Worldwide Activity Report -- October 1998
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Copyright a 1998 by The Family

         "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to everyone, everywhere," Jesus told His followers. Every day, in over 85 countries, Family missionaries share Jesus' message of hope and love with many thousands. Following are some highlights of their recent activities and experiences.

         [Photo caption: Children reaching children. Like hundreds of other Family children around the world, these six brothers and sisters in Latvia (right) enjoy taking the Gospel to their peers by way of puppet shows in schools, orphanages, and parks--wherever children gather. Below they are performing at a school in Riga, Latvia.]

Inside job
From Paul and Joy, Australia
         We met Robert about two years ago. He was out of jail on bond at the time, awaiting trial on drug charges. We saw him a number of times in the months that followed, and always tried to get him to turn to the Lord for help. He listened to all we had to say and seemed to enjoy our company, but we never seemed to be able to get through to him in a big way. Robert was later convicted of the drug charges and sentenced to about two years in jail. Due to restrictions on the number of visitors Robert could receive, we lost contact with him until just recently. When we finally got into the jail to see him, we were in for a big surprise!
         "You guys are so right!" Robert exclaimed. "What everybody needs is love! I've found while in here that even the toughest guys just really need love--someone to talk to, someone to care."
         He went on to explain that there is a lot of racial tension in the maximum security section of the jail, where he was first placed, and that each of the different ethnic groups--Chinese, Black, Islander, Maori, Asian, Lebanese--sticks together. So Robert started eating one day with one group, walking in the courtyard the next day with another group, and so on--all the while witnessing to them about the Lord.
         One fellow, Tom, was especially feared by the other inmates. He had been in jail for 18 years, much of it in solitary confinement because it seemed each time he was put back in with other inmates, he would get in a fight, someone else would get hurt, and Tom would be sent back to solitary. Robert started playing chess with Tom, and one day he asked Tom if he was afraid of anything. "No, nothing at all!" Tom answered.
         A few days later Tom found Robert and asked if they could talk. "There is one thing I'm afraid of," he confided. "God!"
         Robert seized the opportunity to tell Tom about God's love and forgiveness. "Even if someone repents of a lifetime of wrongdoing with their dying breath, Jesus is so loving that He forgives and takes that sinner to Heaven." The two talked some more about God and Jesus, and then Robert asked, "Don't you think it would be better to ask for God's forgiveness and try to live a good life now, instead of waiting till the last minute?" Tom took the challenge, and has since become a new man.
         When Robert was moved from the maximum security section of the jail, the governor [warden] was sad to see him go because Robert had had such a good effect on the other inmates. Robert told us that maximum security had often been tense and frightening, but he had felt more needed there than in the minimum security section where he is now. The Lord is continuing to use him there, though: He now holds nightly prayer meetings in his cell, and keeps pointing others to Jesus.
         We are continuing to pray for Robert, as well as to supply him with gospel literature to feed his faith and help him help others.

Never forsaken!
From Catherine Jane, South Africa
         "He who loses money loses much. He who loses friends loses more. But he who loses faith loses all." I saw just how true that saying is during a recent visit to one of Durban's largest hospitals, where some other Family members and I do volunteer work a few days each week.
         Before each visit, we pray for the Lord to lead us to those He wants us to meet, those who are most in need of His love and comfort. This time it was a man in the cancer ward, and his wife. The man was sitting on his bed, alone, when I entered the room. His face lit up when I offered him a gospel poster--and what a beautiful light that was! The cancer had wracked his jaw, and surgeons had performed reconstructive surgery, using half of his tongue and bone from one of his ribs. He was unable to speak, but his face continued to shine as he conveyed through impromptu sign language that he would die soon and go to Heaven.
         A few moments later, his wife came in. She did not share his faith, or optimism. Bitterness had eaten away at her spirit like a cancer. She had been a Christian once, but had lost her faith when the Lord forsook her, she said. To her way of thinking, surely He had forsaken her, surely He didn't love her, or He never would have let her suffer all that she had. As she told her story, my heart was filled with compassion for her.
         She was only in her early fifties, but had already lost her first husband and all four of her children. When this, her second husband, had become sick a few years ago, he had had to sell his business and she had had to stop her work in order to care for him. Now they had absolutely nothing left. She needed medical care herself, but couldn't even pay the two-dollar registration fee at this public hospital.
         I gave her some money and told her it was a token of the Lord's love for her. Then as she continued to tell me about her problems, I listened and tried to assure her of the Lord's love. "Even though we sometimes don't understand His ways, He has promised to never leave or forsake us. In the end we will see that He was true to His promise."
         After an hour, her face began to brighten, and by the time I had to leave, the dying ember of her faith had been fanned back to life. "Faith comes from God's Word, the Bible," I explained. "That Book is full of promises from your heavenly Father, promises that you can claim for yourself and your husband when you pray." I also gave her a list of key verses to take home, read, think about, and claim.
         Her problems hadn't changed in the space of those couple of hours, but she had found the faith to face them. Her bitterness and fear had been replaced by faith in her loving, caring Savior.

"Mountain Christians" of Taiwan
From Michael and Pietro, Taiwan
         The Taroko people so appreciated our help at the summer camp they held for their children, that they invited us to lead some of their church services. Many of the Taroko are Christians, but they are unused to blue-eyed foreigners like us learning phrases of their unique form of Formosan and leading them in singing.
         We led meetings with their young people, as well as church services where we taught our inspirational songs and got everyone clapping and doing simple motions to the music. One of their pastors took one of our guitars and helped lead the singing, mountain-style! We shared a message urging them to keep on in their faith, and to do their part to change the world for the better through God's love, in spite of the prejudice they face. (The Taroko and Taiwan's other aborigines, of which there are nine major tribes, are considered the lowest social class here.) During the service, all the non-Christian young people from the village watched through the windows. When some ventured in, they were immediately drawn into the singing and enjoyed the service with the others.
         It was wonderful to see the faces of these dear mountain believers light up with enthusiasm after these meetings. We're so thankful the Lord led us there for their encouragement--and ours!

When no one else could help
From Catherine and Consuelo, Brazil
         One of the men who lives in the slum where other Family members and I do volunteer work, recently had a heart attack. He was left partially paralyzed, and his hands and feet became very swollen. He also suffered from acute bouts of asthma. Of course he was unable to return to his former job, which was painting tennis courts on his hands and knees. He couldn't possibly afford to see a heart specialist or get the type of medical treatment he needed, and even the local health department couldn't provide him with medicine for his condition.
         When we went to visit him, he was at the end of his rope. He really looked like he was about to die! Together with another of his friends, we prayed for his healing. He also prayed to receive Jesus as his Savior at that time.
         One week later we returned, and found him painting his house! The Lord had healed him! He has since gone back to work. He thanked us a thousand times for our prayers, and has told the whole community about the miracle the Lord did for him!
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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