Worldwide Family Activity Report - August 1995
FAR018 - GP
August 1995 by The Family, Zurich, Switzerland

The Family
Making a Difference!

         Every day, in over 50 countries on six continents, full-time Family volunteers work to bring hope, happiness and God's Love to others. Following are some highlights of their recent activities and experiences, as reported by Family missionaries.

`The Family Singers' perform at the Special Olympics!
From Jason, USA:
         Our show troupe performed twice at the Special Olympic World Games, which were held in New Haven, Connecticut during July. Like the regular Olympics, the Special Olympics are held every four years, and athletes from all around the world participate. What makes the Special Olympics unique is the fact that all of the athletes are mentally handicapped. This was a wonderful opportunity for us to "cheer on" these dear athletes and their families, all of whom are shining examples of not letting their handicaps hold them back. "With God, all things are possible," we assured them. (See Matthew 19:26.)

Family young people give hope to the less fortunate
From Thaddeus, Abel and Esther, South Africa:
         Through their donations, friends of ours in the business community are helping us assist "Kids' Haven," an orphanage for abandoned children between the ages of two and sixteen. We visit the orphanage weekly to deliver food and do a program of skits and songs. The children's response to the personal time that we and our children spend with them has been very touching. It is clear that we are making a genuine difference in their lives.
         At first we thought the children and staff would expect a big show or stage performance each week, but that is not the case. What they appreciate most is joining our children in the same sort of activities that we do together at home--lots of singing, stories, and simple improvised skits.
         Our children help us adults plan and carry out our weekly programs, and they have made many friends among the orphans. As our young people care for and give of themselves to others who are less fortunate, they are learning some of life's most precious lessons. We're so proud of them and happy for them!

Mending Broken Lives
From David and Sara, Czech Republic:
         Our teenagers and preteens visit girls their age at a local orphanage. They share their faith with the orphans through songs and Bible classes, and also spend a lot of time just being friends and having fun together. Finding true friends outside the orphanage has broadened the orphan girls' world and brought new hope and joy to their broken lives.
         As our teens help these precious girls, they often hear heartbreaking stories of loneliness and hopelessness--things which our kids have never had to suffer--and they feel the pain of the orphans' broken hearts. But they also see these girls' lives being touched and changed by the Lord's Love. Several of the orphans would now like to become missionaries after they have finished their schooling and are of age to leave the orphanage.
         What Maria wrote is so true: "Our young people give hope to other young people that they can overcome the problems they have. They show other young people that in doing something of value to help others, they can help themselves. If each one gives something to help another, we can all make the world a better place." (Editor's note: Maria was the wife of the Family's founder, the late David Brandt Berg, and now carries on his work of guiding the Family through her writings.)

Freedom from Fear
From Joana and Maria, Bolivia:
         When we stopped by the office of one of our friends who is a neurologist, we had just planned to give him some more Family literature and possibly talk for a few minutes between his appointments. While in his waiting room, however, we struck up a conversation with one of his patients, Luz. She was a nervous wreck. Even in that dimly lit room, she wore large sunglasses to hide her red, puffy eyes.
         As soon as we told her that we were Christian workers, she began to pour out her heart and asked for our help. "How I wish I could find peace of mind!" she exclaimed repeatedly. We showed her a few Bible verses and prayed with her to receive Jesus. She couldn't stop crying, poor thing, but said she felt much better after the prayer. "These are tears of relief," she assured us. She also invited us to visit her at her office in order to pray with her again and read the Bible together.
         When we went to see her, we were surprised to learn that Luz is a high-ranking city official. Our visit went well, and a few days later she and one of her friends came over to our Home.
         After they had met our children and heard some of them sing, we told our guests that we had a special tape which we wanted them to hear. Then we dimmed the lights and put on Fear Not, a tape of Bible verses on the theme of freedom from fear, which Family musicians have set to music. The songs moved them to tears. Next, we read the article "You Can Have Freedom from Fear" from the Treasures book, and prayed with each of them to overcome their stress, worries and fears. "I feel so peaceful!" Luz said. "This is the best `therapy' I've ever had!" her friend added. Luz now joins us one night each week for Bible reading and prayer.
         Luz has since introduced us to the administrators of several institutions for children and a jail for women where over 150 children live with their mothers. We have already begun a program at the jail, and the other institutions would also like our help. Having found the Lord's solutions to her own problems, Luz wants to help us share Him with others. God bless her!

New Life, New Love
From Lily, Belgium:
         Pedro and I met Vivienne while singing in a caf one night. She passed us a note which said, "On this, my birthday, your songs have given me hope that love still exists." We dedicated the next song to her, and she began to cry. We sat and talked with her later, and exchanged addresses and phone numbers.
         A few days later I had a sudden, unexplainable urge to phone her. Thank God I did! In the course of our conversation, she explained that she had an appointment to have an abortion the next morning. She's a divorcee with five children, had just had a major falling out with her boyfriend, and was having lots of problems with her oldest children. "I just can't cope with all of this," she said.
         I told her a little about how the Lord has solved seemingly insurmountable problems in my own life, and assured her that He was just as concerned about her and her children, including the new baby if she decided to keep it. I also encouraged her that the baby might be just what was needed to unite her family. She then prayed with me over the phone to receive Jesus as her Savior.
         Two days later I received a beautiful card from Vivienne. "Jesus touched my heart that night, and I chose to keep the baby," she wrote. When she visited our Home recently, she explained that things are going much better with her children and boyfriend. They are all excited about the new baby! Prayer works!

The Repentant Thief
From Paul and Ruth, Mexico:
         When we visited a long-time friend recently, he was distraught. His wife had just been robbed of her credit cards, papers and cash. We prayed with him that he and his wife would quickly overcome the trauma, and that the robber wouldn't use the credit cards.
         We talked with him a week later, and he told us that two days after our visit he received an envelope in the mail which contained all the credit cards and papers. There was also a note which was signed, "From a repentant robber." There was also a drawing of three crosses, in which the cross on the right was circled. (See Luke 23:32,39-43.) What a wonderful answer to prayer!

Deathbed Deliverance
From Joseph Tree, Canada:
         The last time I visited my parents, they asked me to go see one of their neighbors who was hospitalized, dying of leukemia. During my visit, I prayed with the woman to receive Jesus as her Savior and also prayed for her healing. A few weeks later my mother wrote me that their friend was out of the hospital, going about her normal routine and feeling fine. Praise the Lord! He's still the God of miracles!

A Miracle of God's Love
From Steven, Katrina, Christina and Juan, Mexico:
         Maria Dolores is a dear friend who has helped us and other Family members for years through weekly donations of fruit and vegetables from her little market stall. About a month ago she confided in us that she had gone blind in one eye, and was about to lose sight in the other. We prayed with her for a miraculous healing, but we also suggested that she consult a doctor to determine the cause, and to inquire about a possible treatment. That's when she told us she had never been to a doctor because she couldn't afford the doctor's bills.
         We offered to help her get a check-up, and phoned an eye specialist the same day. When we explained Maria Dolores' situation and the fact that she had been helping our work for years, the doctor was more than happy to donate his services. We drove her to her first appointment, and the doctor confirmed that her condition was an emergency. Had she waited any longer, he said, she would have lost all sight. Instead, she got help in time, followed the doctor's advice, and is now recovering while still under his care.
         Maria Dolores did not receive the instantaneous supernatural healing that we prayed for, but hers is a miracle story nonetheless. All of us--Maria Dolores, the good doctor and ourselves--were touched by God's Love in each other. What could be more wonderful than that?


Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family