Worldwide Activity Report -- February 1997
FAR036 - GP

Copyright 1997 by The Family

         "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to everyone, everywhere," Jesus told His followers. Every day, in nearly 80 countries, Family missionaries personally share that message of hope and love with thousands. Following are some highlights of their recent activities and experiences, as reported by the Family members involved.

Real love for the asking
From Joanna, Indonesia
         We received a touching letter from a boy who was busking on a Jakarta city bus when one of us gave him a donation and a "Somebody Loves You" tract. His letter included the following:
         I was four months old when my mom left me to marry an American and move to the States. My father took care of me until he got remarried, and then I was left with my grandmother, who didn't really love me. As a result, I never knew what it was like to be loved, or how to love others. One night I was so desperate that I cried out to God to show me His love. Later that same night I received your "Somebody Loves You" tract.
         What it says is so true: Everybody needs love! I decided to look to Jesus, and found real love! Now I want to love others and be loved by them, just like God loves me.
         Kind regards in love,
         Arnold

Something better
From Joan, Russia
         "Jesus never takes away anything good from those who love Him, without giving them something better." That's what I told my dad when I visited him recently and he explained that he'd just lost his job. I knew that principle was true, but I didn't have the faintest idea how the Lord was going to fulfill it in my dad's case. As Russia's economic problems have worsened, it has became increasingly common for people to lose their jobs and be unable to find new ones. Although my dad is a law enforcement professional with 25 years experience, his chances of finding new employment looked bleak.
         During that visit we prayed together, asking the Lord to give him a new and better job, so he could provide for his family and continue to help support our work.
         Two days later I phoned home, and my dad told me the good news: He got exactly what we had prayed for! My dad is not usually very emotional, but he was so excited during that conversation that I could tell he was just glowing and jumping for joy! This quick and remarkable answer to prayer had given him so much faith. "Thank You, Jesus! I'm a believer!" he kept saying. The Lord is so good to us to give us exactly what we want and need when we ask Him!

Take time to love!
From Solomon, Australia
         A very frail elderly woman approached me outside a shopping mall, asking where to get a taxi. I was in a hurry, so told her quickly that there were no taxis that time of day and suggested she go phone for one. At that, she started to cry in frustration.
         "She needs My love," God seemed to say to my heart. "Slow down and share it with her."
         I put my arm around her, helped her inside the mall, found her a seat and called a cab for her. Something was obviously upsetting her, so I sat down beside her and asked what was the matter. She explained that it was the third anniversary of her husband's death, and she was missing him. I told her about the wonders of Heaven, as described in the Bible, and assured her that she and her husband -- both of whom were believers -- would be reunited there for all eternity.
         No sooner had I said that, than her taxi pulled up. As I led her to the door, she thanked me profusely for stopping to help, and for those few words of encouragement. I'm glad I took time for love!

Not just fairy tales
From Michael, Switzerland
         About a year ago we met a lady who told us she was very lonely and wished for a companion. We prayed with her that she would find someone special. She also helped our work with a generous donation at that time, and we assured her that God would reward her for helping us help others.
         A short while later, she made a trip to Australia, where she met a man who is now her husband. While there she also won $100,000 in a lottery. Quite a vacation! -- And quite an answer to prayer! It sounds like a fairy tale, doesn't it? Well, God's little miracles are better than fairy tales, because they really do happen!

Low points becomes turning points
From Daniela, Thailand
         "Can you please contact my friend, Sandip?" asked one of our friends. "Your tapes How to Be Happy Anyhow and How to Win helped me so much when I was at wits' end with marriage problems; I know they can help Sandip too."
         When I phoned Sandip, she sounded both happy and surprised. "I was just this moment thinking about you," she said.
         I met her later, and she explained. "When I was at the lowest point in my life, after two nervous breakdowns, my friend gave me two of your tapes and they helped me so, so much! They gave me faith in God and hope for the future!"
         Toward the end of our conversation, she added, "I was planning to see a psychiatrist, but after listening to those tapes and talking with you, I had the answers that I needed."

Miracle money
From Steven, Russia
         "We're desperate," the director of an orphanage we've been helping told us. "We need to finish the addition to the orphanage so we can bring in more children, but the government has cut our budget by 60% and most of the building funds which were approved for the project were embezzled before they reached us. We need $200,000!"
         We told him that we didn't have the kind of money that he needed, but the Lord did. Then we offered to pray for the project.
         About a month later we visited him again. "It's a miracle!" he told us. "In answer to your prayers we received the $200,000 that we needed from the government." Considering the cash-strapped state of the Russian government, that was a miracle indeed!
         "Whenever you people from The Family come to visit me, something good always happens," He added. "It must be God's presence in you!"

New purpose in a new job: prayer
From Catherine, Brazil
         We conduct a program to help provide staples and medicine to families in one of Sao Paulo's worst favelas (slums). A council of residents help us determine which families are most needy and deserving. So far we have found sponsors to help cover some of the basic needs of 34 of the neighborhood's 60 families.
         Recently we used some of the funds donated to this project to buy 200 kg of powdered milk, which we divided and distributed to every pregnant woman and every child under 14 in the neighborhood. In the process, we were able to meet many of the families who are not yet receiving regular help or visits from us, and we gained more understanding of their needs.
         One of the women we met and helped was crippled and blind, and spent her days crumpled up on a filthy mattress, hoping that someone would bring her water and food. When we found her, she was being looked after by another woman who was obviously weak mentally. Apparently the blind woman's grown children, who also live in that favela, aren't able to care for her. She was so discouraged! She cried a lot as we talked.
         "I'm treated like a dog," she said. "It's very frustrating not to be able to get up or do anything. No one needs me."
         I held her hand and asked her if she believed in the power of prayer. When she said that she did, I told her that Jesus needed her and had a very important job for her: He needed for her to pray for her family and neighbors who were in dire need.
         "Although God can do anything," I explained, "He has committed Himself to work through us and our prayers. He can and wants to change these situations for the better, but in many cases He's waiting for someone to ask Him to."
         From the look on her upturned face I could see that she was inspired and challenged by my words. We did what we could to improve this woman's immediate situation, but greater things, no doubt, are in store for her and the other poor, broken people of this favela as God answers her prayers -- and ours!

"We need love!"
From Daniel, India
         We recently visited a small nursing home for senior citizens who held good jobs when they were younger and receive pensions, but most have no families to care for them. They were well cared for at the nursing home, but very lonely and sad. We talked with them, listened to their problems, and prayed with many of them to receive Jesus.
         One lady suffering from diabetes had just had an operation, and was in a lot of pain. We sang some Christian songs for her, some of which she remembered from her childhood, and tried to encourage her. The very next day she contacted us to let us know that Jesus had completely healed her of her pains.
         The next time we returned to the nursing home, two elderly ladies offered us a donation from their pensions. "We need love!" they confessed. "Others come to get what they can get from us, but you came to give what you can to us. Thank you for giving us Jesus' love!"

         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:

Web: http://www.thefamily.org/family
E-mail: family@thefamily.org


Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family