Worldwide Activity Report -- October 1996
FAR030 - GP

October 1996, by The Family, Zurich, Switzerland

         Every day, in nearly 70 countries spanning the globe, 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 the Family members involved.

Girl raised from deathbed
From Miriam, F and Alberto, Chile
         Two years ago, the owner of a large clothing factory, gave a donation to our work. Recently we heard from a mutual friend that the factory owner's two-and-a-half-year-old daughter was hospitalized in critical condition as a result of being badly scalded by boiling water. That friend asked us to come with him to the intensive care unit to pray for the little girl, as she was dying.
         When we arrived, the girl's parents were crying hopelessly, and other relatives were mourning the imminent death of the child. They had just heard that a secondary bacterial infection had developed and her body was too weak to fight it.
         Our friend asked the others present to pray with us, so everybody joined in the prayer, responding with "amen" as we petitioned the Lord for the child's healing and claimed promises from the Bible. We then asked to go into the intensive care unit to pray at the girl's bedside, but the doctor in charge wouldn't allow anyone but hospital staff to go in. The girl's mother explained that we were missionaries who had come to pray for the child, and he relented. F and the doctor placed their hands on the girl as they again prayed for her recovery.
         Shortly thereafter, the family's private doctor went in to examine the girl, and came out with a shining face. She had taken a miraculous turn for the better, he explained. Three days later she was out of the intensive care unit and into a normal hospital room -- totally out of danger!
         "These signs shall follow them that believe: They shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover. The prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord will make him well" (Mark 16:17,18; James 5:15).

Once discouraged, now an encouragement to others
From Andr, Zimbabwe
         My daughter Rebecca and I met Aquilina in a crowded office in the heart of the capital, Harare -- crowded, that is, by Western standards. Here it is typical to find five or ten people sharing the same office space that one person would occupy in the West. Like most of those we meet when taking the Gospel office-to-office, Aquilina and her co-workers were amazed that we had come all the way from Europe to tell them and their countrymen about God's love and salvation. Aquilina was particularly interested, and asked to talk with us more during her lunch break.
         We talked about her country and some of the problems it faces -- street children, poverty and corruption, to name a few. As she was about to return to work, I asked her, "What about you? Are you happy?"
         "No, I've been terribly discouraged," she said. "I was brought up to believe in God and I try to turn to Him for help, but He seems so far away."
         I showed her a few verses from my Bible that explained God's love for her, and how she could have that closer communication with Him that she desired. Right there on that busy sidewalk, Aquilina prayed with us to receive Jesus into her heart, and our closest, dearest Friend became hers also. With a broad smile, she waved goodbye and went back to work a new person.
         "That little prayer completely changed my life." Aquilina told us later. "Now when I begin to worry or feel discouraged, I tell it to Jesus and He gives me peace of mind."
         We kept in touch by mail, and sent her some Family publications to strengthen her faith. "Thanks for the booklets you are sending me," she wrote back. "They're so good that a lot of my friends are asking to borrow them."
         As her faith grew, so did her desire to share the happiness she had found in Jesus. She often joins us now when we talk to others about how God can help them overcome their problems, and she is being a help to many.

Comfort for the dying
From Penny, India
         For several months, other Family members and myself have been assisting at a Catholic hospice for terminally ill cancer patients. Most of the patients are from very poor backgrounds. We read to them in Hindi, pray for, talk with and comfort them, and try to do special little things for them like getting their spectacles fixed or bringing them their favorite fruit. We also collect and deliver donated fruit and vegetables to the hospice every week, for which both patients and staff are very thankful. Many patients have told us that the love and concern they receive from us and the nuns surpasses that of their own relatives. We're sure that it's God's love they see in us.
         Our visits can be heartbreaking, as most of the patients are close to death and in a lot of pain. Often we will pray with somebody to receive Jesus during one visit, and the next week when we return, we are told that they have died. We are very thankful for the opportunity to be able to give these poor lonely people Jesus in their last hours. Last month 15 patients prayed with us to receive Jesus and His gift of eternal life.

Aid to forest fire victims
From Melody, Alaska
         For days, the largest wildfire in Alaskan history raged out of control in the beautiful forests just 40 miles north of Anchorage. We could see and smell the smoke from our porch, though Anchorage itself was not in danger. The fires spread at a rate of 1,000 acres an hour, and raged sporadically and unpredictably for over a week, driven by high winds. More than 3,000 people were evacuated from their homes.
         Pat, an adult Family member, and a group of Family teens volunteered their services at the Refugee Relief and Information Center, which was set up in the high school of the town of Wasila. They helped to organize and distribute the influx of donated food and clothing, and helped care for children at the daycare center.
         Hundreds had lost all their worldly belongings, and were stunned and exhausted, not knowing what to do with themselves. There was much anxiety as the fire resisted all efforts to bring it under control and continued to change course, branching off or re-igniting sporadically in areas thought to be burned out. One evacuee told us that he had personally driven every nail into their home when it was built, and then watched helplessly as it all went up in flames.
         A number of people commented that they were especially touched that several of the teens were comforting others when the teens themselves were going through perhaps an even more difficult time in their lives. The teens' mother -- also a member of the Family -- was gravely ill with cancer, but she had encouraged her children to help with the crisis counseling.
         Those who were most affected by the forest fire will continue to need assistance for some time, and we will continue to extend encouragement and aid to the victims during the months ahead.

Drug addict finds peace and purpose
From Francesco, age 17, Philippines
         During one of our weekly visits to a drug rehabilitation center, a patient not much older than I called me over. We began to talk.
         The young man, whom I'll call Leon, said he had sat in on several of our classes, but was reluctant to approach us individually because he thought we were too "holy" for him. I laughed and told him we are just normal young people who have found a cause in life, and that's why we go there. I later found out that Leon is a musician, and he comes from a wealthy family. His brother is a famous singer. After talking for a while, Leon said that he was thankful for our visits and called us his "support group."
         On a later visit he said, "You know, I've tried everything. I'm rich and I've got a wife and kid, but it was only when I met you guys that I found out what life is all about. Now I've got peace of mind." Ever since I gave him a copy of Daily Might -- a book of daily inspirational readings compiled from the writings of David Brandt Berg, the Family's founder -- Leon reads it every morning.
         This is Leon's fifth stint in a rehabilitation center, and he wants it to be his last. "When I get out of here, I want to help you all I can," he said recently. He really likes our songs, and has already composed one for us. His aim now is to write more songs to "help others who come here make the decision to never take drugs again."

Orphan's world transformed
From Joshua, Russia
         Several months ago, when we put on a show for orphans in a little town in the Ural mountains, we were shocked to find that the orphanage lacked some very basic essentials. Before we left, we gave the orphanage a set of Family-produced audio tapes for children, but wanted to do more.
         Upon returning to our home city, we went to work finding sponsors for the orphanage's needs, and the Lord touched many hearts. Over the next few weeks we collected shoes and clothes for all of the children, bedding, a brand-new refrigerator/freezer, a video machine, and linoleum.
         We recently returned to the orphanage to deliver those goods, and we stayed with them for two days. A dramatic change had taken place since our first visit; the children were much sweeter to each other, and that seemed to change the whole atmosphere of the orphanage for the better. We understood that change when we asked the kids what was their favorite song from our tapes. "Jesus, Come into My Heart," they said. The children had all received Jesus, and His love had transformed them and their world!

         The Family is a non-profit, volunteer organization. Each of the activities you have just read about were made possible through donations from businesses, associations and concerned individuals. If you would like more information about The Family, or if you would like to help sponsor Family volunteers or projects, please contact us at one of the addresses below:

For more information:
         Visit The Family at our Internet Web site: http://www.thefamily.org/family
         E-mail: family@thefamily.org

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