Worldwide Activity Report -- March 1998
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Copyright 1998 by The Family

         Every day, in over 85 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] Love is the best medicine. Hundreds of Family volunteers lift the spirits of patients in hospitals and rehabilitation centers all over the world. Pictured here are Pietro (in clown makeup) and a young patient at a center for the handicapped in Haulien, Taiwan.

Needy children get a helping hand
From Juan Francisco, Esther, and Maria Clara, Brazil
         For about a year we have been assisting another group in their relief project in a slum just outside So Paulo. We were especially concerned about the plight of the children there, and started helping once a week.
         After seven or eight weeks we met with the project's benefactor, a Christian businessman, to inquire about how we could be a bigger help. He explained that although he wasn't wealthy, he had been paying out considerable sums of money each month without seeing much progress, and he had no solution. We offered to help alleviate the heavy financial burden he was trying to carry by recruiting other sponsors and suppliers. He liked the idea, and asked us to take charge of that aspect of the project.
         Among other things, the project helps care for more than 60 abused or abandoned children from the area, who are wards of the court. That number usually includes about 20 babies, from newborn to one and a half years old. That's a lot of disposable diapers--about 4,000 per month! We soon found donors who agreed to fill this need monthly. More pledges of regular donations followed. Other Family communities in Porto Alegre and So Paulo helped us get rolling, and continue to help in a big way.
         Over the next nine months we helped provide 36,000 breakfasts for the children, as well as another 18,000 meals and more than 600 packages of basic foodstuffs to needy families. Other donations of food, clothing, cleaning products, baby supplies, computers, and construction materials to the mission totaled about $65,000.
         When the man who had been administrating the mission left on a trip to the United States to raise funds for other projects, Juan Francisco was asked to take over the daily administration of the mission--both the legal and organizational aspects. Since then, more than 15 children have been adopted or restored to their immediate families. This coming year we also hope to open a home for babies with AIDS.

Person to person
From Timothy, USA
         Detroit, where our Family community is located, has a large homeless population. Because of the tremendous need, we have taken the initiative to contact a number of local businesses for donations of food and clothing. Many have agreed to help. Each week we collect and deliver several tons of fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, bread, other foodstuffs, good quality used clothing, and other needed items to local homeless shelters and soup kitchens. It's rewarding work because we know it makes a genuine difference to many, but we sometimes become so busy with pickups and deliveries that we feel we're losing the personal touch. When that begins to happen, the Lord puts needy individuals and families directly in our path.
         Recently, we received a call from one such woman, a single mother with three children, one of whom has attention deficit disorder and requires nearly constant care. As a result, the mother is unable to hold a steady job. She had just stopped receiving disability checks for the child, and was having a tough time making ends meet. Her pastor had heard of our work, and referred her to us. She asked if we could help her family with food until she gets back on her feet, and we readily agreed. We now deliver food to her door every week, and are gathering clothing for her and the children.
         We are so thankful to be able to help this dear woman in such a personal way, just as Jesus cares for each of us personally.

The payoff
From Augustine, Mexico
         I was at a local store when a 13-year-old boy came in and recognized me from The Family's visits to a home for juvenile delinquents where we hold group activities and offer counseling. After he had heard our message, he decided to change his ways. He had just been released from the juvenile home and wanted to thank me.

Forgotten no more
From Joanie, 13, India
         During Diwali, the Hindi New Year, we did a lot of free programs, and one was at an old folks home. The residents were so happy, warm, and friendly. They were 200 of the most appreciative folks that we had ever performed for. They smiled away and clapped enthusiastically throughout our show.
         After the program, we went around to all their rooms to talk to them and wish them Happy Dipavali. They were touched to pieces, as they don't get to see young people or children very often.
         One of them said, "Before, we felt forgotten by the world, but now you have come and we are happy again!"

A brighter world for orphans
From Maria, Sweden
         For the past couple of years we have assisted several needy orphanages in Slovakia with shipments of clothes, shoes, and toys donated by Swedish companies and individuals. It's been an uphill struggle to improve conditions at the orphanages, but we're beginning to see the fruits of our labors--especially at the biggest home, which cares for over 200 children.
         Our last shipment was over 70 boxes, and filled the truck to capacity. Even our neighbors are getting involved. One woman has knitted over 500 pairs of beautiful, colorful mittens--and she's still knitting!
         We also help a Slovak humanitarian organization that works with 18-year-olds who have reached the age when they need to leave the orphanages. The girls seem especially unprepared for life on their own, and some soon become expectant single mothers. Our last shipment also included boxes of quality baby clothes, maternity outfits, and some warm winter clothes for these girls.

Minor miracle for cash-strapped school
From Paul, Marie and Juan, El Salvador
         While visiting some schools in a city about two hours from San Salvador, we learned that one school was especially poor and needy. The principal had a special favor to ask: Since Marie is German, could she help locate a large donation, made to the school two years earlier by a German organization, that had never arrived? We promised to do what we could, and to phone back in a few days.
         We contacted some Family members in Germany and explained the situation. They were also happy to do what they could.
         Within a few days, they had located the donor organization and given them a call, and the funds had been deposited in a bank, ready to be transferred to the school in El Salvador.
         When we called the principal with the news, she could hardly believe it. She thanked us over and over for our help, and said that when she had first met us, the Lord had told her that we would be the ones to help her.
         Word spread quickly, and we soon received petitions for help from several other schools that are in dire need of renovation and teaching materials. We have passed their requests on to other organizations, and are awaiting more miracles as God touches people's hearts to give.
         Please do help us in El Salvador if you can!

Children's shelter struggles to survive
From Philip, Namibia
         We help out in a shelter for street children in the poorest part of Namibia's capital, Katutura. Many of the children are runaways--young victims of drunken and abusive parents. At the shelter they have a home, a peaceful atmosphere, and the love of the very sweet and sacrificial woman who runs the place.
         Conditions at the shelter are stark: More than 100 children share two dormitory rooms. Nights are cold and there are not enough blankets to go around, so the children double up in their bunks to keep warm. They don't have silverware, so they eat with their hands. Until we started taking them large donations of fresh vegetables and fruit each week, they survived on a steady diet of maize cereal.
         In spite of the hardships, their "mother" at the shelter has taught the children to be thankful for every little blessing that comes their way.
         They desperately need more help than we can extend, so please give if you can. Your gift--large or small--will be met with heartfelt appreciation and go a long way toward improving these children's lives.
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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 mentioned in this issue, please contact us at one of the addresses below:



Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family