Worldwide Family Activity Report - February 1995
FAR011 - GP
February 1995 by The Family, Zurich, Switzerland
The Family
Making a Difference!
Every day, in over 50 countries scattered over six 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.
Angels watching over us!--Miraculous protection during armed robbery!
From Miguel, Peru
"Cooperate and give us what we want, or we will dynamite your house and everything in it--including you!" Without warning, 15 to 20 masked gunmen, apparently terrorists, had stormed into our house! They were rough looking, hyped-up and obviously dangerous. We realized immediately that no earthly help was possible. Our house on the outskirts of Lima is situated on a large and somewhat isolated property with no neighbors within earshot. The gunmen had already cut our phone lines.
They herded everyone they found into the living room. Thank God most of our teenagers were away at a singing engagement at the time. This not only spared them the ordeal, but no doubt also helped to ease our situation. More of us would have only set the robbers more on edge.
Then a few of them led one of our women from room to room at gunpoint, ransacking the house as they went, in search of money and valuables. When they found me and my young son in one of the bedrooms, two of them pinned me to the bed and put guns to my head while two others pillaged the room. Somehow I managed to stay composed enough to explain to the two holding me that we are missionaries. I also talked to them about God's love, understanding and forgiveness. That seemed to soften their sentiments towards us a little. After they finished with my room, I told them that I wanted to be with my other children, and they led me to the living room.
There the other members of our home were calmly quoting Psalms together. Most amazing, though, was the children's behavior. They all remained calm and peaceful in the face of strangers screaming at them and brandishing their guns. At that moment, I felt God's assurance that everything was going to be all right: none of us would suffer any physical harm.--And no one did, thank God!
They stole some cash and a few other items, but it wasn't much, really, considering what they could have taken and no doubt originally intended to take.
Later, several Family members said that as they prayed silently throughout the 45-minute ordeal, they had the distinct impression that a host of angels was protecting us, especially our children. "He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways" (Psalm 91:11).
(Editor's note: A number of other Family members have sent in similar accounts about how their small children had supernatural peace in the face of what one would expect to be terrifying experiences for youngsters. One notable example took place during the Los Angeles earthquake of January, 1994. After Family children there were jolted from their beds, they remained calm and unperturbed through several hours of near-total darkness and the many aftershocks which followed. A similar situation occurred several months later when an area of London experienced a sudden and total blackout. In that case, the children encouraged one another with songs, prayers and Bible verses which they had committed to memory. What keeps our children in these trying situations? Perhaps it is their guardian angels, or perhaps it is the living, working faith which is so much a part of their everyday lives. We believe it is a combination of the two.)
Family-produced videos help children and parents alike
Over the past seven years, the Family has produced three series of videos for children--Kiddie Viddie, Treasure Attic and Fantastic Friends. All feature Family children and songs which teach godly morals, practical knowledge and character-building lessons in a fun, fast-moving way that kids around the world relate to and enjoy. These videos have received widespread acclaim from parents and educators alike, and are now available in 15 languages. Each month, the worldwide Family distributes nearly 10,000 Kiddie Viddie, Treasure Attic and Fantastic Friends videos. Through Family sponsorship programs, many concerned individuals, businesses and civil associations donate these videos to schools, orphanages, hospitals and institutions for disadvantaged or handicapped children. Following are excerpts from several recent reports about the impact these videos are having:
From James, Faithy and Iris, Brazil:
We met a father of two (ages two and five) who has had a set of Kiddie Viddies for three years and says they were his "orientation to raising and educating his children."
* * *
From Eman, Zimbabwe
The director of a number of orphanages was so impressed by the Family's videos for children that he ordered three complete sets, and introduced us to a woman who helps to oversee homes for children throughout southern Africa. She is interested in ordering the videos in German, Portuguese and English for a large number of schools in Mozambique, Angola, South Africa and other countries in the region. There is certainly a very great need for our materials in these schools and orphanages, some of which operate under crisis conditions, caring for children who have AIDS or other life-threatening diseases.
* * *
From Sarah, India
We recently spent a week in the beautiful hill region where much of India's tea is grown. In one town, we found many large family-owned tea companies. Some of the prominent families had already received Kiddie Viddies from other Family members who visited this area several years ago, and they all expressed their appreciation and thanks.
"My four-year-old son used to absolutely refuse to eat vegetables," one young mother said. "Then I tried playing the video presentation of the song, `Try It, You Just Might Like It!' as I served him his food. It really helped. Now he eats all his food! I'm very thankful for that, as he was a very picky eater before."
The father of a six-year-old girl and a three-year-old boy said, "Your videos have had a tremendous influence on my daughter, and have helped a great deal towards making her the loving and responsible girl she is today. She always takes very good care of her little brother, and is very helpful to her mother. She studies well, and is at the head of her class. I just can't say enough about what your Kiddie Viddies have done for her!"
Lives changed
From Alhai, USA
We were each frisked and our cars and equipment thoroughly searched before we were allowed to enter the maximum security boys' detention home where our show troupe, comprised of 12 Family members, aged 16-24, had an appointment to perform. Armed guards, high razor-wire fences and banks of security lights confirmed that this would not be the sort of audience we usually play for. All 200 inmates are young African-Americans, aged 13 to 17, and all have been convicted of very serious crimes, including drug dealing, assault and murder.
Due to a misunderstanding which worked out for the best, we arrived in the middle of a basketball game which nearly all of the boys were watching. We watched with them, and cheered both teams on. These boys are generally quite cynical towards outsiders--or anyone, for that matter, who tries to help them--so this was a great way to break the ice. Then, while the teams were showering and the gymnasium was being set up for our show, we had a chance to pair off with some of the boys and talk with them individually. We later met and encouraged the basketball teams, and dedicated our show to them. All of that also helped to bring down the barriers.
Only one member of our show troupe is black, so before we even started the show, we hit the race issue head on. "If you think we're just a bunch of white folks who can't really understand you or the things you've been up against all your lives, maybe you can help us on that score. We're out to change the world for the better, and if that's what you want to do too, you're welcome to join us when you get out of here. There are tens of thousands of other boys out there just like you who are going to end up dead or in places like this unless someone gives them something worth living for. We need people like you." From that point on, the boys were all very respectful. They listened intently and applauded after each number.
For over an hour, the show troupe sang and danced their hearts out. Then Jason, who emceed the show, offered to lead the boys in a prayer to receive Jesus' free gift of eternal life and His promise of a new life here and now. After a moment of utter silence, a group of about 40 boys repeated the salvation prayer with Jason. Before we left, we gave all of the boys posters and other literature, and many made us promise to return or write them. The directors of the detention center said that they had never seen the boys so orderly and attentive, and they also begged us to return on a regular basis.
* * *
From Trust, Sweden
On September 28, 1994, the 60-ton front cargo door of the car ferry Estonia, en route from the Estonian capital of Tallinn to Stockholm, Sweden, was torn off during a storm in the Baltic Sea. Water flooded the cargo deck, and the ship capsized and sank within five minutes, killing 910 people. Only 138 survived.
For several months, we have been counseling and comforting some of the families who lost loved ones in the Estonia tragedy. Recently my 20-year-old daughter, Kerenina, and I were guest speakers at a "crisis meeting," composed mostly of young men who lost their wives in the accident. Many of them have small children.
The Bible tells us that God "comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God" (2 Corinthians 1:4). In other words, we sometimes find out later that God has allowed us to suffer heartbreak or adversity in order for us to be able to help others who are going through similar crises. Of course, that's not always His entire reason for allowing tragedies in our lives, but this is part of God's promise to bring some good from every situation, no matter how bad it may seem at the time (see Romans 8:28). These basic Bible principles certainly proved true at this meeting.
I explained that one of my daughters died in India when my husband and I were missionaries there some years ago. I also told them about the things I went through--all very similar to what they are feeling now--and about the unfailing love of God that sustained me through it all. Then I read an article compiled from various Family publications on the theme of comfort in sorrow. It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. Many were moved to tears.
As the meeting broke up, we talked individually with some of the bereaved, and gave everyone present a copy of the article which I had read. They hugged us and thanked us again and again, commenting that this had been their best meeting yet. One man said, "I'll take this article home with me and read it over and over in those lonely, early hours when I can't sleep."
We saw glimmers of faith and hope in the eyes of those despairing men that night, and we know that as we continue to help them look to the Lord and draw strength from His Word, God will mend their broken hearts. He never fails!
Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family