Worldwide Activity Report -- January 1998
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Copyright 1998 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.

         [Picture caption] Special children, special love! When not working towards the much-needed libraries in El Salvador, Juan, Marie, Paul, and Heidi are involved in a number of other youth-oriented projects. Here Marie is with a Down's syndrome friend. Around the world, other Family members assist a number of schools and homes for Down's syndrome children, and all who do, agree that these special children are some of the most delightful and loving they have ever met.

A country without libraries
From Juan, Marie, Paul (19), and Heidi (15), El Salvador
         "I would like to study and make something of my life, but I have almost no books."
         We hear this often in the course of our work with young gang members, street children, students, and other young people in El Salvador. It's a real problem. In this country which is just beginning to recover economically from a civil war which erupted in 1980 and lasted a dozen years, the only libraries are in expensive private schools. What can a few Family volunteers do to help change that?
         For the past few months we have served on a committee to help find solutions to the problems facing the youth of this country--a committee which also includes representatives from the Ministry of Education, the municipal government, the office of the district attorney for minors, and several other non-government organizations.
         At a recent meeting we brought up the need for public libraries, and presented a two-part plan. Part one: Hold book drives--first locally and then nationally--to collect books and magazines from publishers, bookshops, and private citizens. Part two: Approach large libraries in other Spanish-speaking countries for donations of books. The plan received the approval of the committee, and we were asked to help get it under way.
         Our international drive is starting to get results. On the Internet we found a listing of major libraries in Spain, wrote an appeal letter, and sent it by e-mail to a number of prospective donor libraries. One library has already agreed to send their old books, and is also collecting new and used books from the public for our project.
         Setting up even one public library is an enormous undertaking, of course, and many more sponsors are needed.--Can you help?

Where God guides
From Franz, Lily and Martin (14), Kenya
         Uganda, Kenya's neighbor to the west, is a beautiful country at the source of the Nile that was once called the Pearl of Africa. That was before nearly two decades of civil war and misrule wracked the economy, and an estimated 10% of the population became infected with HIV.
         When we first visited Uganda a year ago, we did fund-raising for an orphanage in Mengo, a sprawling slum on the outskirts of Kampala, the capital. This year the orphanage received us with drums and dancing, and the staff told us of all the sponsors they had gained as a result of our last visit.
         Then they explained their current needs. We made a list, prayed, and started asking businesses and individuals in Kampala to contribute. We only had two weeks and the list was long, but soon the needed tems began pouring in: bread, rice, milk, sugar, paint, teacher's textbooks, workbooks for the children, and more. A German woman who owns a quarry in Uganda agreed to donate 28 tons of cement for the three-story vocational center they're building from handmade bricks.
         Where God guides, He provides--even in one of the poorest nations on Earth!

Youth-to-youth mail ministry takes off
From the Hand 'n Hand show troupe, Thailand
         Over the past few months, our Hand 'n Hand show troupe has performed many anti-narcotics programs in schools and children's institutions. We make it a point after our shows to talk to many of the students personally. We also pass out a flier with the life story of a young Thai who was a drug addict until he met some Family members who prayed with him to kick the habit. The young man is now helping others do the same. Following are a few translated excerpts from recent letters we've received from students who saw our show:
         "The skit and songs you sang that day were very meaningful and brought peace and happiness to my life. How can I be a part of what you are doing? I want to join your team to help others. Please send me more to read about Jesus and love." -- from a boy at a child welfare center
         "I haven't been involved with drugs myself, but I have seen my friends take them and I would like to ask if you could send me more information about how I can help people and make the world a better place, like you are." -- from a high school student
         "I really liked your show! I read the story you gave me and I can relate. I have seen many situations like this. Can I please be your little sister and tell you when I have problems?" -- from a high school student

Community youth center
From Christina and Ilya, Russia
         One day Christina answered a knock at our door to find a group of tough teenage boys who looked like young Mafia hoodlums. She braced herself for a barrage of foul language and threats.
         "Do you work with delinquent teenagers?" one of the boys asked.
         "Are you delinquent teenagers?" Christina came back.
         "Yes," the boy said matter-of-factly. "The police sent us."
         The boys went on to explain that they wanted to open a neighborhood gym to give them a place to meet and something to do besides hang out in the streets and get into trouble. The police had promised them a place if the boys could find an adult who was willing to take responsibility and supervise them. The police knew we worked with teenagers, and so sent them to us.
         Once we got past the boys' tough exteriors, we found them to be sweet-spirited kids who sincerely wanted to be treated as responsible people, not as troublemakers. We accepted the challenge, and offered a broader plan. Instead of a gym only, we suggested a youth center where we and our own teens could also teach them computer, guitar, and drama. The young gang members lit up like so many light bulbs!
         At that time, Ilya was halfway through a two-month course on administrating humanitarian aid and social work projects, so the timing of our new undertaking couldn't have been better. It provides field work that is bringing his lessons to life, and what he is learning in class helps us know how to cut through the considerable bureaucratic red tape involved. The boys are getting their parents to write the local officials to underscore the need, and we've written to say we'll supervise the center. We're also drumming up public support, and trusting that the plan for the center will go through soon.

Caring for innocent young victims of AIDS
From Giovanni, Romania
         Our Family community continues to assist a hospital in Constanta, Romania, which treats children who are infected with HIV, many of whom now suffer from full-blown AIDS. As was widely reported in the international press, over 700 children here contracted HIV when hospital staff carelessly reused a contaminated syringe.
         Each of the past two months, we have made trips to Western Europe to gather needed supplies for the cash-strapped hospital. These shipments included cases of a special disinfectant to help ward off tuberculosis, hepatitis, and other dangerous infections that threaten the children's fragile lives.
         "Thank you so much for helping my children," said the wonderfully loving and dedicated director of the hospital, who does not have children of her own.

Reconciliation and healing in Bosnia
From Peace, Slovenia
         This month Sara and I accompanied Victor, a Family member who traveled 3,000 km from Malaga, Spain, to deliver over one and a half tons of humanitarian aid to needy institutions in Bosanski Petrovac, Bosnia. Part of the shipment--quality school supplies and children's clothing--we personally handed out to each student and teacher at a school. We also delivered donated wheelchairs to the local hospital. The remainder of the supplies we gave to the charity-minded Islamic Women's Foundation and to Sedika, one of its members who was about to open a kindergarten.
         Our prayer is that our example of caring and giving across ethnic and religious lines will help bring reconciliation and healing to the war-weary spirits of those dear people.
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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--including any of those reported in this issue--please contact us at one of the addresses below:



Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family