FAMILY UPDATE NEWS #24 -- September, 1994
DO
"We're still on the right track...focused on the Lord & His Work & doing His Will & witnessing & winning souls.... We've witnessed to billions, till nearly the whole World has heard about us! We've won millions to the Lord, & what's better than that?" ("The Family Is Unique!" ML# 2768:10, GN 512)
(c) September, 1994, Home Services, Zurich, Switzerland.
(Required reading for JETTs & up. Selected portions may be shared with children younger than JETTs at the discretion of their parents, teachers or Shepherds.)
NOTICES:
Updated "Family Vindicated" Pub
By WS Staff
By now you should have received a copy of a new version of the publication entitled "The Family Vindicated!", with a synopsis of our victories in the major Family court cases to date. As indicated on the front page with the words "Updated July 1994", this publication is an updated version of an article by the same title which was sent to you some months ago. Please use this new version of "The Family Vindicated!" from now on, as it contains many important updates, including the outcome of our court battles & victories in Argentina & Melbourne. Thank you! We hope this publication will be a blessing to you. We love you!
Video Presentation Tip
From a Mideast pioneer team:
When arranging to present our Videos at a large private school, we offered to hold a seminar to demonstrate the use of them for their teachers. In our presentation, we played selected songs from both the Kiddie Viddie & Treasure Attic series, suggested related topics for discussion & activities, & gave them ideas for working the KVs & TAs into their curriculum. The teachers' response was extremely enthusiastic, & they recommended that the school buy the full set of 11 Videos. We were also able to witness in depth to more people & establish better follow-up opportunities than if we had simply presented the Videos to the director of the school.
Our YAs Have It!
(Editor's note: A former leader recently wrote his Shepherd a lengthy OHR which included his impressions of the YA Teamwork in a Home he visited. Mama asked that we publish the following excerpts to encourage the Family that many of our young people are already the strong disciples & shining examples that the Lord has promised they would be in these Last Days.)
Coming here has changed my way of thinking about our young people, as I see by the good sample of the YAs here in this Home that the Revolution still goes on.
The first thing I noticed was how sweet & loving they are. They were not standoffish, but came up & introduced themselves & talked with me. I felt very uncomfortable being around the house at first because I didn't know anybody, but the YAs made it easy for me to be good.
Also, they are sold out for the Lord & the Family. They always try to work together for the cause & they are concerned that things get taken care of. It really impressed me how on-fire & effective they are in their outreach, & how much they love going out witnessing. It's not a chore, but they really have a glory in the things that they do. They are continually real loving & helpful to one another. God bless them!
Confirmation on the phoney "drug war" & tip about Family "advertising"
(Editor's note: A live-out Family member wrote the following to Dad after reading his comments on the supposed "war on drugs" in "Views on the News--World Currents #74", GN 593.)
Our Dearest Grandpa,
GBY & a big heartfelt hug & hello! I wanted to write a little note & thank you for taking your time to go through all of the news & show us the true viewpoint. It helps us to see what's really happening! I wanted to comment on what you recently mentioned about the "drug war". According to my personal experience--almost 20 years in law enforcement & fighting against international drug trafficking--I think you were quite right when you said that their "war" is phoney. I never felt a significant political will or support in solving the problem. Everyone involved in drug law enforcement, especially where cocaine is involved, knows that due to climatic conditions there are only two countries in the World that can actually grow the coca plants from which cocaine is produced--namely Peru & Bolivia. The U.S. government would be able to stop cocaine trafficking by simply adopting a system of purchasing the annual crops from the poor native cultivators, even paying a little bit more than the traffickers. Thus, they would spend less money than they are presently spending on the many programs they have on drug spread prevention. Even if they bought the actual crops for twice what the traffickers pay, it would be substantially less than what they presently squander in their "drug war".
Another thing: I was wondering about something after watching the Family on different videos helping people all over the World, sometimes anonymously, it seems. Those videos could be so wonderfully used as positive advertising for the Family, or even as support in court cases as evidence of our activities & our work. But I was thinking that it would be good to always display a symbol that's easy to recognise, much like the Red Cross uses theirs. That way the Family would receive due credit for their many labours of love around the World, especially in relief work. Even if we couldn't say a word on camera, if, for example, a news agency was filming or covering what we're doing, we could at least have a simple symbol saying who we are. What do you think?
Your son, T.
(Good idea!--God bless you!--On T-shirts & caps?--How about our present symbol with "The Family" in big letters across the top?--D.)
(Editor's note: Many of the Family are also using enlarged pictures of our Family symbol & the Family name on signs & banners during their relief projects, performances, demonstrations, etc. Until our symbol becomes more widely known, our name "The Family" is even more easily recognised & understood. So use the Family symbol, but also prominently display the Family name.)
Testimonies of God's Bountiful Supply
In the prophecies which accompanied Mama's recent Letters on finances (GN 598), the Lord promised to supply bountifully for the Family as we do our part by praying, preaching the Gospel & making our needs known: "I will pour forth your needs in direct proportion to your obedience, & as ye seek first My Kingdom, so shall I give unto you in such measure & such greatness that it shall overflow, & it shall be a tremendous testimony of the power of My Words & the power of My promises." ("Prayer & Prophecies about Our Financial Needs," paragraph 39, GN 598.)
As the Lord pours on those promised financial blessings, we need to thank & praise Him!--And testify! Hence, in this & upcoming FUNs we will, God willing, include more testimonies on the Lord's wonderful supply. These will be grouped together in a special section following the continent-by-continent news. Please be sure to report your Home's most outstanding testimonies of supply on your monthly TRF. We will share as many of these testimonies as possible with the rest of the Family to help boost everyone's faith as we see Him work!
Want Ad
From Lamb, Australia:
Would you like a challenge? I need a full-of-faith, loving daddy to help me to shepherd my flock, which will soon be 10 (three of whom are teens who do not live with me). We would like to hit the road on the SWIFT programme (probably in February or March, which is the main part of summer here in Australia). I am a provisioner and the kids all love to witness and perform (many of them already play guitar). Perhaps you could come for a summer holiday to see how it goes. Please write with details about yourself, including why you think it may be God's Will for you, and I'll write back as soon as I hear from you. GBY, ILY! xxxx Lamb (of court case)
--------------
EUROPE
* CATHOLIC CONFERENCE BROADENS DIALOGUE. The Family in Italy recently participated in a conference sponsored by the Vatican & attended by about 150 bishops, theologians, academics, priests, laymen, Catholic reporters, teachers & other interested parties. It was intended to be a time of reflection on how the Church should act in the context of religious relativism & pluralism.
The Family's representatives had interesting conversations with a wide variety of people, some of whom had lots of questions after having heard our detractors' accusations second-hand. Many said that their perception of the Family completely changed when they saw the sincerity & dedication of our members. Family Members also took part in a workshop on Alternative Christian Groups, where they gave a brief explanation of the Family & fielded questions.
* UPDATE FROM BOSNIAN REFUGEE RELIEF TEAM, NOW IN CROATIA: From Ready (Joseph Eastman): We taped a 20-minute radio show which was broadcast on a very popular local station to an estimated audience of one million people. Many people whom we have witnessed to since then told us that they heard the programme & asked if we have tapes of the songs we sang on the show.
Some of us attended the monthly meeting of relief organisations held in Split. This led to a number of invitations for us to assist at other refugee camps in the area. Each month a different group chairs the meeting, & the Family has been selected to lead the October session.
We met some English volunteers who help run a camp for refugees on Hvar, an island off the Croatian coast. We sent a team there for several days, & they led over 150 people to receive Jesus. They also ministered to many English college students, who have dropped out in order to try to help the victims of this war.
*
From Christina (23-year-old native of the former Yugoslav republic of Slovenia & three-year Family veteran in Eastern Europe): I wouldn't trade this time in Croatia for anything. When ministering to these precious, hungry, broken hearts, I am sometimes so overwhelmed that it's hard to hold back the tears. I have never experienced anything like it! The Lord is breaking my heart for the people here, who are so needy. Talking with them, I often feel like taking them into my arms to love & comfort them.
I've counselled many patients from the rehabilitation centre, & it is clear that their deepest wounds are not their physical injuries, but their wounded spirits. It is both miraculous & heart-warming to see them change from day to day as we encourage them & point them to the love & simplicity of Jesus.
* BBC DOCUMENTS FAMILY'S AID PROGRAMME TO RUSSIA: In mid-August BBC TV interviewed a Family spokesman & filmed other Family Members distributing food aid & doing a free concert for the recipients. Clips were included in a feature story about the plight of Russian nuclear scientists, now living in poverty, which was broadcast at least twice nationally in the B.I., reaching an estimated 20 million people. Our work in Russia was presented well, & the Family name was prominently displayed on a sign in the background.
* HEALING TESTIMONY REACHES ENTIRE COMMUNITY! Five years ago, while on the mission field in Thailand, Peter Grin was diagnosed as having cancer of the kidneys. The tumour was the size of a fist. He returned to Denmark in 1991 for treatment, & underwent two operations & chemotherapy. When doctors told him that a third operation was needed, he instead sent a prayer request to the worldwide Family (see "Urgent Worldwide Prayer Requests!--No.2"). He first testified of his healing in "Urgent Worldwide Prayer Requests!--No.4."
His healing testimony was included in a recent article about the Family published in Ugeavisen Odense, a newspaper which is distributed free of charge to all 103,000 houses in Odense, Denmark, where Peter & his family are now serving the Lord. In that article Peter explained that the Lord, in answer to the Family's prayers, did what operations & treatments could not. Then he adds, "It has now been nearly five years since my doctors gave me less than a one percent chance to live another five years. Every six months I have a checkup which includes CT scannings, & each time my doctors confirm that only scar tissue remains."
* GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL EXPRESSES SUPPORT FOR FAMILY GOALS & PROJECTS. From Daniel, Romania: Not long ago, while distributing clothing & food at an orphanage, we had an unplanned meeting with a high-ranking government official. Since then we have exchanged letters. He wrote:
"I received with much pleasure your letter & I was deeply impressed by the things you wrote to me, which are so significant for the world we are living in.
"We assure you that as much as my office can, we will support any of your activities like the one where we had the joy of meeting each other. We share the same feelings & concerns for these people & their needs.
"We share the same hope that our good God will lead us as we try to find the necessary resources to comfort the wounds of our needy people."
SOUTH AMERICA
* YAs RAISE THE BANNER FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM. In mid-July YAs Gideon & Tim led a conference on religious freedom for 110 law students at the University of Chile. A recap & expos of those behind the Argentine persecution led into an Endtime witness about the AC & the Second Coming of Jesus. The professor, a lawyer who also represents the Family in Chile, got so inspired that he started witnessing as well! Many of the students were very interested in knowing more, & this has opened up a new ministry at the university.
* "THE CURSE CAUSELESS SHALL NOT COME!" President Menem of Argentina, commenting on the bombing of a Jewish centre & other civil disturbances & disasters Argentina has suffered in recent months, said, "This has been a blow to us all. The craziness, the intolerance, the incomprehensible hate that is found within humanity is like a Biblical curse that has again chosen Argentina as a target of its terror."
"As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come" (Pro.26:2).
* THE POWER OF PRAYER: From Ezequiel (TS), Brazil: My son & I called home from a nearby city where we'd been witnessing but had only sold three tapes. We asked for prayer, & the children got down on their knees & poured out their hearts to the Lord. They claimed promises of supply & protection & received some beautiful verses. Right away the Lord started doing miracles! We prayed with a lady who bought 16 tapes. From there we met a priest who received us like kings, was very inspired with our music, received Jesus with us & bought 19 tapes! When we got home it was so inspiring for the children to see how the Lord helped us get out 35 tapes in three hours. He always answers our desperate prayers!
AUSTRALIA:
* CHURCH LEADERS VALUE FAMILY'S MEDIA EXPERIENCE. A large Christian denomination invited the Family to speak at a media seminar being held for 21 of their officers from the South Pacific area. Following the Family's hour-long presentation, entitled "The Media & Trust," the organiser commented, "It's one thing for me to explain in theory how to handle the media, but you speak from experience!" He then asked us to stay & help him field questions from the attendees.
NORTH AMERICA
* UPDATE FROM CHIAPAS TEAM. (Editor's note: Originally this team planned to conduct a "Consider the Poor" ministry to the needy people of that strife-torn, impoverished region of southern Mexico. [See prayer requests in previous FUNs 14:24 & 15:26.] Later the Lord directed them to concentrate on finding labour leaders who can carry the Gospel to their own people.
(In the past eight months, gun battles between Mexican army troops & Zapatista rebels have taken at least 145 lives. Tension remains high throughout the state of Chiapas. The eyes of all Mexicans have been on the conflict, with many predicting civil war. International observers consider the situation to be a make-or-break test for Mexican democracy & pluralism.)
During our first week visiting refugees, we went to eight camps in San Cristobal, Las Margaritas, Comitan, & Ocosingo, & the YAs won 1,400 people to Jesus! Everywhere we've gone, the "indigenas" (native Mexicans of this region) have received us well. Contrary to what we had been told by a number of local Christians, we find them very responsive to prayer & the Word. The YAs have given Bible classes to hundreds of the children, & they said that they have never seen kids get so excited about Bible stories.
Each time we sing for groups or give Bible classes, people come to us afterwards asking for prayer. Sometimes they get down on their knees. When we pray for the sick we can see in their eyes that they really believe the Lord can help them & they expect healing. Others cry & ask God to forgive them for past wrongs. They have been all bottled up spiritually until we came & showed them how they could make personal contact with the Lord.
We've already met one labour leader who is witnessing with us & is like a disciple. Please pray that the Lord will have His way in this young man's life.
* CHURCH MINISTRY UPDATE: From Seek, U.S.A.: Before performing at a new church, we asked the youth pastor to be on hand for our dress rehearsal in order to advise us if he felt our show was too radical or "free" for his denomination. He liked the programme very much & urged us not to compromise the spirit of the show by toning it down.
The show went very well, & afterwards we were asked to do the altar call. We invited those who weren't yet saved to come forward & receive the Lord, & challenged those who were saved to commit themselves to take a greater stand for the Lord. The front of the church filled up, & the youth pastor led the prayer.
After the service, the senior pastor & youth pastor had many encouraging words for our teens. "I was very impressed, not only with the programme but also with your love for the Lord & others, which is equally apparent when you aren't on stage performing," the youth pastor said.
*
From Joy, Phoebe, Ruth, Victor, Hopie, U.S.A.: One recent addition to our Church Ministry is a 25-minute "70 Weeks of Daniel" presentation by Uncle Dan & our OCs. Using large timeline posters, Scripture, music & dance, they take the congregation through the events of the Endtime.
One church has offered us unlimited use of their facilities in order to help reach the 50,000 people who work in the surrounding high-rise office buildings. While explaining our work & goals to another pastor, he interrupted to say that the Lord had just told him to give us $500. He stopped right then & wrote us a check!
* CIVIC INVOLVEMENT LEADS TO MANY WITNESSING OPPORTUNITIES. From Hope & Josh, U.S.A.: Our work with the local police-organised drug abuse programme has led to many other invitations to perform. In June we sang for the local school district's end-of-the-year awards ceremony, where we met the principals & district superintendents of many local schools. Many came to us afterwards to say they were very impressed by our kids & are solidly behind the message of our music.
* CELEBRITIES RECEIVE WITNESS. From Michael, Clare, Paul & Susanna, U.S.A.: This month our teens met & briefly witnessed to two celebrities--Bob Dylan & Nadia Comaneci, the Olympic gold medalist whose gymnastic career is depicted in the movie "Nadia". Both received Family Tapes, & Nadia got Posters as well.
* DR. KILPATRICK VISITS HOME. From Melody, Marie, Jewel, Matt & Caleb, U.S.A.: Dr. William Kirk Kilpatrick, author of "Psychological Seduction," "Why Johnny Can't Tell Right from Wrong" & "The Emperor's New Clothes" (see Christian Digest #6 & #16 & Outlook #6), visited our Home. He had a tour of the house & said he was impressed with our set-up, & the Childcare Handbooks & curriculum. After we explained our vocational training programme for our teens & young adults, Dr. Kilpatrick said he favoured our type of education over the university method, as he considers the latter to be inefficient, especially in relation to the very high cost.
* "THE FAMILY: ONE OF THE MOST LOVING CHRISTIAN MOVEMENTS OF TODAY." Art Rosenblum, a Mennonite who promotes Christian communalism, had the following to say about the Family in the latest issue of his newsletter, Aquarian Alternative. Although he doesn't have his facts quite straight regarding the Family & polygamy (see the Family Statement "Attitudes, Conduct, Current Beliefs & Teachings Regarding Sex" section 14), he caught the spirit of the Family--love--& his thought-provoking argument is bound to generate interest in the Family among his readers!
"But what about religion? Will present world religions tolerate a return to communal living which is not always monogamous? I'm most familiar with Jewish & Christian groups. I've learned that the heavy emphasis placed on monogamy by these religions today is not based so much on Biblical teachings as on property. Jesus said very little about monogamy. His emphasis was `Love one another.' His call to `Repent' could mean a return to the loving communal lifestyle He lived with His Own disciples & to the communal lifestyle which the Early Christians chose as the way to `love one another'.
"Today one of the largest, most loving Christian communal movements is not monogamous! They regard responsible non-monogamy as a good way for Christians to share & love one another. They have about 20 communities in the U.S. & over 9,000 people worldwide. If such Christian community is what you seek, write me (with self-addressed stamped envelope) & I'll share more. (Aquarian Alt. readers can call them, The Family, at 800-423-2645, California time.)"
* GOD'S OPERATOR: From Teen Gabe, Mexico: One day I answered the phone, only to find that the woman on the other end had called the wrong number. We started a conversation anyway. Eventually, I explained that we were a missionary centre, & told her about our work. Soon she was praying with me over the phone to receive Jesus! At the end of the prayer her voice cracked. "Please don't think I'm crazy," she said, "but I think God set up this call!" She continued to say that she had felt very depressed that day & needed help. I assured her that God has a plan for everything that happens in our lives. I think I was just as inspired as this woman to see God at work in such an unexpected way!
* TWO-IN-ONE DONATION: From James & Dove Evermore (TS), U.S.A.: Barbara, whom we met door-to-door, ordered a complete set of Family Tapes which she will send to a Christian mission on the South Pacific island of Tonga, as a Christmas gift. "This way I can help two missions at one time," she said.
* HELPING FLOOD VICTIMS: From the St. Louis Home: There has been more flooding, & some areas have been hit even worse than during last Summer's floods which made news worldwide!
One Sunday we took a team of teens & preteens to the area of town that was hardest hit, & went door to door volunteering to help families in their clean-up. One lady called us a "Godsend," & explained that the water level in her house had risen to eight feet (two-&-a-half metres) at one point. Within a few hours we had cleaned out all the debris. Before we left, we showed her & two of her friends our photo album, explained our work & sang a song. They were touched that teens would take their free time to help total strangers, & were impressed that we are missionaries & have spent so many years overseas. Before leaving they all prayed with us to receive the Lord.
* NEW COUNSELLOR IN THE HEAVENLIES! Albert Blaustein, World-renowned constitutional lawyer & civil rights advocate who flew to Argentina to speak on the Family's behalf during last year's persecution, went to be with the Lord on August 21st. He was 72 years old. One of his colleagues, upon informing the local Family, said matter-of-factly, "It seems Albert has moved on to a higher calling & is no doubt helping from the Other Side." Praise the Lord!
ASIA
* THAILAND SUMMER WITNESSING TEAM VICTORIES. Six Summer witnessing teams--each comprised of one adult, one YA & four teens--took the Gospel to provincial Thailand. Each team had specific goals set for Video, Tape & Poster distribution. Their goals for people won to the Lord was limitless, of course! They also ministered in a number of "Consider the Poor" situations & the Lord opened more doors for future ministries. They reached nearly all of their goals, & the Lord supplied free accommodations & food for each of the six teams throughout their entire trips.
Other Summer witnessing has included a team which ministers to a group of deaf Catacombers & students at a deaf school. Recently, more Family teens who are proficient in sign language have been able to be more involved in the deaf ministry, & they're giving it an extra boost. Their classes for the deaf are now geared more towards the specific difficulties & problems encountered by the deaf, & this has resulted in many more people coming to their weekly club.
A singing team joined forces with the Red Cross to help with various programmes in provincial Thailand. They helped with different activities, from performing shows to helping the Red Cross distribute items to poor villages. The YAs & teens even helped doctors, nurses & dentists set up for their projects! They also participated in a provincial seminar for children which included lots of skits & open forums on the topics of teamwork, friendship, drugs, & other current issues, & performed for the leaders of their local community.
One Home started a regular "Consider the Poor" project at an old folks' home, where they not only minister to the elderly, but have also helped out with painting & other handyman projects. They also visit a nearby Red Cross hospital regularly.
Others continue to teach free weekly English classes to young people from their local community. This ministry, which began several years ago with Family OCs offering to teach English to the children of poor neighbours, has now grown to over 100 students, from pre-schoolers to teens. Family kids are almost entirely responsible for organising the curriculum, preparing the classes & tests, teaching the classes & doing the follow-up witnessing. They are leading people to the Lord & having a positive effect on the community.
TESTIMONIES OF GOD'S BOUNTIFUL SUPPLY
From Sara, U.S.A.: Last week we devoted one entire day to praying for our local work & for the Family worldwide. One of our Home's most urgent prayer requests was for more meat.
In the middle of our prayer, up drove Al, a friend of ours who owns a transmission shop & has donated thousands of dollars worth of repairs to us. He explained that while praying for us the night before, the Lord had told him that we needed meat!
"The first thing I wanted to do this morning was to obey the Lord!" he said. "So I went right out & bought this for you!" In the back of his truck was 250 lbs. (110 kgs.) of top quality meat, a case of cheese & a box of eggs! He was amazed to hear that we had just finished praying for meat. He was also thrilled that he had heard so clearly from the Lord, & that the Lord had used him to supply our need.
(Editor's note: When Mama heard this testimony she commented:) "The most wonderful thing about this is that the Lord spoke to the man & the Family didn't even have to say a word to him about their need. It's like the other testimony in this FUN where the preacher wrote the Family a $500 cheque without them even asking. This just shows what can happen when we pray. We need to ask, that's for sure, & we haven't been doing enough of it. But we also need to see the supernatural miracles where the Lord touches people's hearts in situations where perhaps it wouldn't be good to ask or we don't know to ask, or where the circumstances aren't exactly right.
"When we don't have anything to do with it, we see the power of God more clearly. Most of the time we have to do some of the 'wenting' & we have to be physically involved, but it's thrilling when we just talk to the Lord about it & He lays it on someone's heart directly through His Own Heavenly communication channels!"
*
From Tim, Christian, Promise & Rejoice, Japan: The Lord supplied a large, fully-equipped bus free of charge! Sam spotted the vehicle on a road trip, looked up the owner & the man donated it to our work.
*
When the Thai show troupe needed to upgrade their P.A. system, they claimed it in prayer & made an appointment with the owner of a company that imports a top-of-the-line brand of sound equipment. After explaining their need & showing him photos of the Family's "Consider the Poor" programmes, he offered them the $14,000 set for half-price. That was a start, but they needed the equipment right away & it would take time to raise $7,000. They played the Family Outreach Video, & he watched intently. "Take the equipment immediately," he offered. "You can pay for it in instalments, taking as long as you need to complete the payments." As the team continued to witness to him, he became even more enthusiastic, until he finally said, "Leave me a copy of that [Family Outreach] video & the one of your benefit performances. I'll show it to my friends & raise the funds to pay off the equipment myself!"
ANSWERED PRAYERS
* DOCTORS AMAZED AT RAPID RECOVERY! Warren, age 9, of Simon & Naarah was hospitalised with diabetes shock, & was kept in intensive care for several days. (Doctors say diabetes shock occasionally comes on very suddenly in children who never had diabetes before, as was the case with Warren.) When he was released from the hospital, his doctors said they were amazed at this very quick recovery--a result, no doubt, of the prayers of the North American Family & others who knew of his situation. Please keep Warren in your prayers as he convalesces.
PRAYER REQUESTS
Critical & life-&-death situations: (For age 14 & over.)
Heidi of Peter (Australia): A recent examination revealed that Heidi has an advanced case of cervical cancer which has spread to the surrounding pelvic region. Please pray that the Lord miraculously heals Heidi, & that He will lead her & Peter very clearly regarding what He wants them to do to help bring that healing about.
[end]
Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family