The Family in action!--#15       DFO

What a family!
         -- A closer look at the outreach and pioneering activities of ten Homes, as reported in brief in the Family's 1996 Annual Activity Report

Copyright 1997 by The Family

         A year of miracles in Africa     1
         Re-pioneering Nepal!     2
         One busy Home!   5
         Shine on, harvest moon!  8
         Deaf members take the lead!      10
         Witnessing adventures in an "uttermost part of the Earth"        11
         "It is something to be a missionary!"    12
         Seminars help others change their world  13
         Our special child opened a special ministry      13
         Re-pioneering Chelyabinsk        14

A year of miracles in Africa
By Lily Gypsy, Kenya
         One year ago the nine of us -- four adults and five children -- left our comfortable Home in Europe for Africa, not knowing what awaited us. For a few months we had felt David Livingstone urging us on from the spirit world, pleading with us to go forth as missionaries to a land where so few know the love of God. -- We went, and the Lord has blessed us each step of the way!
         Our knees were shaking as we left for Africa in November '95. All we were certain of was the Lord's leading. Preparations? We didn't have much time, but within five months we were ready with the funds for a basic start in our new field. Mailing list? We kept a record of the most supportive people we encountered during our five months of fundraising -- about 200 in all. A transport company arranged free shipping of a 20-ft container to our destination, which enabled us to take all our belongings.
         The Lord led us to Kenya, a "tainted jewel," as it has been called in some newspapers. AIDS and crime have been on the rise, as well as poverty. The average Kenyan's income is just US $270 a year.
         A scouting team of two went one month ahead of the rest of us, and they stepped onto the spiritual wave that carries us to this day. One by one, the Lord's promises have been fulfilled before our eyes.
         The list of outstanding miracles He did in the past year for our team of now six adults and five children is almost endless. Our six-ton container cleared customs without charge, as did a second container of humanitarian aid which was gathered and sent by a friend in Europe. Though only on tourist visas, we obtained work permits -- something we had been told was impossible. We found a nice home for reasonable rent in a safe-as-it-gets area of town. We receive abundant donations of food and basic needs -- enough not only for us, but for the hundreds of street children and orphans to whom we minister. Our mail income from supporters abroad -- something we never had in Europe -- has paid our rent. With so many witnessing possibilities, our kids are catching the missionary vision again. The Lord even supplied several safaris through Kenya's breathtaking countryside, and a hotel holiday by the Indian Ocean!
         Half of our week is spent helping street children and needy institutions. That work has also led us to local sponsors. During the rest of the week we concentrate on distributing Family literature, tapes and videos. This has also been very fruitful. The videos are treasured by all, and we have received some incredible reactions. One of our friends gave us a storage place and is helping to collect items for our welfare projects.
         We also visited Uganda, the war-torn country to the west of Kenya. That country is also now receiving as much witness as we can share through our posters and other Family literature. A biweekly meeting for mail ministry members has been organized by one of our young adult members, Kerenina.
         Our health is intact, and none of the fears we had before coming to Africa have come to pass, thanks to His protection and care. Conditions are difficult and there have been trials and tests, but because we followed the Lord's call, He has surpassed our wildest dreams! Please do keep us in your prayers.

Re-pioneering Nepal!
From the Home in Katmandu, Nepal

The country and its people
         (Josiah:) Our family of ten arrived in this poor Asian country on the first official day of the new coalition government, and the country was looking forward to more religious and economic freedom than under the previous communist regime.
         This multiracial, mountainous country is home to 20 million people. Overland transportation is difficult and time-consuming, and air fares are expensive for foreigners.
         In recent years, numerous international non-governmental organizations have come to Nepal, some offering get-developed-quick programs which are usually left undone or are unprofitable. Some people are getting rich off these programs, but not the common laborer, who has to work an average of 12 hours a day to make ends meet. The main sources of national revenue are tourism and the carpet industry.
         The main religions are Hinduism and Buddhism. Small percentages of the population are Muslim or Christian. The people are sweet, uncomplicated and open to hearing about salvation through Jesus. They have many traditions, but most Nepalis observe these traditions more as a matter of cultural custom than devout religious belief.
         We are involved in CTP ministries every day of the working week. Following are summaries of our main projects:.

Work with the deaf
         (Francesca, 18:) After taking a Nepali sign-language course at the end of 1995, two of us young adults were eager to see where we could be of help to the deaf community in Nepal. The Lord led us to a vocational school for deaf teenage girls. The principal was thrilled to have us start an English course for the girls. Previously, they had not been able to have this course for the lack of someone proficient in English. Although most of them had little or no knowledge of English before we came, they all jumped in enthusiastically and can now read simple English books. We have been teaching them for four months now, and they really value these weekly classes. Learning English will greatly increase their chances of landing a good job. We, too, value our time with them, as it's a way to reach out and share a sample of God's love with them.

Children's home
         (Lily, 21:) While out one day, we met an influential local man who is also the honorary consul of a European country. In the course of our conversation, he explained that he was responsible for a children's home which cares for about 30 orphaned and abandoned children. The children are being educated and cared for physically, but he was particularly concerned for the teenagers, as they were not as easy to challenge and occupy as the younger ones, and were often bored. We offered to visit.
         The response was so positive that two of us girls now visit them every week. We are teaching them to play the guitar, and do sewing, art projects, read stories, play educational games, and have taught them a simple drama. We also play conversational "what if" games which encourage them to express their feelings, opinions, and desires. That's also one way we let them know that we take a personal interest in each of them.
         Our visits seem to be special for them, and we pray that the love and attention we share will make a lasting difference in their lives. A foreign businesswoman who supports the orphanage and visits several times a year commented to us during her last visit, "I can really see a positive difference in the children since you have been coming here. They are much more spontaneous and natural with visitors."

Drug rehabilitation program
         (Adam, 19:) The Lord worked out a wonderful witnessing opportunity for us a few months ago at a local drug rehabilitation center, when we were referred to a center for young drug addicts. We found the place to be ideal and precisely what we had in mind! It has a small, cozy, cottage-type atmosphere and is away from town, yet close to our house. It is also set up in such a way as to minimize worldly influences.
         The director-founder received us well from the start and expressed his deepest appreciation after we had visited several weeks in a row. I'm usually accompanied on these visits by an older member of our Home who has had quite a bit of experience along this line. The settings for our meetings vary, depending on how many attend. When there is a large group of boys, we give classes or conduct group conversations interspersed with songs. When only a few attend, we take the opportunity to talk with them personally, listen to their problems, and offer solutions based on God's love and grace.
         I've observed a change of atmosphere in the place, and quite a few of these young men are now more motivated. They recognize what we stand for, and a number of them have expressed a desire to live more decent lives in society. A few have even asked us how they can join us in our volunteer work.

Witnessing to searching travelers
         (Lily, 21, and Angie, 19:) A vast number of foreign young people pass through Katmandu. Their nationalities and backgrounds are as different as the reasons they travel, but one thing most have in common is that they are sincerely seeking for truth. Often they are disillusioned with whatever religious system they have left behind, and are looking to Buddhism, Hinduism, yoga, etc., for answers. It is truly a heartbreaking experience for us to see these of our generation "lost in space," having not only lost faith but in many cases all hope that the world will ever get better. The words from our witnessing song "The Famine" have truly come alive to us young people here who are involved in this ministry to the travelers: "There's an echoing distant memory of love that died in the Aquarian Age "
         So many walk down the old "freak street" of '60s fame, wondering if perhaps they might find a last glimpse of that bygone era. But it's all dead -- just empty and pointless. "My eyes are stinging from the tears that I've wept for the loss of souls and lives, some buried alive in sadness " Oh, how could we pass them by, even if we wanted to? With the Apostle Paul we can say, "For though I preach the Gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me if I preach not the Gospel!" (1Corinthians 9:16).

Reaching out to the disabled
         (Paula, 16:) When we first arrived here in Nepal, we had planned to offer our services at the SOS orphanage, as we had worked with that organization previously in Pakistan. When we visited their orphanage here, however, we did not find a big need. They are very well set up and are sponsored by foreign aid. We also visited the SOS annex, where they house disabled orphans. There, too, we found they were well cared for.
         The Lord then led us to a large school for disabled children. At the end of our short initial visit, the director and staff would hardly let us go; they were so desperate for our help! Since then we have visited the school twice a week.
         We give the younger children music and English classes, which they thoroughly enjoy. (Thank the Lord for the wealth of teaching pubs we have in the Family, which give us new ideas to make learning exciting and fun!) We also try to spend time with the teenage girls, talking with them, listening to their problems, and doing projects with them, such as hair care and styling, origami art, music, games, etc.
         In addition to our visits, we initiate sponsorship programs for various needs, such as wheelchairs, crutches, tables, sewing machines, school uniforms, paint, window screens, fluorescent lights, scholarships, and more. "Blessed is he who considers the poor" (Psalm 41:1).

Other projects
         (Josiah:) We were also invited to take part in a national sports day for the disabled and various environmental clean-up programs. We even helped renovate the national zoo. In all our interactions with national and international groups we have been received with open arms; the sincerity of our volunteer workers has won the respect of organizers of these groups.

Miracle visas
         (Francesca, 18:) One of the toughest battles that we faced when we first came was the visa situation. It looked bleak, as normally foreigners can only get visas for five months out of each year. That would have meant that we would have had to leave after five months, then return the next year for another five months, which would have been very difficult for our large family. It wasn't easy and it took months of desperate prayer and working on it, but on the last day our special visas came through!
         It was a test of our faith and it took a lot of trust in His Word and the prophecies we had received. The Lord had clearly shown us that it was His will for us to stay, so we had to look to Him and believe it was going to happen, although the circumstances looked so negative. Since then He has helped both of the young adults who joined our Home to also get long-term visas. Prayer worked wonders!

We need your help!
         (Josiah:) We are so happy to be here in this receptive foreign field, but we feel that we have only scratched the surface and just begun to build the lasting work the Lord wants here. We need more sacrificial workers who are dedicated to sharing His Word with others, and being examples of His love to them. "The harvest is plenteous, but the laborers are few" (Mat.9:37). Will you help us win these beautiful people into God's Kingdom of Love?

One busy Home!
From the Home in Almaty, Kazakhstan

Pioneer progress
         In October 1995, the Lord gave us a prophecy about our work in Kazakhstan, commissioning us to reach all the major cities, establish local groups of believers there, and then go back and follow up on them. This prophecy is being fulfilled, as all the major cities of this country have now been visited, several hundred thousand pieces of Gospel literature have been distributed, and we are continuing to follow up on individuals and groups of new believers in each city.
         On their visits to these cities, our pioneer and follow-up teams (comprised mainly of Russian nationals and Family young people) usually stay with people we have been corresponding with. Sometimes hotels donate rooms, and restaurants donate meals. Although most of the areas we visit are quite poor, the Lord faithfully supplies our teams' needs. When great distances were involved, airlines have sometimes donated air tickets. We usually travel by train, however, as that is relatively inexpensive here.
         Since the beginning of 1996, we have visited 16 major cities in Kazakhstan for the first time, and sent scouting teams to three cities inside China. These 19 cities span a distance of almost 5,000 km (3,000 miles), from the northern tip of the Caspian Sea to the Turfan Basin in Western China. We estimate that we have witnessed to over two million people in these cities -- either personally, or through our literature or the media. Follow-up trips were also made to four other cities, during which we had fellowship with and encouraged converts we won last year, and made plans with them for continued outreach programs.
         In Almaty we continued distributing Family posters, holding weekly meetings with new converts, and doing charity work with orphanages and the underprivileged. During 1996, in Almaty alone, we have distributed about 250,000 posters, prayed with about 6,800 people to receive Jesus as their Savior, personally witnessed to about 25,000 people and taught over 400 Bible classes to about 1,000 attendees.

Semipalatinsk: aid to victims of nuclear testing
         (From Yana [Russian] and Jeremy [19]:) This city of 350,000 is situated near a test site where nuclear explosions were detonated on a weekly basis until 1991. Radiation emitted during those tests has tragically affected the population. Witnessing to the inhabitants for two weeks truly broke our hearts, as we heard horror stories of what happened and is still happening there. When the nuclear tests began, the government purposely did nothing to alert the people or summon them to move out, because they wanted to observe the effects of radiation on the population. To this day, some hospitals continue to experiment on radiation victims. People say that the amount of radiation they have now absorbed is several times higher than those in Hiroshima received. One village near the test site could actually see the mushroom clouds when the bombs exploded. In Semipalatinsk they could feel the vibrations, similar to an earthquake. This happened every week, without warning.
         Today, 50% of the children in Semipalatinsk are either retarded, deformed or crippled. The precious family who opened their home to us for the full two weeks of our stay has three children. These children have suffered constant headaches from birth. (Others have it much worse. We met one student whose spine is dissolving because of all the radiation she's been exposed to.)
         The family we stayed with was so sweet, kind and openhearted. Life is very difficult for them, as for several months they have not received any salary for their factory work, and have to cope with their children's radiation-related health problems. Though they did not have much, they cheerfully opened their home to us! The kids clung to us constantly, and went with us on our trips out distributing Family posters. Before our trip, the Lord had told us to stay with whoever was worthy (see Mat.10:11), and we felt that verse certainly applied to this family!
         In two weeks there, we prayed with 276 people to receive Jesus, and distributed 17,000 posters and other literature -- all we had! We performed at a special school for mentally impaired children, and also had a fruitful time witnessing in universities. Many students got saved, and several of them now want to help us in our work. The Lord really broke our hearts for these precious people, who don't have much hope in anything anymore -- except God! Many of them said we were like the light at the end of their tunnel.

Humanitarian aid projects
         We channeled a half ton of children's clothing to the Child Foundation, and thanks to a large gift one of our supporters sent for this purpose, we were able to purchase $4,000 worth of much-needed equipment and clothing for two orphanages, and medical equipment for a children's hospital.
         We also distributed donations from local companies in several orphanages and senior citizens' homes in other parts of the country.

Other special projects for children and youth
         Children's hospital: We did two shows for children with heart and kidney disease, who had to spend Christmas at the hospital. The director was so thankful we could come and inspire them, and do something special for these dear children. At the end of our program, the head doctor spoke to the children about being good, and asked them to promise that they would follow our example of love, happiness and kindness. We performed for these children two more times at Easter. After listening to the Easter story, and they all received Jesus into their hearts!
         Child Foundation: Throughout the year, we did several programs for handicapped, orphaned and underprivileged children, including those at another children's hospital. Our show included games, skits, singing, dancing, and clown shows, and were well received. We always included a Gospel message, invited everyone to pray to receive Jesus, and distributed free posters and humanitarian aid. A picture, featuring our four happy clowns, appeared in two local newspapers with an article about the Child Foundation.
         Children's School Day: We did a one-hour clown show with games and songs to mark the first day of the new school year. The show included an adaptation of the "heart skit," in which four-year-old Natalie led all the children in the prayer song "Jesus Come into My Heart." On the evening news, three TV stations covered the event. "A big thank you to The Family!" they said in their broadcasts.
         Clowning: On June 1st, Children's Day, we had a blast! We dressed up in clown outfits and makeup, and went to one of the main parks in town, where we distributed 11,000 posters in just a few hours! Thousands of kids were drawn to us like magnets! Everybody wanted a poster! We did a couple of impromptu shows geared to the kids, and witnessed up a storm!

Reaching the youth
         We have held weekly friendship meetings in Almaty, teaching Bible classes to the disillusioned youth. Several of them also want to see us during the week for more Word classes and are starting to come out witnessing with us. Two of our most faithful Bible students now want to serve the Lord with us full-time, God bless them.

Community projects
         Maternity house: At Christmas (celebrated here on January 7th) we were asked to do two shows for a maternity house -- one for the staff's children, and one for the personnel. When hearing that our show was Christian-based, the director, a young Kazakh lady, said, "This will be the first time we can experience what Christmas is really about. Every year we have Santa Claus, but this year we can have Jesus!" The large room was so packed there were even people trying to watch from the hallway! Between 60 and 80 people attended each performance, and most of them prayed to receive Jesus! They loved the show, the Christmas play, and the games afterwards! Even the older women danced and joined in games such as "musical statues" and "follow the leader." They just loved it! The director said we were full of the Lord's light, and just what this country needed! A few months later, she provided maternity care free of charge for one of our Russian members.

Educational projects involving our children's materials
         The Christmas Treasure Attic was aired on a nationwide TV station, reaching an estimated audience of 1 million!
         In another city, a TV station aired three of our Kiddie Viddies and three of our Treasure Attic shows to an audience of 1,800,000 people. In another, our children's videos were aired for a month, reaching 2 million people, and in yet another city a radio station aired our local Russian song tape with the salvation message, reaching an audience of 300,000. We're so happy for how the Lord has helped us bring His love to our part of the world!

Shine on, "Harvest Moon"!
From the Home in Bangalore, India

The "youth outreach" vision
         We could see there was great potential for a fruitful outreach to the youth in this city, but our youth witnessing kept getting crowded out of the schedule. Too often, it seemed, different fundraising or "consider the poor" (CTP -- goodwill ministries to the poor and needy) projects took priority. The Lord answered our prayers by showing us to train our teens to perform as a team and do programs for college students. Even though we didn't feel capable, He assured us it was His project and that He would bring it to pass. The team eventually took the name "Harvest Moon."
         We usually have two outreach teams doing distribution, follow-up, CTP projects and raising our monthly budget, so it took a step of faith to put one team on organizing the college programs.

Getting organized and funded
         Besides organizing the program itself, the team began visiting companies to find sponsors. We offered to put up banners and posters with their company name in return for a donation towards the project. This was a new approach for us, but we knew we needed to raise funds to make this project work. At first a major soft drink company looked like it would come through with a big donation to cover all the programs. In return, they wanted to add some games to the program and promote their product and company by dressing us in their company colors. Then at the last minute, while we were still considering their offer, they backed out. Looking back, we are thankful the Lord spared us from getting so involved with them, as the games would have been a big distraction from the spirit of our program. When that deal fell through, we went to more companies, witnessed to more people, and three different companies came through with substantial donations which covered our expenses.
         The organizing team also approached colleges for bookings to perform. It took a little groundwork, but they soon had nine programs booked.
         One major need we had was for transportation to get the group of 15 people -- witnessers as well as performers -- and all the sound equipment to and from the colleges where the shows were to be held. The Lord led us to the government tourist office, where we met a man who was very helpful. He arranged for various tour companies to provide buses. Each day that we had a show, a large tourist bus came to our house and picked up the team, and then brought them home.
         We put together a 12-page magazine of inspirational articles to distribute to the students in exchange for donations. That seemed like quite a major undertaking, but we wanted to give the students something meaningful that they could keep. Our newly joined member, Timothy, did most of the work on this magazine.
         The Lord also used our work on the magazine to solve another major problem we were facing: We had tried to rent sound equipment, but found it very expensive. Then when Timothy and David were working on the magazine at a friend's office in an obscure section of the city, they came across a small shop that makes good quality speakers. There Timothy and David learned that we could buy a set of speakers and amplifier for the same price that it would cost us to rent the other speakers. After praying as a Home about it, we decided to invest in our own equipment. This has turned out to be a valuable asset to our Home's outreach.
         The teens also needed nice costumes. We provisioned some material and bought some more, and had three complete outfits stitched at the tailors. A lot of groundwork went into preparing for the programs, but even though we had never done anything like this before, the Lord was way out in front leading the way and working out all the problems we faced.

The payoff!
         Six teens from three different Family Homes in our city practiced weekends -- two days every week for two months -- to get the dance numbers down. In another city, the three band members were practicing their songs. One week before the programs were to start, the teens all came to our Home and started practicing all together. Besides rehearsing, the teens spent a lot of time reading the Word, having devotions and prayer, learning to work together in unity, and learning to let the Lord's Spirit shine through them.
         Finally the big day came for Harvest Moon's first program. The principal was a bit skeptical before the show, but as it turned out, she came and sat through the whole program. Afterward she said she was very impressed, and asked us to come again. What we were most excited about, though, was how well the students responded to the program. They were so enthusiastic and seemed to really grasp and appreciate the deeper meanings of the songs and skit. We had selected upbeat and entertaining band and dance numbers, but the words of the songs, along with the emcee's comments, made the program meaningful and thought-provoking. Themes which the show brought out included: having a positive attitude towards life, working together in unity, friendship, and being concerned about helping others.
         Over the next two weeks, Harvest Moon did eight more programs. Each one was equally well received. After each program our teens spent time talking to the students, who always had a lot of questions and wanted to make friends. Since doing these programs we have received many letters from different students, and we have several potential new members on the line. We have also started holding weekly Friendship Meetings, and invite the most interested ones over to our Home.
         During the two months that we prepared and performed, we only had one team on outreach. The Lord miraculously anointed that team, though, and our video distribution never dropped. The first month the team had a very fruitful road trip, and the second month they met a man who took two full sets -- 30 videos! We could all see it was only the Lord pulling us through as we took a step of faith to reach the youth and give our own teens a chance to use all their talents. Many times we didn't know what to do next, but the Lord always made a way!

Deaf members take the lead!
From the Home in Madras, India

         Our small pioneer Home of five adults, two teens and 13 children has the privilege of working extensively with the deaf youth of this city. When our Home opened in late 1994, we "inherited" a large group of deaf "catacombers" (live-out members who are unable to join the Family full-time due to special circumstances) who were won several years earlier when there was a Family Home here. These deaf young people range in age from 17 to 29, and we have found them to be extremely hungry for the Word, eager to witness, and very appreciative of the training we offer.
         Last June we conducted a two-day seminar for the 50 to 60 deaf boys and girls we teach regularly. The seminar included 12 hours of Word classes and lessons presented through skits and video clips. In August, the school which had hosted this seminar requested a similar seminar for their own 100 deaf students, ages 18 through 23. The Lord inspired us with the idea that our deaf students themselves should conduct the seminar.
         This worked out well for several reasons. Firstly, those attending the classes could better understand them since they were signed directly, rather than being interpreted from a speaking person. Secondly, it boosted our deaf cat-acombers' confidence by showing them that we respected them as equals -- something which hearing people in India rarely do. Thirdly, it encouraged the other deaf youth that they could also take on leadership roles despite their handicap.
         This second seminar was received with roaring enthusiasm by the deaf students, and we've since begun a weekly class in that school.
         Our long-time deaf members then conducted similar seminars in the other main deaf schools here -- five in all -- in which they taught a total of 25 hours of classes and prayed with 370 students to receive the Lord. By a miracle, we were able to provision the use of a video screen and projector for each seminar, the photocopying of the seminar notes we gave to each student, all our photo needs, and nice snacks for the students attending. Thank You Jesus!
         In just one year, our deaf catacombers and outside witnessers won 9,919 people to the Lord and distributed 10,396 pieces of literature! God bless them! We truly thank the Lord for His very precious deaf sheep, and all their love and faithfulness to Him!

Witnessing adventures in an "uttermost part of the Earth"
From John Peter and Simon, India

         As we went out to fulfill the great commission to "go into all the world," the Lord met us at every point. We also got to share His Words and love with people of a completely different culture. In India's northeastern-most state of Assam, we went to an area that borders both China and Burma. It is filled with many rivers and snow-capped mountains, and populated by hundreds of tribes of Mongolian origin. A long time ago this was part of Tibet. The tribes each live near a mountain, and each has their own language. Each village has its own chief or king, called a cheija. They are animists who worship -- and fear -- spirits in nature.
         Because of the language problem, harsh weather conditions and extreme hardships, missionaries of previous generations were unable to break through and reach these people.
         Presently, the local government has banned all missionary activity. Due to the sensitive situation there at the Chinese border, outsiders, including Indian nationals from other states, must now get special permission to even enter this area.
         To overcome this obstacle, some missionaries in a neighboring state opened a boarding school on their side of the border. They not only educate the children, but they help them understand about Jesus and His love and salvation. The children receive the Lord and go back to their villages, where they explain about Jesus. Sometimes whole villages are converted. Hundreds are getting saved every day, and whole regions of the state have become Christian. The Hindu religionists have gotten quite upset about these folks turning to Jesus, and the state government has forbidden anyone to convert to Christianity. The Lord has other plans, however, and He is doing it in spite of their policies!
         Our trip took us to this special border town, and we stayed in the missionary school. We witnessed to many, gave them simple Bible classes on having a love for souls, commitment, our relationship with the world, etc., and taught some of our songs to the children and teenagers. It was such a wonderful experience, a tremendous thrill, as they were all so pure in heart and open to the Lord's Words. Everyone received at least two posters to take back to their respective villages in the Dibang Valley and Siang.
         Normally to reach those places you have to go by air force helicopter, or travel by bus and boat. Or you can walk for three or four days, finding boats to take you across the many rivers and streams. For us to personally reach these people in this "uttermost part of the Earth" would be almost impossible, but now our message in the posters is reaching them. In spite of the hostile situation, wild animals, separatist guerrilla activities and other dangers, the Lord helped us to reach these precious people with His love and Words. Praise the Lord!

"It is something to be a missionary!"
By Philip and Meekness, Namibia

         In the first week of July 1996, we and our three children stepped out into the unknown, holding onto our Heavenly Father's hand. We packed all our earthly belongings in our car and trailer, and traveled north from Cape Town, South Africa, to a land we'd never been to before -- Namibia.
         Before we even started, we committed every detail of this mission to Jesus in prayer. Within a few months of arriving in Namibia, we could see each prayer being answered.
         We didn't know what to expect, but God had a wonderful plan and helped us to open the Family's first missionary Home in Namibia. He has put many people in our path, without whom our work would be impossible. The manager of a big furniture store supplied us with beds and mattresses, and another man helped with basic kitchen equipment. Soon we had a table, chairs and curtains. When we approached the owner of a big computer company, he said: "Tell me all you need, and we will see what we can help you with." This man eagerly donated a computer and printer for our missionary work.
         We talk with about 200 people each month about God's unconditional love, and offer them counsel, encouragement and comfort. Each month we also distribute over 1,000 Gospel posters and tracts in the main cities of Namibia. We have led many to receive Jesus into their lives, and a lot of people now say they depend on our prayers.
         As David Livingstone said, "It is something to be a missionary. It is something to be a follower, however feeble, in the wake of the Great Teacher and only Model Missionary that ever appeared among men, and now that He is the Head over all things, King over all kings and Lord of lords. What commission is equal to that which a missionary holds from Him? For my own part, I never ceased to rejoice that God has appointed me to such an office!"

Seminars help others change their world
From a Home in New York City, USA

         If there's one thing we've been trained to do in the Family, it is witness! This past year we started holding witnessing training seminars in New York City churches that were interested in reaching their local neighborhoods with the Gospel, but didn't know how to go about it. Every church that we have trained in this manner has increased its membership as a result!
         The most effective method so far has consisted of two or three one-and-a-half to two-hour meetings with Word, songs, skits and discussions, followed by hands-on witnessing outings during which trainees work side-by-side with our seasoned Family witnessers. Our young people provide music, skits and testimonies, and the adults share the Word. The churches have always shown their appreciation with gifts and love offerings, and the people like to get our tapes, videos, CDs and books, especially the Word Basics and Treasures.
         At the first church we went to, an all-Black church in the heart of Harlem, we found ourselves the only white people present. Our first meeting was kicked off with three or four songs, then a powerful Bible class from the Word Basics on how "Witnessing Is Not an Option, It's a Commandment." We also made sure everyone had accepted Jesus into their heart. We then made ourselves available if anyone would like to attend some practical witnessing classes.
         When we returned for a second meeting, the room was packed. We started with songs, then we passed out class sheets to everyone with seven Bible verses on Salvation and shared our class on witnessing entitled "Salvation Is Simple." We showed everyone how to use the seven verses in witnessing, then challenged them to memorize those verses before the next meeting.
         Our young adults then presented the "Who Is the Real Christian?" skit, after which we passed out copies of the "Wonder Working Witnessing" class which we'd photocopied from Treasures, and began reading it together. We went around the room, taking turns reading a section at a time, discussing it and sharing witnessing testimonies as we went. The people had lots of questions about how to witness.
         In the third meeting we gave special recognition to all who had memorized the verses assigned in the previous meeting, and finished reading the witnessing class together. We also prayed together for an infilling of the Holy Ghost, to give them power to witness. (See Acts 1:8.)
         The next time we got together -- the last meeting in the seminar -- was for a short word of inspiration, prayer, dividing up into teams, then out witnessing on the drug- and crime-infested streets of Harlem -- and our trainees loved it! Every team came back with testimonies of souls won -- 25 that first night! They now get together on their own for witnessing, and we visit them regularly for inspiration and encouragement.

Our special child opened a special ministry
By Philip and Kasia, Warsaw, Poland

         Our new baby, Benji, has helped open a new ministry for us. He is a Down syndrome child, so we knew from the beginning that the Lord had a special plan for him and us -- especially after we got a special prophecy about the situation shortly after his birth. The Lord told us: "Behold, I set before you an open door which no man can shut -- a door of opportunity to reach out to those who are suffering and in grief. You will be able to comfort others with the comfort wherewith you have been comforted, to help others who need help and strengthening and encouragement. ... You will be the instruments which I will use to help lighten others' loads, as I have lightened yours."
         In Warsaw there are only two rehabilitation centers for Down syndrome children and teens, but one happens to be only a five-minute walk from our Home. Kasia started taking Benji there twice a week for motor development exercises. From the first visit, we felt that this was the "open door" the Lord spoke of in the prophecy. We soon learned that this center had a big need for both material and spiritual help. They were under-financed, and didn't have enough quality equipment for the children. We began by finding companies that were able and willing to donate the needed items: special medical and exercise equipment, cleaning supplies, toys, plants, etc. A month or two later we learned that they wanted to open another center, but lacked everything except a location. Again we offered our help in organizing the new rehabilitation center, and set out to find sponsors.
         We also shared with the staff many of the teaching methods we use in the Family. These informal exchanges sparked such interest that Kasia was later invited to give a speech at an international seminar about Down syndrome and handicapped children, which was held here.
         It is encouraging to see the fulfillment of the prophecy we received. The Lord is using our Down syndrome baby to deepen others' lives, as well as our own. It is also a beautiful experience to be so involved with those who really need and are very thankful for our help!

Re-pioneering Chelyabinsk!
From the Home in Chelyabinsk, Urals, Russia

         Two years before we came to this city, a Family Home had closed down after working here for a year and a half. Then, team members Adam, Laura, baby Olivia and Victor (all Polish) heard the Lord's call to go to Russia. Also, Clara (the Family's first member from the former East Germany) joined their team. Heidi, who had come from Colombia, had only been in Poland for one day when she met Laura and eventually joined the team.
         In the middle of December '95, Adam and Victor set off for Chelyabinsk, in the Ural Mountain region. Meanwhile Clara and Heidi went to Germany to raise funds for their visas, travel expenses and other needs. Laura and Olivia waited to hear from Adam and Victor that they had found a house to move into.
         When the men arrived in Chelyabinsk, they expected to find themselves in a rough situation where they would have to start everything from scratch. Little did they know that a team of active and enthusiastic catacombers would be waiting for them! We soon received a prophecy that these catacombers would be a key to unlock the city, and that's exactly what has happened!
         We've all been here since March '96. So far the following things have happened -- all in answer to prayer and all a result of listening to the Lord and following what He told us to do! All glory and credit to Jesus!

University seminars
         The Lord inspired us to go to universities to hold seminars on different subjects, such as "The Endtime," "Life After Death," "Salvation," and "Who Is Jesus?" We talked to the dean of one university, and he gave us permission to hold a series of seminars. He also allowed us to use a classroom for weekly meetings which are open to the public. About twenty or thirty people attend these meetings each week. We now have three people who want to join the Family and six or seven others who now actively witness on their own -- all fruit of these seminars!

Russian disciples
         Philip, Elia, Luba, Maria, Lydia and Praise have all joined the Family! Praise lives with us and is a faithful frontline witnesser whom we couldn't do without! The others have all gone to other Homes, and we hear they are a great blessing to the Russian work!

Weekly meetings for parents of new disciples
         The parents of members who joined in this city are eager to learn about the Bible and basic spiritual principles. They are also on-fire witnessers, and are always willing to give us a hand with our needs. A lot of them are experiencing different problems -- especially financial -- and physical afflictions. The main thing we are teaching them is to keep the faith no matter what obstacles come their way.

Weekly meetings for our outside witnessers
         The Lord told us in prophecy that we also need to prepare our outside witnessers to carry on, should we full-time Family members have to leave. So we are giving them (and our new members' parents) all the training we can, and teaching them to hear from the Lord themselves, fresh every day. A lot of these outside witnessers are very close friends, and it's been amazing to see them growing so quickly! When we first met them, some of them were atheists or agnostics. They've all come a long way!

New members bring new life
         Merryheart came from the U.S. and joined our team. She has helped us live the Word and inspired us to "hit the road" to reach all the surrounding cities. With her encouragement, we made it a priority to hear from the Lord every day to find out which of us should go, where we should go, and what methods we should use in our witnessing. One of the things the Lord showed us was to give our outside witnessers and catacombers hands-on training by taking them with us on these faith trips.
         Daniel, from Australia, joined our team about one week prior to our writing this testimony, and he's fitting in just great! We're so thankful he came, as any Family Home here in Russia knows that the harvest is plenteous, but the laborers are few!

Summer witnessing explosion
         We made 11 trips last summer, and covered most of the larger towns in our area. We did over forty performances in different orphanages and summer camps (called pionerscaya lager), and went to an "unplugged" concert around a lake where we witnessed to a bunch of crazy campers and musicians. Our main plan of attack while on these faith trips was just to get out the posters. God performed many beautiful miracles in helping us to get out His message -- over 180,000 posters in the summer months alone! We also prayed with 2,700 people to receive Jesus. Summer witnessing was incredible! Thank You Jesus!

Miracles of supply
         One outstanding answer to prayer has been our housing. The Lord led us to a four-room apartment with a kind landlord who is now a close friend. The apartment is just the way we prayed for it to be!
         We also prayed that the Lord would somehow supply the use of a video camera, and He answered by sending Michael and his son Adam from England for a three-week visit. They brought a video camera, and recorded quite a few of our witnessing activities. Michael took a copy of the video back to England with him, and has shown it to others who now want to help support us financially.
         Slowly but surely the Lord is supplying all our needs!

Best of all
         The most beautiful thing of all is that we all get along so well as a team, and have real love from the Lord for each other. Jesus has blessed us with unity. It's not that we're perfect, but in answer to prayer we are able to keep the vision and work together well, despite the fact that we all come from such different backgrounds. The language of love keeps us united, hearing from the Lord on a daily basis keeps us going, and the Family mailings of new publications are as water to our thirsty souls! Thank God for such a wonderful Family!

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Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family