Worldwide Activity Report -- June 1997
FAR045 -- 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 share Jesus' message of hope and love with many thousands. Following are some highlights of their recent activities and experiences.
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A hospital ministry -- from a hospital bed!
From Nina, Ukraine
Even before I met the Family, I wanted to work in a hospital in order to help those in need -- not just physically, but emotionally and spiritually. More recently, I prayed for the Lord to use me in such a ministry. You can imagine my surprise, though, at the way He answered: I developed a serious stomach and intestinal disorder, and found myself in a hospital ward for 24 days!
It didn't take long to see the need and suffering of those around me. I asked the Lord to help me be an encouragement to them, and went to work. I used Family posters to brighten the walls of the room I shared with four other women, and brightened their spirits in the process. I also took time to meet and talk with others on my floor of the hospital.
Twenty-five-year-old Daniela was given the bed next to mine. She has the beauty and all the airs of a model or actress, I thought to myself as she walked into the room for the first time. Despite her practiced poise, I could tell she was afraid. After she settled in, I introduced myself.
"I prayed that the person next to me would be someone special to Jesus," I told her. At those words she burst into tears and told me that she no longer believed that God loved her.
She was an actress and singer, she went on to explain, and had performed in everything from TV commercials and music videos to stage plays and operas. It was then that I realized I had once heard her sing on a tape, and my heart had gone out to her at the time. Her song had seemed to come from a heart crying out for real love -- God's love.
"Just as I was enjoying success," she said, "my life suddenly crumbled. I had known my fianc since childhood, and we were very much in love. Then he was killed in a motorcycle accident! I lost all faith in a loving God."
For the next two hours she told me her life story, including some things she had never told even her best friends. After her boyfriend's accident she cut her long hair, quit seeing her friends, and stopped singing and acting. She sat in her room alone and cried for six months. When she finally tried to pull herself out of the deep depression she was in, she didn't have the strength. Then she found she had tumors in one of her breasts. Her life had reached its lowest, darkest point.
At the end of that first conversation, Daniela asked Jesus to come into her heart and help her overcome the problems that had plagued her since she lost her boyfriend.
By the next day she was telling the other women in our room that the Lord now lived in her heart, and how He had taken away her bitterness and depression. She also told them that I was a missionary, and that I had a beautiful prayer to pray with them. After her urging, they also prayed to receive Jesus as their Savior.
When her mother visited, Daniela told her that she had asked Jesus into her heart, and her mother cried for joy.
"I was admitted to the hospital for breast surgery, but what I needed even more was heart surgery," Daniela quipped.
Over the next days I used every opportunity to encourage Daniela and the others, and to strengthen their budding faith. We talked a lot about the Lord, and read from the Bible and Family publications. Before long our ward became known as the "happy room."
Daniela prayed that I would be able to be with her on the day of her operation, and the Lord answered that prayer. I was also able to be with about 10 others shortly before their operations. I gave each one Family posters and publications to read to comfort them and strengthen their faith. I also lent some of them my Walkman to listen to our Family-produced Word tapes before they went into surgery, and I saw the calming effect these had on the women. I also prayed with them and their families. The atmosphere in the emergency surgery ward was often tense, but it was also a golden opportunity to witness to and pray with others when they needed Him most!
The Lord touched the hearts of some of the doctors, nurses and staff, too. Shortly before I was discharged, I thanked one of the nurses for being such a softhearted person and really caring for others. After 24 days in that ward, I knew she was special.
"I prayed for Jesus to use me as a channel of His love," she said, struggling to hold back the tears, "and now it's wonderful that you tell me you can see that!"
Daniela has also been released from the hospital, and phones me often. I continue to encourage her and other friends from the hospital in their new lives with the Lord and His love.
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Open the door for the children
From Esther, South Africa
The Lord has been blessing our work at homes for orphans and street children. Many of them are tough kids, and peer pressure is strong. Few of them come from Christian backgrounds, so they are in need of basic Bible instruction. Once a week, a group of them come to our house for Bible study and Scripture memorization time. For every verse they memorize, they receive a little reward. Most memorize two to eight verses each week. We are also trying to get a Bible for each of the children.
We wanted to have birthday parties for all the children from two of the children's homes -- but the combined list amounted to about 120 children. That's a lot of gifts and parties! But the same week the homes gave us their lists of children's names and birthdays, a vanload of toys was donated to our work -- plenty to go around. Our first party, complete with cake and ice cream, was a hit! The 13-year-old celebrant said it was the first time she had ever had a cake or anything special for her birthday. Jesus is meeting these kids' need for love in a way they can feel and enjoy!
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Wrong number? -- Or God's design?
From John, Estonia
A few weeks ago when we answered the phone, it turned out to be a wrong number. A thirteen-year-old girl was calling a friend whose number was almost the same as ours, and got us instead. She and her friends are studying English in school, so she gave our number to her friends and many of them started calling us, wanting to practice their English. Unfortunately, most of the words they wanted to practice were obscene.
Each time they called we were courteous and talked to them about Jesus and the Bible. Little by little they became less foolish when they called. They all gave us their addresses and phone numbers, and we sent them Family posters and tracts. Our own teenagers visited three of them, and led them to the Lord. They now meet with them for Bible studies. We also continue to minister to two others by phone. As the poem says, "Things don't just happen to children of God, they're part of God's wonderful plan!" How true!
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"A soft answer turns away wrath" (Proverbs 15:1).
From Michael, Canada
A middle-aged woman walked up to our display table at a mall, angrily accusing us of being "a weird sect" because we don't have a building like most churches, etc. None of my explanations seemed to satisfy her, so I finally just put my arm around her shoulders and said, "I love you and Jesus loves you."
"Jesus doesn't love me," she said. "No one could love me! I'm so bad!" She started to cry. Then she proceeded to tell me all of her problems and worries, and I was able to give her God's answers from the Bible, which she readily received. She bought a copy of the tape "How to Be Happy Anyhow" -- a Family-produced collection of songs, poems and anecdotes on overcoming life's obstacles -- which I'm sure will continue to help her. We parted with a prayer, and she smiled as she went on her way -- a changed person!
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All in a weekend's work
From Isaac, Ruth and Joanne, Burma
To give you an idea of our busy work, we would like to share highlights of one of our weekends. Heart by heart we are wooing and winning Burma with God's love.
Saturday morning we taught our weekly English class at a boarding school/orphanage for blind children. The conditions there are desperately poor. Only two meals are served each day, and all of the children sleep on the floor.
In the afternoon, we went to a charity dinner that was organized for the school for the blind. The function was also attended by a good friend of ours, John Paul, and one of his colleagues. Afterwards, the two men came to our house, where we spent the evening explaining more about the Lord to John Paul's co-worker.
After a quiet and reflective Sunday morning, visitors started arriving at our house. The first family came to inquire about the kindergarten school which we opened and operate. The grandfather, who had studied at Eton, one of England's most prestigious boarding schools, was keen to have his grandchildren attend our school.
While talking with these people, two other friends, George and Kelly, came to visit and pick up 100 Family posters in Burmese to send to a pastor in the mountains who had requested them for his Sunday school classes, and for outreach activities in other mountain villages. While Isaac was discussing with George and Kelly ways to minister to their far-flung converts through the mail, another car pulled up in the driveway. -- More people asking for a tour of the school and an explanation of our curriculum.
At about 6:00 p.m., things began to quiet down -- but not for long! Another car pulled up to the house. This time it was a doctor who is a specialist at the government children's hospital. We had phoned him earlier that day to request his help with the sick baby of a poor widow whom we met in the course of our outreach activities.
After we showed the doctor our photo album he said, "You are so versatile, just like the missionaries that used to come to Burma. I'll do anything I can to help you." He also wrote a note to the hospital staff, urging them to extend full assistance, in case he is not there when we go with the mother to admit the baby.
During this conversation, the director of the school for blind children -- who, like most of the school's staff, is blind himself -- dropped by with one of the head teachers to pick up the funds which we had raised through ticket sales for the charity dinner the night before.
As they were leaving, a couple who are close friends arrived. The wife suffers from breast cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy. It was her birthday, so we had a little party for her and they stayed for dinner. Afterwards, we sang for her and showered her with hugs and encouragement -- bringing to a close a busy but rewarding weekend of sharing God's love with others!
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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