Worldwide Activity Report -- April 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] Rock star aids India's blind. World-renowned slide guitarist and former-Fleetwood Mac member Jeremy Spencer, together with The Family's Heart to Heart show troupe, performed four benefit concerts in Bombay and New Delhi to raise support for India's National Association for the Blind (NAB). The concerts, which happened to coincide with Jeremy and Fleetwood Mac's induction into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame, were the subject of month-long national media attention that did much to raise public awareness of the needs of India's 9 million blind. Jeremy left Fleetwood Mac 27 years ago to work full-time with The Family. He and Heart to Heart performed a similar series of concerts for NAB three years ago.

Perfect fit
From Dust, Moldova
         Recently we distributed over four tons of humanitarian aid, which we and other Family members had collected from donors in Western Europe. Several women from our local city hall helped us prepare boxes of food, shoes and clothing for 74 hard-up extended families and 35 orphans who do not live in institutions. We had specific age, size and gender information about each recipient, so we were able to "custom fit" the packages. Distribution was done at the city hall.
         Most of the recipients had never received any such help before, and were expecting perhaps a small handout after a lot of red tape. So when we simply handed them their personalized packages--often more than one large box to a family--they were very happy indeed! What touched them the most, though, were the words of faith and encouragement that we shared.
         I was able to spend at least a few minutes privately with most of the parents who came. Some told me in detail of the extremely difficult conditions under which they must raise their children. "This material help will give you a boost," I would tell them, "but the greatest source of help is God Himself. We pray that He will take care of you and your family, that He will give you the faith, strength and wisdom to raise your children well, and that He will shower you all with His love." Many of these dear parents broke down in tears of thankfulness. It was very touching!

Music video therapy
From Giovanni, Romania
         A few months ago we performed at an institution for handicapped children and afterwards donated a video from The Family's Kiddie Viddie series.
         When we returned recently, we were surprised to see that the children, most of whom are mentally disadvantaged, knew the songs by heart.
         "When you gave us that video, we had no idea the children would want to watch it so often," the head of the institution told us. "They must have watched it 200 times already. When I realized it was helping them learn to concentrate more, we made it a part of their therapy."
         With the help of one of our sponsors, we were able to provide them with the rest of the Kiddie Viddie collection.

Generation gap bridged in parking lot
From Free, USA
         When I meet new people, I often ask, "How are you doing?" or, "How's it going?" The question isn't entirely rhetorical, as it seems just about everyone is happy to find someone to talk to about their troubles or what's going on in their lives. Whatever their need is, I usually get the opportunity to offer to pray for them on the spot.
         One day, as I got out of my car, I heard some loud arguing coming from a car parked nearby. As I passed by, I looked over to see a middle-aged woman and a teenaged boy, whom I later learned were mother and son.
         My eyes met the woman's. "How's your day going?" I ventured.
         "Not too good!" she replied.
         "Is it anything I could help with?" I asked.
         Without hesitation, she began to explain. They were having a communications problem, she said, as well as an "invasion of privacy" problem--and she was to blame! She'd been nosing around her son's room, getting into his things, and he was upset about it.
         I asked her son's age, and she said he was 18.
         "Okay, Mom," I said. "It's time to let go a little, don't you think? At his age, you have to respect his privacy, just as you expect him to respect yours. I've had 18-year-olds myself, and although it was a difficult realization, there came a time when I had to learn to treat them as young adults."
         Then I turned to the son and added, "I know you love your mom, so please try to have a little patience. It's hard for us mothers to let go when our kids are suddenly grown up."
         They both asked for prayer, so we said a little prayer right there. When I asked God to help the mother learn to let go, the son chimed in with, "Yes! Yes! Amen!" I also asked God to help the son try to understand and have more patience and love for his mom.
         When I opened my eyes, the mother was crying tears of happiness and the boy was beaming from ear to ear. Both were relieved to find simple solutions to their communication problems, and to experience the instant help that comes through prayer.

Friends and family
From Jennifer, Croatia
         We recently stepped up our visits to two children's institutions: an orphanage for children under the age of four, and a center for traumatized children. We had already done shows at both institutions, but after seeing the immense need there, we decided to do volunteer work at each place one day a week. Rather than doing more shows, we now concentrate on being companions and caretakers for the children.
         The children in the orphanage were either abandoned, came from broken homes, or their parents were killed during the war. Some are handicapped. All are in great need of personal attention, love and affection. Outnumbered 20 to one by the children, the orphanage staff simply cannot meet all of the children's emotional needs. So when we go there, we try to hold each of the children, and talk to them or dance with them. They are very lovable. They love to sit on our laps and to play or babble on about this and that. Our hearts break for these cute, lovable, tiny kids, knowing that they will probably never know what it's like to have personal families until they are grown up and have families of their own. The adoption process in this country can take up to 10 years, as there is so much red tape.
         The children in the other center were traumatized during the war, having witnessed members of their families being killed or tortured, or other atrocities. They are in just as desperate need of personal attention as the younger children in the orphanage, and we try to be both friends and family to them.

Planting seeds for future generations
From Juan and Bernadette, Cameroon
         For a month we were extra busy, helping to organize and conduct a national seminar on sustainable agriculture. The goal of the seminar was to raise environmental consciousness and move this west-central African nation toward an agricultural system that is both more environmentally friendly and financially sound. With 74% of this nation's labor force involved in agriculture and only 13% of the land arable, much stands to be gained from the simple and affordable conservation techniques that were taught. The seminar consisted of lectures and workshops, and culminated in a field trip deep into the countryside, where a pilot project is being launched.
         Before the seminar we knew next to nothing about farming, but we had quite a bit of experience in organization and working with people, which we had gained through our participation in numerous Family projects over the years. That's where our help was needed. Juan was involved in the overall planning, and oversaw the daily logistics. Bernadette gave running translations of the lectures from English to French (both are official languages of this country, but most of the attendees spoke only one or the other). We both spent much of our time encouraging and assisting the main organizer of the event, and mediating awkward or delicate situations that arose between members of the staff or delegates.
         It will take years before the full effect of this seminar will be felt, of course, but we are happy and proud to have helped prepare the way, and we will keep this project in our prayers. As the Bible says, "One plants, another waters, but God gives the increase." (See 1 Corinthians 3:6,7.)
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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