Worldwide Activity Report - December 1997
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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.

         [Picture caption] Mercy (left) and Esther explain about Jesus' love and salvation to a terminally ill cancer patient.

Jesus' forever child
From Abe, Taiwan
         My wife Mercy, our 14-year-old daughter Esther, and I regularly visit cancer patients at a local hospital. Most of the patients have advanced cases of cancer and don't have long to live. We often feel a special urgency to introduce salvation to those we meet, as their first chance to receive Jesus may be their last.
         During a recent visit, we met an 80-year-old man who was desperately holding on to life. His wife had been admitted to the hospital at the same time as he had, and she had died the next day. We felt deeply for him, and prayed earnestly that he would receive Jesus.
         When Esther told him that she had a special present for him--the gift of Jesus' love and salvation--he gratefully bowed his head. Although we speak Mandarin, this man spoke only the local dialect, so the patient in the next bed interpreted for us. Our interpreter told us later that he himself had also opened his heart to Jesus while repeating the prayer for the other man.
         When the time came for us to leave, the old man cried. He had six children and many grandchildren, but we had been his only visitors.
         "I want to be Jesus' child forever," he told us. He was so happy!

Transformed by love
From Priscila, Moldova
         While spreading the Gospel in a very poor neighborhood, I met twenty-something Vica. She had a black eye (her father had beaten her, it turned out), and looked as down-and-out as could be! Although it was morning, she and her companion, an older woman, had already been drinking heavily.
         Vica could only speak Russian, which I don't speak well, so her friend translated as Vica poured out her sad tale of abuse and suffering. Then I told them both about God's great love for them, and the power with which Jesus had changed my own life. It was as if a light turned on inside them!
         Both women eagerly prayed with me to receive Jesus, and promised to study the Gospels and Family posters I gave them. They also invited me to visit them in their homes so I could tell their families about the God of love "who has delivered us from the power of darkness and has translated us into the Kingdom of His dear Son" (Colossians 1:13).

Power to heal
From Penny and John, India:
         We have known Arun and his wife for a number of years, but they live quite far from us and are very busy, so we aren't able to see each other often. Instead, we keep in touch by phone and mail. When we called them a few weeks ago, we learned from Arun's brother that Arun had been in a serious accident and was hospitalized in critical condition. The next day we went to visit Arun and comfort his wife.
         When we arrived at the hospital, Arun's family told us that he had been suffering a very high fever for three days. The doctors didn't know what was causing it, and couldn't bring it down. Worse yet, he had been slipping in and out of a coma. As we were about to enter his room, a team of doctors was leaving. They explained to Arun's family that his condition was now so serious that it was "out of their hands" and that he was "slipping away"!
         As soon as the doctors left, Arun's family asked us to pray for him. This came as a surprise, because until then neither his father nor his brother had approved of Arun's association with Christians. After we prayed, Arun's sister said that she believed in our prayers, and thanked us profusely for coming.
         When we phoned Arun's wife the next day, she was bubbling over with excitement. Just a few hours after we left, Arun had made a remarkable recovery!
         Arun was tired but awake when we visited him the following day. He was very happy to see us and thanked us for our prayers. A nurse who had been present when we prayed for Arun also lit up when she saw us. As with Arun's family, this outstanding answer to prayer had made a big impression on her. They had all been appealing to their many Hindu gods, but to no avail. As soon as we prayed to Jesus, however, Arun's condition improved dramatically! It was proof of Jesus' love and power to heal!

Moral support for a young mother-to-be
From Heidi and Suzy, Australia
         At one of our weekly line dancing classes, we met 16-year-old Sally. When Sally learned that we were both young mothers and that our children were there with us, she confided in us that she was three months pregnant and unmarried. She felt so ashamed and condemned, she said, that she hadn't told anyone else yet--not even her family.
         Sally was considering having an abortion, but after we told her of the joys that children bring and when she saw how happy we were with ours, she said she had changed her mind and wanted to have her baby! We arranged to meet her again the following week, and will continue to offer moral support throughout her pregnancy, delivery and early motherhood.

Pass it on!
From Peter, Steven and Joseph, Russia
         As we journeyed by high-speed hydrofoil down the Amur River to the far eastern city of Komsomolsk, near China, we looked forward to visiting a number of people with whom we had been corresponding. Some we would be meeting for the first time; others we had met on a previous visit. Nearly all had first come in contact with The Family through our literature.
         We were met at the boat by Luba and Andrew, two part-time Family members who had traveled ahead of us two days earlier to set up meetings with our friends in Komsomolsk. With them was an older lady whose beaming smile we recognized immediately. It was Grandma Zoya, who we had met on our last trip to the city. She had been writing us often ever since.
         About two years ago, Zoya received a poster from one of us on the street, and prayed to ask Jesus into her heart. Since then she has experienced a lot of sorrow and pain (her husband and several other relatives died), but she has found great comfort in our letters and the literature we sent her. Mail from us, she said, was her only relief in her dark hour.
         Zoya had latched onto Luba and Andrew the moment they met, and went everywhere with them. They had taken thousands of Family posters to Komsomolsk, and Grandma Zoya joined right in with their distribution. During our visit, she passed out more than any of us!
         "Every time I give out a poster, especially to a young person," she told us, "I remember how much Jesus did for me, and I know He can do the same for them. Distributing posters seems such a little thing to do for Him in return, but lives will be changed. I love to pass it on!"

When all seemed lost, a new beginning
From John, F, Michelle and Isabel, Chile
         When we met Juana a couple of months ago, she was in a state of severe depression. Over the last few years she had lost everything: her marriage, her home, her second house, her business, and her health. She prayed with us to receive the Lord, and began reading the Bible and praying daily. She also phoned us every day--sometimes several times a day--to ask us for prayer, mostly against depression. She had nothing else to hold on to.
         Before long, we began to witness one wonderful answer to prayer after another. Juana needed to find a new apartment, as the one she was living in was dark and dismal. She also needed a job. She was attractive and had a university degree in chemistry and a diploma as an English interpreter, but because she was 40, nobody would hire her.
         The Lord first helped her find a new apartment for less rent--one that is much nicer and receives sun all day long. Her new landlord turned out to be a minister in the national government, and through him she found a good job in the government. Juana's 20-year-old son was at first quite sarcastic about her Bible reading and praying, but after seeing how the Lord was working in his mother's life, he started praying also. Now the two are closer than ever.
         It has been thrilling to see the life of this dear friend turn around!

By love set free
From Madi, Mexico
         Little did we know as we were giving one of our weekly Bible lessons at a Catholic-run orphanage that there was a new girl in the class who, although not mute, wouldn't talk at all. The nuns didn't even know her name!
         After the class, we sang a few songs for the children and encouraged them to get up and dance. To the nuns' amazement, the new girl got up and danced along with the others. And when I asked her what her name was, she said it was Sandra. When I asked the girls if they wanted me to read more, Sandra jumped up to her feet and said yes.
         Whatever traumas or fears had been bottling up little Sandra, they were washed away by the happy love of Jesus we shared!
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         The Family is a nonprofit, 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