Worldwide Activity Report -- August 1997
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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.

Faith, initiative and community assistance improve orphans' world
From Lynn Clear, Bolivia
         For the past two years, our Family community has been involved in a project to help several orphanages in La Paz. We began by donating any little thing we could, but when we learned that because of insufficient funding the orphanages were able to give milk only to the children under two years of age, we were determined to do more.
         Enlisting the help of civic leaders and public officials -- some who already knew of our volunteer work, or had worked with us on other projects -- was the first step. A number of them agreed to host milk drives in schools and pre-schools. As public awareness of the project grew, larger sponsors came forward.
         We began supplying milk to just one orphanage, but before long officials asked us to assist four more institutions, one of which cares for 98 physically or mentally deficient children who were abandoned by their parents. Donations to the five children's homes now include about 500 kg (over half a ton) of powdered milk, and hundreds of cases of cereal products and other foodstuffs each month. Family volunteers also work closely with the government nutritionist who designs and oversees the menus at the orphanages.
         We are able to offer prospective sponsors four incentives: Foremost is the gratitude of the orphans and their caregivers. "Love is its own reward." Second, donations to the project from within the country are tax-deductible. Third, donors receive official recognition. We present them letters of appreciation from the state government agency that administers aid to orphanages. Fourth, they are given public recognition. We thank all donors publicly in a local newspaper which is widely read by the international community here, as well as in our own well-circulated newsletter.
         As is the case in most developing countries, workers in these institutions are so underpaid that pilferage is a problem. When this happens, it's a double defeat. Not only are the intended recipients -- in this case the orphans -- deprived of the aid, but prospective donors are reluctant to give. To help alleviate this problem, we administer the donations personally on a weekly basis and keep officials well informed of every item each institution receives.
         We have expanded our sponsorship program to include educational and character-building materials, beginning with a set of The Family's internationally acclaimed children's videos for each orphanage. Next, we appealed directly to the Secretary of Education to provide libraries for the children in these orphanages and other deserving children's projects in and around La Paz. The books were appropriated, and Bolivia's First Lady presented them personally during Day of the Child activities. To help the children properly care for their books, friends of The Family donated beautiful new bookshelves to three of the most needy city orphanages.
         Real progress is being made in upgrading the nutritional and educational standards at these five orphanages, but we feel this is just the start. Our hope is that this project will act as a springboard for other businesses and civic-minded individuals to get involved in helping other needy institutions.

         [Picture caption] Food for body and soul! The director of a home for handicapped orphans (second from right) receives their first donation of milk and character-building Family videos -- all made possible by sponsors of The Family's food bank and education projects.

Building a brighter future for special children
From Stefan and Charity, Pakistan
         When UNESCO and the government of Pakistan held a five-day workshop on inclusive education for teachers of regular and special schools, we were invited to participate. The workshop's theme: How to bridge the educational gap between "normal" children and those with physical impairments or learning disabilities.
         As it turned out, we already knew five of the other 50 attendees; their schools had all been recipients of our video sponsorship program. They were happy to see us at the workshop, and to have the opportunity to work with us on various activities during the event.
         We gave each delegate a package of motivational material that we had compiled from Family publications and other sources, including articles or quotes from pioneers and outstanding figures in the field of special education. Each delegate also received a copy of our local newsletter, which lists all the schools and government institutions that use The Family's children's videos in their curriculums.
         During the closing ceremony, our children performed the all-time favorite "Dil Dil Pakistan" in Urdu, and "The Time to Be Happy" in international sign language.
         The Secretary of Special Education spontaneously commented in his closing speech, "'The Time to Be Happy' would have been an appropriate theme song for this workshop! We all needed to do more to brighten the lives of special children." He and the others were awed at the professionalism of our Family children, marveled at our large families, and many commented on how touched they were by our contribution.

A special day for AIDS children
From Daniel Fiel, Romania
         Some other Family members and I have put together a puppet show which we perform at children's hospitals, schools and other institutions.
         Nowhere has our show been more appreciated than at a hospital that cares for 700 children who are infected with HIV. Local sponsors also provided a set of 15 Family-produced children's videos for the hospital, and another sponsor treated them all to pizza! We were so happy to be able to add some love and cheer to the lives of these dear children who are missing out on so many things that healthy children enjoy.

Inner peace in a troubled land
From Aaron, India
         Imagine yourself in a remote mountain city. At every corner and under every streetlight, armed soldiers stand guard. It's four o'clock in the afternoon, it's cold, it's getting dark, the shops are closing, and most people are hurrying to the safety of their homes -- hopefully out of reach of the underground militias. This is Nagaland, where the sun rises at 5 a.m.; where life starts and ends early.
         My wife and I recently spent one-and-a-half months in Kohima, the main city of Nagaland, which is beautifully situated in the mountains along the India-Burma (Myanmar) border. The city would be the picture of tranquillity if it weren't for the various factions who are fighting for a free Nagaland -- and fighting each other, as well. The Nagaland Post gives a daily tally of the number killed. We found the people there to be desperate, broken, and very poor. Many live in a state of near paranoia due to the insurgency that surrounds them.
         We offered a message of God's love to hundreds of people, comforting and encouraging their fearful hearts. When we said goodbye to our newfound friends as we left Nagaland, most of them cried. Some have since written to us, saying how much their lives have been changed by our visit.

Friendship gives hope to recovering drug addicts
From Maggie, 20, Croatia
         "I'm surprised that you would even remember us," Sanda said through her tears. "The first time you returned, I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw you. I nearly jumped out the window for joy!"
         Sanda is the single mother of a two-year-old girl, and a recovering drug addict who lives at a drug rehabilitation center that we have been assisting since March. (Our Family community in Split is located near a district which is the center of drug distribution and abuse in Croatia -- "home" to Sanda and most of the other women at the rehab center.)
         What had made our first visit such a memorable event for those young women? We had simply taken time to love them -- to listen to their problems, encourage them in their fight against their addictions, and assure them of God's unfailing love for each of them.
         Next we started to take them needed food and personal items which had been donated to our work. Jasmine brought a present for Maya, Sanda's daughter, and that little deed of thoughtfulness meant the world to Sanda.
         It's amazing how our prayers and friendship have brought hope and joy to the lives of these women! "Knowing that you're loved gives you hope and faith for other things! It cheers up your whole outlook! That's one of the wonderful things about God's love: When we know that God loves us, we know everything is going to be okay!" (David Brandt Berg [1919-1994], founder of The Family).
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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:



Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family