Worldwide Family Activity Report - Special Issue on Healing
FAR007 - GP
November 1994 by The Family, Zurich, Switzerland
Every day, in over 50 countries and on five continents, full-time Family volunteers work to bring hope, happiness and God's love to others. Following are highlights of their many recent activities and experiences, as reported by Family missionaries themselves.
Miracles of healing
From Trust, USA
Debbie, who one month ago prayed with us to receive Jesus as her Saviour, is overcoming a supposedly incurable disease, Hepatitis C. Her condition was complicated by more than 10 years of heroin addiction. Her mid-section was so swollen that she looked like she was about to give birth, and her doctors couldn't promise that she would live from one day to the next. Since we prayed for her healing, the swelling has disappeared entirely and her blood has normalised to the point that her doctors have discontinued her medication. When we first met her, she couldn't make it through a short conversation without nodding off a few times. Now she's a picture of energy! She gets up at 5:45 each morning, takes her little girl to school, makes it through the entire day without a nap and does many other things that were impossible for her before.
* * * * *
From Ana Maria, Brazil
After suffering severe abdominal pain and missing my period for two months, I went to see a doctor. He found a tumour the size of an orange on the right side of my uterus and told me that I had two alternatives: surgery or strong drugs. Even after asking the other Family members I live with to pray for my healing, the pain was worse. My faith was being tested.
On my next visit, the doctor did another sonogram. "Have you had an operation?" he asked. "I see only a scar on the right side of your uterus where the tumour was. But how can that be? There is no sign of an incision!"
Then I realised the Lord had performed a miracle and healed me without surgery or medication! I told the doctor about the prayer and my life of faith. He was not only amazed, but prayed with me to receive Jesus!
* * * * *
From Pablo, Chile
A couple we've been visiting and giving Family literature to for the last four years asked us to pray for a friend of theirs, a policeman, who was diagnosed with incurable cancer and given only six months to live. Our friends had promised him that they would pray with some missionary friends of theirs (us), and that he would be cured if he would only have faith. At that time he had already been forced to leave his job, and was under sedation.
We prayed with this couple for his healing, and the Lord answered! His pains disappeared, and when he went for a check-up, his doctor told him that "something very unusual" had happened. Six months have now passed. The man has returned to the police force, and all those who knew of his illness are calling it a miracle.
* * * * *
From Phoebe, Australia
When I first met Lucy about one and one-half years ago, she was fascinated by my account of my years as a foreign missionary. We lost touch shortly thereafter, but I recently ran into her unexpectedly at the hospital where I gave birth to my new baby. Her 32-year-old son Michael had just been admitted to the same hospital and was in intensive care, suffering from a mysterious infection which had spread throughout his entire body.
After I returned home from the hospital, I received a desperate phone call from Lucy. Michael's condition had become so serious, she told me, that she could no longer even bring herself to visit him. His doctors had lost all hope that he would survive. "You're the only person I can think to turn to," she told me, weeping. "Please pray!"
For the next few days I could hardly stop thinking about Michael and praying for him. I also asked other Family members to pray for him, and I sent Lucy a copy of the Family-produced collection of famous hymns, "When You Need Him Most".
I didn't hear from Lucy again until one day when I came home from shopping and found this message on our answering machine:
"Hello, Phoebe, this is Lucy. I just wanted to thank you for praying for Michael and for that wonderful tape. I'm taking it to the hospital for Michael to listen to. You see, he has improved tremendously since I last spoke with you. God has been so good us! Michael will probably be released from the hospital within two weeks. God bless you and thanks again for your prayers. Jesus was there when we needed Him most! Bye for now, Lucy."
Lives saved and changed
From Michael, Faith, David and Beth, Canada
We received the following letter from a boy we met on a recent trip to a neighbouring city:
Dear Friends, Usually Christians annoy me, but you guys don't at all. When you met me that day I was on the verge of suicide. It has been said that God puts people in our paths when we need them most, so I've got to thank Him for having me meet you guys. Because of you, I'm no longer thinking of suicide. --Shayne.
* * * * *
From Peter, Rose, and Christina, Russia
Alexis, a motorcycle gang member in his early 20s, took drugs until he met Jesus through our singing troupe when they performed at a large shopping centre. As soon as the show was over, he came to talk with our teenagers, and prayed to receive Jesus as his Saviour right on the spot! When we saw him a few days later he told us his life had completely changed. He stopped taking drugs, wants to sell his motorcycle, and even started helping his family with household chores. He's already sharing his new-found faith with his old friends. He also asked us to pray for him that he can be free from former obligations to the local Mafia.
* * * * *
From Charity, Norway
We recently received the following letter from a young woman who wrote to the address printed on the jackets of the cassette tapes of Family music which we distribute:
Some time back I received a couple of your audio tapes from a friend of mine. At first I thought that they were too slow, almost boring. I was used to much harder, tougher music--the tougher, the better. But I kept listening, and after a while I started to enjoy your music. Soon I was listening to your tapes morning, noon and night.
Then one evening as I was listening to that music, I had the most wonderful experience of my life. I asked Jesus to come into my heart and met Him in a real and personal way!
Now I feel a desperate need to read the Bible, a Book that I have never touched before. I really want to come closer to Jesus and understand the Bible, but I don't know anyone I can talk with to develop my faith. This is why I'm writing you. I wish so desperately to learn more, and to get more information. I have been to a few church meetings, but I haven't been able to make deep personal contact with any of the people I've met there.
There is so much that I don't know about. I need guidance. Please help me! I'm really looking forward to hearing from you! Much love, Annick
From Russia with love
Across the former Soviet Union, our Kiddie Viddies are being broadcast by a number of TV stations. The Family has set up a "Kiddie Club" to handle the flood of letters they are receiving from children and parents in response to the programmes. Following are translated excerpts from a few of those letters:
Your show teaches my daughter how to love and be good to others. Her correspondence with you has changed her and her world very much. Thank you for helping me to raise my daughter in the right way. --Svietlana Voroshina.
* * * * *
My son Alosha will be 12 soon. He is handicapped due to a childhood sickness, and is just now starting to walk a little around the house. He doesn't go out much, so the letters he receives from you mean a great deal to him. We will both look forward to receiving your next letters. We thank God for you, for through our correspondence Alosha has been able to taste true friendship for the first time. With much love, Alosha and his Mama.
* * * * *
Thank you very much for the posters. I love them. Together with my little brother we wait for a letter from you every day. When I get a letter from you, I read it with my whole class. Many of the children took your address and decided to write to you as well. Personally, when I read the first letter from you I felt like I found a whole new life. I have changed so much since then, and not only that, all the children in my class who read your letters have changed. They are more friendly, happier. Now in my class we are all good friends. We all love you very much! --Natasha Ponomariova, age 12.
* * * * *
I liked the posters very much, especially the one of Jesus. You know, now even my mother and my father started reading the Bible and the different materials that you have sent me. --Vladamir, age 14.
* * * * *
I am raising two daughters, Ola and Lena. They always watch your programme and read your literature with great interest. I work in a kindergarten as a teacher. Whenever my girls receive literature from you, I take it to the children I teach and they listen to the stories with wide-eyed wonder. Thank you so much for your work. You can't imagine how great an impact it has on the lives of the children. Especially now when there is so much evil in the World, your programmes emanate love and friendship and teach them how to be loving and care for others. This last school year I was teaching a group of six-year-olds, and, thanks to your help, I was able to give to our community a group of well-socialised, friendly children. I am very happy I got in touch with you, and my hope is that our friendship will continue. --Derevskova.
Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family