Worldwide Family Activity Report - September 1994
FAR005 - GP
September 1994 by The Family, Zurich, Switzerland

The Family
Making a Difference!

         Every day, in over 50 countries and on five continents, full-time Family volunteers work to bring hope, happiness and God's love to others. Following are highlights of their many recent activities and experiences, as reported by Family missionaries themselves.

Assisting in drug abuse programs
From Josh and Hope, Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.
         Our volunteer work attracted the attention of the city police department, which invited us to assist the local chapter of the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program (DARE). As a result, our teens have performed at a number of public schools and civic functions. Law enforcement officials and community leaders alike have said that they consider the Family's teens and young adults to be outstanding role models, and have expressed appreciation for the positive peer pressure they help to foster.

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         For the second year, Family members in Thailand participated in the International Narcotics Day program. Drug abuse, particularly among the youth, is considered by many Thais to be one of modern society's most serious ills, and they consider Family teens to be good examples for their own youth. Family teenagers put on a 45-minute musical performance which was highlighted by an anti-narcotics song written by a Family member.

Aid to Bosnian refugees
From Peter Grin, Denmark
         When we paid a return visit to a nearby center for Bosnian refugees, the Red Cross officer in charge told us that he was very impressed with our program. "You are one of a kind." he said. "You are not just talk, but you really do something for these people." The refugees were also very thankful for the truckload of donated items we took them. "Other organizations bring us things, but they are old and worn out and that makes us feel bad," one of them confided. "You make us feel like we really count."

Family members active in former Soviet republics
         A TV station in the Republic of Georgia broadcast two Family-produced children's videos. An estimated one million people viewed two Kiddie Viddies in Russian and one episode of Treasure Attic video in English. A factual article about the Family's activities also appeared in the second-largest Georgian newspaper (circulation 150,000).
         A team of Family missionaries recently travelled to Armenia, where they performed in several hospitals for children, wounded soldiers, medical staffs and their families.
         Family members in Georgia and Armenia have been meeting with individuals who have been corresponding with the Family. One girl in Georgia who attended a Family seminar in Moscow three years ago said, "In the most difficult times I prayed and Jesus reminded me of you and the things you have taught me. Somehow that put everything into perspective and made all my difficulties bearable!" Many other correspondents are now doing their best to share the Gospel with others.
         Recently some Family members met a former Soviet cosmonaut who is holder of many space endurance records. He is now the president of an international coalition dedicated to establishing peace in troubled areas of the former Soviet Union such as Azerbaijan, Georgia and the Caucasus. Although this man has had many honors bestowed upon him for his contribution to the Soviet space program, Family members Peter and Luke found him to be very warm, friendly and, well, down to earth. They were also impressed by his utter commitment to the cause of peace. "If all my efforts to bring peace to a troubled area result in only one life being spared, then it will have been worth it all," he said.
         That declaration brings to mind these words from Father David, founder of the Family: "If only once in our life we are life and joy to someone, it's worth it. One immortal soul is worth more than all I have. I'd give them my life if I could just win them to Jesus and help them to know how much Jesus loves them."

Family training impresses new-found friends
From Pawel, Poland
         Recently we met a dentist who took such an interest in our work that she offered free dental checkups for some of our children. When we took the children in, she was absolutely amazed at how strong their teeth are. "Oh, what beautiful teeth," she kept saying. "This is amazing! I've never seen such a thing. With kids like this you can bring me all your children."
         She was even more impressed when we told her that our worldwide Family follows the same high dental hygiene standards. We went on to explain that this is, in fact, just one small example of the sound advice on right living found within our publications, practiced in our communities and passed on to those we counsel in the course of our missionary work and counseling programs.
         The dentist was also very touched by the children's sweet spirits and their eagerness to try to converse with her in their basic Polish. She has since extended her offer of free dental work to all of the adults in our home.

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         From Leyland, England: A Christian minister from Gambia, West Africa, was so inspired by the Family's teaching methods during his first visit to our home that now he wants to send his wife to live with us for a few weeks in order to receive on-the-job training in childcare. Ultimately, he hopes that all of the families in his congregation will be able to benefit from the Family's child-rearing experience and methodology. He was elated when we gave him a box of Bibles to take back to Gambia, as Bibles are difficult to get in his country.

Lives healed and changed
From Gloria, Hungary
         A few months ago, I met a man who was heartbroken after his only child, a three-year-old daughter, died. When I asked him if he believed in God, he said he and his wife were atheists. I assured him that God not only exists, but cares about him personally, and I gave him some Family publications. One week later he contacted me again, asking for more literature. He also told me that he had started reading the Bible daily. Over the next three months I saw him three times, and each time I gave him more literature. The change that has taken place in his life is truly amazing! He and his wife are very thankful that we pointed them to the Lord, and told us recently, "Hope has come back into our lives! Finally we can accept this tragedy which our loving Heavenly Father allowed for reasons of His Own."

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From Jay, Japan
         My mother has taken hospice training and now works part-time caring for people who are terminally ill. She has shared the Family-produced "Fear Not" Bible scripture song tape with a number of people before they died, and it was a great comfort to them. It has also been a consolation to relatives of her patients. Some have included selections from the tape in funeral services.

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From Pablo, Chile
         Carmen, a nurse whom we met while doing hospital visitation, recognized the Family tapes I was playing for a patient and told me the following story:
Three days after the birth of her second child, Carmen's doctors told her that her baby daughter suffered Down's syndrome and a respiratory problem. Their prognosis was very discouraging. "She will not develop normally and will only be a burden on the rest of the family," they told her.
         Carmen refused to give up hope, but when the little girl was two years old she had still not even begun to learn to speak.
         Then one day Carmen bought a Family music tape for children entitled "The Time to Be Happy". Her daughter liked it so much that she tried to imitate the songs, and has now learned several of them. Carmen credits that tape for teaching her daughter to first sing and then talk.
         Carmen was thrilled to learn that the Family has other tapes for children, and she bought a set for the kindergarten that her daughter attends.

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From Sarah, Thailand
         As a fair-skinned foreigner, I often attract curious glances as I visit friends and sponsors and take part in other missionary activities here. After five or six years in this country, I hardly notice any more that I'm being noticed. The other day, however, as I showed some of our posters to a woman in a large office, I realized that a young man was watching me intently from a distance. He followed me as I left the office, and as I was about to step into the elevator, he called out to me.
         "What can you tell me about those posters?" he asked.
         We found a quiet place to talk and he explained that a few days earlier he had been so depressed that he nearly committed suicide. It was then that he saw our posters about Heaven for the first time. One of his co-workers had hung several of them in their office. He studied the pictures and accompanying texts and decided not to take his life.
         He now wants to help us in our work. "Many others are just as desperate for the peace and purpose that I have been fortunate enough to find," he said.

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From Francis and Angel, Thailand
         While on a visit to a local hospital, we met a 19-year-old boy who had been in a serious motorcycle accident. He lost one leg and was told he will not be able to have children. When we entered his room, he was crying aloud due to intense pain. We talked for over an hour, comforting him and telling him the story of the Great Physician. The boy and his mother, who was visiting him at the time, both received Jesus as their Savior.
"I am a Buddhist," His mother said, "but I have faith in your God. I know He is the One Who has power."
         We later wrote them a letter of encouragement, and received this reply:
         "After you prayed for my son, we've felt God's hand on our lives. Before he used to scream because of the terrible pain, but since you prayed he says he has felt no more pain. You brought God's love and mercy to us."


Copyright (c) 1998 by The Family