Worldwide Activity Report -- October 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.

Search, rescue, comfort!
--In the aftermath of the U.S. Embassy bombing in Kenya
From Family volunteers in Kenya
         A massive explosion rocked Nairobi at around 10:30 a.m. on August 7, when a car bomb intended to destroy the U.S. Embassy totally demolished a building across the street and gutted several others, including a 22-story office building. The shock waves were felt throughout the city, and the blast was heard for miles. Cars and buses in the line of the blast became twisted masses of metal. Windows within a 10-block radius shattered and rained shards of glass on hapless pedestrians. The number of casualties climbed as rescue workers worked to pull survivors and bodies from the debris. The final toll: 247 dead and more than 5,000 others injured.
         A number of us Family volunteers were working at several projects in Nairobi at the time, but none were near the site of the bomb when it went off. When the first reliable reports of the bombing reached us, we regrouped, prayed for the survivors and rescue teams, and set off to volunteer our services at the site. By the time we arrived, most of the victims had been taken to hospitals. What remained was a massive search and rescue mission to free those who had been buried alive by the rubble or trapped in adjacent buildings. Our teams stayed on site until midnight, working with the engineers and Red Cross volunteers who headed the rescue effort.
         Twenty-one-year-old Eddie spent most of his time helping the engineers with the rescue. "I never dreamed that I'd find myself in such a situation," he commented. "I felt compelled to be there, to do everything that I could to help."
         By 7:30 the next morning, one team of Family members was at the national hospital where the largest number of wounded had been taken. Other people from all over the city also brought food, drinking water, and blankets to assist the under-supplied hospital, but at first a lack of organization kept most of these items from making it to those who needed them most. Our team helped to oversee the distribution of supplies as they came in, dressed wounds, fed those who could not feed themselves, and most of all, offered words of comfort and reassurance to each person they helped.
         "We worked in the wards where the bomb victims were treated," remarked 18-year-old Joy, who administered first aid. "I was happy that we were able to head directly to the need."
         Her teammate Maria, 15, felt the same. "We were able to encourage and help the patients, something that they desperately needed and appreciated."
         At the bomb site, the rescue effort continued. Our second team continued to help engineers and Red Cross workers search through buildings adjacent to the blast site for those who were wounded or trapped. They also organized and manned the food lines, where the weary rescue workers could get meals.
         "I was surprised by the extent of the damage," said David, a 21-year-old Family volunteer who spent most of his time in and around the demolished buildings searching for survivors. "Before we arrived, it was difficult to get a clear picture of what was going on. It was a lot worse than I had expected. Not only was the damage great, but people were in shock and there was very little organization. On top of the site there were structural engineers, who could tell what was what and kept things in order. Where we were, people were very dependent on us to organize things, especially in the food distribution, and crowd and vehicle control. The situation was so chaotic that when we would come up with an answer to a problem or step in with a solution, they right away depended on us to take charge."
         This was also a time of reflection. It was the first time since Kenya's independence that such an act of terrorism had occurred. It was completely unexpected, and the country was visibly shaken by it. Many of the soldiers who stood guard and patrolled the area readily prayed with us to accept the Lord, and were grateful for the gospel tracts our teams offered them.
         "People were very broken," said Michael, one of those who passed out tracts and comforted people. "They were very appreciative of the hope and message that we had to give. I also spent quite a bit of time in the hospital, including several hours with one girl who was close to death. I prayed for her and comforted her until she was wheeled into the operating room. The following day I was thankful to hear that although she remained in critical condition, the doctors expected her to live."
         The tragedy is by no means over, as Nairobi's population struggles to come to grips with the loss of life, suffering, and trauma that touched the lives of so many. We continue to help and counsel those who remain in hospitals, and those who are trying to piece their shattered lives back together. Please pray with us for the many families who lost loved ones, and for those who have been left maimed, disfigured, or traumatized by the blast.

Deaf cultural festival
From Family members in Hyderabad, India
         Members of The Family's communities in Hyderabad worked together to organize the Third Indian Cultural Festival for the Deaf.
         On the opening day, deaf part-time members of the Family presented a skit on community and inter-religious harmony, which was appreciated by the audience in the wake of the recent riots in this city. They also performed dances. Throughout the three-day event, Family volunteer Will gave running interpretations for all the deaf delegates.
         On the closing day, the governor of Andhra Pradesh State commended The Family for our work with the deaf.

A dream come true
From Gideon, Uzbekistan
         For some time we had been concerned about the sanitary conditions at a school for 200 handicapped children, where we conduct motivational programs and recreational activities, and do other volunteer work. The director of the school was also concerned, of course, but considering the school's other desperate financial needs, installing proper toilets seemed an impossible dream. One thing we knew: It would never happen unless someone took action.
         We set things in motion by asking a friend of ours, who is a building contractor, to draw up a plan for a 10-toilet facility and make a detailed estimate. His estimate for materials alone was about $4,000. Labor would add nearly $3,000 to that figure. Now that may not seem like a lot to raise for a similar project in a Western country, but in this struggling former Soviet republic, $7,000 is a lot of money indeed! We prayed and set out to find sponsors.
         In the end we found two co-sponsors--the owner of a large construction company, and a foreign consulate. The new toilet facility was completed before the first of September, when the new school year began. What a miracle!

Medical camps update
From Paul, Maria, Simon, Joan and Jan, Nigeria
         We recently assisted volunteer doctors and dentists at another weeklong medical camp, this time in the village of Asaba. We treated 2,900 people altogether. The doctors on the team performed 80 operations; the dentists, 80 tooth extractions; and the optometrists, over 100 eye exams.
         Many of the people we treat at these medical camps have been living with their ailments and diseases for a long time, due to not being able to pay for a doctor's care or medicine. So when we treat them for free and provide free medicine, they are always so very thankful. Some of them act as though we are gods who have come from another land to bring an end to their suffering, but we make it clear that we are only agents of the God of love who is concerned about each of them personally. They come rushing by the thousands to get free medicine, but many leave with much more than that--new faith, hope, and courage to face and overcome their sicknesses and other problems.
         We never cease to be amazed at the dedication and self-sacrificial spirit of the Nigerian doctors we work with. They really give their all! They offer their services free during these one-week- to 10-day medical camps, and often work from 6:00 a.m. till midnight. They come from different faiths, but this never hinders them from working together toward their common goal of helping these poor, desperate people.
         Each camp is exhausting physically, but also wonderfully rewarding, as we always feel like we've helped make a real and lasting difference in many people'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