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the grapevine
(Issue 122; November 1, 2001)

       The news and views from Family members published in the Grapevine are not intended to reflect WS policy. Suggested reading age for this publication is 14 years and up. Selected portions may be read by or with those younger at parents' or shepherds' discretion. The Grapevine, P.O. Box 168751, Irving, Texas, USA - 75016-8751 e-mail: gv@wsfamily.com Copyright © 2001 by The Family

Table of Contents:
       Two policy points       page 2
       Brazil Contato tour       page 4
       Diwali custom-CD       page 6
       Letters from young former members       page 11
       Jewish marriage tradition       page 13
       “Conviction vs. Compromise” reax       page 14

Ponder
       Life is a grindstone; whether it grinds you down or polishes you up depends on what you're made of.-Jacob M. Braude

kidbits

       Natasha Rose David, born to Letizia and Juan on May 23.-Italy
       Amber Valentino, 1st child, born to Daniela Angel on July 7.-Costa Rica
       Jonathan David, 10th child, born to Meekness and Arthur on July 12.-Thailand
       Reuben Fischer, born to Abigail and Mike on July 16.-USA
       Laurent David, 3rd child, born to Meeky and John Pioneer on July 25.-Thailand
       Ryan Lee, 4th child born, to Peace and John on July 29.-Thailand
       Daniel, born to Kamila and Simon in August.-Czech Republic
       Jude Reece, 1st child, born to Ambrosia and Aigo on August 13.-Japan
       Aron Kristof, born to Jenny and Peter on September 1.-Hungary
       Andrew Jesuslover, born to Deborah and Michael on September 2.-Romania
       Alexey, born to Virginia and Ivan on September 4.-Russia
       Vanessa Kiara Erin, born to Maria and Tim on September 10.-USA
       Gabriel Moises Hope, 2nd child, born to Naomi and Benjamin on September 10.-Mexico
       Michael Darren, 1st child, born to Dulce and Simon on September 12.-USA
       Misty Marie, 1st child, born to Jennifer on September 16.-USA
       Arielle Kirana, born to Katrina and Mike on September 16.-Indonesia
       Liza, born to Lana and Daniel Mountain on September 16.-Ethiopia
       Jason Faithful, born to Lisa and Luke on September 16.-Russia
       Irini Grace, born to Diamond and Dust on September 19.-Romania

tidbits
       CM laborers…
       Daniel Dust (26, Hungarian) joined in Hungary.
       Marcos (16, Mozambiquean) joined in Mozambique.
       John (19, American) rejoined in Germany.
       Raju, 25, joined in India in September.
       Johnson, 26, joined in India in September.

backtracking
       God bless Philip, Meekness, and Magda in Namibia and their exciting correspondence course ministry. We're sorry their URL dropped out of the FSM article about their work (see FSM 378, “A Bushfire of the Word”). If you'd like to write them for information or materials, please contact them at phlmeek@mweb.com.na.

Christmas reminders

Send Christmas E-cards
       Don't forget those Christmas E-cards! Find them on the Family website and send them to your new sheep, your contacts, and your relatives! Go to: http://www.thefamily.org/ecards/index.php3?csect=christmas&id=1

Christmas pictures
       And if you're an artist, and you feel the anointing coming on, feel free to create a new Christmas picture, scan and send it in to the Web team, so they can post it. It may even be turned into an e-card! All good quality artwork considered! Send to web@wsfamily.com

E-mail Christmas tracts
       Also don't forget to make use of the Christmas tracts at your fingertips. Find the text in the Reader's Corner of the GP site (link below) and use the “e-mail to a friend” feature. Find the tract texts at: http://www.thefamily.org/word/tracts/index.php3

Print out your own tracts…
       Or download the PDFs and print out a variety of Christmas tracts to have on hand. You can find the PDFs on the MO site under “Pubs” or type in the following link: http://www.familymembers.com/pubspages/search.php3?searchpub=22

ads
       The Bible albums-and other CDs, including Rhythm 'n' Grooves, Swift, Smooth, Dropped Out, Dancing with Jesus, Embrace, and En Vivo En Mexico-are available for purchasing via:

       MexCity Mission
       P.O. Box 65215 San Antonio, Texas 78265 USA
       E-mail: TheBibleCD@aol.com

       For shipping information and other details, please download the information PDF off the MO site.

Are you getting the GNs online?
By Mama

Dear Family,
       I hope you're taking advantage of the GNs now being available on the MO site. If you're not a MO site user yet, please become one! And if not having a computer or Internet access is hindering you from accessing the New Wine online, pray and ask the Lord to supply the needed finances to buy a computer and get online.
       I'm listing here the ten latest GNs that have been posted, which are available to you online before you receive your printed mailings. As a further incentive to get online, I wanted to tell you that there are new GNs that we'll be posting online that will not be coming out in print for many months yet. The reason for this is that we can only print a certain number of GNs each month, but I'd like to make the Lord's counsel and guidance and instruction available to you as soon as possible, even though we're unable to print these GNs just yet.
       So please don't neglect this wealth of Word at your fingertips-and if you want to get the latest, get it hot off the griddle via the MO site! There are 62 English GNs posted so far, and more coming soon!

       GN 966: Activate the World, Part 3!
       GN 965: Personal Checklist for Conviction vs. Compromise series
       GN 964: Notice Regarding Prayer and Fast Day of Nov.18, 2001
       GN 964FM: Notice Regarding Prayer and Fast Day of Nov.18, 2001
       GN 963: Are You a Disciple?-Conviction versus Compromise, Part 5
       GN 962: Call on the Keys!
       GN 962: Explaining the Keys!
       GN 961: World Currents!-No.100, Attack on America!
       GN 960: Be True to the Revolution-Conviction versus Compromise, Part 4
       GN 959: “Be Ye Separate!”-Conviction versus Compromise, Part 3

Sharing e-mailable GNs with others
By WS
       Q: I have a question regarding a security reminder in LNF #284, which is the notice about the GNs being available on the MO site. It says:

Security reminder
       Having the GNs online does give rise to some security concerns, as it will now be easier for GNs to be distributed, since they will already be in “e-mailable” fashion. We'd like to remind you to not share your copies of the pubs or pass them on to anyone who is not a present member of your Home, for any reason.
       If an individual or a Home in your area has requested that you download and send them the mailings, you should not comply, but rather encourage them to become Members Only site users themselves. …

       Does this mean that we are not supposed to share the pubs with CM members who visit our Home? Would you be able to clarify this? Thanks.

       A: It is fine to give printed copies of the new GNs that your Home receives via the MO site to CM members who are visiting your Home. However, we would like to ask that your Home not pass on the files of new GNs to anyone who is not a present member of your Home. If they need the file, they should become MO site users themselves, as the LNF suggests.
       Thank you for helping to preserve the security of the GNs by being faithful with these guidelines for the online versions.

Can new disciples read the “Conviction versus Compromise” GN series?
By WS
       Q: (From a Home in the EE:) We have a new disciple in our Home. He was a catacomber for six months before joining our Home and has now been in our Home for one month. According to the Charter, he cannot read any CM/FM lit until he has completed the Babes Basic Course (he has approximately 50 Letters left.) He is a sweet, dedicated disciple.
       As the November 18th Prayer and Fast Day is coming up next month, and we as a TW would like our new disciple to take part in this, could he read the five “Conviction versus Compromise” GNs as well as “The Keys of the Kingdom” and “More on the Keys” GNs? We feel he would greatly benefit from these GNs and from taking part in the Fast, and as he has read 2/3rds of the Babe's Basic Course, he is quite far along in his walk with the Lord.

       A: When we brought this question to the Lord, He indicated that it would be fine for not only this new disciple to read the “Conviction versus Compromise,” and “Keys of the Kingdom” series, but that possibly other new disciples around the world would benefit from reading these as well. Many of our new disciples have been exposed to some of the bad samples and compromises that the Lord is speaking to the Family about in these GNs. Reading about and partaking in the cleansing of the Family will help them have a clearer understanding of today's revolutionary discipleship standard.
       Although we are making an exception with these Letters in allowing new disciples that are not eligible for CM/FM lit to read them, each teamwork must seek the Lord specifically as to what portions to share with any new disciples you have. Here is what the Lord had to say:

       (Jesus speaking:) I see the heart of this dear disciple and what I see is dedication to Me and to My Words. He has dropped out and given his life to Me. This is something that I treasure. In regards to these series, I would that he be given the opportunity to read them and be fed by them. Though all parts may not be applicable to him, he nonetheless has seen some of the bad examples that I touch on in the “Conviction versus Compromise” Letters. He needs to know what the standard is now and what I will be expecting of all disciples, regardless of what sample he may have seen from some of the Family members he has come into contact with.
       Indeed, this is something that would be important for all new disciples if they are at the stage where they can receive it. Many of them have seen wrong samples to varying degrees and must be shown what My vision is for the new revolutionary disciples that I am asking all My brides to be. There are things that might not be expedient for new disciples to read in these GNs; however, I leave that up to the teamwork of the Homes to decide and come to Me about. Each teamwork must seek Me about whether their new disciples who aren't eligible for CM/FM lit read these GNs in part or in whole. (End of message from Jesus.)

       In brief, we are granting an exception for new disciples who aren't eligible for CM/FM lit to read the “Conviction versus Compromise” and “Keys of the Kingdom” GN series, but we are asking that each teamwork seek the Lord about the specifics of what portions should be read by their new disciples. Disciples who are eligible for CM/FM lit should of course read and participate in all your Home's activities related to these GNs.

Activated icebreakers
       Do you have a place deep inside your heart that feels empty?-That no matter what you do, it seems nothing is able to satisfy or fill? This magazine can help fill that empty place in your heart.

       Everyone needs inner strength that they can draw upon to help them meet the challenges they face in life. These magazines will help you develop a strong connection with Jesus so that you can build the inner strength that comes from faith and trust in the Lord. This strength will be an asset in every aspect of your life and will help you to overcome every challenge that you face.

       Do you have questions about your purpose in life? Do you have questions about why certain things happen or don't happen to you or to those you are close to? We all have many questions as we go through life, many issues that are unresolved. Everyone is seeking answers. There are many places where you can search for answers, such as books, the Internet, etc., but there is so much “information” available these days that it can all become very confusing. These Activated magazines explore the basic issues that are important in everyone's lives today, and give clear, uncomplicated answers, and solutions to important questions and problems.

       I'm sure you have questions about spiritual things. We all do. You've probably had discussions with different people about Jesus, God, or spiritual issues. You've probably read about these things too. Do you ever get confused when discussing or reading about spiritual things? I know I have. You'll find that these Activated magazines present these things in ways that are easy to understand.

       I am working towards a goal in life. My goal is to give as many people as possible something that will become part of them and will help them throughout life. What I have in my hand will give whoever reads it a way to know more about the important values in life that are often left aside in this busy world we live in. The individuals who have written articles in this magazine share from their own personal experiences the importance of these values, values that come from knowing Jesus personally and following what the Bible teaches on a daily basis.

Christmas witnessing/fundraising ideas

Perform and get paid
By Faith, Indonesia
       When we first came to pioneer the island of Bali, our kids were quite young (5-10 years), but we had a singing and dancing team of four. They performed shows in small shops, offices, at Christmas parties, for friends, contacts, orphanages, and some schools. Each year the children were getting better with their dancing and singing.
       After being here for a couple of years the Lord showed us to try calling the hotels. After a few calls everybody's response was “How much do you charge?” I told them that we didn't charge anything, as we just wanted to make people happy and share God's love at Christmas, but we did accept donations. They all insisted that we needed to have a set price for the show. I found out that all of the hotels hired choirs at Christmastime.
       That started the idea of making our singing team a fundraising and witnessing adventure at Christmastime. Now whenever we do shows at hotels, we have a set price. Some places hire us each year and always look forward to seeing the children perform.

Woman Offers Jesus Photo
       WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (AP) - Cherie Shelor was standing in line with her son to get his picture taken with a shopping mall Santa when she wondered: “What does this man in red have to do with Christmas, to me?”
       “The answer was nothing,” said Shelor, who thinks dragging children to be photographed with mall Santas each year misses the point of Christmas.
       So she developed an alternative-a photo with baby Jesus.
       Shelor is charging children $1 to dress up in colorful robes and have their photo taken in a wooden shed that replicates where Jesus was born. The children stand next to a cradle with a baby doll inside-and they also take home flyers with candy canes and biblical quotations on them.

NEW free coloring books
       Attention parents and kids! Six Family Fun coloring books available for downloading now. Great for kids of all ages! You can get them for FREE at www.KidzVids.com
       Coloring books include Shepherd Time Story, Bye, Bye Birdie, White Bouncing Ball, The Real Story of Pocahontas, Snowman, and The Froggie Band. More coming soon!

world news
News articles about The Family
By Steven, Thailand
       God willing, two fairly long, positives article will be published locally in The Holiday Time (a Bangkok Post insert during Christmas). The articles will be published in November or December and will include lots of photos of the Family in action-CTP shots, pictures of the kids, and some of Jonas and Christy as well.

LOVE INTO ACTION
       A down-to-earth volunteer organization with heavenly ideals, The Family doesn't just dispense practical help to the needy but spreads lavish amounts of the greatest gift of all.
       They say that charity begins at home and never was a truer word spoken about The Family.
       From their large, secluded compound, the twenty men, women and children in this internationally affiliated but ultimately autonomous group of imperturbable philanthropists seem to spread more healing, hope and happiness in a month than most people find time for in a lifetime.
       (Editor's note: To read the full article, see the MO site. Pictures also posted.)

       Curry-flavored Family music for the subcontinent!
-The story of India's new “Diwali” CD card, compiled from reports

(Editor's note: Please pray that the family in India can distribute as many as possible of these inspiring CDs to the Indian people.)\

[in a box]

       Diwali: A festival synonymous with celebrations in India and among Indians all over the world-an occasion for jubilation and togetherness for young and the old, men and women, rich and poor. Irrespective of religious and economic backgrounds, the festival is celebrated throughout the country to ward off the darkness and welcome the light into their lives.
       The word Diwali is made by Sanskrit word Deepavali-Deepa meaning light and Avali means a row, i.e. a row of light. Diwali is celebrated in October/November.
       People give expressions to their happiness by lighting earthen diyas and decorating the houses to welcome Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity, bursting fire crackers and inviting the near and dear ones to their households for partaking in the luxurious feast. It is also marked as the beginning of the Hindu New Year and as a brand-new beginning for all. Diwali is celebrated for five days, each day having its own significance, rituals and myths.

[end of box]

       Even as you read this article, a CD card specially made for India is being distributed in that country of one billion people! Its theme and timing has been synchronized to the yearly Indian festival “Diwali”-The “Festival of Lights.” Put simply, Diwali is to India what Christmas and New Year is to the West! This CD is our first major endeavor to reach that field musically in their own “language.”
       But let's backtrack! In early 2001, in counsel with WS, the Indian leadership foresaw the potential of releasing a song-and-quotes-type CD card for this festival. Not only would the design of the CD cards be distinctly Indian, but some of the music itself could have an Indian flavor. We could use a few already recorded English songs, but wanted to have several songs, at least, that were “Indianized” by adding Indian instruments and/or even Hindi vocals.
       John Listen at JAS was asked if he might have a burden to help produce this CD, in counsel with Peter Attack, who mans the India Family's “Audio Curry” studio in Delhi.

       John: Apart from some early Beatle-influence (ha!), I was largely unfamiliar with Indian music. I quickly learned what a highly developed, highly stylized, and highly rhythmic art form it is. Its instruments, scales and techniques are rooted in centuries of tradition. Man, these folks know how to sing and play! It would be no easy task for a novice foreigner to just slap together “any old thing” and expect it to pass for true Indian “curry” with the Indian public.
       So I immersed myself in things Indian for several weeks, downloading info from the Internet and even renting Indian videos. Peter in Delhi was also faithfully feeding me with currently popular Indian hit songs for reference, as well as doing all he could to explain the basis of Indian music, instruments used, etc. Providentially, on the very day I was about to dig into the first musical arrangements, CNN's “Worldbeat” came out with a whole special on the current Indian pop music scene!-This TV special convinced me more than anything that we were entering into a hot, competitive music scene and needed to do our best to “get it right.”
       Naturally, the question was how to produce any Indian-sounding music from Japan! Well, our faithful Husband had obviously been working on that one. A year earlier, Ezra and Philip in Tokyo had performed in the same club as a Japanese man who spent many years in India and henceforth became a full-time instructor in Indian music. (Ezra and Philip soon thereafter recorded the Indian-influenced song, “Without Love”-hear it on the Mosaic CD-with this same gentleman.) This new friend, Mr. Wakabayashi, turned out to be happy to volunteer his services for our new Indian project, TTL.
       Mr. Wakabayashi was instrumental (literally, ha!) in converting our original songs into an Indian “experience.” We met and worked together for most of a week at Kenny's “Tokyo Studio” Home (TY, Kenny and family!). I had come armed with lots of ideas and suggestions, but some of them weren't necessarily Indian-ha. At one point, Mr. Wakabayashi said something like, “My responsibility here is to help you make Indian music, so we need to do this the Indian way!” The Lord was truly anointing him for the job. Mr. Wakabayashi turned out to not only be a great musician, but his input and comments on the feeling and meaning and imagery of the music and each instrument-how it would come across in Indian culture-was a godsend. For those who are familiar with these instruments, on these recordings Mr. Wakabayashi played tablas, dholak, sitar, santur, tamboura, sarod, swar, bansuri (flute), and a variety of traditional hand-percussion instruments that I won't even begin to name.
       Mr. Wakabayashi has grown to be a good friend. Even in the midst of our tight schedule, we spent almost as much time conversing as recording. He got saved on the first evening, and since he has visited and stayed at the HCS.
       I'd like to add a little “Era of Action” testimony here. On the last day of recording with Mr. Wakabayashi, time was growing short. I realized at one point that I was juggling!-Watching the clock, acting as the technician in an unfamiliar studio, being the musical producer, doing PR for the Family, trying to be a good personal sample, not trying to push Mr. Wakabayashi too hard, yet trying to get what we needed before he had to go, and communicating all this time about Indian music in Japanese! I don't consider myself super gifted in most of the above areas, but obviously it was God's time and I was thankful for the Letters that give us faith that God is going to use us in new and bigger ways.

       Diwali is a time for mega-celebration in India! It's a time to give gifts one to another, visit relatives and eat delicious food, light firecrackers, and enjoy the beauty of thousands of small oil lamps that are lit for this occasion. Well, if anyone can celebrate “light,” we certainly can. The theme of our album therefore became “light in the midst of darkness, hope in the midst of despair.”
       Some existing songs were chosen and used “as is” on the album, including “The Essence of Life,” “The Candle,” and “Reach for the Sky.” Songs that were chosen to have the music “Indianized” were “You're My Light,” “Out of the Darkness,” and “Love Is the Sweetest Thing.”
       Additionally, Peter in India had received a beautiful new song in Hindi based on the lighting of the traditional lamps (“Diyay”).

       Peter: The way this new Hindi song came about was quite a miracle. When at first the possibility of doing the CD card arose, it was to be done entirely at JAS, with us perhaps doing some Hindi vocals at our end. One night, however, during the initial stages of the project, I was feeling sort of bad about the fact that we had nothing original from our end to offer in Hindi. I had been working on some songs earlier, but nothing that would have fit in the context of Diwali. Every time I thought about it, I felt it was too difficult. Anyhow, I was heading for bed when I felt inspired to pick up the guitar and this tune started coming to me. It was about 1:30 a.m., but I just kept singing the tune for quite a while because I was afraid I would forget it by the morning, ha! Soon the lyrics for the chorus came, and they were right on for Diwali. The rest of the words came the next morning. The theme was that even though sometimes we don't see our way clearly when we're going through a time of trouble, if we just reach out to someone else and help them with their problems, we'll find that our path lights up and our way becomes clear. (See rough translation below for the lyrics.)
       I did a quick rough demo and uploaded it. Everyone seemed to like it, and then dear John L.-GBH for his faith-suggested that I take care of it from my end, since he wouldn't have the time! I broke out in a sweat, ha! First of all, I had never produced a song for even the FTTs, much less the GP, and although it was my heart's desire to make original music for the Family, and I'd done some local tracks, etc., it seemed the Lord was throwing me into the deep end of the pool.
       There were a few immediate requirements, however, before we could actually do that, because we were not equipped as a studio to deal with music production professionally on the level that was required. So we went about getting a few needed pieces of equipment. This in itself was a miracle because we were on such a tight deadline. Normally the prices for new equipment are prohibitive, so we could only afford used gear, and that too is not so easily available. After looking and asking around quite a bit, the Lord led us to one of the top music producers in India, and he sold us his sampler for half the price it would have cost otherwise. This machine, incidentally, had already been used on one of the current top Indian hits, so it was already tried and proven, so to speak, ha! The Lord then led us to a Christian lady, who after hearing about our work, sold us her son's 76-note top quality keyboard for a third of the price she bought it for! All this took about a week.
       The next step was actually making the track and the arrangement. This got me very desperate as I could see that “my best” wasn't going to be good enough. The Indian pop scene is a very competitive market, with tons of artists and albums, some very talented people, so you can't just “slap something together,” as John rightly said. The other thing is, although Indians love fusion music-a blend of Western and Indian instruments-they are quite sensitive to this, and unless it's done very well and tastefully, it's better not attempted at all!
       The Lord also gave an intro to the song. It was the perfect intro-in a classical, folk style, which is really “in” nowadays. The Lord also gave a picture regarding the way He wanted the song to be arranged. The sounds were to paint a mystical landscape, a picture of a desolate, wild countryside at night, overcast and dark, as you're traveling, when slowly the whole pathway lights up with lamps and becomes clear.
       I'd like to add a point here about the guitar, since it's a very guitar-based song: The Lord obviously knew this project was coming up, because in preparation towards this, He'd led us to a very nice electric guitar a few months earlier for a bargain, and our printer friend, who prints our Hindi lit for us, said I could borrow his pretty expensive guitar effects unit indefinitely, since he wasn't using it, provided I gave him a copy of all the recordings I used it on, ha! PTL! This had a big bearing on the final guitar sound in the song, along with some luxuries that digital audio affords. It's amazing to see the Lord's foresight in planning out such little details so thoughtfully!
       It was a challenge to have to work at such a great distance, but in a way I can see the blessing in disguise-it forced me to take things to the Lord more. There was a lot of going back and forth, lots of learning-including reading pages of manuals, learning to use new equipment, new ways of doing things, etc. GB dear John L. and everyone for their immense patience. He was always encouraging and ready to answer any questions, including sending me the software. But one very important part of the whole project was prophecy, without which nothing would have happened. The Lord was the producer and arranger, and I was merely carrying out the orders. Every morning I had to sit down in the studio and spend time typing out what the Lord said, and sometimes He would say things that seemed a bit contrary to logic, and not something I would have normally done, but then later on I was really thankful I obeyed!
       Indian Simon Simple, who also did the inspiring narration on the CD, played the tablas for the song, and I was able to get in touch with a very good sarangi player, who said he was “thrilled to play for a song with such a beautiful message.” There aren't many sarangi players in India, and many of them are purists, considering fusion music a little beneath them. But this person was already used to playing fusion, and had performed along with one of the leading fusion bands in India, “Colonial Cousins.” He did a terrific job, and even contributed musically.
       The entire production process, besides a lot of prayer, was a result of teamwork. A lot of people contributed to the final product. I played rough mixes at various stages to different friends in the music industry-music producers, studio engineers, as well as people in the Home here, and at the Indian Activated desk, and they all made valuable suggestions, which were also considered and incorporated into the final product. One of my friends sampled his expensive drum machine onto CD for us to use, since it had some great Indian percussion sounds, and this is responsible for the big dhol drum sound that you hear in the intro and the bridge.
       The production took about 34 days from start to finish. It was a lot of fun and I learned a whole lot-technically, musically, and spiritually as well. TG for everyone who helped make it possible, and for everyone who had the faith for me. Talk about “That Banana There!” It was more like a whole fruit basket! Ha! Thanks, John L. and Michael Fogarty, for all your wonderful counsel.

       Rough translation of “Diye Jalte Hain” (pronounced di-yay jal-tay hain) “Lamps Light Up” - Hindi song

Intro:
       Lamps light up on my paths,
       Yes, lamps light up on my paths!

Verse 1:
       When my path is not clear,
       When my heart is heavy and
       Tears fill my eyes,
       When there's no one with me,
       Yet there's a Voice that speaks in my heart!

Verse 2:
       In every heart there's some pain,
       But when I reach out with the hand of help
       My heart is filled with happiness and my life overflows!

Chorus:
       Lamps light up my paths
       When (those) sad faces smile

Verse 3:
       Every day's like a blank sheet of paper;
       When it's done, I have to give an account-
       Did I make someone smile, did I shine
       A light in someone's darkness?

Repeat chorus

       Lamps light up on my paths!

Bridge:
       Even a tiny flame in the dark night
       Shows a lost traveler the way to a refuge;
       When I light up someone's heart
       I find that the darkness flees from my path too,
       And once again all is bright,
       With the light of love!

Repeat chorus

       John: The moment I read the request to get a song, a sort of minor melody began coming to me for a verse. Afterwards, I got another more major-key melody, which seemed to be fitting for a chorus. I knew the theme would be related to “light,” and the words came, “Love is the light!”-A beautiful paraphrase of the verse, “I am the Light of the world.”
       I got some initial verses and with Peter's comments and additional help from Windy, we finished the lyrics. Later, Peter came up with some cool Hindi adlibs to be inserted in between the English phrases, and then actually a new counter melody, which developed into a whole new bridge in Hindi. This fusion of not only western and Indian music, but of Indian dialects and English language in the same song has become quite popular in India recently. Peter's counsel on the arrangement and instruments were a great help in making this song what is now.
       All these musical communications, as well as the narrations read by Simon Simple were sent back and forth via MP3s and CDs. We had big files going back and forth throughout the project. I mention this because it was quite a feat working together at such a distance. Furthermore, we needed vocals from Simon Black in the States-with Godfrey as recordist-and from Jeff and Chris at their studio in Japan. We also needed various music tracks from the States and from Brazil. So there was a lot of international coordination in this effort. The “India” folder on my computer had over 350 incoming/outgoing files in it by the time we were done!
       Anything worth something costs something, and the Enemy fights it. Peter had his own set of battles at his studio.

       Peter: Well, the battles were there, along with some mighty miracles also that the Lord did to pull us out, eventually turning them into victories. One major incident was that just four days before I was supposed to upload the rough mix to be included on the rough demo CD that was to be given out to the Indian Family, there was a major power fluctuation, which although it barely lasted a few seconds, blew out my UPS and burnt out the DAT machine, and the adapter for one of the mixers. TTL, this was fixed soon, in a couple of days, and the Lord led us to take some extra precautions by installing a heavy-duty stabilizer.
       It was the peak of summer, and there were lots of power outages as usual. Our studio is on the roof, so it gets the worst of the Delhi heat-43 degrees Celsius! Although there was sufficient backup on my UPS, the aircon couldn't run without power, which meant sitting up in the studio for a few hours at a stretch, steaming away! When we were recording the narrations, the power was off for the whole morning, so all of us had to sit in the heat sweating it out, with dear Simon religiously wiping his brow between quotes! We also had a peculiar problem that day when there was some construction going on across the road from the house, and they were banging something. The noise wasn't very loud outside, but somehow the studio wall resonated at that particular frequency, which was getting picked up by the mike, and we kept getting this boomy sound on the headphones. TTL they finally stopped, and we were able to carry on.
       The biggest blow came around the same time. I was preparing the rough mix to upload, when I got an error message on my computer. This same thing had happened a couple of days earlier, and TTL, I was able to copy everything to another file and save it, because when I rebooted the computer, there was no trace of the original file! PG, nothing was lost! However, this time I went a bit fast and accidentally pressed delete on a folder, which contained all the files for the song. Normally, I have a backup on CD, but I hadn't been able to do that yet for a couple of days, but those days had some crucial recording work done-the tablas, the sarangi and the backups. I had an extra hard drive with me to back up to, but I hadn't yet installed it because I was starting to feel the pressure of the impending deadline and put it off till later. I looked at the files disappearing with horror, and had this awful sinking feeling in my stomach. It meant redoing all the guitar work, getting the sarangi player back, getting Simon back in the studio to re-record the tablas, redoing all the backups with Mercy SGA, etc.-a monumental task!
       I was so desperate and was nearly in tears, and pleaded for the Lord's forgiveness. TTL for His mercy! He told me to reboot and restore everything from the Recycle Bin (which was empty earlier even after the deletion). When I did, suddenly all these files were there, which weren't there before! I restored them real fast, and found out that everything was there, except a few guitar parts, which took me a couple of hours to redo, and that came out better than before! There were a couple of sarangi parts missing, but these were parts I wasn't planning on keeping anyway! Nonetheless, it was a good lesson on learning to cast my burden on the Lord and not getting under pressure and going too fast as a result.

       The music buffs out there might be interested in a little more trivia:
       *       “You're My Light” was based off of Byron's original music track, but the words had to be revised for the India public. Simon Black re-sang that for this CD.
       *       “Out of the Darkness” got quite a revamp of the music, while retaining Paul's (Pethuel) original lead vocal. Jeff, Chris and John added new backup vocals over the top.
       *       “Love Is the Sweetest Thing” morphed into a fun style of music from northern India called “bhangra,” a very high-energy, driving, dance-mode, and very popular now. Simon Black also re-sang this song at the new speed. Thanks to digital audio, we were able to retain some of the original violin work. Speaking of digital audio, it's worth mentioning that in addition to Mr. Wakabayashi's work, we took full advantage of sampled Indian and ethnic loops on all these songs.

       In late June, we were able to compile the as-yet-unfinished songs into a rough “demo” of the CD. The Indian family was then able to take this out and begin to make advance sales to companies, etc. This version was “not for sale” or even intended to be kept, really. A potential concern was about folks hearing a lower-quality “unfinished” version-would it be a poor testimony? Apparently it wasn't a problem, as we soon got stories of potential clients “losing” (ha!) their copies, or outright not wanting to return them!
       As of September the final version is on the streets! Although these songs are geared to the Indian field, DV, some of them will soon appear on other CDs for the whole Family. Here is something from the India Activated desk who worked on the production of the CD Card and CD label:

       Penny and Tim, for the India Activated desk: We were quite desperate to make a really beautiful Indian greeting card to put the new CD in, and neither of us had much experience with this. The Lord miraculously raised up a sweet friend here who is an Active member, and also a creative director at an advertising agency. Seeing that Diwali is the Festival of Lights, the Lord gave the idea of using two artistic-type oil lamps for the covers of the cards, along with a greeting about light on the inside. The concept was there but still there was so much to be done to make it a reality.
       Another Active member, who is a professional photographer, took photos of these beautiful artistic Indian oil lamps and came up with some gorgeous photos for the covers and insides of the cards. After the photographs were finished, then we worked for many hours on the actual design work on the computer, with tons of printouts and corrections going back and forth every day. Slowly and surely it was all coming together. We also needed to get the CD label done and our same friend helped us with this. After a lot of counseling back and forth about the name, the Lord confirmed the name and the CD was christened Flame.
       In the meantime, the Homes were getting some of the rough demos of the CDs, and we also made a few print outs of the cards for people to look at and see what they thought. Thank the Lord, the responses were overwhelmingly positive and after finishing up the final touches, we were able to complete it and get it into print. Mark, our ever-faithful PPC man, worked on the printing of the cards and the quality and colors came out beautifully! We printed a total of 15,000 and the Homes began to order them and get them out.
       Diwali is on November 14 and to date we have sold about 10,000 of these CD cards, and more orders are coming in for the remaining 5,000! We hope to use the songs from the CD for distribution throughout the year as well. The whole process was a teamwork effort, and we are so thankful for all of those who had a part and worked so hard to make it possible. John Listen, we appreciate all the time and effort you put into this project. Thank you all from the bottom of our hearts!

       P.S.: Special thanks to Simon Black and Godfrey; Jeff, Chris, and Angelique; Makoto and Hopie; and Andrew V., who all took time off in the midst of their other duties to contribute to this project. Thanks to the Home members and support staff of the various studio Homes as well, without whom this would not have been possible. WLY!

Flame CD credits

Narrations by: Rohit Kumar

You're My Light
       Music: Simon Rugely
       Lyrics: Simon Rugely, Cathy Gehr
       Back-up vocals: Laz Harris, Jeff Konen, Chris Konen, John Listen
       Original music track, arrangement, production: Laz Harris
       Tablas, Shekere, Santur, Bansuri (Flute): Tadahiro Wakabayashi
       Electric guitar: Vas Myers
       Additional Electric Guitar: Makoto Nobuka
       Additional rhythm programming and arrangement: John Listen
       Additional recording engineers: John Listen, Godfrey Thomson

Diye Jalte Hain
       Music and lyrics: Somesh Thakur
       Lead vocal: Somesh Thakur
       Backup vocals: Somesh Thakur and Simona Peres
       Tabla: Rohit Kumar
       Keyboards and rhythm programming: Somesh Thakur
       Acoustic guitar: Somesh Thakur
       Electric guitars: Somesh Thakur
       Arranged, produced, and engineered by: Somesh Thakur.
       Technical consultants: John Listen, Michael Fogarty

Essence of Life
       Music and Lyrics: Andrew V. Peterson
       Lead vocal: Sylvia Jeane
       Back-up vocals: Sylvia Jeane, Crystal Begley
       Arrangement: Andrew V. Peterson
       Recording and technical work: Andrew V. Peterson

Out of the Darkness
       Music and Lyrics: Russel Pratt
       Lead vocal: Russel Pratt
       Back-up vocals: Nat Spencer, Emmanuel Gilligan, Augusto Carreira, Jeff Konen, Chris Konen, Michael Listen
       Acoustic Guitar: Augusto Carreira
       Electric Guitar: Makoto Nobuka, Augusto Carreira
       Electric Slide Guitar: Jeremy Spencer
       Tabla, Ghattam, Khole, Percussion: Tadahiro Wakabayashi
       Sarod, Swar Mandal: Tadahiro Wakabayashi
       Rhythm and Synth programming: Augusto Carreira, John Listen
       Additional arrangement and recording: John Listen
       Additional technical work: Andrew V. Peterson

The Candle
       Lyrics: Suzy Rudow, Michael Fogarty
       Music: Michael Fogarty
       Lead vocal: Amy Koch
       Back-up vocals: Keiko Fogarty, Michael Fogarty, Jeff Konen, Chris Konen
       Guitars: Philip Johnson, Makoto Nobuka
       Arrangement: Michael Fogarty
       Recording and technical work: Michael Fogarty

Love Is the Sweetest Thing
       Music and Lyrics: Simon Rugely
       Lead vocal: Simon Rugely
       Back-up vocals: Amy Koch, Michael Listen, Cathy Gehr, Keiko Fogarty, Edward Greene, Michael Fogarty, Michael Marrington
       Rhythm and Synth programming: John Listen
       Santur, Additional Tablas and Percussion: Tadahiro Wakabayashi
       Electric Guitars: Makoto Nobuka
       Acoustic Guitars: John Listen
       Violin: Tim Landes
       Based on original arrangement by: Simon Rugely, Godfrey Thomson
       New arrangement: John Listen
       Recording and technical work: Godfrey Thomson, John Listen

Reach for the Sky
       Lyrics: Michael Dooley
       Music: Michael Dooley
       Lead vocal: Angelina Dunbar
       Back-up vocals: Joy Hanna, Christy Gibson, Jonas Anderson, Paul Hart
       Sequence and rhythm programming: Michael Dooley
       Acoustic and electric guitars: Michael Dooley
       Arrangement: Michael Dooley
       Recording and technical work: Michael Dooley

Love Is the Light of the World
       Music: John Listen
       Lyrics: John Listen, Cathy Gehr
       Melody and Lyrics of Hindi portions: Somesh Thakur
       English lead vocal: Chris Konen
       Hindi lead and backup vocals: Somesh Thakur
       English back-up vocals: Jeff Konen, Chris Konen, John Listen, Amy Koch, Angelique Konen, Cathy Gehr, Keiko Fogarty, Edward Greene, Michael Fogarty, Michael Marrington
       English adlibs: Troy LeBlanc
       Rhythm and Synth Programming: John Listen
       Sitar, Santur: Tadahiro Wakabayashi
       Additional Tabla, Dholak, Manjira, Ghunghru, Jhanji, Kartal, Chhap: Tadahiro Wakabayashi
       Electric Guitar: Makoto Nobuka
       Acoustic Guitars: Makoto Nobuka, John Listen
       Recording Engineers: John Listen, Jeff Konen
       Additional arrangement and technical contributions: Somesh Thakur

       Special thanks to: Tadahiro Wakabayashi (Indian and Ethnic Music Instructor) for his voluntary and enthusiastic musical and cultural contributions to this project.

       Mastered at Nu Beat Studios, Studio B, Japan, by John Listen.

       Note: Though this CD-card was produced for the Diwali Festival, it's also suitable for year-round use. If you'd like to order these to offer to Indian friends in your country, contact the India Activated Desk at: activatedindia@activated.org

Brazil Contato Tour
-Getting Convicted to Not Compromise!
By Tommy and Sharon (VS)
       It all started when we gathered for our powwow and evaluation of the 5th National Retreat, and to receive the Lord's direction regarding our mission for the second half of 2001.
       Last year several of us participated in Activated meetings in Mexico and the U.S. after the June 2000 National Retreat in Brazil. The Lord then instructed us that we needed to dedicate the first half of 2001 to doing this same style of meetings throughout Brazil-as we hadn't done this yet-both to inspire the local Family to “get activated,” as well as inspire them to bring their sheep to the National Retreat. The Lord blessed this plan that He revealed in prophecy, as we had over 500 participants with representatives from every corner of Brazil in attendance at the National Retreat!
       The Lord also indicated that we need to continue to work together in unity as a National Committee, in line with the new board vision, but that we now needed to focus on the growing work at hand. The Lord has already “begun a good work” and now it is up to us to implement the board vision in order to grow into the next phase of expansion. This will require more teams, more shepherds, more unity, more training, more meetings, more prayer, more prophecy, etc. Wow! The term “expansion” has definitely taken on greater meaning over the last year!
       It was also encouraging to see that the three-pronged attack plan the Lord revealed to us last year after the Mexican tour-when we were seeking the Lord for specific directions as to how best implement the Activated transition there: more specific Activated and follow-up counsel, “in-house” training through attending the national retreat in June, and the implementation of local Activated and follow-up boards-has also come to pass. A tremendous encouragement to continue to seek the Lord at each step!
       In asking the Lord about what He wanted us to do in the second half of 2001, the Lord indicated that we now needed to make a follow-up tour, as the troops were struggling to keep up the momentum established during the first tour. But once again the Lord “stole the show” with the arrival of the new GN series entitled “Conviction vs. Compromise.” Mama's powerful challenge to all Family members to get back on track, beginning with an attack on the “spirit of lethargy” couldn't have arrived at a more opportune moment! The amazing thing was that when our new “south team” (made of Mark CO, the VS team of Jonathan, Sharon and Celeste, Contato deskman Matt, and “follow-up folks” Juan and Tommy) first got together to pray for direction in preparation for the meetings, all the points the Lord revealed that needed to be touched on (disunity, forgiveness, compromise, lethargy, etc.), Mama addressed in the new series, among many others! Little did we know how much of a clean sweep the Lord had in mind!
       The meetings in São Paulo/Brasilia lasted three days, with 60 attendees. Jonathan VS opened the meetings with the keynote, and we read the first GN of the series, “Coming Persecution?” There was a group reading of the GN in the morning and early afternoon. Then everyone took an hour to answer the questions that Mama asks about how the spirit of lethargy is manifested in our lives. Each of us received a sheet of paper, and we individually heard from the Lord and filled out our paper. We then got back together and had a precious lesson-sharing time where young and old shared what the Lord had showed them. We all pleaded “guilty,” and then asked the Lord to help us make the break from the past and shake the spirit of lethargy.

       Sharon, VS: I think the heaviest reactions came from the young people. Felipe (of Aichan) gave a very honest and convicting reaction. He shared how for years now he's been trying to work for himself and his own little family. His only interests have been getting a car and making sure to save money. But now he wants to really forsake all and join the Family because for him it's either all or nothing. His testimony moved many to tears. Alfredo gave a similar reaction. Charity (of Daniel) gave a beautiful reaction, along the lines of not having had the faith to make the same mistake “her parents” (referring to all FGAs) made when trusting the Lord for having so many children. She went on to say how she really admires women like Jenny, Ester, and Clara (all present at the meeting), and their faith to trust the Lord for having so many kids. By this time everyone was in tears.

       On the second day, Matt and Amêndoa gave the Contato update, along with inspiring testimonies from one of the shiners, Jere, a new disciple, who shared how the Lord was pouring the blessings on his Home since they all got behind getting out subscriptions, even supplying a new van for their Home completely for free! Matt did an excellent presentation as to how easy it now is to get out the mag, the new format, desk costs, etc.
       In the afternoon, Juan and Tommy gave a review of the Seven Steps follow-up class that we gave on the first tour. The Lord showed us to invite the FMers and some Active members to this meeting. Many of the Active members shared their personal testimony of “How I was consolidated.” It was unanimous-it was the love they found in the Family that helped them stick it out! The Word was a close second, but it was interesting to see how everyone confirmed that the Family's trademark was love, and that it is a key factor in the consolidation process.
       On the third day, Mark CO gave a beautiful class on the “Keys of the Kingdom,” making a compilation from all five GNs on the subject. It was important for everyone to get a grasp on what the keys are really all about and how important it is to start using them!
       In the afternoon, we put the keys into practice by praying for the sick. It was very moving to have united desperate prayer for Joana, mother of nine, who at that very moment was having an operation to remove a malignant cancer in her womb. The doctors warned Joana and her husband, Adino, that she was in critical condition, and that there was a good chance she wouldn't make it. While gathered together, we were all aware of the seriousness of this life-and-death situation, and we were all desperate before the Lord for Joana's life. All 65 of us were down on our knees, crying out to the Lord and claiming the keys! It was one of the most powerful meetings any of us had ever attended!
       As we were praying, Joana was hemorrhaging profusely and during the operation had to receive 18 liters of blood. As she felt her life forces leaving her limbs with the loss of blood, she later testified that she thought her time had come, as the doctors weren't able to clot the blood. But then miraculously, at exactly the same time the whole area was together for united prayer, the Lord did the miracle! The bleeding stopped, the operation was finished, and she went to intensive care-on the road to miraculous recovery!
       At that same meeting, sweet Flor of Richard testified of the Lord's healing of her case of cancer, then sang “Through It All!” There wasn't a dry eye in the house. The Lord was pulling us together through His Word, through the need to unite for the lives of our brethren, and it was deeply moving. We had communion, hugged each other, and literally no one wanted to leave. We had a little loving Jesus dance time and felt the Lord melting us together like never before.
       Thank the Lord that our dear shepherds had the faith to “sock it to us” so we could come out like gold. We love you, Mama! We pray we can all pull through our tests and be fully on board as we head into this new era of action.
       These same meetings were held in Rio on the following weekend with more powerful healings being performed. We will be holding these same meetings throughout Brazil (north and south) before the International Prayer and Fasting Day on November 18. Please pray for these meetings.

entertainment

Movies Rated for Senior Teens and Up
HARDBALL (2001)
Keanu Reeves, Diane Lane
       Drama about a compulsive gambler who finds himself involved with a group of inner city kids. He agrees to coach their baseball team in exchange for money to pay off his debts, and bonds begin to develop between them.

       (Jesus:) This movie will help some to broaden the horizons of their lives and see how some people have to live. It's a sad story, but bittersweet rather than simply sad. Bittersweet tales can touch hearts more than just a sad story, because a sad story can leave you with no hope, yet the bittersweet can give you a touch of real life, painted by sadness, yet with a touch of hope still. This movie gives a little hope of making a difference in a world that is tragically full of misery, a world that most people don't even realize exists, or if they do know it exists, they never actually picture how it really is. They hear of gang shootings and racial conflicts, but they are never touched personally, so this movie reaches across the boundaries and can touch people in every walk of life if they let it.
       This is a sweet shepherding movie. When you give, it comes back to you, and as you reach out and help others, you get help yourself. This man learned that once he got his eyes off his own problems and started helping these poor boys, his own difficulties and his own problems didn't seem so bad after all, and his life started going uphill from there.
       The key to helping him turn his life around was these boys needing him, looking up to him, and loving him. It just goes to show that when you give love, you will receive love, and you can never outgive God.
       It's a shame that there is so much foul language in this movie, but it's really a reality in the world these boys lived in. They are surrounded by that kind of language from when they are first learning to talk, so that's all they know. They did have good hearts, and when the coach started buckling down on their behavior and attitudes, they shaped up, because they knew they needed someone to keep them in line, and they loved and respected him all the more for it.

BEHIND THE LINES (1997, a.k.a. REGENERATION)
Jonathan Pryce, Johnny Lee Miller
       War drama, mainly taking place within a Scottish hospital for those whose war wounds as a result of WW1 are to the mind and spirit, not the body.

       (Jesus:) “Behind the Lines” is very believable and moving. It shows the hypocrisy of the System and it has a good lesson to teach the world. However, because it's a war movie, it's of course quite traumatic. I am glad that the trend in war movies has shifted, and that instead of romanticizing war and war heroes, as was done in earlier decades, many directors and producers are now forcing the world to see the bare, naked truth of the horrors of war. The hero in this movie isn't only a brave soldier and officer, but a brave and courageous iconoclast, willing to stand up against the establishment in order to speak the truth about war.
       The world needs to see this, and each new generation of young people needs to know the truth about war. While other movies have exposed the cruel bloodiness of war by showing real-life battle scenes and the carnage that takes place, this movie takes place mostly in an army hospital mental ward. Instead of dwelling on the physical wounds that take place on the battlefield, it shows the suffering that takes place in the battlefield of men's minds.
       If you want to hear another view of what is evil about war, as presented by those who take part in them, watch this movie. There are some traumatic scenes that the sensitive viewer might wish to turn away from. But they are a smaller part of this war movie than found in other current ones. The main thing you'll take away with you is the view that wars are mostly for the sake of promoting the cause of the politician or businessman, and in that they are wicked.

Movies Rated for Junior Teens and Up
HEARTS IN ATLANTIS (2001)
Anthony Hopkins, Anton Yelchin, Hope Davis
       Drama set in the 1960s, as seen through the eyes of an 11-year-old. A stranger moves in as a boarder in the upstairs apartment at Bobby's house, and as the two develop a friendship, Bobby begins to learn about the old man's gift for seeing the future. Based on a novel by Stephen King.

       (Jesus:) This movie shows the power each person has to influence the entire life of another. It shows the value of the older generation, how even though weaker in body and tired from a long life, they are vital in My plan for inspiring and encouraging the younger ones. It's pretty wholesome, no foul language or perversions or violence.
       This movie has a spiritual quality about it and shows how powerful My gifts of the Spirit can be. It brings out the benefits of being a medium as well as the disadvantages, at least in this man's case. It also brings out lessons of love. Of course, I am not mentioned or given the credit, but you can translate and apply the lessons to that which I have already shown you. The powers I have given you will help you survive and thrive in the difficult times to come-for you will be a force to be reckoned with, and you and I shall overcome the world.

Movies Rated for JETTs and Up
SIMPLY IRRESISTIBLE (1999)
Sarah Michelle Gellar, Sean Patrick Flannery
       Romantic comedy about a small-time chef and a successful businessman. A magical spell makes her emotion-laced cooking irresistible.

       (Jesus:) This is a movie with a sweet message, a love story complete with spirit helpers and miracles. It's sad that there is no direct mention of Me, but many principles of love and honesty are presented. It's a predictable romantic comedy, but it's uplifting and edifying. Love has a little bit of magic in it, and has creative powers.

NON-RECOMMENDED MOVIES
EXIT WOUNDS (Steven Segal; 2001)
       (Jesus:)Exit Wounds is very violent and with virtually no story. It is poorly done and is not even good entertainment.

MEMENTO (Guy Pearce, Carrie-Anne Moss; 2000)
       (Jesus:) Memento is a dark movie and very depressing with a morbid ending.

MISS JULIE (Saffron Burrows; 1999)
       (Dad:) What a depressing journey into death and darkness! I usually can find something good about a movie, but about all I can say about this one is forget it. About all you can say after seeing it, after a cleansing prayer, is “Dear God, how lost and hopeless the human soul is without Your Word and Your love.”

what you think about … Conviction vs. Compromise
       (Editor's note: Mama submitted these folks' reactions to this Grapevine section, but has deleted the authors' names for the sake of confidentiality.)

Male, 23, Mexico
       The recent series “Conviction vs. Compromise” has been so invigorating and inspiring. After reading the second GN, we bought Activated material and hit the streets the next day. And you're right, it's not easy, but we went out by faith knowing that the Lord was going to do it and He did! And this is coming from somebody who has worked in the System for the last five years.
       I've been working for quite some time, and I wanted to explain why I started working and how it is that I worked for such a long period of time. Right before the Charter came out, my family and I got TSed. We were left pretty much on our own and I was discouraged and disillusioned about the Family in general. I still loved the Lord, but I had a difficult time understanding why we got TSed. We did have problems, but I felt we weren't so bad off. So I felt unjustly accused for a long time. I owe my still being in the Family to my dad and the Lord, as if it weren't for my dad and his love for the Family and the Lord, I wouldn't be here. He kept me going and encouraged me never to give up. So even though we were TSers, we still continued as missionaries. I stayed with my parents, and after a few years, we rejoined the CM Family. But during the same time as our status change, I grew a desire to start working at a System job.
       My dad was totally against my working for the System, as he wanted me to continue with the missionary lifestyle. But I asked him to please let me have the experience of working at a System job. So I started working at a hotel when I turned 18. After a while I quit work at the hotel and started working for a movie studio, and began to earn good money. When I started working, I told my parents I would give them all my income in order to free them to witness and continue with follow-up, which my parents are great at doing. So I started supporting my Home when I was 18. We have a large family so I paid the rent and bills, and this freed my parents to witness and do follow-up.
       Working at the studio, I began to climb the “ladder of success” and after three years, I was earning quite a bit of money. I had enough to pay the rent, utilities, and saved enough money to buy two cars. My intentions were never to keep the money or make money for myself, but rather to support the Home and help my parents along the way. I guess that's why the Lord allowed me to work for so long and not get too off track-which was a miracle in itself as I worked in one of the most rotten and corrupt industries: the movie business. Yeah, I was able to meet actors, producers, and it was a glamorous job but it drained me physically, mentally, and spiritually. There were times I was totally sucked away from the Home and the Word and had to put in long hours at work. I witnessed some, but not to the extent and degree that I should have. I think another reason why the Lord let me work for so long was so that I would get sick and fed-up with the System.
       But just like you said, everything comes at a cost and sooner or later, we have to pay the fiddler. After five years of working, I began to receive hints and checks to quit my job and head off to the field but I was stubborn. The Lord was trying to show me that I had used up my time at the studio and it was His will for myself, my ex-girlfriend and my son to move on, but no, I didn't heed the calling and sad to say, my ex-girlfriend left the Family because of my working and the System influences that were seeping in. She was already weak to begin with-doubting the Family, the Word, the Lord, and Dad. So she snapped one day and decided to give up on me, our son and the Family. She walked out of our Home, leaving my son and me, never to come back. Sadly, this was when it dawned on me that something was terribly wrong, and I can say from experience that if we do not heed the Lord when He tells us to stop, we will pay dearly.
       When my ex-girlfriend left (a year and a half ago), she left my then two-year-old son behind and took off to “live the years I took from her.” She didn't care for me or my son until just recently and up until this point, she had been favorable to the Family and had agreed to letting me keep my son in the Family, but now she has changed her mind and wants full custody of him. Due to a very unfortunate turn of events, she recently took my son. Now, because of the fact that my son's mother is not in the Family and has my son, I'm having to fight for his custody.
       This puts my wife and me in a very difficult situation. Please pray for us. We find ourselves getting very discouraged at times, as all we want to do is serve the Lord, obey the Word, and head off to a different field, but instead we find ourselves struggling and spending all our time with court procedures in order to get our son back. If it weren't for the power of prophecy, we would've collapsed long ago.
       All this to say, what the Lord says is true and I've experienced it, lived it, and thankfully, I am over the stage of working for the System. I know the consequences of not quitting System jobs, and the need to get back on track for the Lord. The Letters have been a strong confirmation to what the Lord has done in our lives.
       I know there are going to be lots of other young people who will follow the Word and the calling because this is totally different; it's the final warning! It's what we have been in desperate need of! This is what has kept me in the Family for so long-the fact that we never know what will happen next. I think that's what's kept a lot of people in the Family-the changes. Whenever it seems like we're going to go in one direction, all of the sudden the Lord makes us do a U-turn. It's not so much a U-turn, but rather getting back to the basics and what Dad has said for so long. We are now going to get back on track. We are going to be one-of-a-kind once again, and that is why I am here!-The reality of the Revolution and what the Family really stands for-the Revolution for Jesus.

FGA woman, Pakistan
       Several years ago someone asked me to read a Christian book to get my reaction on it. It is called The Final Quest by Rick Joiner. The first chapter I found quite revolting, a description very similar to what is described about Selvegion in the Compromise Letters. (The various chapters, the author explains, were visions he had received over an extended period of time. This particular vision, as I remember it, was an army of people marching, and sitting on many of their shoulders, unbeknownst to them, were horribly ugly vulture-like birds, that were vomiting on the people. I can't remember much of the detail, but it went on about how the Enemy was using many Christians to really defeat the cause of Christ. Following chapters described various aspects of the Christian warfare, deals with backbiting, pride, etc. It is similar to Pilgrim's Progress, but not in a “works” perspective, rather all by grace.)
       At the time I attributed this description as “probably necessary for church Christians.” Now I see that we too have fallen prey to the same problems. I know that I am also guilty of accepting some of these attitudes. In praying about these descriptions, the Lord brought back to memory many older Letters dealing with the same principles. JUDAS: “Doubts are not just little nothings … but monsters that devour and destroy.” THIRD EPISTLES TO PASTORS: …Your doubts are the results of sins … the heinous and diabolical sin of rebellion against God.” ATTACK: “It's a shameful, dirty disease and you're very much ashamed to confess you have it. Because if you're honest you know that your fears are the results of doubts, and your doubts are the results of sins, etc.” DUMPS: “Invite Mr. and Mrs. Doubt and all their little Doubtlets. …” It sounds like a joke, but it's no joke!
       Years ago we prayed for a couple who were into witchcraft. The woman said an evil spirit (often in the form of a cat) had been following her for years. As the prayer began, the wind picked up, garbage can lids were rolling down the road, clanging and banging, a train whistle began hooting, then a catfight started on our porch. (We didn't even own a cat!) As a brother rebuked the Enemy, suddenly the incredible racket ceased, and the soft pitter-patter of rain could be heard on the roof. The girl had been clutching a brother's hand, her nails digging in, but as the rain commenced, she relaxed, and we all praised the Lord! We then read “Dumps.” I never saw it in this perspective until that night. Suddenly Mr. and Mrs. Devil were a reality, but, oh, so insignificant! Dad put it so clearly that these spiritual forces are a reality, but have absolutely no power as long as our wills are on the Lord's side.
       I think sometimes we need to see it like it is, a real picture of the spiritual reality. When I first joined I was so conscious of the spiritual war going on. I know I have become terribly complacent. There was a little sign in many shop windows that, prior to joining, I would see and it would cut me to the heart: “Gainesville [where I lived] sleeps while the earth burns.” I knew I'd been ignoring the war, but this little reminder helped to stir me up.
       Thank you, Mama, for being honest and getting this into print. I pray that the Lord opens all our eyes (including mine) to the spiritual war going on, and that we can get on the winning side.

FGA male, USA
       I just finished reading the first three Letters in the “Conviction or Compromise” series. I want to LOUDLY applaud your words in these GNs! GBY for having the guts to come out and speak frankly on these subjects. It is “way past due” and I couldn't agree with your views more strongly.
       Beside dealing with the issues of division and disunity, and compromise with the System for support, you've hit quite a few other “nails” on the head which have been plaguing our Family for quite some time, and literally blocking us from living the very unique and wonderful principles for which we have dedicated our lives. At the same time, your two-edged-sword words cut me to the heart personally in the areas that I myself need to change.
       As an FGA (like so many others) who has given most of my life to the cause of Christ and the Family, the situation within the Family had just about gotten me so discouraged that I felt for the first time there was no more room for me in the Family that I loved and cherished all these years. I was really encouraged by the part about the “old horse” prophecy and the Lord's encouragement for us to go on.
       I feel that I have “suffered” many things over the years for the Family, such as being thrown in jail for several weeks at a time. I've passed out our radical MO Letters in face of our enemies, conducted missionary works in war-torn areas, dodging both kidnappings and ambushes, stood up publicly for the Family in times of persecution, and endured countless corrections, demotions and disciplines.-All because I sincerely and thoroughly believe in what the Family stands for, such as following Jesus' Great Commission, living communally, the Law of Love, living by faith and being a real Christian of the Endtime with a unique message for the world.
       But lately I have been so discouraged to see all that seemingly going “down the drain” due to all the disunity and infighting with no solutions in sight, as well as compromises in our witnessing especially when it comes to support. I must confess that I have allowed resentment and bitterness to enter my heart because of these very things happening in the Family that you are hitting on in these Letters. But now I have realized that by allowing this in my life I am doing just as much destruction to the Family. So I am compelled by the Word to admit that I am wrong and forgive all for the things that I have felt were wrong by others.

FGA male, North America
       I really agree with what you said about it being difficult to pull out of some of our fundraising ministries to do the Activated ministries. The Lord showed us one time that our daily fundraising methods, compared to our follow-up and Activated, is like “shooting rabbits as opposed to planting an orchard.” Each day, (or each weekend), you have to shoot another rabbit in order to survive.
       Working towards a follow-up ministry and building an outside Active member church is like planting an orchard. It requires a few years of planting, irrigating, and fertilizing, but eventually it will feed you for a lifetime, and you'll just have to go out and pick the fruit. If we take the Activated ministries seriously, I have no doubt that in time we will have many Active members who will be tithing to us. But it is true that in the meantime we need to raise support to pay the rent. But this can be done in a “witnessing” way.
       I'm really excited about the Activated Distributor Program. Some of it will be long-term, but there will be immediate income also, and you have to witness to make it work. So the witnessing is built-in with the tooling ministries. But after a while we should have built a clientele base that is ordering tools regularly from us, thereby giving us another source of income from our witnessing.

Female, Africa
       We just received the new mailings by e-mail. They are heavy but very needed. Thank you so much for writing them. Please don't feel bad about having to spank us. We definitely deserve it. Actually, I was waiting for something like that from you for a long time, and I'm so happy it came. I'm sure the Lord had His perfect timing. I definitely prefer the Family as just 1,000 on-fire disciples, rather than 50 billion lukewarm ones.
       When I read the beginning of the second GN, Mama, you sounded so much like Grandpa. I even had to go back to check if it was a prophecy from him, only to find out it was you saying it. I guess we have gotten so accustomed to you talking so much about love that it was a bit shocking, but great. I love it!

FGA woman, China
       Mama and Peter, we are behind you 110%. What a fantastic thing it is that we are following prophets who will not compromise! What more could we want?
       I've read the first three GNs and they speak to me so much. The Lord said the spirit of lethargy has affected everyone in the Family, so we are pretty desperate to ask Him where it has entered into our own lives. He spoke of that in relation to what we feed our sheep, because of security here, and how we can tone down things to “be on the safe side.” He told us that we need to ask Him in each case how much of our more radical and meatier doctrines we should give to specific individuals. He asked us not to spill any of the golden seed on the ground through compromise, but let Him bring forth true radical children of David. Of course He warned us not to “fire randomly” but to seek Him specifically about each individual, and be more desperate about what to feed them so we are not producing weak, churchy-style believers.
       I think the section on System jobs applies very much here. You did qualify what you were saying in regards to how many in China need jobs in order to be here for visas or cover. More or less that is true. But I just want to say that working for the System is such a drain and a drag! It's everything you warned us of and more! I feel if anything, we here should be even more on guard and vigilant against that spirit of trusting in the System, as it is so weakening.
       Maybe one area China teams should be on guard against is looking at ourselves as so called “exceptions.” It can be easy to view yourself as the elite troops of the Family while living an increasingly compromised style of life, simply for security's sake. Even if we have to be in the System working, we have to be desperate not to partake of the System spirit.
       Often teams take on many extra teaching hours to get some of the “extras”-new computers, travel, this and that. Witnessing can gradually be reduced to trying to slip in a bit of a witness in English classes, or feeding one or two sheep a little here and there, without a solid plan of progress. Cases where people are not working so much for a visa or for cover, but just plain and simply for money, can easily be “justified” if you cannot raise funds through tooling or open fundraising. But if we leave out the God factor, as you said, our faith can be weakened very quickly. System employers can cheat you, teachers can get sick, visas can fall through, all sorts of things can go wrong if we look to the System instead of to the Lord for supply.
       The disunity warnings also apply. From what I've seen, division is not so rampant here as in other fields, but of course the Enemy still tries to get in here too. While visiting Homes I often see situations where a team could easily have taken in a single, or even another couple, and it would have been such a strength to them. But they didn't, not so much because of security, but rather out of reluctance and worry that they won't get along, or it will rock the boat too much, or they will have to shepherd them. Some Homes, although living in the same city, are not working together or fellowshipping much, and there is room for improvement in that area.

pray

Testimonies of Answered Prayer
       Primavera, Brazil: I wanted to thank everyone for their prayers for my eyes and toxoplasmosis; the last blood test showed it was reduced to almost half the amount I had. Please keep praying for me, as I know that that's what is doing the miracle I need. God bless you.
       Patti, Brazil: After tests were done to see if I had cancerous cells, the doctors told me that the results had come in but that they were “not so good.” I am normally the worrywart type, but this time, I had perfect peace, faith and trust that the Lord would take care of the situation, and me. Over the past weekend, we had an Activated meeting, and at prayer time I had claimed the power of the keys, that as I bound the power of the Enemy, Jesus would come and loose all power from Heaven, all my guardian angels, to do the work. So, when the doctor told me that things weren't too good, for me it had to be lying vanities. It had to be!
       Well, the result was: NO CANCEROUS CELLS, only a little inflammation. The doctor didn't even mention anything about my fibroids or having to do anything about them!-A total answer to prayer and the Lord's powerful promises!
       Abigail (of Simon), Brazil: The nodule on my thyroid went down two cm. My doctor was so surprised. What a miracle! Please pray for it to disappear entirely.

Asia
       Protection for the Family in Pakistan in light of the conflict in bordering Afghanistan.

Europe and Africa
       Emanuel: Insulin-dependant diabetes, hepatitis C, low activity of the thyroid due to growth of a cyst causing great weakness.
       Nina: Blood clot in leg, causing pain.
       Clara (of Sam): Recovery from operation to remove cyst in hand.

North America
       Vanessa (baby, of Amber and Steven): Heart and lung problems, and possibly blind and deaf.
       Joan (of Ivan): May be in the first stages of breast cancer.
       Laura Lee (of Joseph and Phoebe): Hearing problem, causing the need for hearing aid. Has had operations to remove her tonsils and adenoids.

Pacific
       Gideon (of Sunny): Cancer in lower back, causing pain and kidney problems.
       Megumi: A very large tumor on right ovary, causing pain.
       Timothy (14, of Kevin and Grace): Alternating strabismus causing one of his eyes to grow weak. Will have an operation to correct the problem.
       Shane (2, of Cesco and Cryssy): Eye condition causing inability to focus properly.
       Erika (10, of Abe and Mercy): Frequent strong headaches. Proper diagnosis.
       Mark (of Mary): Multiple sclerosis. Blurry eyesight.

South America
       Argentina: Difficult economic conditions, which are affecting Family and friends there.
       Chile: Protection against a persistent respiratory virus in the Santiago area, caused by pollution.
       Colombia: Protection in light of guerrilla and terrorist activity.
       Joana (of Adino): Cancer of the womb. Recovering from an operation.
       Clay: Prostate cancer.
       Lizzy (9, of Matt and Joy): Strep ear infection that has spread through her body, including kidneys. Admitted to hospital and is taking strong medication.
       Martin (13, of Angela): Kidney stones, fatigue and weak heart.
       Angelica Maria (18, of Jonathan and Luz): Painful rheumatism.
       Vicky: Chronic asthma.
       Marcello (of Kelly): Broken leg.
       Kelly (of Marcello): Ovarian cyst.
       Tabita Vencedora: High level of diabetes and continual pain in hips.
       Primavera: Toxoplasmosis (eye disease that can cause blindness) and painful arthritis.
       Angela (of Jonas): Nodule on thyroid.
       Maria Belen: Myomas in uterus and two hernias.
       Jesse (11, of David and Cristal): Has asked the Lord to heal deafness in his deaf right ear.
       David (of Cristal): High cholesterol level and back pains.
       Andresito (3, of Andres and Virginia): Tests show irregular functioning of the right side of brain, which controls hearing. Is unable to speak.
       Tim (of Dove): Ménière's syndrome, causing strong humming in right ear and so far 20% hearing loss. Tim is a musician, so this greatly hinders his ministry.
       Jonathan (VS): Strong headaches.
       Mary (of Pierre): Osteopenia (abnormally low bone density, which could lead to more serious complications).
       Tamie (11, handicapped, of Ezequiel and Esther): Speech improvement.
       Isabel: Lumps in breasts.
       Abigail (of Simon): Thyroid problem.
       Simon (of Abigail): Pain in kidneys and prostate.
       Flor (of Abel, 7 months pregnant): Baby is in the wrong position; the doctors want to do a cesarean. Also has prolapsed bladder, which could cause hemorrhaging.
       Maria (of Mark): Abnormal metabolism.
       RebecaFe: The beginning of osteoporosis in knees, causing pain.
       Ruth: Acute gastritis.

personals

       Living in Poland?? Angelina (a live-out) brought up there, would like to get in touch with any Family there. Please write: contact@familycaregoa.com

       Hi, this is Dave (16, of Malaysian Vicky) looking for Seth and Lily. Contact me at Guadalupe@uol.com.br or davekorrobinson@hotmail.com
       My name is Paul Little (from Arrow Home in Arad, Ro016). I'm looking for Josue and Ruth and Michael and Praise who used to live in Sibiu, Romania. There was a Romanian catacomber girl named Iulia (from Sibiu) who was visiting them in the year 2000. She later went to the United States and joined there. I would like to get in touch with her too. Please contact me at e-mail: spectrum@dart.ro

help wanted
       We, Josh, Lydia and Diane (our four-month-old daughter) are a Russian-Ukrainian couple, presently living in Kiev. A few months ago the Lord led us to move to Kiev and to open a music recording studio. I, Josh, am a musician and was involved in Christian music production on a professional level before I met the Family. So naturally, it was my dream since I've joined to be able to write and produce music for the Family. Now the Lord has opened the doors for us to do just that.
       The Lord has indicated that this is the hour for us to work on producing Spirit-filled Family music that will reach and touch the hearts of Russian-speaking nations of Eastern Europe. We are talking about millions of Russian-speaking people who are yet to be reached and brought into the Kingdom!
       Our goal is to do our best to write and produce the kind of music that will reach those people, touch their hearts, and bring them to the Lord! Our vision is to supply our missionaries in these countries with new Spirit-filled music that will help them do the job of reaching these nations with Jesus' love. In order to accomplish this we need your financial help! We aren't able to raise sufficient funds for our needs off the field, as Ukraine is a very poor country.
       If you want to be part of our ministry to the needy nations of the EE, please send a little donation to UI014. We will appreciate any contribution that you can make! Thank you for your willingness to help! We also invite anyone who is interested in helping the studio work to join us and to experience with us all the wonderful miracles that the Lord is doing in this part of the world! E-mail: kars@t.kiev.ua

       My name is Bianca. You may or may not know what it's like to be a full-time childcare worker-the hard but rewarding job of taking care of innocent little souls, teaching and training them, taking the time to listen to them, and helping to mold them into the little disciples they're meant to be.
       I personally have experienced firsthand what it's like to watch in amazement the talents and gifts a childcare worker has.-The patience, endurance, sacrifice, love, understanding, wisdom, and vision to see it through day in and day out, sometimes not even seeing the rewards of your labor till many years later. If you're wondering who I'm referring to, I'd proudly like to tell you it's my mother, Phoenix.
       She was one of those ones who gave the go ahead to start the weekly movie without her while she finished putting the little kids to sleep, the one who stayed up into the late hours of the night planning school activities and projects, while everyone was sleeping. She's the one who volunteered to stay home with the little guys while everyone else went on an excursion, the one who stayed up into the late hours of the night soothing and comforting the sick kids in isolation for weeks on end. Countless children know how to read and write because of her faithful diligence, countless children have participated in special activities and fun excursions because of those extra hours of planning.
       That's only scratching the surface of what it entails to dedicate your life, heart, mind and body to the rewarding task of being a childcare worker. I think there are numerous mothers and fathers, uncles and aunts out there who deserve a big hand for all their sacrifices and labors of love, just like my mother does for dedicating the last 20 years of her life to all those little disciples. I'd like to thank not only my mother and father for their love and care and sacrifice for me and my brothers and sisters, but all my teachers and shepherds who spent so much love, care and patience helping to raise me. To name a few: Paul (of Rachel), Stephen (of Faith), Rejoice (of Gabe), Charity (of James), Tender (of Peter), David, John (of Pearl), Joan (of Japeth), Chrysolite, Jason, Tim (of Cheerful), and all of you other guys who had a part in my life. I want you to know that I appreciate all you did for me. It hasn't gone unforgotten. Thank you.
       I'd also like to take this opportunity to put in a little request for my mom. A few years ago she moved from Thailand to the sensitive field of Vietnam, where she was actively involved in many projects and witnessing trips. Earlier this year she was diagnosed with cervical cancer, and due to medical reasons has moved back to her home country of Australia where she has undergone a series of chemotherapy and radiation. One month ago she had a hysterectomy which she is miraculously recovering from.
       My appeal is to any of you who feel you could help with any small or big donation or support, I'm sure she will greatly appreciate it. I know it hasn't been easy for her, as she is a single mom with four kids (3-18) on her own, starting from scratch. She was staying in her brother's house, and now has moved out to her own house, but I am sure there are many things she still needs as she had to leave behind computers, kids' schooling supplies, educational toys and videos.
       I was praying about other ways to help her as I am only one person and limited, and the Lord showed me to write to you, dear Family. If any of you are interested and would like to help, you can contact either of us at the following e-mail addresses: bihere@yahoo.com or rosew_au2001@yahoo.com

       Hi, this is Philip, Meekness and Magda in Namibia, Africa, sending you much love and sun! We have an amazingly fruitful and every-week-booming-more Correspondent Bible Study Course (CBSC) reaching out to four southern African countries of Namibia, Zambia, Botswana, South Africa and totaling 550 members! All our sheep faithfully reply back, sending in their answered questionnaires. We, from our end-in addition to sending volumes of Bible studies, hundreds of posters and tracts for distribution and Bibles, upon their request-reply to many personal letters, questions and requests for prayer. All this is very fulfilling and inspiring and is keeping us wonderfully busy! With the Lord's help, we have established regular provisioning contacts that supply us with paper, envelopes, copying and printing towards this ever-growing project. Our greatest and growing need are the stamps. That is what we would like to ask you Homes and “persons” everywhere: Would you be able to help us by covering the costs of mailing those hundreds of letters each month? We figured that we'd need $300 on a monthly basis.
       Are you looking for a “preaching the Gospel”-oriented successful project to contribute to? With the Lord's divine help this Correspondent Bible Study Course is definitely a Word spreading-but in need-success! We are ready to send you our latest testimonies of this CBSC, containing personal replies from many of our students, fresh stats and pictures. If you decide to help us with covering the costs of sending all those letters, we pledge to you that we'll regularly send you our newsletters, updates, testimonies, pictures, personal reactions from our students, and even exotic postcards from our follow-up trips from all over southern Africa! Thank you for prayerfully considering our request!
       We are just three folks here, giving our best to push this ministry and we do need your help! Also if you'd like, our sheep would be more then happy to write you their personal thanks, as they did in the past for their sponsored Activated magazines. We guarantee those letters will touch your heart! Please contact us at phlmeek@mweb.com.na or via your ABM.

       We are a Russian couple in the Far East of Siberia, Joseph-Martin and Martha! We are expecting a baby. We need funds for prenatal care, delivery and baby needs. Due to the sensitivity of our field we cannot do any fundraising. We'll be very thankful if anyone could help us. If you want to help or know more about us, please write to RU009 through Russian ABM or at e-mail: DanielJeremiah@altavista.com

Christmas gift ideas
       *       Select some of your friends' favorite Reflections which could be laid out and printed in a nice booklet on parchment paper, with matching parchment cardstock as a cover. You can enhance the presentation by using a nice ribbon as a page marker.
       *       Select choice Christmas quotes and compile into a small booklet for personal inspiration. Print out the pages and use a hole puncher to assemble the pages, with nice ribbon to thread through the holes.
       *       Arrange to show some Christmas Oldie Goldie movies. Offer a video tape of your friends' favorite Christmas movie(s) as a gift later.
       *       Compile a CD or tape of favorite Family Christmas carols or good secular Christmas songs to offer as an inspiration.
       *       Have an evening of Christmas caroling to inaugurate Christmastime.
       *       If your Home is gifted with an artist you could attempt to draw or sketch your friend's family portrait and frame the picture.
       *       You could offer the Streams quotations screen saver to your friends.
       *       Receive a prophecy of personal encouragement prophecy for your friend. Print it out nicely and give it as a gift.
       *       Frame some nice colorful posters and quotes and give them as gifts.
       *       Make a promise box with selected quotes on your friends' favorite subjects.
       *       Help to start and/or organize an inspirational reading library for your friends or for their children.
       *       For friends who support and help the work, you could offer plaques of appreciation or plaques with a nice poem on greatness from the Good Thots.
       *       Offer ministry help on a weekend, such as gardening, helping your friends to fix something, etc.
       *       Ask your childcare team for ideas of things to give friends who have children. For example, you could compile a Christmas activity pack for each family, featuring a list of ideas to do and the materials included.
       *       Hold a Christmas Workshop. Bring the children of your friends, and do an arts and crafts project, like making a manger scene from papier-mâché, etc.
       *       Invite your friends and their families for a Christmas treasure hunt in your garden, weather permitting, or in the living room area of your house. Offer a prize to all winners, such as fresh baked ginger cookies.
       *       Select choice poems on children and lay them out tastefully, as gifts for parents.

A letter from a 19-year-old former member

(Editor's note: Mama asked us to share with you this personal letter she received from Cherise, a former member young person.)

Dear Mama Maria,
       Let me introduce myself. My name is Cherise*, I'm 19 years old. I spent 17 years in the Family and two years out. This letter is difficult for me to write because I remember from a very young age trying to talk to people and being misunderstood, so I have kept so much to myself. But now I need help and hope that you will understand. I was planning on telling you all about my past to try and give you a better understanding, but I think the last few years are what's important. So let me begin, starting when I was 16 years old. [Note: Alias used.]
       I had decided to leave the Family but my mom asked me to give it another shot. So I got a job and started saving to go to [a mission field]. I worked for three months in [a city in my home field] and then moved to [another city] to make a little extra. I did some warehouse work and car washes but the money went to the Home I was staying in so I got stuck there for four months.
       It was during this time that I became very depressed. I had a strong spiritual connection with both sides and because I was having problems I started hearing and seeing things from the wrong side. I was taking trips to weird places and seeing things on different dimensions. It became too much and I started drinking excessively. I couldn't stop crying for hours, and if it wasn't for the help of my friends I don't know what would have happened.
       It was soon after that I went to [the mission field] where I became depressed again. I began shutting myself off to everyone around me. Our Home was made up of lots of people from the West, and the people who had been there a long time found it hard to accept that we were there to change and make a difference. This was difficult for me, because the Family is all about caring and understanding but they couldn't even accept us who were fighting for the same cause. When I didn't change, the adults in charge told me to change or leave. I had worked my ass off to get there and decided for my sake as well as theirs to try. I started going to the cancer hospital for kids and the deaf center. It broke my heart to see people with so much less than me and I stopped feeling sorry for myself and soon became trusted and put in charge of a lot.
       But soon after that I became depressed again. I found out that almost all my close friends [in my home field] had left [the Family] and I started blaming the Family for all its rules. It was like our lifestyle was hard enough and made harder for no reason. So I wanted to go back to find out what happened and stop my brother from doing the same thing. I wrote and asked a Home if I could stay there and was rejected; they thought I might cause problems like my friends, and that was the last straw. I thought, Oh yeah, you don't mind helping people who are lost and searching but if you're in the Family, forget it, you're on your own.
       So I went back to the city where I started and I got worse. I thought, If God and the Family can't help, maybe someone else can. I began to get into witchcraft, looking for the answers I needed so badly. I slept and read for about three months straight and my mom became very worried. I finally told her I was leaving to find something worth living for. She told me I would still have problems no matter what. Of course I thought she was using that as an excuse to stop me, so I left and got into a hairdressing course where I met a Metal chick and I started going out with her to meet the “underdogs” of society.
       I became Gothic so I could blend in and understand these people who were judged without second thought. I found that most of them just wanted to be accepted and loved; most were suicidal and had given up on anyone giving them a chance. I heard every kind of theory on religion and didn't know what to do or how to help. I became depressed again and began to take drugs just to get away from life's problems, even for just a few hours. I got in debt and almost got kicked out of my course. I was sick all the time and spent a month in bed recovering from my abusive lifestyle. I saw more doctors in that time than in my whole life. I knew I was abusing my body but I had gotten to the point where I didn't care any more.
       It was then I met my now boyfriend who I feel was a godsend. I moved in with him and stopped taking drugs in an attempt to be “normal.” I started dressing like most other chicks and started hanging out with another type of society, who were also searching but in a different way. It was then I learned how hateful people can be. My “friends” would fuck people around so often I would wonder what they really thought of me. We would go out and they would see someone and just hate them for the way they looked or talked or dressed or weren't pretty like them. Here I was thinking if I had new friends and a boyfriend, had money and was free to go out whenever I wanted that I would be happy. But all I saw was bad, and it made me wonder what the point was.
       I became depressed again and started drinking, but my boyfriend stuck by me through thick and thin, and he soon taught me how to love and trust.
       I finished my course, but didn't want to be a hairdresser. I was nearing my 19th birthday when I started questioning my life and became depressed again, but this time suicidal, which freaked me out. I didn't know who to turn to and drew deeper within myself, not leaving the house unless it was absolutely necessary.
       I wondered why God is putting us through this. I've been studying people for years and all I've seen is pain, heartache, depression, and this is all over the world. I don't understand what the point of being born is, if it means being fucked around by “friends” and strangers, if you have to be slave-driven five days a week just to get by; if it's ninety percent pain and-if you're lucky-ten percent happiness.
       I realized then that I had failed. I left for all sorts of reasons. Maybe it was all the rules and every other reason I had that made sense at the time. But when it comes down to it, it's because I'm selfish and I wanted freedom and money, and true happiness. But my mom was right. Out here there are more rules. All your money goes to bills. And true happiness doesn't exist.
       It was on my 19th that I truly broke down and realized that I had failed God. I was selfish and gave up on my one true calling. I realized [that] out of the billions of people, I was lucky enough to have been born in the Family, knowing what's what. Now I'm surrounded by people who are lost and have never been given a chance.
       I have never felt as empty and alone as I feel now. Life is but a passing phase and if you do not live for others then it doesn't make sense. I will die one day and for what? My nice clothes and junk. But what about the people who could use that little extra in their lives, just to make their day brighter.
       I'm so lucky for what I have. And my pathetic excuses just don't make much sense any more. But now I'm torn between my boyfriend, who I need, and the people who need me. I'm afraid to try again but don't like the way I'm living. Please will you answer my cry for help? I just need one little drop of hope that God hasn't turned His back on me like I did to Him. Please help me in my time of need, I'm at a dead end and see no reason for me to keep on living. I'm getting more withdrawn and worse every day. I wish I could snap out of it but I'm all alone. I thank you so much for taking the time to listen. And pray? You can help me.
       I truly hope one day to be as unselfish as you and everyone else who lives for others.

       Lots of love,
       Cherise

       [Editor's note: Mama wrote Cherise back and sent her some personal words of encouragement from the Lord. To read Mama's letter and the prophecy for Cherise, see the MO site. Then Cherise wrote Mama back a month later:]

Dear M. Maria,
       Thank you so much for your quick reply.
       I've been thinking about my life and what to do for a while now-and seeing things out here and your letter have helped me see that I've known what the truth is all along.
       I'm sick of wasting my time trying to make myself happy, because in the end it means nothing.
       I know that there will still be pain and struggles but I really am ready to give it my all. I threw out a lot of junk-tapes, books, etc.
       I prayed with my boyfriend to receive the Lord and my parents are going to help me to move on.
       Thank you so much for your help and encouragement, even though you don't know me.
       And yes, if my story will help even just one person, then I have no problem with you printing it. There is just something I would like to add to the end of it. I hope it all won't be too long.
       I'd just like to say that if anyone is thinking that your unhappiness and loneliness or whatever the reason you have, will go away when you leave, and that money is the key, let me tell you right now you are deceiving yourself. Please think long and hard about what you would be giving up. We are only on this earth for a short while and no matter how successful you get, it will mean nothing in the end.
       But think about how lucky we are with all this knowledge, love and truth, and then look at the hundreds of thousands who have nothing physically or spiritually.
       There are so many stories in the mailings and even from people you live with and it's all the same-living for the Lord and others is the way to go.
       You can listen to my story and countless others or you can learn the hard way like I did. Please don't give up; it's just not worth it!

Letter from a YA who wants to rejoin the Family
       Note from a CO: This is a letter from a YA. He left the Family while living in [a sensitive field] about five months ago.

       (Editor's note: We have not included his name or country simply because we didn't have time to ask the author's permission.)

Written September 2001

Dear [shepherds],
       Greetings and God bless. I hope everything is well with you all. This is actually a little odd for me and I'm not sure exactly how it's all gonna come about, but I'm just gonna go ahead and give it a shot.
       First of all, I wanna thank you guys for the Family. There's no place like it, and I know that better than ever before now. I've had the best life I could've had because of it, and I don't know if I can truly convey to you just how grateful I am for it.
       Yes, I know in times past I haven't been grateful. There's always the saying about how “you never know what you have until you throw it away.” Well, now more than ever I can understand what that means, and I realize that it's all too true.-That, among a million other things, I've come to realize. There are just so many things like that that I'd always heard and figured, “Well of course I can understand that. It's simple.” Now I know they're not.
       When you're younger you often feel like you're being preached at, and there is always that tendency to be little bit resentful. I know a wiser man learns from the mistakes of others, but at times it's hard to really claim certain principles and just blindly accept them as your own until you've experienced them for yourself. I guess put another way “some people just have to learn the hard way,” and I would have to say that I, for the most part, fall into that category. Well, here I am now ... “I did it my way” … some might say that's the song of the so-called strong. I say it's a miserable existence.
       I've come to see things differently now and there's so much that I look back on and think, Wow, it's so true. What my mom, or my shepherd, or that Letter said, it's really true. Even looking at the “older” generation that I have to admit not having been able to understand, I can feel a new bond with them, and I can understand more what they had to go through, why they did it, and even more why they would feel hurt seeing us younger people living life the way we did. I know I often had this impression that like the Family got us for free, and we'd put into it and now in a sense the Family sort of “owed” something to us. But now, I've been at the other end and it kinda puts a new twist on the words “dropped out.”
       All said, I've been the prodigal, living a riotous life. I've tasted of the fountains the world has to offer, the “dream” that the world sells so desperately, and I can't live it anymore. I can't live the pointless existence I've come to know as life; the directionless wandering, and all those phony pretences. I long to return home to the Father, to the only people I've come to know for real, and to the Family, to which I owe everything. My heart and my life have become empty and meaningless out there. I need the hope, the meaning, and the life that has escaped me. My connection with the Lord has taken a noticeable hit and all the consequences that come with that. I need to get back to the Family. I need to have the feeling that I'm living my life for something worthwhile, that my life has a purpose, and finally that I'm a part of something bigger than just me and my own selfish purposes and desires.
       You know, when you're younger there are certain things like idealism that can tend to get in your way if not properly guarded against. I know that's part of what happened to me. I always had this picture of perfection that I carried in my mind-an image of the way things were supposed to be and should be. When the situation around me didn't seem to live up to those expectations, I gave up. It was like I no longer believed it could truly work. Well, I'm leaving my youth behind (at least I hope so, with the Lord's help). It's time to move on. It's time for me to grow up. It's time to re-dedicate myself to Him, and this time all the way. No more holding back. It's as though now I feel that of course it works. It has to work; we wouldn't have been put here if it didn't.
       Also (I know it sounds so simple and you're always thinking “yeah, I got it,” but really, oftentimes you just don't), nothing's perfect. The important thing is that we're all trying; that's what the Lord looks at, and that's what's gonna pay off in the end. Of course we bump into obstacles, bumps in the road, little things that can put you off a bit once in a while, but it's the Spirit and the love that overcome everything. My soul longs for the spirit of love and freedom that has departed from it.
       Look, I know that I'm not very “flowing,” and I never was very good with words. There's probably a lot of stuff in here that you're gonna read and think Huh? What does that mean? But please try to hear my heart speaking through all of it. I want to rejoin. I want to spread the Word, to live the Word and to be a part of the Word-with my whole heart I really do. You know, there was always a thing about how in the Last Days, many young people will return. Hey, the Last Days are here, are they not? I also know of a lot of young people that know they made a mistake, but because of pride, are unable to admit that. I know just how terrible thing a life without meaning can be, and I don't wanna let a damn thing like pride get in the way and lead me down that road.
       I believe that I've grown and learned from my experience, and I thank God for it. I know He had a plan for it, and I just hope to God I learned everything He wanted me to. Even if I didn't learn everything, I know I learned some of the most important ones. I've learned to treasure this life and the place of service. Now I stand at the gates, broken, weary, bruised and most definitely unworthy. And yet somehow I know He still loves me. He's just too wonderful, too good to be true.
       I did want to ask though about service somewhere perhaps more “open.” [The country I left from] is a wonderful field and the people who have chosen to come and stick it out here are truly admirable people. Yet with all the “disguise” we have to put on here, it's sometimes a little tough to really “stay in the Family spirit”-at least for me it is. I feel I would do much better in a place where I could kinda like jump up and shout out “THIS IS WHO I AM, AND THIS IS WHAT I BELIEVE” type of field. ... Or, perhaps just to be more open to the Lord, if there's anywhere that's in desperate need of laborers, where the harvest is plenteous, and where I would be able to burn free, please let me know. I want to be somewhere where there's a need to be filled and where I can make a difference for the better.
       I don't wanna waste too much of your time. I want to thank you for listening, for always taking the time for me, and for your constant caring and understanding. Again … THANK YOU! I know I've been blessed with so much in this life, among which is the chance to know such wonderful people.
       Yours truly in the Lord

A look at the Jewish marriage tradition
       -From a transcript of “Stones from the Holy Land,” aired on Focus on the Family radio program, October 3rd, 2001.
       An interview with Rev. Ray Vander Laan, expert on ancient Hebrew tradition, and how it fit in with the teachings of Jesus.

       Ray Vander Laan: I remember very clearly sitting in an Orthodox Jewish classroom, listening to a lecture given by a brilliant individual. He was Jewish, not a Christian, and he was describing the Hebrew marriage customs of the first century Jewish people in the land of Israel.
       I listened to this man tell about the traditional marriage. He described how, when a young man reached marrying age, he and his father would choose a godly family who had a daughter who would be an appropriate wife. In many cases, the son had never even met the girl, but the young man and his father would go to the girl's house, and they would sit and negotiate what was called the bride price, because the loss of the daughter was an enormous loss.
       When they finally arrived at the price that was to be paid for this young girl-a girl of probably 14, 15 or 16 years of age-the young man would then ask the girl to marry him, but he did it in a very Jewish way, according to Hebrew custom.
       The young man's father would take a flask of wine. He would pour a cup of wine and hand it to his son. The son would then turn to face the young woman, and with all the solemnity of an oath before the Almighty God Himself, the young man would take that cup of wine and say to the young woman, “This cup is a new covenant in my blood which I offer to you.” In other words, he was saying, “I love you. I pledge to be your faithful husband. Will you be my bride?”
       Tears came to my eyes, as I recognized what Jesus was really saying to His collection of Jewish disciples that day at the Last Supper. These men were all very familiar with the Passover liturgy, having heard it since they were old enough to think. But suddenly, right in the middle of the ceremony, after the third cup, completely out of place, Jesus, who was on His way to pay the bride price, turned to His disciples, and said to them in the language of their culture, “This cup is a new covenant of My blood, which I offer to you. I love you. I pledge to be your faithful Husband. Will you be My bride?”
       Every single time when you sit and participate in a communion ceremony, and the cup is offered to you, Jesus is saying to you, “I love you. And the only way that I can describe the depths and the passion of that love is to say, “Will you be My wife?” Jesus has asked us to be His bride. (End of transcript.)

Violin music, anyone?
By WS
       Mama is looking for instrumental music where the violin is featured, accompanied by piano or strings, etc. If anyone has this type of music on hand, and would care to send her a copy via tape, CD or MP3, she'd greatly appreciate it. Thanks!

Shine On-September 2001

TEAMWORK       Per Adult       Total
SOUL SHINERS FOR SEPTEMBER 2001
       Martin/Mercy/Daniel/Jon, Mozambique       1,317       13,172
       Samuel H.H/Rosita H.H, Mexico       833       2,500
       Gilbert/Sara/Janet, Mexico       667       4,000
       Ezequiel/Rejoice/Jonathan/Tabitha, Brazil       625       2,500
       Juliet, Brazil       337       1,350
       Emman/Peace, Australia       285       571
       Joel/Melodia/Sara/Techy, Honduras       240       1,200
       Andres/Maria, Argentina       231       462
       Francisco/Mariana, Colombia       200       400
       Ezequiel/Maria, Mexico       182       363

POSTER SHINERS FOR SEPTEMBER 2001
       Ben/Meekness/Sherri/Sam, Botswana       2,500       10,000
       Clara/Gabe/Nina/Marie, Portugal       1,505       3,010
       Estie/Belen, Mexico       1,250       5,000
       Maria/Michael, Japan       1,133       3,399
       Mary/Renee/Janet, Ivory Coast       1,000       4,000
       Charity/Josue/Liza, Bolivia       900       4,500
       Marianne/Shine/Timothy, USA       759       9,110
       Andres/Pilar, Ecuador       700       3,500
       Claire/Maya Woods/Titus Wells, USA       675       4,050
       David Latino/Natalia/Susana, Mexico       610       2,438

TAPE SHINERS FOR SEPTEMBER 2001
       David/Esperanza/Santiago, Peru       411       1,234
       Jeho/Consuelo/Angel, Brazil       219       1,535
       Juan/Rosa, Spain       128       257
       Andre/Tamara/Dulcineia, Brazil       124       248
       Davi/Madalena/Tiago, Brazil       120       601
       Lalo/Ruth/Faithy, Mexico       119       357
       Emanuel/Joy, Venezuela       115       345
       David/James/Pandita/Vicky, Japan       104       520
       Nina/Jay, USA       89       260
       Marc/Maria/Nick, United Kingdom       84       420

VIDEO SHINERS FOR SEPTEMBER 2001
       Lalo/Ruth/Faithy, Mexico       39       116
       Ben/Meekness/Sherri/Sam, Botswana       37       150
       Daniel/Seth/Spring, Indonesia       23       115
       Andre/Tamara/Dulcineia, Brazil       23       46
       Peter/Caroline, South Africa       19       39
       Philip/Meekness/Magda, Namibia       19       58
       John/Angeles/Marie, Portugal       18       56
       Emmanuel/Felicia, Indonesia       17       35
       Pedro/Joyful/Jon/Susana, Brazil       16       147
       Daniel/Maria/Rejoice, Colombia       15       94

Also included with this file:
Peculiar People (By Zeb)
       Caption 1 Well, we finally got our video night schedule worked out!
       Caption 2 Yes! It's a blessing to have had the Jr. Teen/JETT video last night so that tonight they can be watching the little kids.
       Caption 3 What all that noise coming from the kid's room?
       Caption 4 Ummm, I think the big kids are watching something other than the little kids!