FAR074 -- GP     Worldwide Activity Report -- July 1998

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.

[Caption to go with the photo: cambodia.jpg:] Learning fun ahead! Phoebe (second from right) and Timothy (right) with the directors of an orphanage in Phnom Penh, after presenting them with a set of Treasure Attic videos for the children.

Helping the children of Cambodia
From Phoebe, Japan
         The Cambodian holocaust of the mid-'70s claimed the lives of one in six Cambodians. This and the years of foreign domination and civil disorder that followed left the country in a shambles. Recovery has been painfully slow.
         Timothy and I recently returned from our first visit to Cambodia, where we'd gone at the invitation of an international humanitarian aid organization. Nearly everyone we met in and around Phnom Penh had a story to tell--a story of suffering, and often of atrocities--that added urgency to our goal of bringing love and hope to a people broken in spirit.
         We were especially concerned about helping the children, and so had taken with us hundreds of kilos of school supplies and other educational materials, toys, clothing, and equipment that had been donated by individuals and companies in Japan. Of those materials, the thing we expected to have the greatest and longest-lasting effect were the many copies of The Family's Kiddie Viddie and Treasure Attic children's video series--and the children and their caretakers seemed to agree. Everyone wanted our videos!
         We encountered one big problem, however: Few of the institutions we visited (five orphanages, two centers for street children, two hospitals and one school) had video machines. Again thanks to our donors, we were able to give video machines to two of the neediest places, and a cassette tape player to another. We also donated a total of 34 Kiddie Viddie and Treasure Attic videos to these institutions.
         Approximately one thousand children were helped by this first shipment of aid, but tens of thousands more are waiting for a ray of hope and a touch of love to come their way. We hope to go back soon to let them know God cares, and we do too.

Beauty for ashes
From Augustin and Paloma, Colombia
         When the parents of a boy who had been killed last year planned a memorial service for him, a mutual friend asked us to provide the music. The boy had been just 14 when he was shot dead by a schoolmate in a fit of jealous rage. This was the first we had heard about the tragedy, and of course we wanted to help in any way we could.
         We had never met the slain boy's parents before, but it turned out that his mother had bought some of The Family's audio tapes for her children years ago, and they had played them day and night. Apparently the underlying messages on those tapes--messages of faith, trust, and love for God and fellowman--had had quite an impact on the whole family. Because his parents knew that the other boy would have been imprisoned for life and suffer under the appalling conditions characteristic of Colombian prisons, they found it in their hearts to forgive the boy and not press charges. The dead boy's mother also told us that for the past year her favorite tape has been "Sweet Dreams Tonight," because of the promise conveyed by several songs of being one day reunited with loved ones in Heaven.
         At the memorial service we performed some of the boy's favorite songs from the children's tapes, and invited everyone to sing along. It was a touching yet cheerful remembrance, reminiscent of the old song that goes
         He gives me joy in place of sorrow,
         He gives me love that casts out fear,
         He gives me sunshine for my shadow,
         And beauty for ashes dear!

That "special" feeling
From Martin, Hope and Stevie, Pakistan
         For the past few months we have taught English and music to children with polio and cerebral palsy. There are about 35 or 40 children in all. The director of the special school they attend told us that we are the highlight of the children's week, and they anxiously await our arrival each Thursday. The director also confided that our visits are the highlight of his week as well.
         The thing that these children need most of all is love, and they know that we really love and care for them. In this country, those with handicaps are generally treated quite badly and are often neglected by their families, who are ashamed of them. Our visits add a ray of hope into their lives, and they are overjoyed that someone not only notices them, but makes them feel special.

Mending young hearts
From Enoch, Slovakia
         One of Bosnia's largest TV stations is now preparing the Family's character-building Treasure Attic children's video series for broadcast. The station is translating the dialogue into Serbo-Croatian (which is spoken by all of Bosnia's three ethnic groups) and dubbing it in. They did a great job on the first show!
         Ten Treasure Attic episodes will be aired on a prime-time educational program which is seen by an estimated half million people. The first show has already been broadcast four times as a pilot, and public response has been very positive.
         We're so thankful for this opportunity, through these videos, to help the kids of this war-torn country recover from all they've been through by bringing some fun into their lives and pointing them in a positive direction.

Summer camp for orphans
From Marie, India
         When we heard that about 200 of the orphans we teach each week had no relatives to go to during the month-long summer school break and would have to stay at the orphanage with little to do, we decided to organize a three-day summer camp for them.
         Our teenagers and children suggested things to do with the kids, and when the time came they led most of the activities. Since we were vastly outnumbered by the orphans, we decided to spend one day with the girls, the next day with the boys, and on the third day have a party and performance for all.
         One of our supporters donated cardstock and paint, another balloons and crayons. A soft-drink company donated cases of drinks, and a top-of-the-line ice-cream company donated boxes of ice cream. We were off to a good start!
         We divided the children into three groups, according to their ages, and did different activities with each group. Some of the girls learned to perform a song entitled "The Garden," while others made and painted cardboard props to go with it. One group of boys learned the words and actions to "The Time to Be Happy," while another group worked on a large mural of Noah's Ark. We played musical games with the youngest children, and let each one color a picture of a clown and post it on the wall. (It was amazing to see how the children's bright pictures transformed the usually bare, dark walls of the orphanage!) The little ones were also given balloons.
         All of the groups got to watch some Kiddie Viddie and Treasure Attic shows, which was a special treat since the struggling orphanage does not have video player or even a TV (we brought ours for the camp). The children were all so happy and appreciative of the simple activities we had prepared for them.
         Though we needed to work through Tamil translators most of the time, the children were glued to each activity and had so much fun! One shy and introverted 15-year-old boy who has polio had to be coaxed into participating in the art activity, but as soon as he started drawing, his previously undiscovered artistic ability came out. When we put his picture up on the wall, he was beaming from ear to ear. He had found something he could do well, and that others admired him for. Some of the others had similar experiences, including several girls who showed real talent for dancing.
         On the last day, as we were giving Noah's Ark its final touches, all the kids wanted to participate by drawing, coloring, and pasting in place some new animal. Those who had prepared songs got to perform them, and the others presented their artwork for all to see. We took photos of it all, and served them ice cream and soft drinks. By then, the bond between us had grown stronger than ever, and the children kept coming to us for hugs and to hold our hands. When we left, 15-year-old Sumatra asked when we would be coming back. "I'll be watching the gate until you come," she said.
         It was really our teens and children who, through their fun ideas and boundless energy in spite of the heat and long hours, made the camp a success. Our efforts were certainly rewarded by the smiles and thanks of the orphans, who soaked up every bit of love and attention we gave them. Such wonderful kids!

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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:

Web: http://www.thefamily.org/thefamily
E-mail: family@thefamily.org


Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family