to be sent later to bigger cities for adoption. There are also older resident orphans (about 30 of them) who are mixed with severely mentally retarded children and adults. The center offers the basics, what the locals call "roti, kapra, makkan," meaning "food, clothes and shelter." A friend asked us to go see if there was anything we could do for them.
At first we were given permission to do educational programs of one hour per week, which were greatly appreciated by the staff and obviously by the children, who shout for joy upon our arrival. But we knew that much more could be done to improve the health and living standards. In due time we were given a free hand to do more. We have since found in their storage two sets of properly fitting clothing per child, which we labeled with their names, and we bought a pair of rubber sandals for each of them. (The clothes the children were previously wearing were adults' clothes, roughly cut to fit and tied at the waist with neckties.)
There is now a schedule for changing clothes, laundry days (the children eagerly participate), and clotheslines going up. The children are getting baths more often. This week the normal children will be getting their own bedroom with local carpets and rugs (as there are no beds yet) and mattresses, and some form of cupboard space for their clothes. The idea has already brought many smiles to the children and a feeling that someone cares enough to train them. An accomplishment that brings us a greater satisfaction is the fact that the staff members are catching on and are trying to do more than just making it a "survival situation."
We are also getting more members of the local community involved, so the project can continue to progress if we eventually have to move on. Our next objective is to train the children to look after themselves and keep good health and hygiene standards, using the excellent Treasure Attics, Kiddie Viddies and other related activities.
$200 call
USA
(From Trust, LAMB Home:) We received a call at our Family 800 number one morning from a woman who was quite distraught because her husband had accidentally placed two $100 bills in someone's canning bucket, instead of the two dollar bills he meant to give them. The woman was very sweet, and I told her I'd do what I could to locate the team. Unfortunately she was calling from Raleigh, North Carolina, a city where we don't have a Family Home, so I thought it must be a road team passing through, which made it much more difficult to locate the team.
She had given me the name of the intersection where her husband had met the litnessers, so I started calling around to see if anyone had a road team in the Raleigh area. I soon found out that a team had just opened a brand-new Home there, so I phoned the Home and explained the situation to them. Of course I felt bad, as I imagined the canning team would probably have been quite flipped out to find such a large donation in their bucketand I had the unpleasant job of breaking the news to them that it had been a mistake. When I told the brethren where this man had met the litnessing team, they confirmed that they had been at the same corner that day but they hadn't yet looked through their donation bucket. That was good newsas at least they were spared the disappointment!
After they checked through their donations, though, they called me to say that there weren't any hundred-dollar bills in the bucket. At this point I wasn't quite sure what to do, as I was afraid the woman would think we weren't telling the truth and think that the brethren had just pocketed the money. But the sweet brethren in Raleigh offered to call the woman and explain the situation to her. They thought that perhaps the man had accidentally dropped the money in his car and they were going to suggest to the woman that he check.
Half an hour later the brethren called me back to explain that when they had contacted the woman and explained the situation, her husband checked the car and found the missing $200. She was thrilled and so thankful, and the Family explained to her that they had prayed she would find the missing money. They then witnessed to her on the phone and she got saved. What a set-up!
Miraculous healings
Venezuela
(From Emanuel, Joy and James:) We, along with Libertad (of Adam) and Elizabeth (of Pedro) and our teens, Josue and Tamar, have been visiting the cancer wing of the children's hospital in Caracas every Monday since the beginning of the year. A few months went by and we didn't see any miracles or tangible proof of God working, but we persevered and got desperate with the Lord to make this ministry fruitful for His glory.
At the hospital there was a four-year-old girl. Her mother was crying and distressed most of the time, as the girl had cancer. We had been regularly praying for the little girl, and the day that we got desperate the doctors let her go because she was healed of the cancer! Her mother was overflowing with joy because the doctors had originally told her that her child was only going to live for two months. The mother gave God the glory with her whole heart.
Another five-year-old boy has cancerous tumors all over his body, and the Lord is healing him out of a seemingly impossible situation. Another young girl was healed of leukemia, and three more children have been miraculously healed. PTL!
When we started visiting the hospital, there was a particular doctor who didn't want us to visit on Monday, as it is the busiest day of the week for the wing. We explained to her that on Monday we could meet lots more people, and give the Lord a chance to heal them. After these miraculous healings, she welcomes us every Monday and thanks us for coming to help. The director of the Association of Children with Cancer said that they are experiencing miracles due to the healing power of God.
Fulfillment of prophecy
Taiwan
(From the Whitewaves Home:) We attended "church" again this month with the Taroko Aboriginal people. This is the second native Aboriginal tribe we are making progress with. These folks are very precious Christians. They are the smallest tribe and their culture has been very repressed.
One thing which has struck us with both Aboriginal churches we are working with is that they have no qualms about people praying. Usually one person in the congregation will just stand and pray a heartfelt prayer for all to hear.
While at lunch with the pastor, he called in his teen daughter to play for us on a musical box of wooden strips of bamboo which you hit with another piece of wood. It reminded us of the "tapping and clapping" prophecy about China [of which Taiwan is a republic], the despised and downtroddenwhich these Aboriginal mountain people certainly have been over the years.
"These are songs. This is the clapping of the quiet ones, the humble ones. We are forgotten ones. We are the rejected and despised ones. We are the ones bent low. We are the quiet ones. Find us and feed us, and we in turn will feed you and will provide for you. We are hard to find, we are hard to reach. We are hard to speak to, but please, come and find us. Come and feed us and we will care for you" (ML# 2999:3,4).
Child psychology course
Pakistan
(From Stefan and Suzie:) Mardan is located three hours away from Islamabad. It is a tobacco and sugar cane growing town in the land of the Pathans. The harsh and extreme climatic conditions (up to 46C in summer; 1C in winter) mixed with the rough exterior of the common man can be rather foreboding. Yet, each trip to this "end of the earth" has proven to be very successful in the way of tools out and creating very deep and lasting friendships.
Two such friends are Mr. and Mrs. F., who we have met 3-4 times over the last two years. Because they have a deaf daughter they became very involved in her education and, seeing the need for a proper institution, Mrs. F. decided to start her own. She has managed very well over the years and after seeing many such institutions here we can say she has one of the best. To further improve the quality of her 20 teachers she asked us to prepare a one-week course (20 hours) on child psychology, class control, methodology, etc.
Through some local sponsors from multinational and local businesses, we were able to raise $700 to cover all our expenses and time. The course went very well, with our friend doing a lot of the translating. The last session was emotion-filled with a few tears shed. We just received a letter from Mrs. F. and would like to share excerpts of it with you:
Dear Stefan and Suzie,
The workshop with all its different aspects is sure to transform the very belief of our staff in themselves and their mission. It was an eye opener towards the role of the ideal teachers. I'm amazed how a strong faith coupled with expert knowledge, good preparation and interesting delivery can change minds and souls so effectively. Both of you did 100% justice to your job and effectively utilized each moment of your lecture time.
The duration was long and could have fatigued anyone else, but both of you stayed perfectly involved and fresh and transmitted the same to us. The teachers think differently now and hopefully will act differently when the students are here. They are full of love for their work and think very highly of their students. What they got from you was the most important catalyst ever to influence their work.
I hope to have more chances to benefit from your "storehouse" of knowledge to further the cause of our special students in particular and humanity in general. I hope once again for our future links and thank you on behalf of all here.
* * * Boys * * *
(From Samuel Apocalipse [father of eight boys], Brazil)
Of all the Lord's marvelous blessings to me, I found that the most outstanding one is not the sky, with its deep hypnotizing blue, the mountains with their unshakable authority, the birds with their gracious and colorful feathers putting on a show in the air and cheering men with their singing. I saw the flowers and smelled their sweet perfume. I even watched the sun display all his majesty. But of all blessings and treasures Jesus has bestowed upon the earth, I found people to be the most precious and dear.
There are many kinds of people, with different cultural backgrounds, different social status and political views, but I think they're better classified according to their ages. There are the children, the adults and, somewhat caught between the two, you have what people call teenagers. They have the body of a grown-up, the heart of a child, and a mind that is like a box full of dreams. Some folks look at the teenage years as the last childhood disease you've got to go through, but I believe God sees it differently: They are another chance for the world to go back to its original and pure principles and, at the same time, the opportunity to try something never ventured before. Does it sound contradictory? Well, that's an adolescent for you.
Zooming in a little closer I could see the beauty and charm of the teen girls. A mixture of I don't know what with something else, but why bother to try to understand women, regardless of their age? When you start finding out the answers, they change all the questions anyway. Besides, it seems to be the favorite subject of most poems and songs ever writtenby men, of course.
So I ended up with the boys--the teen boys. With their voices out of tune they march to wars, they carry heavy loads, do all sorts of dirty work, make tree houses, invent machinery, dream of girls, and seem to have a special talent for getting into trouble. They've been the spearhead of every revolution; they've transformed the face of the earth. Adventure is born in their heart every morning, pumped through their veins to their untiring legs, their restless hands and their powerful brains, making them a powerhouse of strength and passion.
Oh Lord, thank You for the boys. Help me never to forget that throughout the ages all men from the lowest to the greatest were each, at one time, just a boy.
support-a-missionary
We desperately need a good car to reach Namibia and another surrounding countries. If the Lord gives you a burden to help us with a donation or a car, please contact us! You could be the answer to our desperate prayers! E-mail: phlmeek@iwwn.com.na or send donations to NB1530. TYSM!Philip and Meekness
Small team of nationals in SarajevoStefan and Fay with baby Saraneeds help. Stefan quit his job recently, but it is very difficult to raise funds inside Bosnia. They're faithfully witnessing, helping with translations and being a big blessing to us, the Sarajevo pioneering team and others passing through. Send gifts to BI050.
tips on fighting garbage mail
from WS
As was published in Grapevine #49 in the article entitled, "It's Your Security," a number of Family members have been receiving unsolicited mail (both via e-mail and postal mail) from former members and detractors. Sadly, some of the things they say may be true, but they are full of bitterness and significant parts are highly exaggerated, if not outright lies.
Apparently some of these former members who are circulating this negative material are either getting paper copies of the Grapevines, or have access to the Member's Only site. Thus, they're using the addresses found therein (both e-mail and postal mail) to send out mailings to various Family Homes.
This means that if you post your e-mail address on the Member's Only site, there is a chance that your e-mail address will be gotten by such ex-members or former members. This holds for e-mail or postal addresses that you send in to be printed in the Grapevine. Please be sure to take this into account and be very prayerful in doing so.
Following are some tips on how to combat these negative e-mail messages or letters, should you find yourself the recipient of them.
If you receive a bad e-mail message, we strongly advise that you don't read it. Just delete it.
Send an e-mail reply immediately, stating clearly that you do not wish to receive anymore of their e-mail.
After sending an initial reply, if you get a second message from the same people, you can send a complaint to whichever e-mail company and/or ISP the senders are using. They will let you know what information they need (such as the header of the e-mail message) to do the blocking.
Many people receive unwanted e-mail, and some carriers even have programs whereby you can block a certain person or e-mail address from being able to deliver e-mail to you. If you are receiving a barrage of negative e-mail from some source, you may find it helpful to take official steps to put an end to it. We pray this is a blessing to you.
mama's mailbox
Dear Mama and Peter,
We're just now getting into the mailings from last month and wanted to send a reaction to the heart-breaking letter, "Killer?Or Healer?" (GN 793). I wanted to write an observation on the situation here in Icelandic society. Having been isolated from most of the rest of the world for many years, Iceland is only now being affected by the plague of American and European TV and music.
It is a very common sight to see pretty young teen girlsas young as 15 or 16walking down the road with a baby in a buggy. While sometimes they are just taking care of their siblings, frequently these babies are their own. Many girls really look forward to having a babyand make every effort to have one! It is not looked down upon by society as a whole, by their families or by their peers when a girl gets pregnant. In general, they're thankful and everyone pulls together to help take care of the new member. The girl is not stigmatized or rejected.
Relationships are also viewed quite differently from the prevailing media viewpoint. President Clinton's troubles with sex scandals are laughed at, and the media is viewed with incredulity for making a big thing of something considered perfectly normal and natural. Relationships are viewed, in many ways, very much like the Law of Love and the Family's viewpoint. There isn't a jealous or possessive attitude, and people's negative comments which you shared in the Letter just aren't there because looser relationships are quite accepted.
For example, yesterday we met a precious girl who has three beautiful daughters. She is unmarried but had been involved with the young man who rented us our apartment. However, another girl was now involved in a relationship with him and it was no big deal. They were all very good friends and cared for one another. Because of the sexual freedom here, there is little of the concept of the other girl "taking her boyfriend." (That's not to say jealousy or gossiping doesn't exist, as they are very common in the workplace!)
It would convey the wrong impression to say that society here is either like the Family or is perfect. They are a really spiritual people, searching for the truth and reality by many different means. Because of the failures of the church, they lack the Lord, His love and a spiritual solution in their lives, which is why the Lord brought us here. Their history and the troubles that come from living on the brink of disasterwhere one bad harvest or storm could destroy a livelihood in momentshave brought a maturity in their attitude towards sex and relationships that others in easier environments have not learned. It's so sad that many of our people can not understand or appreciate the privilege we have been given in our relationships and sexual policies.
a couple, Iceland
your views on issues
To compare
Thailand
(From Charity, mother of six:) About two years ago I took the CLE training course for home schooling.Boy, was I impressed! They seemed so together, well organized and really smart! I couldn't help but feel, "Wow, where has the Family been all these years? Why haven't 'they' (we??) produced things like this? The Family really is un-together, and not really so organized and smart." So went my thinking.
Just recently I went to the P.O. box to pick up our mailings. "Oh yes, just the same ol' GN'sthree of them, and the Grapevine and a Zine. And yes, a new FTT tape and some HOPE mags, and then a FED mailing. Oh, and these are the new items for distribution; videos and tracts and wait a minute!" I suddenly realized what I was holding in my handsa literal wealth of material! What for? So that I or my kids could get a degree?? No! So that they and I could revelno, luxuriatein the overwhelming abundance of spiritual riches!
I almost burst out laughing to think that the Enemy could have lied to me in comparing with these other groups. Sure they are good in their field, but that is their field and we, the Family, have ours, and in comparison well, you think about that one! Boy, was I convicted!
Accurate evaluations
Europe
(From an FGA woman:) On a number of occasions my mate and I have been asked to send evaluations of people to either CRO offices or Homes considering taking in people presently living with us. Here are some of the scenarios we've faced:
One couple said they wanted to read the evaluation we had written about them. We felt that they shouldn't ask us to read an evaluation. It wasn't that we had written something really bad; we had simply followed the suggested checklist in the Charter, which includes mentioning their strengths and weaknesses. Their request put us in an awkward position and compromised our ability to feel we could honestly answer the suggested questions. Subsequently they had such a trial about it that we let them read it. The wife thought we had done a very good and fair evaluation, but the husband was very upset and it caused him real trials. He is a very sweet man but the Enemy attacked him, and it took him a long time to get over it.
Next we asked another Home for an evaluation of a YA couple we were thinking of having join our team. It was a nice evaluation, but didn't touch on any of their weaknesses. We subsequently found out that the husband had "helped" the teamwork member to write it. He made some excuse that because English was not the teamworker's mother tongue, that she was expressing herself incorrectly. The very thing he had her change was a factual mention of a particular weakness on her evaluation of them. And it turned out to be a weakness that really wasn't suited to our team at the time and caused a lot of problems in our Home. They also told us that they were happy to help on childcare, which was what we needed, but when they came they weren't willing to take up the challenge.
My feeling is that members should not ask to read their evaluations or make the ones writing it feel guilty about what they have written, nor "help" the person writing it. It's very important to share the person's strengths and weaknesses, because it really helps. I emphasise weaknesses not because any extra emphasis should be put on them, but because it seems to be something people try to avoid. If someone were to write an evaluation of me I would have much more peace knowing that the ones receiving me would be at least a bit aware of my weaknesses and strengths so they can be prepared!
I think most Family members are capable of reading about someone's weaknesses without thinking, "Oh, this person isn't perfect. We can't have them!" The Home that was receiving the couple from our Home said, "Look, don't worry. We know everyone has weaknesses. We aren't concerned about that. We just want to know if they will be a blessing in the area of outreach with the young people."
For Homes requesting an evaluation, it's important that they get a well-balanced one, because in small situations it's important that you take in those that are going to complement your team and be able to fit in with your ministries, children, etc.
a few thoughts on "eating right"
all from you
The letter about junk food was so right on ("Eat Right," GN 784). I am a certified dental assistant and together with my ex-boss and mate who's a dentist, we worked on Family members' teeth for about eight years, including lots of kids and teens. The first thing we usually noticed was the lack of cavities compared to System kids. The doctor was always amazed at the difference, and it was quite a testimony of the Family's lifestyle. These "rules" so benefit the health of everyone that it's sad to think of kids eating so much junk food.
I'm also learning a lot in nursing about how much damage white sugar and flour does to the body. It literally poisons and robs it of any good nutrition. One little note about the oral health of the Family adults (we saw at least a few hundred): The number one problem is periodontal or gum disease due to lack of phopylaxis (teeth and gum cleaning). This should be done at least once or twice a year or can result in serious problems, including tooth loss, if not attended to. It is not a result of poor diet, but lack of frequent cleanings by an oral hygienist. These are very easy to provision.
Susan, USA
I wanted to raise my hand on the issue of sugar. So many in the Family seem to think it's okay to simply replace white sugar with brown sugar, when there really isn't that much difference as far as nutrition goes. (Editor's note: However, all brown sugars are not created equal. Raw sugar which is similar in looks to brown sugar has a higher nutritional value than does white sugar.) The problem is sugar, period.
Sugar in a matter of minutes causes a quick rise in our blood sugar level in whatever form it's taken.Whether brown, red or green. Our pancreas then releases insulin to bring our blood sugar level back to normal and the excess sugar is immediately turned into fat. So no matter what kind of sugar you're eating, sugar equals fat. A couple hundred years ago the only sugar available was honey and sweet fruits. Today's problem is sugar, period. (Editor's note: As Dad brought out in the health Letters, brown sugar is still more healthful than white sugar, so this viewpoint is not meant to be a license to instead switch over to white sugar since all sugar is bad anyway.)
I've also heard so many preach against white sugar, while not realizing that white flour is almost as bad. White flour is so refined that it enters the blood stream at a very high rate as it's so easily digested. The excess is also turned into fat. So we can also simply add that white flour equals fat. (Editor's note: This point is talking about white flour, not brown flour, which provides the carbohydrates that your body needs.)
Tracy, Brazil
I was very happy to read this Letter as I've been concerned about the low level of conviction many have about eating right. If there is a choice between brown or white bread, many will choose white. Some people are very vocal about how they dislike healthy food.
Since having cancer I have done a lot of research on nutrition and it's interesting to note that the Cancer Research Institutes now place a poor diet as the leading cause of cancer. Research shows that 35% of all cancer is caused by diet; the next top category is smoking which is 30%! The Cancer Research Institutes suggest having four to five servings of fruit or veggies a day to prevent cancer, as well as avoiding refined foods, such as white flour, white rice, white sugar, etc.
There is a direct relation to the rise of cancer in this half of the century to the increase in refined foods. I think it might help to realize that not only are you damaging your immediate health and teeth by eating junk foods, but in the long term you can be lining yourself or your kids up for cancer.
Sara (of David), Ukraine
Members Only Family Web site
www.familymembers.com
November UserID: november
November Password: "turkeytime"
find-a-friend
Priscilla P.I. wants to contact Josue and Trust. Met you in San Sebastian, Spain. E-mail: auserve@philonline.com.ph. Add: P.O. Box 4906, Makati CPO, 1289 Makati City, Philippines.
Julie (of Michael and Mary), please contact Shannon asap. E-mail: pvalour@dndk.dp.ua.
Job and Shine with Anona in North America, please contact asap Philip and Meekness in Africa. E-mail: phlmeek@iwwn.com.na.
URGENT! I am desperately and helplessly in search of Fay Fisher. This is Renee. E-mail: lamb@sydney.DIALix.oz.au.
South African Ben and Polish Meekness would like to contact Nigerian Simon and Indian Joan (last in Nigeria) who have a sweet daughter named Joy. Add: The Family c/o Ben and Meekness, P/Bag BR 336 Broadhurst Yaborone, Rep of Botswana. Tel: +267 580115.
Melody with son Andrew from US, Kassia would like to hear from you. We lived together in Quito '82 and '83. Add: Post Bag 1556 Cochin 13 India.
Eli Printer needs to hear from Peter Amaziah ASAP! I have some important good news about your oldest daughter! Tel: (513) 522-2709.
Ruthy from Venezuela would like to hear from Cristobal and Daddy Jonathan Clay (formerly Abraham Snowman). I last heard from you in South Africa. Please answer me ASAP. E-mail: arivero@ethron.net.
Malika, Claire needs to hear from you NOW!!! Add: A/D 2712, 2009, Vilnius, Lithuania.
Abi (French) would like to know if Hector (Argentinean from Rosario, met in Buenos Aires in '83) could contact her. E-mail: diefamilie@bluewin.ch.
Charli N. is looking for Jenna (formerly Ruthie, of Sam and Abby). Please contact me as soon as possible. E-Mail: jnoble7@hotmail.com.
former members seeking contact
Does anyone know Phillip or Sheila C.? Sheila was heading up a Home with Michael Artist in Samoa, last I saw her. They had 10 children! Eden and Talitha were the eldestall beautiful and colorful. Best friends, write me! Add: Ada Managhan Iwai-cho 154-202 Hodogaya-ku, Yokohama-shi, 240 Japan. Thanks a million. Formerly my name was SheBah Sheep.
miracles happen amongst the Brahmin caste
from the Madras Deaf Home
I must confess I quite disliked the Brahmin population around our house when I came to live in Madras over two years ago. Madras has a very high concentration of these Brahminsthe highest, priestly caste among Hindus. (They were also the ones responsible for killing the Apostle Thomas centuries ago.) I disliked their painted foreheads, their hard, stony faces, and their formal, self-righteous style of dress. I prayed many times for the Lord to give me a love for them, as I knew it sure wasn't in me. At that time, I had very little faith for Brahmins to get saved, as they seemed so hopelessly entrenched in their own lifestyle.
Many of our deaf catacombers, however, come from Brahmin families and have been faithfully witnessing to their own families over many months. This past month we have seen quite a few significant miracles in our Brahmin families, which we'd like to share with you.
One of our deaf catacombers, Vinodh, comes from a Brahmin family. Her mother was married and had Vinodh at the age of 11, believe it or not, so she's now only 33, yet has been through tremendous suffering, and is a very sweet, broken new bottle. She has been saved and very close to us for a long time now, and has confided all her problems in us.
We met her second husband a few times, but late one night last week she brought him over to us in a very desperate state. Her husband also has another wife and family, quite a common practice among Hindus here in the south, and he was quite distressed because of his financial problems. He is a dermatologist, and some time ago he had gotten a large amount of money together to build his own hospital. He had given this money over to a builder, who then stole itsomething which happens quite often in India.
Unfortunately, less than half the money was his own, so he now has some very angry people chasing and threatening to kill him if he doesn't return their money, which he's unable to do, as he works among a very poor community of people and doesn't even earn enough to support his family. He became so depressed recently that he wrote a suicide note, accepting responsibility for his own death, and dedicating his body to medical research. He then loaded the syringe with which he was planning to commit suicide, and put it in his pocket.
By a miracle he didn't use it, but later came to visit us, spending his last few rupees to reach our Home. We talked until late in the night, and he had many arguments and things about Jesus he didn't agree with. To combat every argument of his, we just showed him Scriptures, which he accepted very sweetly. In the end, he humbly accepted Jesus, TTL!
Another Brahmin lady, the mother of one of our younger catacombers, was a very devout Brahmin, and had "witnessed" to us quite a few times on the virtues of Brahminism! We didn't argue with her, try to convert her, or even openly witness to her; we just kept praying for her.
We were more than a little surprised when she came to our Sunday class a couple of weeks ago in a very excited state, saying, "I just had to come and tell you what God did for me!" She then went on to tell us that the same week she had been very desperate for money, as she had to pay the college fees for her deaf son, and the school fees for her younger son, both at the same time. (This lady and her husband, who both work, earn a combined salary of 3,000 rupees a monthless than 100 dollarsand their house rent is 2,000 rupees!)
One day she was so desperate for money that she had taken her gold marriage chain to the pawn shop and got it weighed and found out how much she would get for it, although she hadn't actually pawned it yet. The same day her younger son was playing outside wearing chappals (flip flops) when he felt something catch on his toe. He bent down to take it off and it was a gold chain! He brought it home to his mother and her deaf son said, "Mummy, it's because the Family prays for you! See, God supplied this for you!" His mother believed this was the answer to our prayers, and took the chain to a gold shop. The goldsmith weighed it and told her the value, and the amount was exactly the same to the very rupee that she would have gotten from the pawn shop for her own marriage chain!
One of our deaf girls is the only daughter of a highly educated Brahmin couple, both holding top jobs. Her mother's salary covers their living expenses, while the father's whole salary was going to pay off some big debts he'd incurred. When he lost his job some time ago, he became very miserable and depressed and was talking every day of killing himself, saying that he was worth more dead than alive, because of his life insurance coverage.
His wife became a secret believer some time ago, and even secretly sends us a small gift every month. She says she wants to serve the Lord, but knows it's not possible for her. She called and asked for prayer for her husband recently, as he had been trying to get a job for six months without a single response. We prayed desperately for this man, and the Lord did a miracle for him.
One day, while reading the newspaper, he saw a "walk-in interview" advertised for the same day. He went for the interview and met the owner of the company who told him, "I like you, and I want you to be my general manager. You can name your own salary!" His wife called to thank us for praying.
grapes of thankfulness
There are two FGAs here in the Philippines who are a wonderful sample of love and consideration even when it's inconvenient for them. They gladly go out of their way to drive us teens home from area activities, even when it's early in the morning. We want them to know how much we love and appreciate them. It's the little acts of love they do that remind us why we're called a Family. Tim (of Aura) and Peter L. (of Praise), thank you for all you've done! God bless you both! (We're sure He has by the time this gets printed!)
Some YAs in the PI
There's a wonderful woman who's "adopted" quite a few of us teens into her personal family, even though she already has six! Her love and concern equals that of a mom. We want you to know, Aura (a.k.a. Heidi, of Tim PI), that we really admire you for going out of your way to share provisioning, go over school records for single parents' kids, help out the singing team and the myriad of other loving things you've done here. "Great is your reward in Heaven!"
Some YAs in the PI
We'd like to extend a massive thanks to Simon and Pearl (U.K.) for all their financial support! We really couldn't do it without you! In our desperate times, you've always been angels encouraging us on! We love you!
Joanna, Pakistan
God bless Martin, Nina, Sebastian, Esther, Michael and team that left temporarily for the US to visit relatives. They left us their car to use, their mobile phone, video machine, a guitar (as ours got broken!) and are sharing their PO Box with us! It's so nice to have brethren willing to share everything they've got. God bless them!
Juan and Letizia, Italy
movie ratings
Movies Rated for Senior Teens and Up
HARRISON BERGERAN (1995)
Sean Astin, Christopher Plummer
Futuristic look at a highly controlled society, and a dissatisfied young man who doesn't quite fit in.
Movies Rated for Junior Teens and Up
AS GOOD AS IT GETS (1997)
Jack Nicholson, Helen Hunt, Greg Kinnear
A bigoted, cantankerous novelist does his best to alienate himself from the rest of the world, except for a certain waitress who somehow manages to put up with him. When his precisely orchestrated routine gets upset, everyone's world is transformed. The movie presents the homosexual lifestyle as a part of everyday life, as an acceptable and normal thing, and of course the Bible teaches otherwise. However, we can hate the sin but still love the sinner, and it's a good portrayal of how love conquers all. Be sure to check out Dad's counsel on Hollywood and homosexuals in "You Are What You Watch!"
LET IT BE ME (1995)
Campbell Scott, Jennifer Beals
Drama/love story about a newly engaged young couple who take dancing lessons. Entertaining, with fun dancing scenes and some lessons on relationships, communication and jealousy.
Movies Rated for JETTs and Up
DANCE WITH ME (1998)
Vanessa Williams, Chayanne, Kris Kristofferson
A young Cuban comes to the US to stay with his father who runs a dance studio, and soon becomes involved with a world-class professional dancer. Lots of fun Latin dancing.
Non-Recommended Movies
DESPERATE MEASURES (Andy Garcia, Michael Keaton; 1998)
movie reviews
Harrison Bergeran
(Dad speaking:) There are a few good parallels in this movie if people are mature enough to catch them. It's an interesting example of what happens when man tries to take the place of God. Throughout history, whenever a government of this type takes power, they always run into the same problems.What to do with man's freedom of choice, his God-given free-will? It's quite a dilemma.
They've come to power on the claim that all men are equal and with the promise to let the common man rule. Yet before long, they find out that the average man doesn't know what's best for him, so they soon start taking more and more power from the masses and give them to a small, chosen elite, until finally, they become a dictatorship, and make the common people their slaves.
In order to do this, they must take away people's rights and keep them stupefied with the promise of material comforts. The trouble is, no matter how good a system they create, there will always be a few who will not be satisfied with such mental, spiritual and creative bondage. They want more out of life.
This dear boy did what he could. Of course, if we had written the script, the ending would have been very different. But, as long as you choose the good, you can get a lot out of it. (End of message from Dad.)
As Good As It Gets
(Jesus speaking:) It is My will that My children see movies of this type. Firstly, because it shows them the vast riches that they have in My Family. Secondly, so that their hearts will be broken, so they will search and seek out those who need their listening ear, their concern, and sometimes their help in a physical way.
Although some of the characters were quite low and despicable in their behavior, still, you saw their need, their human side, and the craving of each one to have someone who loved and understood them.
You can see in this movie how even the love of a little dog can begin to unlock the cages people have put themselves in, and set them free. You can unlock people's cages. You can set people free. You can give them My love by your touch, your words, your looks, your offers of help. And when they question or wonder why, you can tell them that it's My love in you, reaching out to them. They can find that a mediocre or a miserable existence is not as good as it gets. There's morethere's so much more.
This movie presents homosexuality as a part of everyday life, as an acceptable, normal thing. As you know, the Bible and I have taught otherwise, that homosexuality is not the natural state for man to be in, for I created man to be with woman, and part of this young man's torment is because he did not choose the natural state that I ordained.
However, the movie shows broken hearts and the need people have for My love, for understanding, for someone to listen, which you can supply to all types of people, whether they be homosexuals, football players, rednecks, businessmen, housewivesregardless of what they are, they need this love and this listening ear. (End of prophecy.)
Let It Be Me
(Jesus speaking:) This is a sweet movie about love, with some fun dancing thrown in. However, this movie is made by men who don't know the true power or strength of My love, so you must be aware that some of the attitudes towards love and relationships aren't a very good sample of real love or living the Law of Love. You must come back to the Word as the standard and choose the good and eschew the evil. (End of message from Jesus.)
ask-a-midwife
Q: In the Home I was in previously, a nursing mother's baby was getting rashes on her face. The doctor advised the mother to take practically everything out of her diet, then slowly start adding foods back in, to see which food was causing the rashes. But I've seen other mothers whose babies got rashes, but they pretty much stuck to their normal diet, of course eliminating obvious foods that caused rashes, and their babies eventually got better. I know that if you have a healthy, balanced diet during pregnancy you shouldn't have many problems while nursing. I just finished reading the FSM "Nutrition in Pregnancy," and it really stresses eating well while pregnant and nursing. So I was wondering this: Does eliminating so many foods from your diet cause the child to be more sensitive to foods as they grow up, or is that fine to do?Karen (YA), Russia
A: If the doctor is telling the mother to eliminate food from the baby's diet (if the baby is still nursing, but also already eating solid foods), then yes, you should eliminate all foods introduced for three weeks. (It actually takes three weeks to get all the allergies caused by food out of your system.) You can take all foods away only if your baby is still a full-time nurser and if you're willing to nurse your child extra. After three weeks you can begin re-introducing the foods one at a time, giving a new food only after seven days of the first food. This way you are introducing a new food every seven days. If your baby has a food allergy, it should show within the seven days after you have eliminated all foods for three weeks.
If your baby eats mostly solid food (and is not a full-time nurser) don't eliminate all foods at once, instead eliminate them one at a time and after three weeks begin re-introducing them. This can take quite a while, but if your child has a food allergy it is worth it.
Did you know that many children wet the bed at night due to food allergies? And more than two ear infections a year in a child under the age of two can be, and usually is, a sign of food allergies? The five most common foods children are allergic to are: 1) cow's milk, 2) chocolate, 3) wheat, 4) corn and 5) eggs.
Children do outgrow allergies, so if they are allergic to a food when young they could try it again when they are older. This is why it's recommended not to give your baby cow's milk before one year of age and not to give them eggs (especially the whites of eggs) until they are nine months or a year old. If your baby hasn't started eating solid foods yet, you should introduce new foods one at a time, with a new one every week. I know this is boring and takes a lot of time, but this way you'll know right away if your baby is allergic to one of them. (Many times the rashes on baby's face can also be caused by the soap/fabric softener the baby clothes and sheets are washed in, or can be caused by drooling while teething, as your baby rubs its face at night on the sheets.)
If the doctor is recommending the mother remove the foods from her own diet, she should do it one at a time and the same way. The mother should start by eliminating milk from her diet, since that's usually the main offender. Nursing mothers' babies can have a hard time with their mother drinking milk. The trick is to replace it with some other food which gives the same nutrition. In the case of milk, about the easiest and best way to replace it is with yoghurt. Eggs also are easy to replace, as the mother can eat any other source of protein. Wheat is a little harder as it's in bread and noodles and baked goods using flour (such as pancakes, cakes, cookies, breading on liver, etc.), but the mother could eat potatoes or rice. Most every country has something that could be used instead of bread, such as rice cakes, corn tortillas (not flour, as that's wheat). The main thing is to remove only one food at a time for three weeks, and then to re-introduce the food if it's not the one causing the allergy.
Of course if you remove the food from your own diet and the baby clears up, when you re-introduce it the baby will probably break out again. Then you'll know for sure your baby has a problem with that food, and once the baby starts eating solids, you wouldn't want to try that food on your baby until he/she is over two years old.
Some children don't outgrow their food allergies until they hit their JETT or junior teen years, and some never do, so you just have to be patient. Anything a baby is allergic to you will need to find a substitute for, which is a little trying and takes time. I have a son who is allergic to milk, yoghurt and all dairy products, but in looking for calcium substitutes for him we found that what he is actually allergic to is the calcium itself (it's very rare to be allergic to a vitamin), and the only form of calcium he could handle was egg shells. He doesn't care for them but he has had to eat them all his life, as he never outgrew his allergy. So if you don't find a substitute right away, keep looking as the Lord usually has something.
On the last point of your question, eliminating so many foods from your child's diet won't cause her to be more sensitive to foods as she grows up, but rather gives her time to outgrow the allergy. As a nursing mother, you cannot remove them all at once from your own diet. You can take out two or three foods at a time which you think might be affecting your baby, such as removing eggs, tomatoes and carrots at once for the three-week period, and then adding them back one at a time.
(Editor's note: Above all, you can ask the Lord what's causing it, and for His Heavenly counsel. In some cases, the Lord might even tell you right off the bat which food is causing the allergy, in which case you could save yourself the trouble of having to guess and take one at a time out until you hit it. It's always wise to ask the Lord!)
Mama Jewels On Drawing Others In
Given at a Home Meeting
Normally when you go to dinner, you want to relax, therefore you want to sit with people who you want to chat with, or who you're friends with, or who you're attracted to or like to be around. Often the young people like to sit together and the older people congregate together, and that's natural. But it's good to not constantly go back to the same people. Mingle! Sit with or talk to people who you don't regularly fellowship with. Maybe that's because they're not your cup-of-tea type person, but that doesn't matter. It's important and healthy spiritually for you to take time listening to them and fellowshipping with them, just as much as you would fellowship with someone that you prefer to sit with. It builds unity.
If you're in the middle of a conversation with someone in a public place and somebody else comes by, it's your responsibility to bring that person in. Say, "Hi, So-and-so." I try to do this when somebody new joins a group. Ask them some question, "What do you think about this? We were just talking about" You should take a second and fill them in by saying something like, "Oh, we were just talking about how nice-looking these men are," or whatever you're talking about.
The point is to give some recognition of their presence. It doesn't matter whether it's an older person or a younger person; it's just common courtesy. It shows people that you care about them, and that you're not trying to be exclusive, and that if they want to, they can join you.
People are very sensitive, you know? So it's very important to greet people, acknowledge them, hug them, smile at them, or whatever. Even if you're in a hurry to go elsewhere, at least tell them why you're in a hurry. Say, "Hey, I really love you! God bless you! I want to talk to you later, but right now I have to do such-and-such." Just as much as possible you should try to show people that you love and care about them.
homeARC tip
from HomeARC user
The HomeARC 98 Program disc has a plastic sleeve and this plastic sleeve is inside a thin-film plastic cover. The sticker containing the serial number was fastened to this outer plastic cover. Most people throw this plastic cover away as it tears easily and it's also a hassle to take the CD out of it. However, the Homes who received CDs this way shouldn't throw this cover away as they need to keep the serial number. I suggested that one Home cut out the sticker part and somehow attach it to the firmer inside plastic CD sleeve. Actually, this Home wasn't even using the inner sleeve, but kept the HomeARC CD inside the outer plastic cover, so you had to be very careful when removing the CD not to let the adhesive-covered flap fall down onto the CD. I could see that this had happened once on the media side of the CD as it had left some glue gunk there. This can easily ruin a CD. A tip for taking care of HomeARC 98 CDs is being careful not to get the sticky glue on the CDs from the thin-film plastic covers.
(From the HomeARC team:) You could also copy down (or cut out) the serial number and keep it in a safe place, and/or keep it XPYed (encrypted) on your computer (backed up!).
Please continue to pass on your tips, program and library "problem reports," and questions. Remember to use the HomeARC help file (and demos)which can answer many of your questions. GBY!
Q: While reading on the HomeARC, I found a few typos which you may want to correct before sending out the next edition of the HomeARC.A HomeARC User
A: (From WS HomeARC team:) Thanks. We welcome your corrections! Most of these files were proofread, but things get through, and you shoulda seen 'em before they were proofread! (GB the Third World outside typists WS hired years ago to retype these early gems!They did pretty well, but of course, their work needed a lot of checking, which the dear Area office volunteers did in their spare time over a several-year period!)
We'd appreciate reports on any major typos or problems you may notice in any of the pubs files. You can send a HomeARC Data Problem Report (found on the HomeARC CD) to the HomeARC e-mail address (homearc@ibm.net) or send it with your TRF. Your HomeARC Data Problem Report should include the filename and sample of the problem text.
It's not necessary to report British/American spelling inconsistencies or small points of grammar. Please report any problems with the Image Library files, such as unreadable or misnumbered pages, etc. Pubs Purge suggestions are welcome for either text or image files. We will correct reported data problems in future Library releases. Thank you for your help in using and improving the HomeARC Library.
one Home's account of Mama's birthday celebration
from the Rose Garden Home, India
It had been a long, busy Saturday with CTPs and a super JJT, as well as the market pick-ups for the city. By 5:30 we remembered that TONIGHT was Mama's birthday! We wanted it to be special, something everyone could join in with, even the three girls who had the mumps. A couple of us got together and prayed that the Lord would make our evening everything it could be, in spite of our lack of organization, and He did! Here's what happened:
We all sat at one long table and were served one of our favorite dishes: Tandoori chicken! Then, surprise, surprise, we had a special guest! "Mama" walked in! (Note: If she looked odd as she made her way to the table, it was probably because she couldn't see through the borrowed glasses!) Everyone sang "Happy Birthday" and gave her a space at the head of the table. After dishes (which "Mama" was exempt from), we read the True Komix story "Thank God for Maria," with books for all the kiddies to read along.
Since our dear guitarist was in quarantine, we used the FTTs for our inspiration, and were serenaded by "Lady Maria," "What Do You Give a Woman" and other loving Jesus songs, since He's the most important part of Mama's life. Someone had received a beautiful poem in prophecy (which we later sent to Mama) and we read it together. We read the part in the GN "Heavenly Birthdays" about us all receiving the gift of love, and then we had a beautiful praise, prayer and prophecy together! The spirit was electrifying, almost as if we were really there in Mama's Home, celebrating with her!
Then we had communion with "All Hail to the Queen" instrumental playing in the background. Next came the stuff all the kids were waiting eagerly fora fast and furious game of charades, using only Mama Letters! Then out came a prize-winning cheesecake and our favorite selection of danceable FTT numbers! Everyone had a lot of fun rocking out in their own special way, and if you looked towards the back of the room, you could see our three quarantine girls, all dressed like Esmeralda, losing themselves to the beat. Four-year-old Ajay took center stage with his Mambo-style calisthenics while three-year-old Lisa re-introduced the Macarena (her own re-mix, of course!). We hope your celebrations were inspiring too! We love you!
miracle of supply on Mama's birthday
South Africa
(From Precious:) Seth and I went on a faith trip to a city called Umtata, which is about 200km. from our Home. The first day and a half were very hard; we went back to schools that had taken videos on the last visit, and no one wanted more. We were quite discouraged to say the least, but hung onto words the Lord had given in prophecy before leaving.
We kept going and the Lord led us to a row of small factories where the first man said he was a Hindu and didn't think the Countdown video was for him. I told him that the events would happen whether he was a Hindu or not. He took the video and gave us a donation double of what we normally get! We were on our way! The next lady got two videos and told us to go to a friend. We went to the friend who got videos and sent us on to another, and so it went.
The next day we went to see a lady we had been referred to and began telling testimonies of the Lord's wonders and how He works, things about the Endtime, etc. We had been there about half an hour when she asked exactly what we do in a day. We explained about our CTP, our home schooling, our crche project, outreach and all the things that go into a "day of our lives."
After another few minutes of conversation she told us that the Lord had told her a while back that He wanted her BMW. She had tried to sell it with the idea of giving the money to her church. The Lord had then told her specifically that He wanted the car, not the money. She then explained that she wanted to give it to us for our work. I thought that would be nice and perhaps it would come through on our next trip. After another 15 minutes or so she said, "Well, you'll have to take me home to get another car as I am here in the one I am going to give you!" We were flipped, to say the least. She gave us the paperwork for the vehicle, and that was it! She also gave us two huge bags of clothing from her factory and wants to help more in the future. PTL!! A trip that started out in seeming defeat broke in blessings on our heads.
(From Marcos:) When I saw the team coming home that night in two cars, our normal car plus a fancy white one, I thought that they were bringing some sheep or a king that they met on their faith trip home for us to minister to. I combed my hair and prepared to receive them, and was surprised to see nobody else except them walk in the door. When they told me that the car was given to us, it took me a while to believe! You can imagine my astonishment!
It was Mama's birthday and we still wanted to spend some time celebrating it together. We ended up having our celebration a few days later, and the Lord told us that He had given us that car as a sign of His love for us. He asked us to promise Him to never doubt His love for us anymore, and that everytime we looked at the car we should remember: "The Lord loves us and He's able to supply anything!"A sweet and deep message of Love from our Husband, and a token of His unfailing power to supply much more abundantly above what we think or pray.
ideas and tips
For hitchhikers
You can keep a tape or two on hand, so when you go inside a car you can ask the driver to put it on. The benefits: First, it creates a heavenly atmosphere. Second, it helps open good witnessing by talking about our music. Third, it is a fantastic way of tapenessing!
Christian, Marco and Gabriel, Albania
(See "Backtracking" in GV# 13)
Take the babies
Are you bored in the nursery? Have you lost your vision for follow-up and souls? Do you need a chance just to burn free? Well, why don't you do what we did?Take your nursery on the road! Lirio, Julie, Ester, Paz and Miguel went on the road for four days with our nursery. It was a follow-up trip to visit a family who had a relative who had just gone to be with the Lord. Our team set off to visit a nearby town to minister to this family in need. The Lord used the babies to touch many hearts and abundantly supplied all their needs!
Dan, Joy, Julie, Lirio And Ester, Mexico
tip of the day
Desktop Access
On a keyboard with a Windows key, all you have to do is press Windows-M to minimize all the active windows and get you to the blank desktop. Note that this method minimizes all the active windowsit does not minimize dialog boxes. In fact, this is a good way to get back to open dialog boxes. Let's say that you have opened the Multimedia dialog box. Then you opened a Read me file for reference. You can get to the dialog box with Alt-Tab, but you can get there immediately with Windows-M.
ws news
WS
(From Peter:) Thanks to the Lord's wonderful supply and your faithful giving, this year, as reported in "1998 Midyear News and Progress!" we've been able to send you more pubs than ever before! In the first nine months of this year you've already received more GNs than you did during the entire year of 1997.And there are a number more on the way, not to mention the regular pubs such as the Grapevine, the Zine, the FSM, and on the list goes! We're also introducing a new monthly pub, linkUP, which we're sure you'll find inspiring.
Those of you who are parents or who work with children have no doubt noticed the tremendous increase in the amount of pubs that our wonderful FC team has been putting out. God bless them, they've been working very hard to get out the New Wine to our children quicker than ever before, along with KIDZ mags, Kidz Biz and other childcare related materials.
We've also sent you 22 books this year and 13 more are being printed now and will be coming your way in the next few months, D.V.! There are also six new audio tapes for the Family in the works, some of which are presently at the dupers, as well as a number of new tapes for GP distribution. The final touches are also being put on the Ultimate Family Songbook based on the songbook material on the Members Only WEB site on CD. Besides all of this inspiring material, WS is also working on an exciting new follow-up project which we will tell you more about soon in an upcoming GN.
Being able to get out all these materials to you, dear Family, is wonderfully inspiring for us. At the same time, the production, printing and shipping costs for all these tools and pubs to you are very high. Overall Family income has increased over the past few years, and because of this increase, we've been able to increase our overall publications and tool output. However, due to these and other Family projectssuch as setting aside funds for the gift to the single moms, as we recently announcedwe've now reached the point where our expenses are coming close to overtaking our income, which means that in order to not spend more than comes in, we need to look for ways to cut expenses. One step to saving funds will be to send the new audio tapes to the Homes one-per-Home rather than one-per-6-disciples. It may also not be possible to send a free complementary copy of each new GP tool that comes out, in cases where those tools are available to order for distribution from your SC. We're sorry that we can't keep sending them to you at the past rate, but when we don't have the funds we've got to make cuts.
We'd like to ask each of you to pray that the Lord opens the windows of Heaven and provides abundantly through windfalls, inheritances and other gifts so that we can continue to pour out to you as much as possible. If you receive a large gift, please consider sharing some of it with WS. Above all, please pray for the Lord to supply the funds needed for all the projects in the works. Thanks! We love you!
News from Mama's Place
Things have been hopping around here! Everyone is busy as can be with not only the regular pubs, but with Mama and Peter focusing intently on the Law of Love series and getting the last of the GNs out to the NPCs, we've all wound up to a higher gear. The first edition of the new mag Peter mentioned in his MidYear GN (802) should be reaching you within a monthLinkUP! You'll be able to check this one out in color on the Members Only web site as well. There's been a lot of pubs coming out and another mini-flood yet to come! After which time, the NPCs will get a much-deserved break (see notice on page 1).
Our Home shepherd, Gabe, is on an extended trip to visit some of the other WS units. We're missing him here but are happy to share his inspirational spirit, loving shepherding and get-out talents (ha!) with the other units too.Just come back to us!
In the activity department, we just celebrated our Virgo's birthdays. Peter joined us for the occasion, and we set up tables and chairs to enjoy games, fellowship and some sports before delving into our turkey-kabobs. Movie and snack followed, as well as prophecies and homemade gifts for the birthday gang.
And to end on an expectant note, the first six Heaven's Library books have been printed, and are now being shipped to the various CRO areas. If all goes well, the first book should reach your Home in December. Please pray for this project!
Is Your Computer Y2K Compliant?
Neil, WS
Most of you have probably heard the term "Y2K." Perhaps you understand what it means and perhaps you don't, but in any case you have probably wondered how Y2K will affect you. There is a wide range of opinion on how the Y2K problem will affect the world and the economy as a whole. There have been a few articles published in the END, such as "Time Bomb 2000" in END #3, and a future END will also cover the Y2K problem, D.V. We won't get into the many issues that involve the impact of Y2K on the world here, but we'd like to give you a few guidelines about how to determine if your own personal computer is "Y2K compliant," and what effect it's liable to have for you if it's not.
What does Y2K mean in simple terms? People see time as an endless continuum. Computers record time and dates as just another number, and as time progresses the time number gets biggerso a future date should always be larger than a past date. Some programmers interfered with this nice progression by deleting the century digits from datesthis saved storage space in computer memory and on disk back when those things were very expensive and they didn't think the century would be needed! Without the century digits the last day of this millennium will be 99-12-31 (instead of 1999-12-31), and after the stroke of midnight many computers will see January 1, 2000, as 00-01-01 (instead of 2000-01-01)a smaller number than the day before; to the computer, time will appear to have reversed. Old will seem young, a few moments will seem like an entire century, future events will have already occurred.
The results of programmers using 6-digit dates is the possibility of a date such as 31-12-01 being misinterpreted (is it 1931 or 2031?). Thus, any computer program that deals with 6-digit dates is susceptible to the Y2K problem of misinterpreting dates. Some computer hardware is controlled by programs embedded in their chips, and if these programs use dates that aren't Y2K compliant then it's possible that the hardware will not function properly or perhaps will even cease to function after the year 2000.
So how do I know if my computer is affected? Your computer is almost certainly affected by the Y2K problem in some way, because that problem is so prevalent! However, if you are aware of how and where the problems lie, then it should be fairly easy for you to take the necessary steps so that Y2K doesn't affect your computer in a drastic way.
It would be impossible to go into all of the many details of exactly what is affected in this short article because there are so many different types of computers, as well as so many different programs. We have set up a "Family Y2K Resource Page" on the Members Only Web site that contains resources that will help you determine the Y2K compliance of your computer hardware and software.
Computer Hardware: There are several programs available to download on the "Family Y2K Resource Page" that can test your computer hardware to determine if it is Y2K compliant. If your computer is not Y2K compliant, the resource page will recommend actions you can take to minimize any problems that you might encounter, such as software that can compensate for the problem. Most computers should continue to function properly into the new millennium even if they aren't Y2K compliant. You just need to be aware of what weakness your computer might have so that you can take the proper precautions. In many cases, for example, if a computer that is not Y2K compliant is not running when the millennium turns over (i.e., at midnight on Dec. 31, 1999), it might just be necessary to reset the date when the computer is turned on and then the computer will function properly.
Other computer hardware such as monitors, disk drives, printers, etc., should not be affected by the Y2K problem in most cases. However, the only way that you can be sure that your hardware is not affected by Y2K is to check with the manufacturer. Most manufacturers have information on their Web sites detailing the Y2K compliance of their products.
Computer Software: It's almost certain that some of the software on your computer is affected in some way by the Y2K problem. As with hardware, most software vendors have information on their Web sites detailing the Y2K compliance of their programs. Many vendors also offer free patches on the Web that will upgrade their programs to be Y2K compliant. There are links on the "Family Y2K Resource Page" for some of the common software upgrades that you might need, such as the patch for Windows 95 to make it completely Y2K compliant.
If a certain computer program doesn't do any kind of date calculations, then its Y2K compliance isn't really that important. For example, you can type dates into your word processor, but a word processor doesn't normally do any calculations with those dates, so its Y2K compliance probably isn't all that critical to you. On the other hand, if you use a database or spreadsheet program, then the program's Y2K compliance would be more important, especially if you use those programs to perform date calculations. So, investigate the Y2K compliance of the programs you use, and if there are patches for them make sure to get and apply the patches if possible. If a program that you use isn't Y2K compliant and you aren't able to get patches for it, then evaluate your use of the program to determine if that's really important to you. If you don't do any date calculations with your spreadsheet program, then it's not really all that important to you if it's not Y2K compliant.
We hope that this little explanation and the "Family Y2K Resource Page" is a help to you in determining the Y2K compliance of your computer and programs. We're sorry that we can't give you a simple checklist covering exactly what to do, but there are just too many variables involved to be able to do that. But with a little bit of investigation on your part you should be able to determine how Y2K will affect your computer and make the necessary preparations so that you are prepared.
I'm wondering ...
Q: Can FMs use the tele-TRF? It would be easier and save money for the Family.Caleb and Rejoice, Sweden
A: Yes. The current version of the TeleTRF (version 7) includes both CM and FM TeleTRF forms, and the new Windows version will have them also. Please contact your CRO office to find out how to obtain a copy.
Q: We heard that the Endtime music video would be out by Christmas, however we haven't seen it yet. Is there an update on this video?Amy Marie, USA
A: It's gone to the SCs already, and all Homes should be receiving a copy soon.
thanking
for your spirit story contributions
Sheryl (19, Romania), Simon Sunshine (Brazil), Rejoice (Thailand), Crystal (India), John Michael (10, Africa), Tender (Japan).
Launching out after 20 years!
from Philip and Priscilla, Ivory Coast
Can you imagine knowing the Family for 20 years, being in His service full-time together since 1985, and never out of your Home country? (In December 1986 we were ready to go to India when the Letter "It's Almost Over" came out, so we never left our home country of France!) You feel like you are missing something exciting in your life, not really knowing what it is to live by faith on the field!
So we, Philip (58) and Priscilla (46) still had the desire to go to a mission field, especially with our teens Maria (17) and Samuel (16), and Johannes (7). Since we had lived in France for so long and didn't have everyday super exciting witnessing times there, the testimonies that we read sounded like a dream for us.
In the beginning of January 1997 we got news from Josue and Mary in Ivory Coast, and often dreamed of answering their call for more laborers. The country is good for French people, because everybody speaks French, and the witnessing ministry is wide open. At the same time we were on a welfare situation and miraculously Philip was informed that he could receive a monthly allocation from the government for having been in the war in Algeria. We felt it was the Lord's money and that it could start us with some support on the field.
We then started to pray seriously about going to the mission field, and asked the Lord where He wanted us to go. We also received prophecies from my sister in India, Faith (of Mark).Ivory Coast was the Lord's guiding. It took us one full year to get readyfor the papers to be put in order, and to get the money. We were all getting impatient to depart. Hob'Allah (17, of Paul and Lilas) came with us, and we took off from Paris on January 9, 1998 to Abidjan.
The Lord encouraged us and led us step by step, providing free transportation of our trunks by boat. When we went through customs upon arrival we were stopped, and had our first encounter with corrupt African policemen. We had to wait for over an hour to get back our passports, but didn't have to pay any fine, thanks to Josue who was there to deal with them!
The people are so sweet here and respectful of missionaries. On the local news, you can hear the broadcaster praising the Lord, talking about God, faith, and even Jesus. It's so different from France!
The teens are really happy to be here and they enjoy going witnessing, and are learning to be Endtime prophets and missionaries. They were praying for more teens to join them for more fellowship, and the Lord sent another family from Ghana with another teen and two JETTs who are now with us. Who will be the next ones?Maybe you! So, if you want a change, even in your early 50s or 60s, the Lord can use you!
Computers and my "old" spirit helper
By Stef (19), ASCRO
Part of my regular work is designing and updating Web sites. Needless to say, this is a lot of work and sometimes the amount that needs to be done can be overwhelming. At times I feel real incapable, so in light of this, I prayed for someone to help mea spirit helper. I was real excited about it and couldn't wait to get started working with him and see how it would work out.
Well, it turned out my spirit helper was an old man.Not that anything's wrong with older people; I get along with them quite okay, and think they're real neat. In this case, my spirit helper wasn't just like 40 or so; you could tell he was really oldat least 80 or 90. It was almost like he was from the Old Testament times, or at least I had that feeling. So I was like, "Whoa, what will he know about computers? Computers are only a bit older than I am." I figured, "Okay, he may have counsel, but I don't think he can help me with the specifics."
In the meantime, the "Overcoming the Generation Gap" GN came out. I figured I had that one pretty well covered. I mean, I get along well with those of the first generation and generally don't have many clashes. So I kinda put that one aside and didn't really let it sink in. I didn't see the connection yet.
Anyway, in my work, I and my spirit helper would always have different opinions. It was almost like I was out to prove him wrong. Not in a major way, but just in little things. It was frustrating because my ideas and plans would always turn into blind alleys with tons too much work and in the end they just plain wouldn't work. When I would give in to what he said, it all fit together perfectly.
After a while it was getting to be too much, so I prayed about it. The Lord told me to reread the "Overcoming the Generation Gap" Letter, ha! I did and it was so applicable in this new light. I guess I'd never really had to work with someone from the first generation in my daily work. It was okay to have them around, but since I generally worked on my own, it never really came to the crunch. Anyway, I really prayed to have a better attitude in this respect and since then we've been getting along great! It's so much easier having someone to counsel with and bounce things off of.
Shine On
August '98 stats
TEAMWORK
Per Adult
Total
SOUL SHINERS FOR AUGUST '98
Ezequiel, Rejoice, Jonathan, Brazil
1,000
3,000
Madras Deaf Home, India
753
2,260
Samuel, Rosita, Mexico
438
875
Timothy F., Rejoice E., Dove F., USA
402
4,420
Pablo E., Chile
390
1,563
Steven, Claire, Daniel, Crystal, India
355
1,420
Steven, Lily, Slava, Russia
312
2,187
Victoria Faith, Mike Davidson, China
279
558
Ben, Meekness, Botswana
251
502
Joao, Pandita, Obede, Clara, Brazil
225
900
POSTER SHINERS FOR AUGUST '98
Peter, Hannah, France
10,483
31,450
Michael, Maria, Japan
2,795
5,590
Peter S., Crystal S., Mary M., USA
2,487
12,436
Shajjad, Katie, Romania
1,650
6,600
Jafet, Julieta, Mexico
1,500
3,000
Judah, Pandita, USA
1,500
6,000
Steven, Sunshine, Japan
1,265
3,795
Abner, Promise, Japan
1,255
3,765
Jonathan, Clare, Japan
1,250
5,000
Pedro, Lily, Victoria, Spain
1,248
3,746
TAPE SHINERS FOR AUGUST '98
Dave, Jan, Rosemarie, Czech Republic
137
1,097
Samuel, Clara, Tim, Elisabeth, Spain
117
705
Francisco, Joanna, Luanada, Brazil
99.3
298
Pablo E., Chile
99.2
397
Francisco, Jessica, Venezuela
76
152
Davide, Joan, Italy
69
138
David, Madalena, Andrew, Clara, Brazil
67
407
David, Esperanza, Santiago, Peru
67
339
Tim, Rachel, Sweden
66
200
Pedro Fisher, Maria Fisher, USA
63
126
VIDEO SHINERS FOR AUGUST '98
Matthew, Mercy, Taiwan
65.5
131
Ben, Meekness, Botswana
65.0
130
David, Esperanza and Santiago, Peru
40
203
Andrew, Katrina, Brazil
39
78
Davide, Joan, Italy
32
64
Miguel, Samuele, Ester, Brazil
32
130
Abner, Esther, Andrew, South Africa
31
190
Joseph, Rosa, Chile
30
61
Joy, Jimmy, Taiwan
25
50
Pablo E., Chile
21
85
FREE POSTER SHINERS FOR AUGUST '98
Gabe, Maria, Lisa, Russia
5,391
32,350
Jan, Bowy, Michael, Russia
3,123
43,725
Jered, Christina, Sonny, Genty, Russia
2,769
36,000
David, Paloma, Samuel, Christina, Russia
1,475
5,900
Tim, Joy, David, Ukraine
1,435
7,175
Jonathan, Mary, Benjamin, Angela, Ukraine
1,260
7,560
John, Joy, Ukraine
1,250
2,500
Virginia, Steven, Martin, Charity, Russia
1,187
9,500
Sandra, Richard, Joanna, Angel, Brisa, Russia
1,166
7,000
Daniel, Davida, Francesco, Moldava
1,100
5,500
Also included with this file
peanuts 'n' raisins
Tino (4), Courtesy of: Immanuel (15), India
Caption 1: I want it!
Caption 2: What's the magic word?
Caption 3: Abracadabra?
Peculiar People
Inspired by ML #3191:100
Caption 1: Ned New Weapon here!
Caption 2: I've been having a problem with heavy clouds of discouragement.
Caption 3: But now, with my new weapon of PRAISE, I'm gonna end all that.
Caption 4: Woooooosh! Hallelujah! You're way-cool, Jesus! Praise you Mega-Brain! You're the Best! In the House! You're Super Duper!
Caption 5: Works every time!
(End of file.)
Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family