The Family in Action!--#1 DFO
Where Angels Fear to Tread!
From a U.S.A. Teen Home Ministering to Los Angeles Gang Members
Copyrighted June, 1993, by Family services, Zurich, Switzerland.
Witnessing to gang members is usually like a spiritual boxing match. They are pretty tough characters and they really test us to see if our level of conviction can match theirs. Before we part, they often say, "Look man, you've got a lot of guts to walk up to me and offer me this Poster and tell me what you just told me! Because of that, I'll read this!"--or words to that effect.
When we approached six "heavy-duty" gang members with our Endtime Newspaper and our Heaven Posters, we found that they were quite shook up as a result of the earthquakes. "If you were to die tomorrow," we asked them, "where would you go?" Matthew was dwarfed by the gang member he was talking to, and out-weighed by at least 100 pounds. But, God bless him, he just kept looking straight up at this tough guy, challenging him to receive Jesus into his heart.
Three times, the gang member interrupted saying, "I could tear your arm off and beat you to a pulp with it." Matthew refused to be intimidated and the gang member eventually prayed with him to receive Jesus into his heart.
"I could have torn you to pieces," he said once more, "but I was scared to even touch you because, I don't know, man, I might get hit with a lightning bolt. Down here you're nothing, but Up There you're really something!"
"I'll be honest with you," another said, "we're gang members. We use drugs and we kill our enemies."
Our reply was: "Jesus can save even you! He could have let you get killed already, but you're still here. Perhaps God has been protecting you even though you've been bad, because He knows you're going to receive Jesus and become His children."
The biggest "baddest" of the bunch lifted his shirt, exposing scars from fifteen different bullet and stab wounds. Then he took off his hat, bowed his head and received Jesus.Another poured out his heart, explaining that he had a wife and kids and wanted to get out of the gang, but couldn't. He was in too deep. He also bowed his head and got saved and was so thankful to find Jesus--the only way out.
At the end of another long day of witnessing, a few of us teens were walking along the beach, recounting all that the Lord had done, when we came upon a dozen young gang members who appeared to be making plans.
After greeting them we stepped out by faith to say, "Since you're already standing around in a circle," we ventured, "why don't you do what we do when we stand in a circle? Why don't we take each other's hands and say a little prayer together, shall we?" To everyone's amazement they all obediently held hands and asked Jesus into their hearts. Afterwards, one of them confided in us that when they saw us at a distance, they thought we were a rival gang invading their "turf" and they were getting geared up to fight us! We explained to them what the prayer meant and how Jesus was now with them to help them, as a Friend.
"I'm a bad person. I've killed people!" This confession came from a drug lord who we met on the beach. "Here I am telling all this to you, complete strangers," he continued, "after you just walk up to me on the beach. I can't even tell it to God! I know that He must be watching over me, otherwise I would be dead by now, but I don't know what to do. I don't even remember how to pray, it's been so long."
Then, with a little coaching from us, and in the presence of his two bodyguards, he sweetly and humbly asked Jesus to come into his heart! "I know that God sent you to me today," he told us after we showed him promises from the Bible about God's Love and forgiveness and encouraged him to "go and sin no more" (John 8:11).
The above testimonies are not just isolated incidents. Things like these take place nearly every time we witness to gangs, and we're often moved to tears as the Lord gets through to these poor lost kids. What's more, we've found that they're not just out there stealing cars, robbing stores, pushing drugs and warring with rival gangs. They are rebels against a society which they blame for all their ills, and they've never been shown any other way.
When presented with the Truth and given a way out, it's surprising how many of them respond. They have strong convictions and there are many natural leaders among them. Nearly every major U.S. city has its "gang land" and each is a ripe mission field, just waiting to be harvested! Please keep this ministry and our brave witnessers in your prayers!
(Editor's note: Witnessing to gang members, although a very needed and fruitful ministry, could also be dangerous if not bathed in prayer. Please be on guard and seek the Lord's Will and direction every step of the way when witnessing to gang members or other "tough" kids. We know He will protect you, as He has our teens, as long as you're very prayerful and sober-minded about such dangerous invasions into the Devil's territory. God bless you!)
PRAYER REQUEST: For our Homes that are ministering to youth gangs; for the Lord's continued protection and leading and for lasting fruit.
One Touch of Love!
From Anne (18), and Sara (17), SEA
After our children's and teens' singing groups performed at a Red Cross rehabilitation centre in this Buddhist country, the manager of the hospital spontaneously asked those patients who wanted prayer to raise their hands, saying that we would come and pray for them individually. A lot of people raised their hands and this opened a wonderful witnessing opportunity as we talked to them and prayed for them.
I, Anne, was telling a 19-year-old boy that if he asked Jesus into his heart, He would give him new strength and hope. An older man overheard me and asked, "Can God help me walk, then?" I told him that Jesus has power to heal.
"He healed many people in the Bible and He can heal now, too."
"I believe that God can help me walk again!" he said with real conviction. It was very touching!
He spoke very fast in the local language and I couldn't keep up, so soon turned my attention back to the boy. As I finished praying with him to receive Jesus, I turned around and saw that the older man was also repeating the prayer after us, though I hadn't realised he was even listening. As I explained how much Jesus loves him and how He wants to give him a wonderful new life, this dear man had tears in his eyes and a shine on his face.
"I'm a Buddhist," he said, "but I prayed to Buddha and he never helped me. You came here and brightened my whole life! You've given me the most beautiful Message in the World and I love Jesus so much! I think Jesus can heal me and Jesus can give me the hope that I need." Then we cried together.
Later, one of the hospital staff took us to a woman who had missed the show because she is completely bedridden. While we sang "Peace in the Midst of the Storm" and a few other songs, she clutched our hands, weeping. She also prayed to receive Jesus! No one had ever taken the time to visit her, she explained, and no one had ever told her about Jesus. She was so happy she could barely talk!
I, Sara, was very touched to see how much these poor people responded so sweetly to a little love. I had never encountered anything like I did when we moved upstairs to sing and witness to all the patients who were bedridden. One man was almost lifeless, but when we started singing for him, he started shaking his leg in rhythm to the music. All the doctors and nurses were amazed!
As we sang to others and touched them and held them and loved them, they started moving their previously immobile legs or arms. The head doctor was shocked at what he saw. We sang for one man and tears poured down his face. We were told that this man had never responded to anything or anyone since his accident. He cried again when we had to leave. Another man beamed the most beautiful smile when we sang to him. We later found out that he was deaf. (Editor's note: Praise the Lord! This certainly confirms that the deaf can also partake of the Spirit and can feel the vibrations of our music!)
The doctors and nurses were very supportive. "Please go to that man. He really needs to ask Jesus into his heart," they would tell us, and then they would come to watch and help translate when needed. When one man, who rarely responded to people, asked Jesus into his heart, the doctors and nurses all applauded.
"Love has creative power, because God is Love and He is the Creator!--And with His help, our faith can also create!" (MOP, Love:54).--And heal! Thank You Jesus!
PRAYER REQUEST: For our Homes ministering in hospitals and other institutions; for more Salvations and miracles of healing; for protection against disease; for more such open doors, and referrals to result from these ministries.
Learning to Think!
A Response to the Allegation of "Mind Control"!
By Isaac Numbers
You have probably heard of Mark Twain's humorous retort on hearing of the false account of his demise: "The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated." So likewise, our detractors' silly allegations that we are all mind-controlled zombies are to be treated with the same scepticism and ridicule. If anything, I can testify that my life before the Family was much more one of mind control. As always, the Devil is accusing the Saints of the things that he himself is most guilty of.
When I was growing up I was very inquisitive and asked many questions. I can remember many times hearing the same frustrating answers, such as: "Don't ask so many questions!" or, "Why are you so curious?" or, "Because!" or, "Because I said so!" or, "I don't know!" or, "Why do you need to know?"
I can remember many frustrating childhood years being told to accept things as they were without knowing why I needed to do them. In school I spent many years just memorising facts and figures without understanding why they were the way they were. Sometimes when my dad would ask me to do things I would challenge him as to why. Many times his standard response was to put his big hairy fist under my jaw and tell me, "Because I'm bigger than you!" It was a convincing argument!--But nonetheless very frustrating to a curious mind.
In high school I spent many hours memorising big long trigonometric equations and calculus formulas (various forms of "higher mathematics") about which I understood next to nothing other than the fact that if I didn't get the equation exactly right I wouldn't get a good grade on my exam. When I got to college I was told that all the things I had learned in high school physics were a bunch of baloney, they were all "special cases" that didn't apply in the real World, they didn't exist and that I should throw them all out.
For example, a mathematical absolute that I had been taught all my life is that it's impossible to multiply two positive numbers (two numbers greater than zero) and come up with a negative number (a number less than zero). That principle was accepted as fact all throughout my school years--until I went to college and studied a very advanced math course in which they came up with the hare-brained idea that you could square a number (multiply a number by itself) and come up with minus one. Of course this was impossible; the number doesn't exist, so they simply invented this so-called "number". It is called "i.". So in order to pass this math course I had to first accept that the definition of i. was the square root of minus one--something that I had been taught all my life was impossible.
So, life in the System is full of demands to swallow things that are never properly explained and which you are not able to question.--Such as why you have to pay sales tax for the pizza you buy for dinner; why you wore a green tie on Saint Patrick's day; why was New York called the "Empire State"; how come masturbating was a "mortal sin" for Catholics; why was Friday the 13th supposed to be "unlucky", etc., etc.
Growing up as a young Catholic I was taught to accept as absolute facts the various indulgences, definitions of sins, and rigmarole ceremonies without any explanation as to why they were that way. Actually nobody seemed to know or even care. Everybody just did it, and even looked horrified that you'd ask questions. However, when I joined the Family things were so much different!
In the Family I have come to appreciate the fact that I am loved and accepted as I am; that my opinions about matters are valued and are welcomed. Dad (Father David) and Mama Maria's sample, through their practice and in their Letters, has always been to encourage us to speak up and share our ideas and to ask questions. In reading through the early MO Letters when I first joined the Family, I was thrilled to see Dad's idea of leadership was the kind that welcomed suggestions, and expected followers to actually think and bring up differing ideas. The fact that Dad commended that as a good leadership quality--the welcoming of questions and contrary ideas--thoroughly impressed me. I saw it wasn't just interesting words in an essay, but it was in fact a way of life with Dad and Mama Maria.
Here's one such "oldie goldie" quotation that impressed me when I first read it twenty years ago: "Blind obedience can sometimes be too blind! Any truly good leader welcomes questions, suggestions and even contrary ideas to his own! `Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out'(Proverbs 20:5). He knows he needs to see all sides and to weigh them in the balance of his judgement, prayerfully before the Lord, and to try to agree together on a unanimous decision if possible! `And it seemed good to all of them!' (Acts 15:25,28). Hallelujah!" (DB8, ML#734:117).
In my current job as a Shepherd, being encouraged to pray about matters, to think and consider all the various possible obstacles as well as to suggest alternatives has forced me to not just take the lazy approach of "doing what I am told", commonly known as the "employee mentality". This challenge has often caused me to be real desperate for the Lord's guidance and answers. I feel a sense of responsibility to "stir up the gifts within me" so as to be able to analyse situations, and I find this very challenging. Sometimes it is a little bit scary when you feel like you are stepping out on a limb with a "wild idea" or novel suggestion. However, it's wonderful to know that we are working together to seek the Lord's Will in order to solve the various problems that face us as a Family.
Now maybe you want to say, "Well, in my Home, my Shepherd doesn't operate like that. He doesn't allow me to speak my piece and he is not so interested in other alternatives." Well, not knowing all the details of your situation I can't be specific, but I could offer a few general comments from my experience. Perhaps part of the problem might be in how you present things. On the other hand, it may be that your Home Shepherd is still learning and growing into the maturity that is necessary for leaders to be able to welcome alternative suggestions and even challenges without feeling insecure. So please pray and trust the Lord that it will all work out. (Editor's note: This is one of the reasons we have shepherding teamworks--to avoid one person's opinion carrying too much weight, and to provide a structure that encourages counsel about various alternatives.)
All I can say is that I can testify that any time that I have ever honestly spoken my heart about something that I was concerned about, Dad and Mama Maria's response has always been to encourage me and thank me for being open and honest and for presenting my views. I wasn't always right, but I knew that I was still loved and that I was always welcome to share my opinions. A few times I felt hesitant to share my personal opinion on a matter and would say something like, "Well, that's just my opinion!" but the response I received was: "Well, of course that's your opinion. That's what we want, otherwise we would ask somebody else!"--Ha!
As time goes on I am learning more and more about how decision-making and leadership is not a black-and-white process. It's a real consensus of what might be described as many shades of grey, as well as all the colours of the rainbow in varying intensities and dimensions. Many different opinions and experiences are needed in order to find well-rounded solutions to our day-to-day problems.
As far as World politics, economics, religious, and educational matters, it wasn't until I joined the Family and started reading the MO Letters that the spirit of David enlightened me to analyse these various situations in the World, and to look at them from the viewpoint of God's Word. I began to see that not everything I was being fed from the schools and the media and other mouthpieces of the System was necessarily true.
To the contrary, while growing up I was mainly encouraged to maintain the status quo: to cheer for the same sports teams that my dad liked, to eat the same food my parents liked, to watch the TV shows they watched, to go to the same church they went to, to vote for the same politicians they voted for, to dislike the same people they disliked, to feel that our brand of car was the best one to drive, to believe that our neighbourhood was the best one to live in, to choose the career they felt was best, go to the same gas station, barbershop or grocery store, to have the same opinion of wars that they held. To venture into unexplored territory was usually met with ridicule or cynicism, if not outright opposition. I was even told that if I tried to think too much about things like Heaven or Eternity, I would "go crazy", so it was best not to do so.
It's the MO Letters that have taught me to look at situations from the standpoint of Christianity from all sides and to challenge the so-called truths of the status quo, and to really be as the Bereans, who "were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the Word with all readiness of mind, and searched the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so" (Acts 17:11).
I had spent many long years studying history and politics and economics and so on in school, but never really understood anything about the various forces that were at work to shape the course of history and modern events.--Because I was never taught to question or think, only to memorise and regurgitate accurately what I had been spoon-fed. There was no course available to help me evaluate problems and find lasting solutions, only a variety of options as to how to stuff my head with specialised "information". I learned nothing about how to cope with the real World, how to overcome difficulties or disappointments, nor how to properly relate to people. I only learned how to memorise, pass tests, follow the schedule, work as I was told, keep the rules and "pursue a career".
I am so thankful for my life in the Family, which has opened my eyes and caused me to be more aware of what's really going on. I don't just blindly accept whatever's thrown at me any more. Constant change and variety and new experiences in the Family continually expand my horizons. I've learned to really appreciate and enjoy life, as well as to take stock of things and plan goals and directions. I've learned to "stop, look, listen" and to study and analyse things, whether it be personal situations or World events.
For anyone who will take the time to look, they will readily see that the MO Letters are filled with countless examples of this valuable training in the art of thinking. These include: analysis of World political or economic situations, study of Family trends with possible solutions to problems, how to trouble-shoot a faulty Home budget, how to recognise and repair a damaged marriage, how to fix a car, how to interpret Bible prophecy, etc. There are scores of examples in the Letters where Dad has encouraged us to not readily accept his theories as dogma, but to carefully lay "precept upon precept"--to "study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the Word of Truth" (2 Timothy 2:15).
Those who have tried to dogmatically enforce the status quo have been openly corrected in the Letters in order to discourage such practices. Dad has constantly warned us not to praise him, but to give God the credit for all that is good. He openly confesses his mistakes, tells when he's been wrong, and exposes his weaknesses and human foibles for us to read about. He has been an ardent advocate of indigenuity from the very earliest times. From the time of the very first Home, he has encouraged us to pray about and execute our own ideas and solutions, and has often refused to be drawn into giving black-and-white decisions, rather opting for local initiative and decision-making as much as possible. How many other World leaders, teachers, politicians, religious figures or even parents can claim the same?
So after having now lived half of my life in the World's System, and the other half in the Family, and experiencing both alternatives, I can categorically say that we're not under someone's mind control. But I can't say the same for our accusers: From all I've seen and heard, I feel it is they who are most likely the victims of mind control.
Being a "Victor"!
From Josh (21, of Hosea and Esther), Pacific:
Recently there have been some lies spread from bitter ex-members of our group concerning the "Victor Programme", which they're now using against us in their smear campaign. Since I was in a Victor Programme for some time, I would like to relate my personal experience for the benefit of those who were not able to attend and don't know what a wonderful programme it really was.
(Editor's note: Dear friends, the Victor Programmes previously held in the Family were designed for a small number of our teenagers needing additional shepherding and attention to help them through difficult times in their adolescent years, not unlike counselling programmes available in many parts of the World.)
One of the main things that so impressed me at the one I attended was all the love and time that our Shepherds gave us; in fact, their whole purpose for being there was just to help us and make us feel loved and needed. Some of the teenagers who went there were having difficulties before they came because they had very low self-esteem and had given up trying to be useful to anybody. Sometimes they had inferiority complexes about their personalities or their looks--which, needless to say, is quite common amongst most teenagers--and this made it more difficult for them to relate to and be comfortable with their peers. These teens were given a lot of love and attention, to help them feel accepted as they were and also encouraged that they could do and be even more!
Aside from all the emotional support that these particular teens received, they were also given a lot of physical training in numerous vocational skills, to help them not only feel needed, but to actually be needed. This was an opportunity that many of them had never had before. Since I had previously had a lot of training in building and engineering skills, I was given the opportunity to work with some of the other teenagers, to train them in many of these practical skills, and I think they really enjoyed it. We were constantly building and fixing up things on our property, which not only gave us a lot of fulfilment in our work, but also helped to make our surroundings more and more enjoyable!
We actually lived in a very beautiful area, definitely the most beautiful place that I have ever been in, with the beautiful snow capping the pine trees and mountainside just part of the abundance of beautiful scenery there. I also got to go sledding there for the first time, since I was raised in warmer countries! It was something we did often and which we all really enjoyed and had lots of fun doing together. We grew quite close to each other and were like a large family.
We were given very personal attention and there was a lot of love and concern for everyone there, comparable only to how good parents love and are concerned about their children, and want to teach and train them the very best they can. The Bible says, "By their fruits, ye shall know them" (Matthew 7:20), and I think the personal testimony of each and every changed person that went to the Victor programme speaks louder than anything else.
One of the other things that I really enjoyed about the Victor Programme was the in-depth Bible studies we had, an important part of our training to show us how to find things in the Bible for ourselves and not just believe things because we're told to. The Bible is full of so many wonderful answers to our problems, and I think a thorough knowledge of it is indispensable for any Christian. Besides the historical education we were able to gain from it, it was a lot of fun finding out just how much there really is packed into the Bible and how broad an education it covers. Like Theodore Roosevelt once said, "A thorough knowledge of the Bible is worth more than a college education." Aside from our Bible study, we also had basic scholastics study daily, which was an important part of our training.
I was also really impressed by the honesty that we could have with one another and how you could say what you felt without people looking down on you for it. You didn't have to try to pretend to be something you weren't, because we were just loved for what we were. This is something that we have throughout our whole Family, but it was even more concentrated there, because we had more Shepherds to give us that special attention and that's what we really needed most. I know that none of our Shepherds were there for any personal gain and there was nothing that they could gain except the love and appreciation of those they helped.
In fact, this term "Shepherds" is used to show the Biblical comparison Jesus made, in John 10, of how a good shepherd cares for his sheep.--And that's how caring our Shepherds were to us. John 10:11 says, "The good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep." That would best describe what I feel they did for us, and I will always love and appreciate them for it.
Almost all of the teenagers who were there have gone on to be happy, and well-adjusted people; some have already gotten married and begun their own families, capable of giving the same love and education they received to their children. Many of the young people that graduated from the programme even cried when it was time to go, because they had grown so close to everyone there and it had been such a special time. Being a parent myself, I only hope that I can give this same caring love and understanding that I was given, so that my children will have the same loving appreciation for me and I for them!
In conclusion, I think similar programmes would help many of the young people today who are having problems and need a family to love and care for them, to tell them that they can make it, that they are needed and that they are important! Only Jesus and God's Love and His Word can help them. I'd also like to say to those that are falsely accusing us, that they should stop wasting their time picking on the people who are working to make the World a better place to live, and instead go help the people who really need it, such as the many homeless and depressed children in the World!
A Birthday Message to Dad and Mama Maria
From Arthur, North America:
(Editor's note: Twenty years ago, Dad and Mama Maria met a young engineer named Arthur, and as a result of their prayers about how to reach him and others like him for Jesus, the Lord led them into the intimate personal ministry later named "FFing", short for Flirty Fishing. Now, many years later, the man who was the first fruit of FFing writes a personal word of thanks to them on Dad's birthday. You may have heard of outsiders' objections to this method, now discontinued, of showing God's Love and giving hope and faith to someone, so we thought you'd be interested in seeing the other side--the beautiful results Arthur speaks of, which he still feels today.)
Dearest Dad and Maria,
GREETINGS to you both and much much love and prayers. I was reading and praying over the recent prayer requests today and the Lord really broke my heart for the way in which you both are so giving and sacrificing of yourselves and your time, energy and health, for our sakes. I say "our" but I really feel the depth of your love in my life as a personally involved, tender, caring, loving Dad and Mom--true Shepherds. Your personal love, counsel, prayers and intercession for me over the past 20 years have so many, many times touched my heart and life and helped me to hang on to Him and cling to His Word as a lifeline. (Thank the Lord!--Dad)
Your love and sacrifice and that of dearest Becky have been such a tremendous sample to me of giving until it hurts and at great personal cost, I'm sure. I am still very much in love with you both and dear Becky too, as I was the first time I ever met you all. My, how time has flown!--20 years since that blessed day in Beckenham! Such precious memories. (Amen!)
Dearest Dad, the pain you went through on my behalf I can never fully appreciate or fully comprehend, but I thank you for that ultimate sacrifice and the heartache that you must have suffered during those times. Thank you, thank you, dearest Maria, and thank the Lord! In my heart is a burning desire to give Him my all, and a desperate hunger to know Him better through His Word. Without Jesus I would never have made it, and without you I would probably never have met Him and known His Love and how to give my life to Him. Thank you. (Thank the Lord!)
Thank you too for the very special times that you spent with me in recent years, unworthy as I am, times that I treasure greatly, when I felt so strongly your caring and the "perpetuance" of your love for me--unfaltering, sincere, and as pure as the first day we met. I saw you as never before in the Spirit, both of you, and a whole new dimension and love for you came into my life, much stronger and more intense, more rewarding and personal than even our former intimacies.
I can only say that in the years that have passed since our first meeting, I have been involved, through the power of God's Words through you, in a much closer, more intimate relationship with you both, and with the Lord, a more pure, spiritual love and admiration for you, a remaking of my life in the Spirit, which I again thank you both for. (God bless you!)
Dear Dad, I wish you a very, very Happy Birthday, and thank God for you. You are a very special, special person in my life and I love you very, very much. If you should ever need me, just say the word. I will come to your side, and Maria's, from the ends of the Earth. (Thanks!)
Happy Birthday, Dad!
In memory of your birth,
So special on this Earth,
I pledge my life to you,
My father so, so true,
My Prophet and my King.
This special day I sing
A ballad `bout a man
Who loved throughout the lands,
And drew to Jesus' fold,
His people, young and old.
God gave them second birth,
And helped them feel His worth,
Loved them, as He loved me.
We'll all forever see,
David's undying love,
With Jesus Up Above.
And when upon that day,
We meet Jesus face to face,
I'll not forget the man
Whose loving heart made sure I'd find this place
--My Dad.
(Praise the Lord! Thanks! God bless you! Beautiful!)
Love forever,
Arthur, your thankful son and servant. (Mama said to tell you she still loves you!--Me too! We love you, son!)
After the Storm, a Ray of Hope and a Message of Love!
--Testimonies from a teen road trip to the area of Louisiana that was devastated by Hurricane Andrew in 1992!
From James, Sam, Vicky, Phil and Team, U.S.A.
The Lord showed us from the start that this wasn't going to be a typical witnessing trip. We weren't going to be able to go out and ask for donations of hotel rooms and meals, as the area we were going to had just been devastated by Hurricane Andrew. There probably weren't a lot of hotels in small towns like New Iberia and Morgan City to begin with, and those towns that survived the storm would probably be full of people who had lost their homes, or newspaper and TV reporters there for the story.
So the Lord showed us we needed to plan to sleep in our vehicles. One Home loaned us their motor home and another Home their van, God bless them! For ten days, those two vehicles became home for the nine of us--two adults and seven teens from three different Homes in our area.
After our donated dinner that first night on the road, we thought it might be our last real meal for awhile! We were going to a disaster area, so we were prepared for hard times.--Bread and water, if necessary.
David, Sam and John all had their guitars, and since the manager had been so kind to donate our dinner, we wanted to sing for him and his staff. As we sang "Ain't It Good to Know (you've got somebody who loves you)?...", the 18-year-old girl running the cash register started crying like a baby. As this was the first time that we had all ever sung together, their heartfelt reactions impressed upon us the power the Lord was giving us and that music was going to be the key. From that moment on, our whole trip was like a dramatic movie.
The first place we went to was New Iberia, and that was our first taste of what it's like after a hurricane. Many houses were totally levelled and fallen trees were everywhere! Lots of people in that area had lived in mobile homes because that was all they could afford. But those mobile homes weren't built for hurricanes and many of them were completely wrecked. The first person we talked to said his mobile home had been picked up by the strong winds and scattered across three acres.
For us, it was "back to the basics"--no water, no bread, no produce, no electricity, no showers. No showers was about the toughest because it was quite hot and humid living in vehicles in the swampy bayou country of southern Louisiana. There was a 6:00 p.m. curfew and National Guardsmen patrolled the streets with rifles to prevent looting. We wondered if our whole trip was going to be like that.
From New Iberia we went to Franklin, one of the towns that got hit the worst. The place was totally wrecked! All of the power lines were down, trees had fallen, houses were wrecked. We didn't know where to start, so we all got together and prayed and the Lord showed us to go door-to-door and pass out Posters to everyone.
Another team went to find out where all the people who had lost their homes had gone, presumably to a shelter or relief centre of some sort. They brought back news that the town's courthouse was full of homeless people, mainly women and children. We all went there and met and witnessed and passed out Posters to everyone.
Although it left quite a mess, Hurricane Andrew didn't hit the highly populated areas of Louisiana as it did in Florida, where it left 150,000 homeless. According to the papers and news broadcasts, there were only about 15,000 people left homeless in Louisiana, and most of these soon found places to stay with relatives or friends. So unlike Florida, the shelters were beginning to empty out after a day or two. Still, we visited one shelter in Franklin, and later, two in Morgan City.
People told us over and over again that while there were a lot of others helping with the physical things--firemen, police, National Guard, and other volunteers--nobody was really ministering to people's spirits. Lots of people were very discouraged and under a lot of pressure, having lost everything, but they didn't know how to cope with it.
We also found that the volunteers workers at these relief centres needed encouragement almost as much as the people who were directly hit. Thank God, we had the Posters and His message of Love and comfort and music that spoke right to their hearts. We prayed with many people in the depths of despair with their lives turned upside down. It was a perfect opportunity to give them the Lord and His Love.
At one shelter we were singing for the director when another man named Ed overheard us. Ed ran out and got his wife and children and the next thing we knew--we hadn't even been introduced to him yet--Ed was crying and wiping his eyes. Finally he turned away and looked out the window because he couldn't take any more. His young son sat there wondering, "What's wrong with Dad?" Ed was just crying and crying.
After that we became close friends. He invited us to park our vehicles at his house, where we could take showers, and he put us in contact with other people. As it turned out, Ed was a new Christian and works with juvenile delinquents, so we were able to inspire him and his precious wife in their work and lives for the Lord. In return, they were determined to help us in any way they could.
And that's the way it went our whole trip. Our own needs were no problem at all. As we ministered to these people and poured out, the Lord saw to it that we were taken care of. Wherever the Lord led, every time we took a step, God put the ground beneath our feet. We didn't have to ask for anything. We got nothing but offers. People would say, "Would you like a hot meal tonight?" or ask us if we needed food, water, ice, or gas money. The Lord really looked after us, and it was good He did, because we didn't even think about those things during the day. We wanted to just keep going. There was so much to do!
We prayed desperately for the Lord to show us the greatest need, where we could do the most good, and He showed us to go see the mayor. So we went to City Hall, but the mayor wasn't in his office. A lady offered to take us to him and led us out through the adjacent fire station. Some of the firemen saw us and yelled out, "Hey! Where are you going with those guitars?"
"We're going to sing for the mayor," we said.
"The mayor? What do you mean? We do all the work! Come sing for us!" They were quite insistent. There were also soldiers from the National Guard there and it turned out that most of them were volunteers who had come from all over. There were firemen from as far away as Texas. So we stopped and sang for them and they loved it!
At one church which was set up as a food distribution centre, the pastor's wife and another lady who was helping her run the operation called everyone together for us to sing for them. Both ladies were so touched with emotion that they had to leave the room. They came back, but had to leave again after the next song. They were so exhausted and when we came in like a ray of sunshine, they just melted in tears.
The wife was so excited that she went and found her husband and when he came in, everyone was singing with us in his church. The first thing he said to us was, "How much money do you need?"
"We're not here to get money," we told him, "we just came here to help out, but we do live by faith, and we very much appreciate any donations that we get." God bless him, he promptly wrote us a cheque. They also invited us to come back to sing at their Sunday services.
We also went to sing for the National Guard in their quarters. As we walked in, they were all lying around on their cots, bored stiff and homesick. A lot of them at first appeared very hard and tough, but they all turned out to be really sweet and lots of them got saved. We just walked right in and started singing to them. The colonel in charge invited us to come back for all of our meals and told one of his sergeants, "Take care of everything that they need." He really gave us the red-carpet treatment.
One captain named Andy stuck to us like glue. The National Guard is just called out in emergencies, and normally, these soldiers hold regular jobs or go to school. Andy is a lawyer. Anyway, every time we turned around, there was Andy. If there was a knock at our door, it was Andy, wanting to know if he could do anything for us. He was really attracted to us and our spirit and he loved our music. Before we left for home, they gave us a letter from the National Guard of the State of Louisiana, thanking us for ministering to the homesick soldiers. All of our friends signed it at the bottom like a card, the colonel, Andy and lots of others.
We went back to sing at the fire department one more time that day. After that we went to Morgan City, which was a much bigger town with more of a big town spirit. Someone directed us to a shelter for the homeless which was run by the Salvation Army and the Red Cross. There we went from bed to bed, person to person, singing and talking to people, praying with them to receive Jesus, comforting them and giving them our Posters.
One group was being rowdy and disturbing everyone else. They were quite shallow and foolish when we tried to witness and sing to them. When they got up to go, we got real serious with them. "Now look, you guys," we said, "that hurricane destroyed your homes and a lot of others, but the Lord kept you safe. Is this the way you thank Him? You need to receive Jesus." They all quieted down and we made a circle and they all closed their eyes, held hands, and prayed to receive Jesus. Praise the Lord! Everyone else in the shelter was thankful too!
While most of us were witnessing in this shelter, a couple of others went to look for a place for us to take showers and get cleaned up. We met a sweet man who owns the biggest hotel in town, which also has a restaurant and bar. He invited us to take showers in his own quarters in the hotel complex. He also asked us to sing in his bar, where there were quite a few people. That was a rowdy bunch! They were mainly contractors and construction workers who had come from all over the U.S. to land jobs rebuilding Morgan City. We sang some nice fast songs and then some slow ones and they received us well. Then we went around with the Posters.
The next morning we met the mayor of Morgan City who turned out to be a very dear man, very open to our Message and the Posters. We sang "Ain't It Good to Know?" for him and his secretaries and helpers and they all cried. While we were still there, singing and witnessing to the different people, the mayor got the idea of calling the local television station. They came right over with their television crew and filmed us singing "Ain't It Good to Know?" and taped an interview about us for the evening news.
For the rest of the day we decided to do some blitzkrieg Poster distribution. We dropped off three teams in different parts of town and totally saturated those areas with Posters and won as many souls to Jesus as we could. That was a very fruitful day. PTL! Everybody received us and the Lord and the Word with open arms. They were also able to see lots of lessons from the hurricane, and why it had happened to them. They were so open to the Lord and so ready for the witness!
The next morning we visited the shelter, the fire station and the Red Cross. At the shelter we found over 200 people lined up outside, waiting to fill in applications for relief or insurance claims, etc. We went up and down the line, singing and giving each person a Poster, and they seriously studied them.
At the Red Cross headquarters, just about everybody was busy filling out forms, and the lady in charge was afraid we'd disturb them if we sang. So she directed us to the room they had set up to care for all the children while their parents were doing paperwork. We sang them several of our kids' songs and got all the kids dancing and singing with us, and had what was basically like one of our Family inspiration meetings with the children there.
When the lady in charge heard how beautifully the teens sang, she realised that we weren't disturbing anybody and asked us to sing again for her and the rest of the people waiting. Afterwards she said, "Oh, you're such sweet people, so full of the Spirit and the Lord! I want to give you all a hug!" So she did. She also offered to send each of us a Red Cross certificate, showing that we helped out during Hurricane Andrew.
Somebody else suggested that we sing for a little community of Catholic ladies who had been working tirelessly since the hurricane struck. They were very sweet. They all got together and we sang for them. They were very touched and just loved our Posters. They gave us a blank tape, begging us to record our songs for them, and thanked us over and over again when we had to leave.
One of these ladies said, "Could you go over and visit my husband, please? He's really discouraged!" Her house had been blown around and was quite messed up. "He has been cleaning it up for about a week, but he still has a big job on his hands and he's just about at his wits' end! Won't you please go over and sing for him?" So we went to their house, and sure enough, the whole place was a mess. We sang him a song and he was very moved.
"Oh, thank you so much!" he said. "I really needed that! I was about to give up, but when you reminded me that the Lord still loves me, I knew right away that I could keep on going. That's a really big help!" He also said that he thought the hurricane was a warning from the Lord and that He had allowed it because the communities involved were drifting apart. People were too selfish and unloving with each other.
After our Poster blitz in Morgan City, we were sorry that we hadn't done the same in Franklin. So we spent the next day in Franklin distributing our Posters. We also stopped in for lunch at the National Guard to be with them for the last time.
Before we left for home, we all got together once more for prayer, because we wanted to be positively sure that our job was done. The Lord encouraged us that "we had done what we could" (Mark 14:8). In about a week and a half we had passed out 2,500 Posters and won 365 souls. We had also witnessed lots of miracles and had lots of fun and new experiences. We made one last round, saying good-bye to all of our other friends and headed home. We were pretty tired from continually giving out, but very inspired at all the Lord had done!
PRAYER REQUEST: For follow-up of those met and ministered to by the team which visited the Louisiana disaster area.
(PTL! Terrific! Miraculous! GBY!--D.)
Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family