Worldwide Activity Report -- October 1996
FAR031 -- GP

October 1996, by The Family, Zurich, Switzerland

Christmas is love come down to Earth
         -- A gift to the world of infinite worth!
         This season The Family will share that Christmas gift personally with more than a million people in over 70 countries on six continents. In addition to reaching many through their daily gospel outreach activities on the streets, door to door, in shops and malls, and other places where people congregate, they will assist at orphanages, senior citizens' homes, hospitals, homeless shelters, prisons and juvenile correction centers. They will also perform for civic Christmas projects, corporate functions, and private parties. As in years past, some of the Family's Christmas performances will most likely be featured in televised newscasts or reported in the media, inspiring millions more with the message of God's love and hope for a better tomorrow.
         The following brief reports of projects and experiences of Christmas 1995 give a glimpse into the type of activities Family volunteers will be involved in this Christmas season.
         May God bless you and yours with a meaningful, love-filled Christmas and a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year!

Christmas Eve performance in Bethlehem
         Heart to Heart, a musical ensemble from The Family that has done numerous benefit performances in India and Thailand, was invited to the Holy Land to perform at a concert held outdoors on Christmas Eve in Bethlehem Square. The international event also included choirs from the U.S., Russia, Fiji, Singapore and Germany.
         The weather was perfect, the hastily constructed stage turned out to be ideal for Heart to Heart's lively performance, and the lighting was simple but dramatic. Heart to Heart was originally scheduled to perform at 11 p.m., but due to several delays earlier in the program they took the stage right at midnight.
         "We felt so privileged to be proclaiming Jesus' birth in Bethlehem at midnight Christmas Eve," one of the Family singers commented later.
         Just as they were about to go on stage, the bells of Bethlehem's churches began ringing and a beautiful fireworks display exploded overhead. It came as a stunning introduction to their performance, and captured the crowd's attention. The Family members received a very warm reception, and each number they performed drew enthusiastic applause.
         The crowd called long and loud for an encore, so after the last scheduled group had performed, Heart to Heart returned to the stage. They were the only group to perform twice, and ended the concert with a medley of Christmas songs. The audience was delighted!

Needy children find Christmas joy
From David, Beth and Maria, Bolivia
         Our three main Christmas projects were a dream come true for us, as well as for the nearly 600 children that were helped.
         The first was a program for 400 street children. Held in a main plaza and conducted in partnership with local officials, the program included a musical performance by Family children and teens, refreshments, and gifts of clothing, toys, chocolates and fruit cakes for each of the children. For many of them, this was the first time in months that they had laughed, enjoyed themselves and felt loved.
         At the request of several friends who work in the local government, we also helped with a similar program for about 100 children belonging to the city's sanitation workers.
         Our third program was at an orphanage where we often do volunteer work. One of our local sponsors bought quality toys for each of the 95 children. Another friend who owns a first-class amusement park invited us to hold our Christmas party for the orphans there, and offered the children free rides. Others donated sandwiches, drinks and fruit cake. December is rainy season in La Paz and, as could be expected, it was raining when the children arrived at the park. It looked like they might not be able to enjoy the rides after all, but David gathered the children and prayed with them for the rain to stop. By the time our little show group had finished their performance, the sky had cleared! "Wow!" the kids exclaimed. "We prayed and God answered, just like that!" What a wonderful Christmas they had!

Their first Christmas
From Marianne and David, India
         This Christmas season our children sang and performed a short drama about the birth of Jesus for several thousand people, many of whom were hearing the Christmas story for the first time in their lives. The children gave 20 performances, including shows at two schools, two juvenile homes, one prison, a cancer hospital, a home for the elderly, an institution for the physically handicapped, an orphanage, and a school for the deaf. After each show, people in the audience prayed with us to receive Jesus as their Savior -- over 850 in all.

Christmas transcends ethnic boundaries
From Beth and James, Canada
         "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son " (John 3:16). This Christmas we were invited to share that universal message of God's love in Jesus with many of Ontario's ethnic minorities. We spoke, performed and taught Sunday school in Latino, Romanian, Chinese, Vietnamese, Jamaican and Egyptian churches.
         The pastor of a Vietnamese church called us "Jesus' Christmas present" to his congregation.
         Another pastor told us that we had made a big impression on their youth, who now want to do more for the Lord.
         Yet another said, "No one ever encouraged us like this before. We are very grateful to see others concerned about winning our people to Jesus, and it makes us want to reach out more ourselves."

Touched by love on Christmas Eve
From Joanna, 15 years old, Brazil
         Solange was one of several dozen patients I met while caroling in a hospital last Christmas Eve. All of them were in need of love and comfort, but young Solange -- in bandages and casts from head to toe -- was special. As we sang for her, she began to cry. Soon she was sobbing almost uncontrollably.
         "Jesus loves and cares for you," I reassured her.
         Then Solange explained that she and her family had been in a car accident. Her father, mother and sister were killed. Solange had been in a coma for three days, but miraculously survived against all odds.
         I prayed with her to receive Jesus, and gave her two of our posters -- one with a text about Heaven, and the other about Jesus and His great personal love for each of us. I also prayed for her healing, and promised to visit her again. She was touched that I and the other Family members present were concerned enough for her, a total stranger, that we would spend our Christmas Eve with her.
         Solange remained in the hospital for three more months, and I visited her as often as I could. Each time I took her one of our inspirational cassette tapes such as "Fear Not" and "How to Win," or read to her from the Bible and Family publications to encourage her and strengthen her faith. By the time she was released from the hospital she was happy, whole, and recovering from her emotional trauma.

Christmas presence
From Peter, Rose and Carl, Hungary
         Following one of our Christmas shows, we received a letter from a man who had been in the audience. It read in part:
         Thank you so much for the Christmas presentation, and for the opportunity to get to know you. Your youthful members are doing a sacrificial job, but they do it with such gladness and love. As you took the stage for your Christmas show, I thought to myself, "I wonder which of them will have a halo above their head." But as the show went on, I realized that instead of halos, each of you radiated love and guidance. You pointed us to the God of love.
V. Benjamin

Other highlights of Christmas '95
         South Africa: A party was held on Christmas Day for the young residents of seven children's homes. Teenagers from the homes also helped Family teens distribute gifts and food to many of the city's street children.
         Japan: The Family teenagers, preteens and children who perform on our Kiddie Viddie, Fantastic Friends and Treasure Attic video series formed three show groups and performed a Christmas musical in orphanages and senior citizens' homes.
         Slovenia: Family members collected and delivered truckloads of Christmas gifts of food and clothing to Bosnian refugees.
         Brazil: A teen show troupe gave many performances in venues ranging from orphanages and mental health institutions to government offices.
         Ukraine: The Family staged inspirational shows at a Red Cross center for handicapped and diabetic children, and at a school for disadvantaged children.
         Spain: Family members performed in a drug rehabilitation center where 40% of the addicts are HIV-positive.
         Russia: The Family conducts a regular program named "Love's Bridge" in support of 20 orphanages in and around Moscow. For Christmas they performed at each of the orphanages, distributed gifts to the children and their caretakers, and treated them all to a Christmas dinner.
         Peru: A performance was held for the patients and staff of a large cancer institute.
         USA: Despite the government shutdown that was in progress at the time, a group of Family teenagers based in Washington, DC, performed at the White House for the fourth Christmas in a row.
         Italy: Family members performed in several dormitories run by the international Roman Catholic charity and relief organization Caritas, at kitchens for the homeless, and at Rome's Boys Town. Hungary: Several Family communities worked together to organize a Christmas program for 500 orphans. A friend donated the use of a large disco where the Family sang, put on a Christmas puppet show, held organized games for the children and distributed hundreds of toys. At the end, the children received the most precious gift of all -- Jesus!

         The Family is a non-profit, volunteer organization. Each of the activities you have just read about was 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

Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family