Worldwide Activity Report -- June 1997
FAR044 - GP

Copyright 1997 by The Family

         Every day, in nearly 80 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.

Hope built on happy times and love
From Miriam, 18, Romania

         When we first arrived in Cluj-Napoca, our hearts went out to the many street children who seemed to be everywhere. We soon learned that many of the little beggars were not orphans, but belong to Gypsy families who live on the outskirts of the city. We wanted to give them something more meaningful and lasting than the few coins we had in our pockets, but didn't know where to start.
         Here in Transylvania, a region that straddles the Hungarian-Romanian border, many Romanians look down on the Hungarians, and vice versa, but nearly everyone detests and distrusts the Gypsies. The public mindset is that all Gypsies live by begging, stealing and cheating people on the black market -- problems which do exist, sad to say. But what causes these problems? Are all Gypsies without morals or conscience? -- Or are some trying to live an honest life while trapped in a terrible situation?
         The international humanitarian organization Medecins Sans Frontieres (Doctors Without Borders, or MSF) works with 15 of the worst-off Gypsy communities in the areas surrounding Cluj-Napoca. They install running water, and try to integrate them into society by finding jobs for the adults and schools for the children, etc. Patrick, the MSF coordinator for this area, heard about our little theater group from some of the schools for deaf children and orphanages where we have performed. He contacted us to ask if we'd be willing to accompany them on one of their trips to a Gypsy camp, to perform for the children and give them some attention. We jumped at the chance!
         The unexpected sight of us driving into the camp in full clown makeup and costumes brought expressions of shock and delight to the faces of the mothers and children who stood by. We had expected their living conditions to be bad, but as we ran around the camp of about 20 huts gathering the children together, it was our turn to be shocked! Broken glass and piles of garbage were everywhere, and the stench of the garbage permeated the entire camp. (These Gypsies try to make a living by sorting through other people's garbage for cardboard and other things they can sell, but then have no way to dispose of what's left.) The entire camp was very rough and filthy.
         It was a very windy day and our performance was rather impromptu, but the children loved every minute of it. We recognized some of them as the beggars we had seen downtown, and to see such big smiles shining through all the dirt on their faces was a dream come true!
         After our clown act, the children eagerly donned costumes and helped us act out "The Rock in the Road" -- a simple story with big lessons on unselfishness and making the world a better place for others. It was quite a spectacle, but so much fun! We gave them all balloons, as well as pictures about the story, snacks, and a special gift -- copies of "The Prince and the Magical Power" tract. They had never experienced anything like this before. Of course, it was hard for us to leave.
         Patrick was overjoyed with our performance and the response of the children, and asked us to go with them to the other Gypsy communities, as well as help with the summer camp that MSF sponsors for Gypsy children.
         "Running water is essential, but so is hope," he said. "By doing something special for these children, you make them feel that they too can enjoy the things that other children do. You are giving them happy memories, happy times, love of their own, and something to look forward to in life."

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Flood relief in Falmouth, Kentucky
From David, Maria and Tim, USA

         "Devastated" is how national headlines described the small town of Falmouth, Kentucky, after storms pushed the Ohio River to its highest levels in over 30 years. Flooding forced thousands of people in five states from their homes, but by all accounts Falmouth was the hardest hit. As we live in Cincinnati, less than an hour's drive away, we felt compelled to try to help our "neighbors."
         We weren't able to contact the Red Cross to volunteer -- their personnel and phones were swamped -- so we decided to volunteer in person. Eight of us (two adults and six teenagers) drove to the Red Cross shelter which was set up in a high school just outside of Falmouth.
         "We could use your help," the man in charge told us, "but you would be of greatest service in the town itself -- if you can get there. Things in Falmouth are still chaotic!"
         A state patrolman explained how to get there by taking a thirty-mile detour through the hills.
         When we arrived at the flooded town's Southside Church, we found an elderly woman and a couple of young teen girls in the sanctuary. Amid a mountain of boxes, they were trying to put together food baskets for the flood victims. Other activities were running smoothly in the basement of the church, but this particular operation needed help! With our manpower and experience in organizing food for large groups, we were able to help them prepare the boxes quickly. Then we turned our attention to helping the residents coming in search of food and potable water.
         Still in a state of shock, most people needed someone to talk to, as much as relief supplies or help getting the goods to their vehicles. Our teens, with their cheerful, full-of-faith attitudes and kind words, were a great comfort to those they helped.
         That evening, on our return home, we were given a police escort through Falmouth. That saved us the thirty-mile detour we'd taken to get there. It was only then that we saw firsthand the full extent of the damage. Cars were overturned; two-story houses had been washed off their foundations and into the street; shops and restaurants were filled waist-deep with silt, their windows smashed and once-fine interiors destroyed. So many people had lost everything!
         In the days that followed, we assisted at a relief station which was set up in a Falmouth warehouse. There we helped the weary local people sort out their lives as we sorted through and distributed donated clothing and other aid together.

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Slum project update
From John, Ester and Christina, Brazil

         Our work in a Sao Paulo favela (slum) is going well. We continue to distribute food and clothing, and provide counseling and Bible studies on a regular basis. [For more background information about this ministry, please see "Organizing Slum Dwellers in an Innovative Aid Project!", Family Activity Report #37.]
         One of the main obstacles we face in trying to help these people improve their lives is that most of the adults can't read, and those who can only read at about a fourth grade level. We have wanted to institute a reading program, but simply didn't have the time or personnel for such an ambitious undertaking. We prayed for a solution, and the Lord made a way!
         At the onset of this project, we had appointed a committee of local residents to help us decide which families need and deserve our assistance the most, and to help distribute donated goods. One member of that committee is a young woman named Lilian, who was an elementary school teacher. When she recently lost her teaching job, we asked her if she would be interested in working with us and for the Lord, teaching reading to the adults in the favela. In return, we would pay her a minimum salary (from where, we did not yet know). She happily agreed.
         When he learned of this new initiative, one of the main sponsors of this project offered to increase his monthly donation so that we could pay Lilian $300 per month -- $100 more than she was making at her previous job.
         We then found a textbook of reading exercises which was specially designed to teach adults. A local distributor provided a good discount, which made it possible for us to buy copies for each of our first 20 students. We are now looking for other adult teaching aids, and also hope to adapt some of our Family-produced educational materials so they can be used in this program.
         Meanwhile, we continue to help improve living conditions in the favela. So far we have received donations of enough cement to lay floors in four of the huts. We still need about $750 worth of materials (2.5 tons of cement, plus sand and gravel) in order to lay cement in the rest of the huts that have only dirt floors. As we provide the materials, the men in the favela work together to provide the manual labor.
         We also organized a general meeting of everyone in the favela to form an official association of residents. This will put them in a much stronger position when asking their local government to provide better water, sewage and electrical services. (Now they have only illegal water and electricity connections, and open sewage canals. -- Horrible!)
         This project requires long-term commitment and many hours each week on our part, but little by little we are seeing these people's lives change. -- And the best is yet to come!

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Tihar Jail -- "home" to innocents
From Judith, India

         Over the last three and a half years, we have done character-building programs with nearly 12,000 inmates in Tihar Jail, India's largest high security prison. During that time we have seen many lives changed by the power of God's love.
         Part of our work is done in the women's ward, which includes a day nursery for 75 children, all under the age of five. Most of them were born in the prison and have never been outside of it. They know nothing of the outside world. The only animals they have ever seen are a cat that comes over the wall and a few birds. They are locked up with their mothers before dark, so they never see the moon. Prison officials are trying to improve conditions for the children, but the changes are slow in coming.
         The highpoint of the children's week is our visit. Each week we give them a class on a different theme, such as cleanliness, getting along with one another, etc., and teach them English. Sometimes we show them videos from the Family-produced Kiddie Viddie series. We also take them activity sheets and coloring books, donated clothes, shoes and other needed items.
         Please keep these dear children in your prayers, and help us continue to help them, if you can!

         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:

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


Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family