The Family / Children of God

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       By Joan, USA (written December 29, 2001): Last night, in Russia, former members Rosita (of Stephen and Susanna), her husband Piper (of Gary and Trust), and their son, Sean (3½), had a car accident. They were driving back from a skiing trip and the weather was very bad. The vehicle spun out of control and crashed into an oncoming bus. All three of them went to be with the Lord. Please pray for their families during this very difficult time.

       (Jesus:) I have taken Rosita, Piper, and Sean Home to add to the team of the helpers in the Heavenly realm. There is no need to cry for them. They are happy and safe, and you will find that they are even closer to you than they were on Earth. So grieve not for them, because they are alive and well. (End of excerpts of message from Jesus.)

       (Jesus:) I took them in My love. I could have taken just one or two, but I took all three. I knew that this would be best for all concerned. I knew that this would make the transition for all smoother and more bearable. Though I know that you will miss them immensely, I want you to be comforted, knowing that they are together-their little happy family as one. And it won't be long before you'll see them again.
       This life on Earth is but for a moment, but life beyond this world lasts forever. (End of excerpts of message from Jesus.)

Prayer Sample
By Lois (Dawn), CO in Europe
(Note: Lois recently visited Mama's Home for a six week stay.)
       It's been so encouraging to see how Mama's Home really is a center of desperate and serious and regular prayer for the Family. The prayer requests that come in from the field, either from the field directly or via the COs, go out to everyone in the Home, and besides being prayed for at everyone's private prayer vigil times, there is also a list of the daily prayer requests printed up for devotions each morning. Reminders are sent around on mail for requests as the date for something that's happening approaches, such as an important show or interview going on somewhere in the world, or a desperate healing request.
       I've heard it mentioned several times that it is one of the responsibilities of being in WS, to be a faithful prayer warrior for the requests of our Family worldwide, and I've been so encouraged to see the prayer backing that we have for the requests we send in. I feel it should really increase my faith when I return home, as I continue to send in requests for the needs of the field, knowing that He's getting bombarded with intercessory prayer from the members in Mama's Home, and very faithfully claiming of the power of the keys too, I should add.

Christmas 2001 highlights

Trip to Bethlehem In the midst of conflict
By the Mideast Family
       TTL, through a lot of prayer, seeking Him, and calling on the power of the keys, the Lord helped us put together a show for the Manger Square program in Bethlehem on Christmas Eve 2001. Our little singing team was able to make the trip there and perform for thousands. The Lord provided all the accommodations for the two days our team was there and answered prayer for very good weather.
       Manger Square was full that night, with around 5,000-7,000 people in attendance, and the crowd was very warm. Despite the difficulties, everyone was in good spirits and very sweet. There was a sincere vacuum from the people. There was a broadcasted speech from President Arafat right before we went, as the Israelis wouldn't allow him to go to Bethlehem. After that they announced us and gave a very warm introduction and the whole crowd burst out into applause and whistles.
       Just before us was a simple choir and there were no other foreigners there this year except our little team, due to the violence. We received warm applause when we came on and the reception to each song was tremendous. When we sang the Christmas Medley, people were really moving and getting into it. On the slow songs everyone held candles and their lighters up, and people sang along to any song they knew. The audience was very touched by the “Phoenix” song (received specifically for Palestine) which got an incredible reception and applause, and the same for “Christmas in Bethlehem.”
       Through the emceeing we were able to talk about our love for the people and how we're praying for them and their struggles. We gave a lot of witness in the songs also, about Christmas, how wonderful it was to be there where Jesus Christ, God's Son was born. During the program we had a few people getting out literature and we distributed 2,500 tracts (Palestinian tract: “When All Seems Lost”).

Family Christmas Concert 2001, Bangkok
By the Thailand Family
       For the third consecutive year, we were given free use of the grand ballroom and their setup in a prestigious hotel, including the video screening. The hotel provided complimentary refreshments and snacks for all the guests, and the hotel staff helped with the ushering and seating of the guests.
       Through one of our friends in the entertainment business, the Lord supplied a professional company to do the sound, lighting and stage backdrop and production for free. A four-man camera crew filmed the concert as well, which was projected on the two giant TV screens on either side of the stage.
       The hall was filled to maximum seating capacity with standing room only. There were more than 1,000 people in attendance. There was a roped off section for the VIPs with about 400 seats, which was entirely filled.
       We opened the evening with the royal anthem, and then proceeded with the program, which was a mix of Thai lukthoong numbers as well as Family and traditional Christmas songs. People were very impressed by the Thai aspect of the performance, the Thai songs, Thai speaking, and that we tried to become one as much as we could-especially when Jonas and Christy, the dancers and children performed the last song in honor of the King, where everyone wais down on the floor at the end. As always, the children were the stars of the evening and stole the show. Daniel (3) and Kevin (2) sang “Baby Jesus” and then said their names and ages in Thai, which won everyone's hearts.
       Afterwards, our friends congratulated us and many commented on how successful and fabulous the concert was. Many people gave donations and bought tools. For many of these people, because they are Buddhists, our Christmas Concert is one of the only opportunities they have to see a sample of what Christmas is all about.

Our friends' reaction to the Christmas Concert
Sent in by the Thai VS Home
       One well-connected man who has spent over 20 years in the U.S. said, “You know what the most impressive thing is about The Family? It's the way they love Thai people and the way they become like them and relate to them. And you proved it again tonight, especially with the children. When those little children tried to speak Thai, it went straight into everyone's heart in a powerful way.”
       Mr. N., the elderly patriarch of a wealthy family, shook our hands all the way from the exit door down the corridor to the escalator and said, “There are two things I have to say, just two things. You all really know how to appreciate your friends! I have been invited to many thank you parties before but they were nowhere near this one! I have never seen such marvelous appreciation. Your appreciation went straight to everyone's hearts! And the second thing is, the children were so beautiful!”
       A secretary at a company that supports us monthly, who recently got saved said, “I thought you [the person who follows up on her] were just a nice person, always smiling and sweet. But now I realize having seen so many of you tonight that you're all the same! This is incredible, the feeling I get from being around so many of you all in one place!”
       Her boyfriend who also works for the same company, but who isn't yet saved said, “I thought this was going to be a typical Christmas company party, but it's totally different from anything I've ever experienced. I need to do something with my life like you do!”
       The owner of a classy Thai restaurant thanked us about 15 times for inviting her to come. After the concert she said, “It was wonderful! Now I understand why you wanted me to come so badly! Thank you for inviting me! It was the best Christmas gift! I've been to many Christmas and New Year's parties but this one I will never forget.”
       This same lady brought an American client to the concert whom we had never met before. Afterwards he also thanked us and said, “I'll only be in Thailand for three days, but it's the best three days I could have picked! The children were lovely! It really started the Christmas spirit for me that I didn't expect to receive until I was back home!”
       Another American businessman we know, a yuppie type who tends to be a little on the proud side, totally changed! He kept grabbing our hands and repeating, “Thank you so much! It was fabulous! Wonderful! So far beyond what I expected!” He concluded, “We've got to keep working together! We'll find some more ways to help you folks!”
       Mr. S., a CEO whom we've known for years, finally came to our concert for the first time. He was very impressed with the program and added, “I met lots of people that I know here tonight. I didn't know you knew them too! So these are all your friends and sponsors! Hmmm. Well, we'll have to see what we can do to help sponsor your work more!”
       One friend spends half of his year in Thailand and the other half in the U.S. He said he now schedules his time to be sure he's in Thailand just before Christmas to make sure he doesn't miss The Family Christmas concert, even though all of his relatives are expecting him back in the States for the holidays. He makes sure he doesn't leave Thailand for the holidays until we've held the concert.
       A high-ranking officer in the Public Welfare department said, “You thanked the Department so much, but it is we who should thank The Family. You all have done so much for Thailand!”

       The children's team from the DF Home was invited to perform some Christmas songs at a 5-star hotel where the Swiss ambassador was officiating at a Swiss chocolate fair. The little show by the children, including Daniel (3) and Kevin (2) was a sensation! In attendance were film crews from four of the five TV stations in Thailand, as well as other media people. As soon as the children began performing, all the cameras zoomed in on them. They filmed a good portion of their show and broadcasted it later on national television.

Conéctate Christmas Party 2001
By Seek, Mexico
       Our Conéctate Christmas party was really fun with lots of visitors. We had experienced a slump in attendance and basically had to start over as at first we had a number of people attending who were also members of Christian churches and were quite churchy, which seemed to blow away other visitors who came and were not. The Lord told us in a number of prophecies that we needed to tell our Christian friends what our goals are, and if they wanted to participate they should bring people with them that weren't church members, and those who needed the Lord. That weeded things out very quickly. The new people who are coming are not members of Christian churches here and are quite open and receptive. At our Conéctate meeting for Christmas there was a lot of in-depth witnessing, people asking for prayer, and we were able to get to know people in a much deeper way.
       Here are some of the people who attended:

       Photo: Candelaria (on the right end of the couch), who brought her whole family with her. She donates large quantities of toilet paper each month.

       Photo: Lourdes (in pink) and Mercy, who arrived just before Christmas, is witnessing to her. Later Lurdes prayed with Mercy for healing of her arm. Lurdes is the sister of Mercedes, one of our Activated members.

       Photo: Magdalena and her beautiful family of all girls, who are saved and come to our Bible classes. Magdalena is a market contact. For two years she has donated a very large amount of papaya to make fruit salad for 3,000 people at our Christmas CTP. Their family personally helps with our CTP projects.

       Photo: Activated Member, Alex (right), and Geraldo (left) who have come to our Activated meeting and Bible studies throughout the year.

       Photo: Jessica (left) with our friend Marta and her little girl. Marta was met out witnessing and has been a monthly supporter. This was her first time to attend a Conéctate meeting.

       Photo: Mercedes (left) is one of our first and most enthusiastic Activated members. Although she and her son, Alex, moved to a nearby city, she came to help with our Christmas Conéctate get-together. Mercedes makes it her responsibility to see that everyone is greeted and given something to eat and drink, and she spends all of her time talking to our visitors. With her are our former landlords who regularly attend our monthly Conéctate meetings, Morelia and Miguel. They recently received Jesus, and really like the Bible studies. They recently came over with a very serious prayer request, which they happily shared had just been answered, PTL!

       Our Christmas party consisted of a buffet meal with roast chicken, beans, rice, and vegetable snacks, lots of cakes, pies, and the traditional punch and coffee. Then we went to the patio where the kids did their Christmas show. Manantial and a faithful Conéctate member, Jamie, read a beautiful Christmas message from the Christmas Activated mag, giving each person a copy. Then we sang carols together. At the moment we started to sing “Feliz Navidad,” “Scrooge” entered insisting the songs stop, grumbling and mumbling about Christmas. He promptly fell asleep in a chair, was visited by three spirits, after which he changed his tune! He then eagerly called back the musicians and we finished the meeting by singing “Silent Night” together.

Activated Begins at Christmas!
By the Space Camp Home, Japan
       As soon as we received the Activated magazines in Japanese (at the end of November), we introduced the subscription program to our many friends and contacts. Right away our good friend Yuko covered the subscription fee for twelve of her friends. Meanwhile we received donations from other faithful friends to sponsor six more subscriptions. All together we were able to activate 35 members within one month!
       Our friend, Naomi, arranged for our Home's singing team of six OCs and MCs (accompanied by James and Vicky) to sing in a famous hotel chain in downtown Tokyo for three days, till Christmas. The team caroled for the hotel's restaurants, doing two shows every evening. The response by the guests was warm and enthusiastic, the team got out lots of tools, plus they are invited to come back next year.
       Todd, the 25-year-old outside friend of one of our teen girls, visited us during his Christmas holidays. He is an engineer for the Navy, based in Hawaii. He came all the way to Japan to visit and meet “the parents.” He spent one night in our Home and really enjoyed our Christmas fellowship. Our teens witnessed to him deeply about salvation and he ended up receiving the Lord. He was really impressed with the training of our children and wished his parents were similar. We introduced him to Activated and are looking forward to receiving his reaction.
       This year in our wedding ministry, over 1,000 people have prayed to receive the Lord with us, James and David. Considering the fact that most Japanese don't have any basic Christian foundation, we were impressed with the fruitfulness of this ministry.

Singing and dancing
By Steven, Bali, Indonesia
       Our singing and dancing team went to many 5-star hotels, restaurants, orphanages, resorts, and nightclubs. Some were moved to tears as they watched the children perform. It was a fruitful time with many sweet people met and many to follow up on!

Christmas Sponsorship Program
By Seek, Mexico
       Each year the children from the three Homes in Morelia perform in local orphanages. We have gotten to know the Sisters who work there, most of whom are Catholic, and the sweet orphans who seem so delighted for us to return each year. After the performance, our children serve cake or cookies and milk and play games with the children.
       This year we made an effort to contact some of our friends to see if they would sponsor educational materials to be given at these Christmas parties. We didn't have a lot of time to devote to this project, but we had enough materials donated to be able to give a gift of children's videos and CDs to each orphanage we visited. Our friends sponsored 20 CDs and 27 videos, which started a collection for these orphanages that we hope to build on in the coming year. We kept records of what was given them so that we know how to complete the collection.
       We found that often our friends might not be so interested in buying children's materials for themselves as many don't have small children, but they were very happy to sponsor the educational materials for Christmas for institutions. It was a way to get our “Sponsorship Program” off the ground.
       When presenting the gifts to the directors of each orphanage, we gave them a letter with the name and address of each donor, asking them to please write a letter to thank them for their gift. We also give each donor a “Sponsorship Certificate” and color photo.

Christmas youth party
By Sunny (of Simon), Madras, India
       For some time Simon and I have had a burden to start a ministry for the youth here (apart from our ministry with the Deaf Youth), especially since we live close to the beach where thousands of youth flock on the weekends. We invited a team from the Bangalore Service Home to come down and stay with us and help us to get something started. A team of six young people came down at the beginning of the month. GBT, they went right to work and in the one week they were here, they got 30 people Activated and met many potential young sheep and new contacts. We held our first city youth meeting in our new office, at which all the Homes in the city participated. Since then we've continued to hold weekly youth meetings, and last week we had a fun Christmas party for the youth, which helped to bring us all closer in friendship.
       One of the young people who came to help us met the GM of Qwiky's, a coffee pub chain, who offered to sponsor our Christmas party for the Deaf. We had a tremendously fun party on Christmas Day in our new office for our 40 Christmas shiners. We all went to Qwiky's for coffee and snacks and had a great time there. We're seeing that we can use our work with the Deaf as bait to attract the sheep. Some of our Deaf teachers helped us conduct the Christmas party for the hearing, and it went super well. (Our new office, by the way, is a plush computer center, fully furnished and air conditioned, 3000 sq ft, and situated in a prime, central location-donated by a local software company last month.)

We were adopted!
       One of the Homes approached a five-star hotel here for Christmas singing, but the hotel said that this year they were planning to adopt a worthwhile local charity which is not being sufficiently funded as their Christmas project. Our sweet brethren suggested “Voice to the Deaf” to the hotel, and the hotel decided to adopt us, TYJ!
       Fortunately, we had met the GM of that hotel three months earlier and had had a long talk with him at that first meeting. When he met us again he was very keen that ours should be their Christmas project, and suddenly it was done! In order to raise funds for us, the hotel organized a “walkathon” in which over 500 young people from the local colleges participated. Our Deaf drama and dance team performed a cute program of comic dramas and songs, which all the young people loved, and after the program we had very good interaction with many of the young people-lots of follow-up to do! Our program was covered by the local TV stations and newspapers. Following this program, the hotel continued collecting funds for us for another week. The GM agreed to donate a Christmas lunch for our 25 Deaf teachers, and when we went to the hotel to collect it, he was raving about our Christmas CD. He said he loved it and had been playing it all week in the lobby.

Miracle lunch and more!
       We sent a three-man road team to the city of Tanjhavur, where we have 50 Deaf members who were planning a special Christmas celebration. Our team had understood that everything was ready for the Christmas party there, and that they would just be needed to help teach the Word. They arrived in pouring, torrential rain, one day before the program, and when they met the Thanjavur Deaf, they said, “Please, you HAVE to provide lunch for everyone! We know you have experience in provisioning, so you please do it!” Not knowing the city, with pouring rain, and hardly any time, our team felt really put on the spot, but they claimed the power of the keys and went to work.
       One team, our two brand-new Active witnessers, provisioned tea and plenty of snacks for everyone. Still, there was no sign of lunch, and when our Deaf team leader, Steven, prayed, the Lord told him, “Don't worry! You go and teach the Word and I'll supply the lunch!” The Lord came through for them, and the priest who had donated use of the hall attended the program and gave a generous donation for the lunch! In fact, there was enough money left over to feed all the children in the local orphanage, as well as the deaf and blind children in the local government school! Wow!
       One of our Deaf boys, who is also almost blind, went on a trip to the Gulf to visit his parents. While there, he sold 40 mottos, 25 CDs, and provisioned two VCRs and other much needed items for the Home!

Stats
       We won close to 10,000 souls, about 1,000 posters out, 85 Activated subscriptions, hundreds of Activated mags and books out, and over 100 audios and CDs out-with just the two of us and our precious deaf “children”! We really feel that we bonded with the Deaf this Christmas like never before. We did many Christmas CTP programs with them, as well as “sign caroling” for different families that we visited in their homes. At the Christmas Party, many of them were calling us “Mum and Dad,” a beautiful feeling!

Christmas banquet for the poor
By Cush, Mexico
       “THEY FED 3,500 PEOPLE!” So read the headline of the article in the major newspaper covering our sixth consecutive Christmas dinner for the poor, called Banquette 2001, held on December 25th each year as an effort to give Jesus a gift on His birthday-loving and serving 3500 of the most needy persons you might ever meet.
       You should have seen the park!-A large, beautifully grassy section bordered by large shady trees reserved for us! There was a 15-foot banner strung between two trees and high enough for everyone to see proclaiming in large red letters on a white background:
       “HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESUS! … Today is born for us a Savior!”
       Then on the main side of the serving tent another similar banner screamed: “THE FAMILY!” with our local project name, “Love in Action” in smaller letters underneath. Another 8-foot stand-up sign shows a list of all of the sponsors and what they helped with, with the verse that begins: “Blessed is he that considereth the poor…” (Psalm 41:1), underneath. The whole banquet was a clear witness, affecting many of the better off-park visitors to approach us with questions, one even saying that he and his family has spiritual needs and asking if we can help them. We gladly gave him our phone number.
       The whole atmosphere in the giant park was full of our Family spirit as our entertainment team, all Family members, kept the listening, eating audience, and the crowd of other park visitors sprawled on the soft lawn, fed spiritually for the four hours it took to serve the food from the two serving lines. Constantly lifting up Jesus and His birthday, at one point they had everyone join in and singing “Las Mañanitas” (a Mexican parallel to “Happy Birthday to You”) to Jesus. Several calls were made to receive Jesus during the show.
       Banquet 2001 was unlike the ones before when we fed everyone who showed up in the two serving lines, thus encouraging also those who may have joined the line because of the free meal, and not necessarily because they had a need. This year, though, we went personally to the nearby slum areas to find the most needy. We personally gave out tickets for each member of the most needy families. The ticket allowed them entrance to the park and the meal of roasted chicken, rice, tortillas, beans, salad, and drinks.
       The poverty of those fed does not allow them to have a special meal for Christmas, just the usual staple of tortillas and beans. So you can imagine how special it was for them to have this first class restaurant-prepared meal, thanks to some of our Active members who manage these businesses, who not only prepared the food, but also transported it to the park and remained there all day long helping us attend and serve the 3,500!
       Everyone showed so much thankfulness and appreciation, seeking us out to express it in words and to demonstrate it with their hugs and smiles. We got so much out of it-a profound sense of satisfaction of being able to make an effort to please Jesus on His birthday by being permitted to allow Him to love up all of these economically ostracized people through us. What a life! What a Family!

What can I give Him at Christmas?
By Stefan for Islamabad Home, Pakistan
       What can we do to bring Christmas' joy to others? Another year in a Muslim field-the 15th for me-and that question is always a puzzling one to answer. Thank God for our children and teens (ages 4-17) of which we have many in our home-17 to be exact! They took up the challenge and organized their Fantastic Friends singing team and did 10 shows, reaching many. Claire (16) dreamed up “acceptable” dance routines, David and Sarah (FGAs) made them sing like the “Von Trapp family,” and with the help of S., our newest friend, designed beautiful costumes. Stefan (FGA), Richard and Arthur (teens) did some hilarious and sober clown dramas.
       So where did they sing, dance and clown around? Two children's wards in government hospitals (200 people), two Christian schools (1,200), one Christian parish (200 people), one Christian slum area (600 people), French Club (100 French people; children and diplomats), Marriott Hotel (over 300 people), Open House function (250 people).
       The immediate results: 1,804 souls, 153 tapes, 22 videos, 119 CD cards, 671 posters, 800 Christmas cards, 600 Eid cards, 136 Mottos, 500 newsletters distributed.

Behind-a-desk witnessing
By Susi, SPALIM
       I'm having a great time with my Christmas witnessing. So far I have never left my desk, but I've met so many precious people through the lafamilia site and through subscribers to the daily mailings. Last month I got 15 orders for the Activated mag and so far this month I have 7 requests, plus some requests for Activated books and Christmas CDs. I have so many letters to write I can hardly keep up with them.
       Imagine-in Cuba we have a lady who is subscribed to the Daily Might, Reflections and FARs, and first thing every morning she gets together with some friends of hers to read the Daily Might and pray for the day! She would greatly appreciate a visit from a Family team to “receive more training,” as she put it.
       Another sheep just wrote from Colombia saying she's going to go to her office every day during her vacation because she cannot live without her daily mailings! Another sheep in Argentina wrote in with a prayer request and the very next day sent the testimony with the answered prayer, plus she said: “I love Father David with all my heart because through his Letters I get closer to Jesus, and because he gave me a spiritual Family.” (She is also in communication with other members of the Family and has survived the various persecutions in Argentina, GBH).
       The curious thing about my mailing ministry is that I don't answer the GP address-most of the people I know initially write me because of some technical problem on the site.

Notice to all families using CLE Full Program
By Michelle, TEAM Foundation, for your Family CLE department

Dear Ones,
       We love you! Greetings from your Family CLE Department!
       With this note, we want to let you know about some recent changes taking place which especially affect our families who are using the CLE Full Program.
       To backtrack a little, last year there was a bit of a “crackdown” performed by the Educational Board in Washington D.C. CLE was visited by the Board of Education and one area they needed to improve in was concerning their “New Course Approvals.” It seems some courses were approved that they didn't do sufficient research on, so they were not aware of the full content of the course, etc.
       Due to that visit, their CLE Board met to discuss some of their current policies; as a result, some changes were made. An example of this was in their “New CLE Graduation Requirements” notice which was sent out to all their customers, which was included in Grapevine #116. Most of their changes primarily affect the families who are enrolled in the Full Program.
       At that time CLE also issued a policy stating that they would no longer be approving some of our Family materials that some families had been submitting as a substitute to CLE's Bible study course.
       When we heard this news, we took it to the Lord and He gave us the idea of presenting them with our own Bible Studies Course for their approval. God bless the dear FED folks at ASCRO and NACRO who worked together to make this project a reality. The “Family/CLE Bible Studies Curriculum” is a graded listing of Bible studies for grades 1-12. This includes some of the usual Bible study material our Family kids have been doing all along (as in the Word Curriculum), as well as some of the new GP books. We submitted a copy of our proposal to the CLE office for their approval, and we are now happy to announce that CLE has approved it.
       We were very inspired to hear about this as we feel it will make things easier for you who are on the CLE Full Program. You will no longer have to submit your own Bible Studies proposal to the CLE office for their approval, but can now simply send in the portion of the above-mentioned curriculum that pertains to your child's grade level, and mention that “this was taken from the Family/CLE Bible Studies Curriculum” and they will approve it immediately.
       CLE does have one restriction for students who are enrolled in the CLE Home School Plus Program. Those who are working towards a CLE Junior High School Diploma must complete CLE Bible 801-810 in order to qualify for a CLE Junior High Diploma. It is your choice whether to use this CLE Bible material or not, since in the Family we have a lot of Bible and Word study material that you would no doubt prefer your children study. If students do not complete CLE Bible 801-810, they will not qualify for a CLE Junior High diploma, but they can qualify for CVC Junior High diplomas.
       As you will see in CVC Handbook 2000, by completing the rest of the CLE grade 8 academic subjects, they can apply for CVC Junior High diplomas. (See below for the requirements for the CVC Junior High Diploma.) (Note: If a student does not receive a CLE Junior High diploma, this does not prevent them from continuing working towards a CLE High School diploma, if that is what he or she desires.)
       We hope these changes will help make things easier for all of you, our faithful Family parents and teachers, to give your children the best Godly education possible.
       If you would like to receive a copy of our new “Family/CLE Bible Studies Curriculum” please write in today or e-mail us at the following address and we will be happy to send you a copy as soon as possible.
       (Note: You can find this Bible curriculum posted on the MO site at: [Http://familymembers.com/fed/catalog/details.php?id=251].)

Our Family CLE address is:
       TEAM FOUNDATION
       P.O BOX 797804
       DALLAS, TX 75379
       E-mail: cle@cvcollege.com

From CVC Handbook 2000, page 26: (Note the bolded sections below, which can be applied specifically to CLE students.)

JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA
       To obtain a CVC Junior High School Diploma a student must pass the CVC Junior High examinations in language arts, mathematics, science and social studies with a grade of 70% or more (80% for open book* tests), or provide other suitable documentation of completion of grade eight.
       (*Note: Open-book tests are allowed for science and social studies, only. If the student does an open-book test, 80% is required for a pass. Open-book tests are not permitted in language arts or math.)
       Applications for Junior High School Diplomas must be sent to your CVC Instruction Coordinator by a Home teamwork member or CVC Course Supervisor. (See form JNR-001.)
       (If CVC examinations are not used, grade eight level of achievement can be confirmed through standardized tests such as: national or local achievement tests, California Achievement Tests [CAT], Stanford Achievement Tests [SAT-TASK], Iowa Achievement Tests [ITBS-TAP] or other standard achievement tests. Successful completion of grade eight level in each of the main scholastic subjects in CLE, A Beka, or similar studies courses, or the results of CLE Diagnostic Tests indicating placement in grade nine in all subjects, is sufficient proof of the completion of grade eight. If the achievement tests you take do not include general social studies and science questions, then you will need to complete the CVC junior high science and social studies tests.)

Special Offerings
By WS
       Thanks to all of you who have given special gifts and offerings to WS over the past year. We love and appreciate each one of you! Your gifts make a big difference and allow us to help the Family even more.

       Andy and Joy (CN602), 8 times
       Anna/Christina/Marcus/Stephen, TW236 (Lakeside), 2 times
       AU310, Ste/Mary, 2 times
       AU443
       BayWinds Home, JA016, 3 times
       Christopher (of Matthew and Claire) China CN604
       CN604, Matthew/Claire/Criza, 10 times
       CN607, 4 times
       CN614, Rose/Jude/Abi/Monika/Ellie/Prose, 4 times
       CN619, 3 times
       CN620, Peter/John/Crystal M, 2 times
       CN625, 2 times
       CN626
       CN627
       CN632 Lily/Rosa SGA/Ellie/Anne/Gina/Gabe, 7 times
       CN634, 7 times
       CN635, Joe and Peace, 2 times
       Micah/Trust, CN643
       IA12
       IA17
       IA20, 5 times
       IA26, 3 times
       IA862, 3 times
       IN01
       IN07, 2 times
       JA001 Bayside Home, Josh/Alisa, 5 times
       JA003, JAPAN SC, 2 times
       JA013, Sunny Smile
       JA020, Hilltop Home, 8 times!
       JA021, ALPS Home, 3 times
       JA038, Hiroshima
       JA050 Country Farm
       JA039 Gabe/Honey (Okinawa)
       JA044 The Treasure Chest Home
       JA407 Michael/Susanna, 5 times
       JA415 David/Liz
       John/Esther, former members, PI
       John Child (Matthew), TH22
       Joseph/Marina/Sarah/Timothy, JA069, 4 times
       PH01, Anna/Mark/Nic/Tenderheart, 10 times!
       PH15, 4 times
       KA01, Serena/Tommy (Cornerstone Project)
       TH03, Garden Home, 2 times
       TH854, Stephen/Heaven
       TH855, Gideon
       Thai Production Center TH07, 4 times
       TU01
       TW226, China Reception Home
       TW236, 4 times
       VT02, Vietnam, 3 times
       VT03
       Abner/Delight/Chiara/Luca, 4 times
       Andrew/Faith
       Andrew/Joanna
       Andrew/Miracle/Jonathan
       Andrew/Miracle/Larissa, 3 times
       Andrew/Tabitha/Shannon
       Antonio/Maria/Laura, 2 times
       Cephas/Melody
       Charity/John/Paul
       Chris/Sela/Julia, 3 times
       Clara/Nina/Marie/Gabe, 2 times
       Crystal/Gideon/Summer
       Daniel/Gabriel
       David/Clara/Steven
       Emanuele/Rose/France, 2 times
       Emmanuel/Daniella, 2 times
       Emmanuel/Estrella
       Francis Davidson, 5 times
       Gideon/Lamb/Ruth
       Isaiah
       James Link, 3 times
       James/Liberty/Eman
       Jean/Faith/Frank
       Jenai/Sarah/Samuel
       Joan/Gabriel
       John/Sunny
       Jonas/Lisa
       Jonathan/Esther, 4 times
       Jonathan/Mary/Joy
       Jonathan/Priscila, 2 times
       Josue/Paul/Lilas
       Juan/Maria, 2 times
       Kitty/Sharon/Andrew
       Luke/Susanna/Christie
       Mark/Marianne/Ruth
       Martin/Mercy/Daniel, 7 times!
       Martin/Mercy/Selah, 2 times
       Mary/Aaron/Heaven
       Mary/Andrew/Michael
       Matthew Saved/Gina, 9 times!
       Michael, 5 times
       Michael/Deborah, 2 times
       Michael/Rose
       Michal/Dana/Ivan/Vir, 2 times
       Outside member, Hungary
       Paul/Charity/Jan C., 2 times
       Paul/Faith
       Pedro/Lily
       Philip/Dove
       Philip/Meekness/Magda
       Rose (of Emanuele)
       Rosy, 2 times
       Samuel/Eva
       Santiago/Sherry
       Sharif/Joanne/Rima
       Solomon Shepherd, 5 times
       Sophie/Pearl/Lucas
       Stephen/Joy, 2 times
       Susanna/Nehemiah/Mel
       Tim Lovebridge, 9 times!
       Timothy Newlove
       Timothy/Catrina/Mich
       Traugott
       Vicky
       Victor
       Victor Freeman
       Victor/Jasmine
       Volker Warrior
       WG701
       Andrew/Crystal, USA
       August/Maggie/Alicia/J Mexico, 3 times
       Byron Beloved/Michelle, USA, 3 times
       Caleb/Sonnet/Tim/Joy, Canada
       Celeste/Chris/D/J, Mexico
       Charity/Trusty/David, USA
       Chris/Ginny/Solomon, USA
       Cla/Est/Jor/Mat/Pra, CR9002
       Claire, Mexico
       Cush/Pandita/Sher/Zara, Mexico
       Dan/Dawn/James (US2001)
       Daniel Determined, USA
       David Buby, USA
       David/Claire/Jesse
       Detroit Home Tim/S/M US2094, 5 times
       Dust/Ahlai/Alejandro, Mexico
       Elizabeth Ann, USA
       Frank/Sara, USA
       Gary/India/Bernadette, USA
       Heaven/Esther/Jos, US3037
       James/Christna/D/D
       James/Rebec/Stef/Phebe, USA
       Jason/Joan/Joh, USA
       Jason/Pat, US1192
       Joanna/Jim, US3054
       Joanna/Peter/Crystal, USA, 3 times
       Josh/Hope, USA
       Josiah/Linda/Topacio, Mexico
       Juan/Matt/R/R/T MX80
       Juan/Ruth/John/Matt/R, Mexico
       Marianne/Shine/Tim U
       Matthew/Sara, USA
       Micahel/Perla/Liz/Stac USA, 2 times
       Michael/Debbie, ES91
       Michael/Debbie, HD9301
       Mike/April, USA
       Paul/Angie, USA
       Peter and Crystal, US3054, 2 times
       Peter/Crystal/Joanna/Jim USA, 3 times
       Peter/Mesha, Mexico
       Peter/Sara/Lluvia, Guatemala, 2 times
       Peter/Sara/Miguel, Guatemala, 3 times
       Phil/Izzy Q, Mexico
       Phinneas/Joy/Matthew/A, Mexico, 2 times
       Renee, Panama
       Salomon/Sara, MX8004
       Samuel/Rosita, Mexico
       Silas/Lilly/Clare/Tabi, USA
       Sweetie de Pap, Mexico
       Tim/Dove, Detroit Hm USA
       Tim/Shine/Marianne, USA, 2 times
       US2094 Detroit Hm, Timothy, 2 times
       Zacc/Melody/Susan, USA, 3 times
       Birgitta/Luis/Johan
       BR045
       BR248 (Naum), 2 times
       Felipe/Sara, 2 times
       Jane/Birgitta/Stef, 2 times
       Joseph/Clara/Merc
       Joyful/Beth/David
       Lucas/John/Madalene
       Naum, 6 times
       Priscilla/Vicky/Angela/Faith
       Simon/Praise/Mich

happenings

Day in the cancer wards
       Steven, Thailand: On Jonas' last trip to Chiang Rai for the Golden Triangle Friendship concert, he was invited to visit the Cancer Hospital in Bangkok to encourage the patients. Jonas, Christy, the dancers and the children were able to go as well and had a wonderful time winning souls and ministering to people. Jonas and Christy sang a few songs in each of the 65 rooms on every floor and then the kids went around passing out tracts and praying with people to receive the Lord. They won 107 souls. The next day we received a sweet thank-you letter from the lady who initially invited us to the hospital, though she is currently in Australia. She's a film maker and is also a Consul General at a Thai Consulate in Australia. She wrote:

My Jonas and Christy,
       Yesterday, 26th December 2001, at 4:00 p.m. (Bangkok time), Dr. P. telephoned me and said, “Jaye, I wish that you were here. We have just had the most wonderful day ever in this hospital. Jonas, Christy and their group of 22 (including children) have just left in their two mini-buses.”
       How can I thank you, Jonas, Christy and everybody who accompanied you? Dr. P. told me that our patients cried with joy to hear you all singing songs in their language.
       When we met on the grass mat having dinner in Chiang Rai, my idea and hope was that you could come to the hospital with your coordinator, a tape deck and a backing tape and sing a song on each floor-very basic, very minimal. Now, you have done so much and given such joy-we are all overwhelmed. How can I thank you and how can I help you? Right now, I thank you from my heart, from everyone, to you and your group.
       Yours sincerely,
       Jaye

Only letters…
       Tender Joy, Islamabad, Pakistan: In 1982 my family and I moved to Thailand and set up a Home at a resort called Pattaya. Many tourists from all over the world come there for recreation. One day while my two sons and I were going “chair-to-chair” on the beach, we met an elderly Swedish man. As we also are Swedish it was easy to strike up a conversation with him, explaining our work, etc. He was a precious man, quite impressed with what we were doing. He bought a few tapes and we exchanged addresses.
       We started to write each other and he sent some donations off and on in the mail. This went on for many years. He sometimes shared his heart and mentioned that he didn't have any family except some sisters, so he was so thankful to get my letters and be somewhat a part of what we were doing.
       He had mentioned in one of his letters in the beginning of 2001 that he felt so tired and kind of knew that “his time” was soon at hand. So, after 20 years of communicating with this dear man, he passed away in September 2001.
       A few weeks ago I got a letter from a lawyer in Sweden explaining that this man had left a big gift for me in his testament! It moved me to tears, as the “only” thing I had done over the years was to write him about every other month, telling him what we are doing, encouraging him, thanking and appreciating him for what he is doing to help our work! It's so true how “a little love goes such a long way.” Many times we don't realize how much of an impact the seemingly little things (like keeping in touch by mail) have on people! I will miss his sweet and encouraging letters, but I know he is in a better place now, surrounded by many loving people!

Showing our friends the “Greater Family”
       Home in Goa, India: We thought it would be a special experience for our live-outs and friends to attend a meeting organized by all the Homes, and to see lots of Family people in action, working together. After praying about it at an Active member meeting, we got to work to find a place and plan a program. The theme was: The Things in Life that Are Most Important.
       Through a series of miracles the Lord supplied a nice air-conditioned hall, coffee, and snacks. Tim and our young people (Joey, Dawn, and Lina) got everyone singing and praising to happy tunes, even leading the group of various sizes and ages into a long line for the good ol' “Gospel Train” number. James did a demonstration, complete with props, on how to make the most of a day. Jono and Nat had us rolling in laughter with a funny skit that crystallized the theme of our meeting. Mary held the show together as the emcee.
       There were tools and Activated materials displayed which many took home for deeper feeding. It was uniting and inspiring for us and our friends, who until this meeting had only met one or two Family members or attended our smaller Bible study groups.

Are you studying the Activated mags?
       Stephen, Peru mini Activated desk: Something that has somehow stopped me from really studying the Activated mags has been my preconceived idea that I already know the articles from the mags because they are taken from other Family pubs. This might be true, but now that I have started to study the mags, I've realized that they are extremely refreshing. Even though I'm quite familiar with the general content, I have found many new old treasures. It's definitely a boost for my inspiration and it helps me to catch the Activated vision.

entertainment

Movies Rated for Senior Teens and Up
ZOOLANDER (2001)
Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson
       Comedy/spoof about modeling and the fashion industry, done in an off-beat, over-the-top manner.

       (Jesus:) This movie makes fun of the fashion industry, fashion designers and fashion models. This movie is not to be taken seriously by any means. It goes overboard, yes, and could be irritating to some, but that's what the writers, producers, director, and actors felt they needed to do in order to get their message across. They consistently throw in your face the foolishness, the vanity, the shallowness, the deception, the dog-eat-dog climate of the fashion industry. It did have a message, and for those who view this movie for what it is-a parody and a spoof-they will get the point. What was the fruit at the end? Didn't you leave the movie sickened of the vanity, the foolishness, the shallowness? The movie sends a message in the form of laughs and entertainment, all the while instilling in you a loathing for that kind of lifestyle.
       Although the plot is quite outlandish, those behind the scenes in this industry have in many ways perpetuated far graver crimes. They are guilty of exploitation; they are guilty of promoting corruption and greed. Like in any other industry, there are some who have more of a conscience and others who are merely interested in turning a profit whatever the cost.
       They truly have some mindless zombies walking up and down the catwalks, literally killing themselves so that they will be able to maintain the skinny bodies that are so “in” in the fashion world. It's a very sad world that they live in, where you are tops one day and just when you think you've made it, that's when you start to fade.
       The main thrust of this movie had the right idea, but there were other things sprinkled in there that were questionable, like comments about how bulimia was okay. Even though expressed in a satirical way, such things could have a negative effect if you're not prayerful. Like with most movies, a cleansing prayer would be good after watching this movie.

Movies Rated for Junior Teens and Up
THE LORD OF THE RINGS: FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING (2001)
Elijah Wood, Ian McKellen, Viggo Mortensen
       Epic dramatization of the first book of Tolkien's fantasy trilogy. A ring both powerful and dangerous is discovered in an unlikely place, and a fellowship of various “races” sets out on a quest to stand up against the evil forces attempting to rule middle Earth. Lots of action sequences, including battle scenes; as well as elaborate reconstructions of mythical settings.

       (Jesus:) Suspense, drama, mythological imagery and supernatural powers, the struggle between good and evil.-If done well, it can all make for an exciting story. People love excitement. It helps to lift their spirits above the mundane-to seek a higher plane of thought. And that's a good thing.
       Tolkien's goal was to represent the virtues and spirit of Christianity to a skeptical world, and because he sought Me, I anointed him in his task. The film stays true to the core meaning of this story, and in fact, it helped to bring it alive to millions who haven't read the book. The messages of love, humility, the strength of weakness, the victory of good over evil-all these things came through very clearly. I am well pleased that all the hype and the publicity that this movie will generate will cause some true seekers to come to understand the deeper truths within. Pray for this.
       Of course I don't expect you, My Family, who have been given so much truth and understanding of the spiritual warfare, to be carried away by a movie or to let it take on more importance to you than it should. But if you keep it in its proper place, I will bless you and make it a blessing for you.
       The story itself does not parallel any particular Christian story, and it's certainly not a parallel of My life, but it does espouse certain Christian principles of love, good versus evil, how the lust for power destroys men, how the meek shall inherit the earth, and how God uses the weak things of the world to confound the mighty and the wise. There are good lessons on strength out of weakness, of the importance of little things, of the beauty of love and loyalty, of how destructive pride and greed can be, and how powerful love and humility can be. There are many pearls of wisdom to be found through the characters in this story and the virtues and vices they portray.
       It's spiritual, and mythological, but it's not witchcraft. It's a simple story-deep, yet simple in its message and principles, and its message and the principles it portrays are good. It has a good mixture of action, suspense, love, camaraderie and touches of humor.
       As your Father David said about judging movies, it's love that makes the difference. This movie had beautiful portrayals of love, loyalty, dedication, unselfishness, and sacrifice for the sake of others.
       The good is very, very good, and the evil is very, very evil. It is not a subtle evil, and therefore you find cause to hate it rather than desire it. The evil that is disguised as good is dangerous, and this is unfortunately what comes through in many movies that are made in these times. Therein lies great danger of your minds and hearts being polluted and deceived. Whereas in this story it is clear what is good and what is evil, and you come to love and embrace the good and hate the evil.
       It has some scenes that are not very pleasant, including numerous battles against evil creatures, but if those who watch it go in with guarded hearts, then the movie will be enjoyable. There are a lot of bad things in the movie, since it shows the evil side quite clearly. Yet the evil does not carry a fearful spirit with it like some other movies do, nor is it horrendously graphic or gross like some other modern violent movies. However, it is certainly intense and not for all.
       Some aspects of this story could inspire fear in the hearts of some, and therefore I would give a caution to those who are especially sensitive viewers to beware. Pray and ask Me whether you should view this or not. I would also not recommend that children watch this movie, because some of the evil and ugliness would linger in their impressionable minds.
       When you look at the magic displayed in a story like this, it intrigues you, and for many, it makes you desire to be able to perform signs and wonders as such. That is good, if you look to Me for the power for this, and seek to use it for My purposes. I have indeed entrusted such power into your hands-power to work miracles. Yet with all this power, you yourselves are still human mortals with weaknesses. This story is a good portrayal of that. Some of these characters possess incredible gifts or powers, and yet, they themselves are weak, like any other man. Learn from this, and realize that the power that I give you is My power-you have it at your disposal to wield, but only in the way that I choose for you to wield it, when you call on it according to My will, being yourself yielded and devoted to Me. That is the secret of true spiritual power, as I have told you in My Word.
       You have been given power over Heaven and Hell, and at your command, all principalities and demons will be subject to you and the power of My Word and the Keys of the Kingdom.
       You have greater power in your hand than all the wizards and sorcerers that ever existed. You have the power of the light and no darkness will ever be able to quench this light. So use it. Don't give any place to the Enemy to tempt you or frighten you or make you believe that his power is greater than your power. His power is a lie, an illusion, a counterfeit of My power, the real power!
       This story is like a parable. If you look at it in this way, then you will gain from it the things that are good, the things that are of Me, the things that can inspire you and edify you.

Movies Rated for JETTs and Up
THE PRINCESS DIARIES (2001)
Anne Hathaway, Julie Andrews
       Drama/comedy about a socially awkward teenager who finds her life turned upside down when she discovers that she's the princess of a small European principality.

       (Dad:) This young girl found out that she was more special than she thought she was, and that changed her life. That gave her faith and confidence, and as she began to step into the role she was given, she got the needed wisdom and strength to fulfill that role. That's true for you, too-God will give you all that you need to fulfill the roles He's created you for. And you're princes and princesses too! Even if you don't feel like it, or look like it, and it seems no one treats you that way, you can know it by faith.
       God has picked you for His Kingdom, and you'll help Him rule! This time is your preparation and training for the responsibilities that are to come. The Word says we will rule and reign with Him! So you'd better get ready, and you'd better believe it, too!-That you have the birthright of a prince or princess, by virtue of being born into God's Kingdom as His child. And you will grow up to assume your leadership role, as He has said that we are “kings and priests” and that we will one day rule over our portion of the universe together with Him. It helps to realize that, and to know that we who love Jesus are all very, very special, and that He has picked us for important roles. Even if others don't realize it now, they will one day.

VICTORIA AND ALBERT (2001, mini-series)
Victoria Hamilton, Jonathan Firth, Peter Ustinov
       Lavish two-part dramatization of the passionate love story that was Queen Victoria and Prince Albert's twenty-year marriage. The marriage and birth of their nine children are featured, as is Albert's frustration by the inactivity he experienced in the early years of his role as Prince Consort.

       (Dad:) This isn't completely historically accurate. However, the battles and challenges and victories and losses that are portrayed are accurate.
       Victoria was a young girl when she ascended the throne-only 18! She took on the anointing and the role and truly assumed authority-even putting those in their place who wished to manipulate her. That took courage! That took guts! These were people who were attempting to take control of the country and rule through her, and she just put her foot down and didn't allow it, and that set the tone for her entire reign. She was the one who had the anointing and the job, and she stepped into it, out of obedience to God. She became an example of morality, and brought the royal family back into good repute in England. Look how the Lord sent her helpers, in the form of Godly counselors such as her first Prime Minister, and then her husband.
       The relationship Victoria and her husband enjoyed is something you can learn from because, as the saying goes, you don't get something for nothing, and there had to be a lot of give and take on both sides. He was royalty in his own right, raised as a prince, and yet he had to take a low seat to her, the queen. And he did so, even at the price of his own pride and his own need for recognition. He made a wonderful and valuable contribution-not only to her in helping her with her job, but to the entire country as he lent his expertise and wisdom to many different undertakings. He has been greatly rewarded Here in Heaven for making Queen Victoria what she was. She never could have done it alone, and although he wasn't king, he could have been! He was every bit as needed and as strong as she was-and she knew it.
       This is a good movie to see, not only for the history, but also for the lessons in adapting to your mate, and being the greatest help you can be to him or her, whether you are male or female. You need to see the gifts, talents, callings, and abilities in the other, and do all you can to help your partner fulfill his or her calling and do as the Lord wants them to. In being this kind of a partner, you will find your calling too, and you will both step into the destiny that the Lord has for you.

Movies Rated for OCs and Up
SARAH, PLAIN AND TALL: WINTER'S END (1999)
Glenn Close, Christopher Walken, Jack Palance
       This follow-up to the movies Sarah, Plain and Tall and Skylark finds Sarah and her husband Jacob dealing with the trials of life on their Kansas farm in 1918. Jacob must contend with the unexpected arrival of John, his father, who left him and his mother behind many years ago, while Sarah is worried about her eldest daughter Anna, who has left home to help treat the victims of the influenza epidemic. Anna, meanwhile, has worries of her own, as her boyfriend has just shipped out to fight in WWI.

       (Jesus:) This is a wholesome series geared for children. The film has a good lesson on bitterness and forgiveness-and it also has a happy ending. The little girl is rather precocious and blunt, but sweet, and her older brother is a good sample. I recommend this as a good film with good values-even though faith in Me is not highlighted.
       This movie showed depth of character, and the ability I give folks to endure tough times through patience, and having My unconditional love for another.
       Points to cover would be:

       *       the hardships that pioneer families face
       *       the need to work together and help each other
       *       the things that made the children happy (seeing the adults happy, being a help, doing their jobs well)

       Of course, the main thrust of the movie is the appearance of the long-lost father and his attempts to reconcile with his son, after not having communicated with him in many years. It would be good to explain to the children that the lack of communication is what caused the heartache, not just that the father went away and lived separately from the mother. My laws of love do allow separation, but not done in an unloving way, with no communication, and no consideration of the feelings of the other.
       It also shows how love can conquer all, and how patience, faith, and prayer can solve difficulties. Although the family does not pray, they do practice love and understanding and strive for the best. So you can bring out how much better it would have been if the family had prayed for solutions, and had asked Me for help in changing feelings of bitterness or the lack of forgiveness. Some children whose parents have split up may be adversely affected, since the story involves this theme.
       It could also make children, especially those who have not had much contact with their grandparents, have questions about who their grandparents are and can the grandparents live with them. Parents should be ready to answer these questions when showing this movie.

NON-RECOMMENDED MOVIES
ONE NIGHT AT McCOOL'S
(Matt Dillon, Liv Tyler; 2001)
       (Jesus:) This is the story of three men who allowed their lives to be thoroughly destroyed by a series of events that they could have avoided. Everyone is in it for themselves and out to cheat everyone else. Many lie to cover up what they have done and the places their lust has led them, because they know that it is wrong, and they are ashamed, but lust is also as an addiction of the Enemy that traps them. The spirit of this movie is sad and wrong. It makes light of a very real and wrong side of people.

OTHER MOVIES
SIDEWALKS OF NEW YORK (2001)
Edward Burns, Heather Graham
       (Jesus:) This is not a typical movie. It's more of a documentary, a peering inside the mostly very sad lives of individuals in the System. They chose the topic of sex, love, extramarital relationships and the issues of fidelity and cheating as their theme. While some may enjoy it, it's not full of merit or lessons, and could have a detrimental effect on some.
       It's an accurate picture of what a mess this world is in without My true love. It's an accurate picture of how entrapped in a sea of distortion the Enemy has his prey. It shows the sad state of the world with their contorted ideas, twisted attitudes and wrong values.
       There are some pretty bad System attitudes in the movie, wrong attitudes about relationships and sex and marriage. There is a general negative message against the Law of Love, the message that sexual sharing outside of a relationship is selfish and cheating, that if you're not one hundred percent loyal to whoever you're in a relationship with, that you're wrong. I have given the Family the Law of Love and expounded on the good fruits and blessing of sharing when done in love.
       This movie would make you count your blessings. However, it is not necessary for My brides to invest two hours of their invaluable time engrossed in the tensions of this film just to be able to count their blessings. While the film does clearly bring out the male/female perspective and the differences between men and women, the Family does not need to see this film to be reminded of these differences.

personals
       This is Joshua and Agape and we're looking for Kyriakos from Cyprus (don't know his latest Bible name). Last one was probably Michael, and he was in Pakistan. Please contact us at e-mail: joshagap0hol.gr.

       I need to get in contact with Ana and Servant in Hungary. This is Abi and John. Can you contact us at pcdesk@attglobal.net. Love to you.

       Jemima, Filipe, Julie, and Joana, where are you? We miss you a lot!! Mommy Sara is pregnant and we need your help, Julie! Please get in touch with us asap through the ABM. Love always, Dad and Mommy Sara.

       Tim's parents are trying to contact Tim and Kathy (SGA, possibly FM, recently in Peru). If anyone has their e-mail address, please send it to: Sarah c/o fampak@isb.compol.com. If you are in touch with them, could you please ask them to write! (Their previous address no longer seems to be valid.) Thank you!

       Hi! I am Marta looking for Mercy (single mom with son Jordan), who used to live in Russia in Volgograd. I also would like to find Sharon of Jonathan with their two kids: Veronica and Jordan, who also were with me in Volgograd. Where are you? I miss you! Please write me to DanielJeremiah@altavista.com or through the Russian ABM (RU009 for Marta).

       Chris and Mercy (formerly: Luke and Mercy, Polish) Please write Abigail today! E-mail: aec_biggs@yahoo.com.

       Dear Dust and/or Maria. Are you still in Africa? I miss you so much! It's not because I now have my own little family that I forgot about you! You still have a big part in my heart and I genuinely crave to receive some news from you. My e-mail address is: marajo44@interconect.com.br. Please send me a little hello. Love, Marc Montagne.

       Hi, Chris and Katie! It's been a real long time and I'd love to hear from you. Please write to your dad down here in Chile. My e-mail: jeanabner@terra.cl. Also, It would be great to hear from you, Amy, so please do drop me a line, GBY!-Jean

       Paula, I know I just got in touch with you again, but since you don't have an address, it's hard to keep it up. Write me, okay? E-mail: kissme_imconfused2@yahoo.com. Shaina, please contact me too. Ryan

former members - seeking contact
       German Jessica is looking for Canadian Gidel and French-Canadian Jeremy. We lived together in Izmir, Turkey in 1978. Please contact me through Selah's address: selah@addcom.de. Thanks.

       I have lost track of a wonderful friend and Family member-Therese Ramos-last known address McAllen, Texas. If you know how to contact her, please ask her to contact me by e-mail.-Walter (Contact via: family@thefamily.org)

       Stuart McDonald (now Karajaal) from Messingham, England is looking for Lyn Portess, who joined the Family in the 70s. If Lyn is still in the Family, or anyone knows her whereabouts, you can contact Stuart via: family@thefamily.org

       From David: Greetings. I would like to make contact with any of the following who were members of the Family in India in the late 1970s/early 1980s: Gary Simmons (from Washington, D.C.), Mark Hood (from Liverpool), Nahum Bluesky (a.k.a. Shaun Gillingham) from Swindon U.K., and Zareen Jacob from Kerala, Andrew from northern England (married an Indian lady). Ray, Stephanie and Sarah and their troop of kids. There are many more who I can only remember a first name and a face, which is not a lot of use! (Contact David via: family@thefamily.org.)

       From Servant: Hello to all. It's been a long time since I've had any contact with anyone in the Family, but I'd like to open a line of communication. I came to Mexico with the original team that founded Niños De Dios in '72. Some of you may still remember me as Servant. Please let me know how I can write to Katrina, if that's possible. I am now working in Acapulco where I have lived for several years. Would love to hear from you. (Contact Servant via: family@thefamily.org.)

Former Members Getting in Touch
By the US Activated desk

From Jerry Pool, Texas
       My wife's name is Judy and she is the love of my life. She wanted to come back to Thurber, Texas with me way back when but I got entangled with the cares of this world and backslid big time, just like the Scripture says will happen if you don't plant your seeds on good ground. But hey, I think Jesus still loves me, just like the Scripture says and He has forgiven me and I thank and praise Him for that.
       I don't really expect anyone there to remember me I don't even remember too many of those guys except Faithy and Jeremy Spencer and I know they could never remember me 'cause I wasn't there very long and there were about 250 of us at Thurber at that time, but boy they made a big deal of it when I insisted on leaving and they made me feel real loved and went ahead and gave me their blessing although they said I would probably never make it back 'cause I was not strong enough at the time, and they were right but I never forgot the love, it impressed me forever.
       My wife and I have been sitting here at the PC reading the Family's Web page and crying like silly children. It brings back some very pleasant memories that we had both forgotten about. Mind you; we have been together for more than 25 years and we thought we knew each other pretty good, well come to find out that Judy met the Children of God about the same time I did back in the '60s. She has very pleasant memories of them also. She met them at Herman Park in Houston. They invited her to go with them way back then and she wanted to go but just couldn't cause of stuff that had her bound up, like being pregnant and she was very scared, and somebody at her Pentecostal church said they were a cult and she decided not to go.
       Now mind you I didn't realize that she had already met them when I left Thurber Texas and came home to try to get people to see what I had found! We were not a couple then-just hung around together with our little clique. Back then we were just lost “hippies” with no particular place. We just kinda drifted around in our little circle of friends.
       Anyway we have been reading about “MO” on the Web site and have been very touched. We just wanted to say thanks. We thought the “children” were gone forever, what with all the bad publicity the media could say about y'all over the years. Well thank God for the Internet. Now I find myself booting up every day hoping to hear some news from the Family. You are such a blessing. We have talked about just selling out and taking off for Jesus if He still wanted us to. I would rather see Him get what is left of us than the tax man. We love y'all. Hope to see you someday.

help wanted
       From the Chinese Lit-Pic: In answer to prayer, the Lord has brought in some more potential Chinese translators, who can be trained as translators for both China and Taiwan! Also, CLP has been accepted as an FCF project.
       We are wondering if anyone has any contacts that would like to donate to CLP, to help us to pay for the translation and production of lit? Some of the projects we've finished are the translation of Activated mags 1-12 which many teams in China are using to feed their sheep. You can imagine what will happen if more and more Word is translated to reach the sheep there!
       If your friends are interested in sending us a monthly or one time donation, they can send their check to:

       FAMILY CARE FOUNDATION
       P.O. Box 1039
       SPRING VALLEY, CA 91979
       (They should write in the memo section CCLPC-project C02.)

       Or they can send their gift on line through FCF's website (fcf@familycare.org). (They would put in the “comments” section that it is for CCLPC -project number C02.)
       Thank you for helping us. We know the Lord will bless you mightily for helping to reach all the precious Chinese.

       We are Daniel and Rachel Miracle (Indian), writing from South India. Over the last six years, the Lord has blessed our Home with a wonderful deaf ministry, reaching and teaching many deaf youth. Our work has expanded throughout several cities. With the Activated vision, the deaf are getting Activated, activating others, learning and teaching the Word to others and becoming Active members and a very active part of our work!
       We wanted to request the help of the greater Family to be able to keep up with and expand our work. The deaf youth come from poorer backgrounds, they witness, get out tools and tithe, however, we also have expenses in paying for their transport to different cities where they teach other deaf Word classes weekly and monthly. (These are cities that are anywhere from six hours to an overnight journey away!)
       With the era of action and using the keys, we want to reach and teach many more deaf all throughout southern Tamil Nadu and Kerala-the sky is the limit! We pray you'll be able to help us regularly, or as the Lord puts it on your heart, to expand our Activated ministry with the deaf. If you'd like to help us, you can send gifts to IA23! Thank you so much!

Activated and other tools-how to get them out!

Getting Activated against the odds
-from a little Home that could
By David, Lise, Peter, and Praise, Canada
       We are now using the Activated mags as the basis of our ESL (English as a Second Language) curriculum. We have regular classes twice a week that are attended by new immigrants from Mainland China. The “Magazine of the Month” program is such a great help, as we won't have to worry about running out of materials to use! It's thrilling to see the sheep so appreciative of the “sermon” and the sample that they're seeing!
       It's still an uphill fight to forsake old, worn-out methods and mindsets of the past, but the Lord has never failed to increase our excitement and vision to go through the steps of change. We really want the blessings of God and are simply signing up for the new things He wants to do, to fulfill our part of the “if” clause in GN908: “I will send the flocks if you will follow the program. If you will do your part now, I will bring them in. You must make your preparations, commitments, and personal decisions to purify yourselves and get ready. You must prepare as a Home by helping one another, by following closely, by doing your part to feed the sheep.”
       We repainted our living room and added an impressive magazine rack of Activated mags and tools. We also placed an Activated link on the home page of our Web site and are featuring new chapters from Activated books every week! We've been passing out Activated flyers in malls on the weekends and this has helped generate interest in our products on display.

Pushing Activated everywhere!
By the North America Media Home, USA East Coast
       As a media desk with a large follow-up ministry related to our work, we aren't always able to invest the amount of time in local outreach and follow-up in our area that we normally would. Last year after the national Activated workshops, we prayed as a Home and sought the Lord to find out how we should bring this vision to life in our Home and garner a larger local follow-up ministry, while at the same time keeping on top of the ministries the Lord had entrusted us with.
       In praying about how exactly to go about getting Activated out with our limited means, the Lord showed us to start by sending it out to our mass-mailing lists (over 2,000 people). We did this, and started sending a new issue every couple of months.
       Last Christmas push, we decided to hit the traffic lights with the Christmas Activated magazines, instead of the posters. We were excited by the end of the month to find out that we had distributed nearly 3,000 of them, besides all the CDs and CD cards.
       From there, the Lord showed us to start giving them out as much as possible. Since that time, we have been distributing over 1,000 Activated magazines at the traffic lights each month. We are so inspired about being able to give such a complete message out to the public. At first, it seemed like a pretty steep amount to pay each month for seed corn and we were tempted to distribute them sparingly, but when praying about it, Dad showed us that the Lord would bless us financially if we poured out His Word. He promised that He isn't limited to supply, much less if we are faithful to obey and put His Word and His sheep first. After our first year of pushing Activated, we calculated that we were able to distribute over 15,000 Activated magazines. The Lord certainly fulfilled His promises, as we just went.
       We would like to be able to devote more time to working on signing people up for subscriptions, which we've done less of in the Home, but the Lord promised that if we will do everything we can to get His Word out, He will bring His sheep forth. TTL, our local follow-up ministry has been slowly growing since we answered the call.

Car washes
       One of our greatest Activated testimonies has been through our car wash contacts. We have a regular car wash spot that we have been using for several years now. There are at least 100 people who know us and come regularly to the car wash, besides others who come in from time to time. It's hard to keep track of all the people we know there, but they all know us, ha! This is a multicultural area, for sure, and we have counted people coming in to our car wash from over 15 countries in one day, everywhere from Ghana, Uganda, India, Pakistan, Europe, South America and Central America.
       Over the past year, we have been giving people Activated magazines at the car wash and have seen very good fruits from it. We've found at both the traffic lights and car wash, that people are almost surprised when we hand them an Activated mag, like they can't believe we're giving it to them. It is something most people obviously appreciate and look at as valuable. We have had several folks come back to ask for the same mag over and over.
       One middle-aged man, when asked if he already had a copy of the Activated, commented, “Oh yes, I get one every time I come. I own a business, and I make sure to give one to a different employee each week, as there are some folks at work who really need this.”
       Another middle-aged businessman, when asked if he wanted the second edition of Activated, replied very enthusiastically, “Of course. I read every piece of paper you people print!”
       A sweet African lady from Sierra Leone always comes by for hugs, kisses and time to chat. She admires us so deeply for serving the Lord. Every time she comes, she also wants extra Activated mags to give to other members of the little Sierra Leone church that she attends near our car wash.
       Oftentimes, people at home would wonder if anyone actually reads our literature, or do they just toss it in their cars and forget about it, but we can testify to the amount of people that read the literature thoroughly.
       After the recent WTC and Pentagon tragedies, we were able to pass on a tract to hundreds of people via our car wash and a couple thousand via our getting them out at traffic lights, which was received with such thankfulness. Many people were very perturbed and emotional after the attacks, so it was a special time to pour in the Lord's answers into their hearts. After seeing us week after week at the car wash, many people come to see us as their personal charity, and share their lives and problems and heartaches with us. It's really special being able to follow up on all these people regularly and to have a good excuse to be able to spend time with them. A lot of people seem to just come every week because they're lonely and have no one to talk to.
       Through using the car wash as a follow-up tool, we have been able to establish some important helpful contacts, who not only donate regularly through the car wash, but also help our work in other ways. “Little is much if God is in it,” and we've found that if we're faithful to witness and push Activated, the Lord will make even our so-called fundraising fruitful. It's actually hard to consider our car wash as just “fundraising,” as we're almost a local landmark and everyone knows they're going to get the Word when they come in.

Provisioning contacts need Activated too!
       We've also been giving our contacts regular issues of Activated, and following up on them personally when we visit with them. When we started distributing Activated, we started to realize how many people we have to share them with, from market contacts to doctor contacts and all our CTP contacts. Everybody needs them, and they are always appreciated.

The Lord's blessings on our finances
       The Lord didn't fail to meet us when we did our part to reach out with Activated. Although our tool bill went higher, so did the Lord's supply and blessings upon our Home in so many ways. Our income has only gone up, as the Lord has more than matched anything we've spent extra in pouring out more word.
       During the month of the terrorist attacks, the Lord told us to do a fundraiser for the Red Cross at our car wash, which we did, and He promised that He wouldn't fail to supply for us. Sure enough, in that month, the Lord supplied some desperately needed funds for a new photocopier for our ministry through a friend we started following up on after the Activated vision began. We were in awe at the miracles the Lord did and how He supplied all our needs even during a time of economic recession. Our dear Husband isn't limited by many or by few or the conditions of the world around us! He's never failed in one of all His good promises!

CD Card Tips and Testimonies
By US Activated Home
       Why not try card-lighting? We got the idea to try distributing the CD cards at streetlights and it's been going great! We just explain to folks, like we usually do when out at the lights, that we're fundraising for our Christian ministry, and those who give a $5 donation receive one of our beautiful Christmas CD cards that comes with a full-length CD of Christmas carols. Lots of folks want to get the cards, and it's been a great way to get them out fast! We've found that folks who probably would normally give a dollar, give $5 and get a card instead.

       Parking lot carding: The CD cards have been going super well in the parking lots where we've been distributing Activated magazines. We still get out a lot of magazines, but we offer the cards first, selling them at a price that people can't resist-one for $6 or two for $10-or a whole box of 6 for $25. We usually get out a few boxes, and lots of cards, and it's lots of fun!

       Flea markets: Since last year's CD cards are being sold at such an unbeatably low price (88 cents each if you re-package them yourself), we decided to take stacks of cards to the area flea markets and sell them at wholesale prices to the vendors who sell CDs and cassettes. We have a graduated price scale depending on the quantity that they purchase-with a minimum of 10 cards per sale. We also go “stall to stall,” offering the cards to all the vendors for their personal use, and many of these sweet folks want to get the cards as gifts for their family and friends.

A breakthrough-Stories to Grow By
By Dawn, Debbie, and Tim, USA
       The Lord has opened a door for us to regularly witness and get out Activated materials at a Latin Mall here in Atlanta. We were invited to clown for a monthly birthday party that they throw for all the children born in that month. The manager told us that they usually buy something from “Toys 'R' Us” to give presents to all the children. When I asked if they had already bought them and suggested that they use our tools instead, he bought 30 Gusano de la Discordia (Tug of War) books to give out to the children attending! This is a big breakthrough in our getting out Activated materials and it was a real inspiration to us that the Lord opened this door. We've started going to this mall regularly and setting up a stand to offer Activated and it's starting to roll.

Restaurant singing rocks!
By Jason, Eva, Lisa and Nadia, USA
       We started hitting restaurants with a singing team on Friday and Saturday night, and the CD cards went like hotcakes! We got out about 130 cards on Friday night, and 150 cards on Saturday night-all at one large restaurant! The people were all so sweet and wanted to get cards to help our missionary work. We've been offering the cards for $6 each or $10 for two-and lots of folks buy two-one for themselves and one to give to a friend!

Sales to salesmen
By Cassie, US Activated desk
       Recently I met a woman who is an insurance agent and she was thrilled with the CD Cards. She bought a few for samples to show the other agents in her office, and asked me to come to the office to show the cards to everyone. She explained that she has 200 clients, and they have 100 agents in her office who all have the same number of clients. Salespeople often like to send cards or little gifts to their customers-particularly auto salesmen, insurance salesmen, and those who sell big-ticket items. Another Home in our area sold 70 CD cards to one auto salesman who wanted them for his customers this Christmas! So this seems like a great way to get out the CD cards in quantities. I shared this tip with Crystal in North Carolina, and she wrote us the following:
       “I tried the idea about going to car sales people and boy, there certainly seems to be potential. I'm waiting on a call from the owner of one car business, who was very turned on about the idea and is considering getting 1,000 cards! Wow!”

Discovering Truth Series-hot sellers!
By Caleb and Sonnet, Canada
       We have found that a good way to get out Discovering Truth is to direct people right away to the index in Part Two and point out how relevant and current the topics are. We compare it with part one, which we tell people is excellent for providing a foundation, but that part two deals with topics that are very relatable to everyday living and excellent for classes, young people or just devotional reading in general. People generally want the “set” and will purchase both books. We tried this at the recent home-school convention and got out three times as many sets as we did last time.

Start Early sets-parents and kids love them!
By Free, USA
       I ordered six Start Early sets from the Activated office and the next day when I was out doing my regular parking lot litnessing with my son Joshy (2), I sold all six so quickly that I was kicking myself for not buying more to start with. When we met a potential family, or someone who was a Christian who we thought would like the Start Early's, Joshy would quote one of the verses, and when I showed the sets, everyone took one without hesitation! They're such a great tool-very beautifully done!

Request for Family home-schooling testimonies
By WS
       To all parents, teachers, teens and kids-all home schoolers, and those who are praying and planning to get back into home schooling:
       Thank you for doing all you can to follow what the Lord and Mama brought out in “Are You a Disciple?” (ML #3365:90-182) and the Lord's counsel in “Our Children's Education” (ML #3066). We would like to publish as much as we can from you to provide tips, ideas, comments, testimonies and encouragement for all our Family. Please send in any contributions you have along these lines to the Grapevine (marked “Home Schooling”).
       And as requested in the comment below, testimonies from and about our teens and young people are especially needed. Thank you!

* * *

       In light of the “Conviction vs. Compromise” series, and in particular about the home schooling/higher education sections, it would be nice if those of our teens and young people who are really on fire about Family education and home schooling, could send in some rock 'em sock 'em testimonies. It seems like positive peer pressure can definitely be a big blessing, as in some way the playing field has been left to the Enemy to some extent. We love to home school our kids, and I pray there are some testimonies out there somewhere!
       -Home in Turkey

pray

Healing KEY promise: The keys of the Kingdom can touch and heal any ailment. There is no sickness immune to the keys' power. Use the keys to strengthen, to touch, to heal, to make whole.

Asia
       Vicky Joy (17): Bronchial pneumonia and kidney inflammation.
       Ruth: Chronic asthma.
       Rahul: Torn ligaments in right knee.
       Crystal: Condition of the esophagus called Accalaisa, which causes difficulty in swallowing both solids and liquids.
       MarySGA (of Michael): Fibrocystic lumps in her breasts, causing discomfort and pain.

North America
       Ruth (of Gabe): Recovering after operation to remove womb, due to complications after the delivery of her baby.

Pacific
       Rejoice (of Jonathan): Suffered a serious, and potentially fatal brain hemorrhage, causing her to go in to a coma. Rejoice (34) is in intensive care, and underwent an operation, immediately before which some paralysis was detected on the left side of her body. The extent of the damage to the brain is not yet known.
       (From Jonathan: The doctors hold little hope that she will return to normal. Their opinion is that she will either not survive or she will come out partially, at best, or severely, at worst, mentally and physically disabled. Many of us here who are caring for her have felt that the only hope for her is in us claiming the tremendous power of the keys for a miraculous healing!
       On January 9th, we will be by her bedside for desperate united prayer, claiming the power of the keys for a miracle of healing! Jesus has told us to ask to declare to you, our dear Family, our faith in the keys. So we ask you to join us in claiming a tremendous keys miracle. My children and I do not feel she would be happy to be an invalid mentally or physically, so we are asking our wonderful Jesus not only for her survival but a complete restoration to perfect health!)

South America
       Angela (of Jonas): Had an operation to the thyroid gland, and recently experienced the beginning of a heart attack and had to be hospitalized. Doctors recommend surgery.

FED Seminars/Meetings/Special Projects (in 2001)
Topic: Parents, Teachers, and the CVC
Who: SACRO CVC desk
Where: São Paulo, Brazil
       Summary: (By Patti, SACRO CVC Coordinator:) I attended a São Paulo area meeting, the topic of which was the “CVC-How Parents/Teachers Can Participate.” Approximately 30 parents and teachers in the area attended. We spent at least three hours discussing the CVC program, getting to know it better, giving the vision to parents to encourage their teens/YAs (and even begin their JETTs studying towards the CVC Junior High exams), and encouraging teachers and volunteers to help in the area with schooling/CVC. The parents and teachers were able to ask questions, give ideas and opinions and get united to back the CVC program. The results of just this three-hour meeting has been so good. Already more teens are applying to the CVC and more parents are getting involved.

Topic: PEP Seminars (PEP = Pilot Educational Program)
Who: ASCRO FED
Where: Thailand, India, Middle East, Philippines
       Summary: (Hosted in March 2001 by the ASCRO FED Team, Dawn, the IA FED RC Team, and Leah:) The main topics focused on our children's scholastic needs to ensure that their educational needs are being met as per the Charter. We videoed the seminar in Thailand, and have used the video in other seminars held in the various regions of ASCRO. The video is also available for other CO areas.

Fruit of childcare seminars
(The following testimony was written by Joanna, a YA in the Philippines, who attended a childcare seminar held there in September 2001.)
By Joanna (18), Philippines
       The Family is moving forward in so many ways. The Lord is beginning to do amazing things through us, the Activated vision is taking off, and we have been promised the gift of even greater works! As a childcare person though, I often wondered, What happens to our children at this time? Is home schooling still our chosen means of education? How much emphasis are we now to place on the kids' schooling? Is the minimum time requirement given in the Charter really enough to help them make the grade?
       Perhaps the fact that I have been consistently on childcare explains why I am so full of these questions, but my guess is that a lot of other people were wondering the same. After all, our children have always been an integral part of our life as missionaries. It has so often been said that our children are our greatest witness. I have personally seen this proven time and again in any of my eight younger siblings (of course, at times they have also gone to great lengths to prove the opposite!). We are saturated with kids! Thus came about these childcare meetings!
       Our FED officer, Leah, anticipating our need for new direction in the area of our children's upbringing, came from Thailand to head up these meetings. Childcare meetings were not a common occurrence in this field, and I had never been to one before. Childcare workers from almost every Home in the area attended these meetings.
       The main topics of discussion were the CVC, CLE, and the PEP. The main focus was placed on home schooling. Our sweet mommies and CC workers in Thailand and India shared helpful pointers on what works and “how-to” tips with us, via video. We were given many ideas on how to regain the vision for properly home schooling our kids. We were constantly referred to the Word and the vast amount of material on childrearing that can be found in it. We have so much in the Family to share with our kids, and I hadn't really realized this until now!
       Prior to these meetings, I had grown rather indifferent to my brothers' and sisters' need for schooling. I had only been giving them the bare minimum in teaching them. Consequently, their education standard and grades had noticeably gone down. This was a shame, especially considering the excellent training and schooling I was given by my teachers. These meetings encouraged me to once again put my all into the children I teach.
       Family kids are blessed kids who deserve the best they can get, and that goes for their education too. There is so much material available to teach our kids with. I had failed to see that the Word gives us so much help in schooling our kids. Entire curriculums are provided for us in the Childcare Handbooks and in recent pubs.
       I now feel that I have the best job and calling available! I pray that I will be able to implement everything I learned in those two days, and that somewhere out there a happy bunch of kids will benefit from it.

Winning Chinese in the Far East of Siberia
By DJ, Davida and Joseph, Russia
       One of our desperate prayers has been to get in touch with Chinese Christians so that we can begin feeding and looking for those who will bring the Word to their people. We didn't receive a good check about going to traditional churches; the Lord told us that He would bring the sheep to our path. So we've had quite a ball witnessing and giving tracts to tour groups that come here from China. It seems to be a popular thing for Chinese to do, as they flock here in droves.
       On one of these days, when having full-time fun with Chinese tourists-more exactly them having fun taking pictures one after another with our cute kids and us, then us presenting them with tracts-we saw one young guy by the river with a little longer hair and glasses. He wasn't with the tour. Something was a little different about him, or so I thought. As soon as I approached him with a To You With Love, he just beamed, ardently crossed himself, crossed me, and pulled out of his shirt pocket a little silver silhouette of Jesus! Wow, the guy was a Christian! Hallelujah! I've never been so glad to meet a Christian in my life, ha!
       To make a long story short, we spent a considerable amount of time with this guy and his two non-Christian friends. They didn't speak a word of anything but Chinese. I had to use all my resources of Mandarin, sign language, sound-making and drawing skills (which I wished to be more abundant)!
       Kim (let's give him this name) turned out to be from a small village. His family was Christian and he was super thankful for anything to read! I took his address in hopes of writing to him, as I thought that he would return home, like the other visiting Chinese tourists.
       However, a couple of days later in our grocery store, someone called me by my name and I saw the other two guys with an older man. He turned out to be Kim's older brother, with the same radiant faith. The same Chinese-only conversation took place, and I found out a little more about where they are from.
       I was pretty desperate to find someone to help me to translate my conversations with these Chinese Christians. One day while I was downtown, I ran into an open-air Chinese market. Since it was morning, not many Russians were shopping, so the Chinese were idly wasting their time. I asked the Lord what I should do and He told me to give tracts to each Chinese person in this market. So I did, and very soon I had given out about 80 tracts. No one refused! (Actually, we haven't had any negative reactions from Chinese to the lit; just two or three have refused a tract, but very politely.) At the end of this market, I ran into four Christians. The very last one I met was a young guy who spoke Russian better than anyone I've met so far. I'll call him Ding.
       Ding is 23 years old. He's been a believer for three years. He, along with many of his relatives that I met that day, is Korean Chinese, coming from towns in Northern China close to Korea. He speaks both Korean and Chinese. He finished studying to be a math teacher, and six months ago came to Russia.
       I talked for a long time with Ding; it was a meeting that I had dreamed of since I first got the burden to come here. To shorten the story, Ding knows many Chinese Christians here; many of the youth are on-fire and want to learn and become missionaries. Most importantly, they have links with “underground” churches in the Chinese interior. I hope that with their help we'll be able to get in touch with those in God's time, minister to them, supply them with lit, and do whatever else the Lord will show us to help them spread the Word to their land! I've had a few more meetings with Ding since then, and he's willing to help me with whatever I need-translations, meetings with our other friend Kim, or any other Chinese people. Ding's aunt proved to be an enthusiastic believer too. Both pleaded with us to supply them with any kind of Christian literature to read in Chinese; they have so little besides their Bibles.
       As far as stats, we gave out about 400 homemade tracts this month to the Chinese in our town, and personally witnessed to about 30 of those with whom we could talk. We haven't had a chance to pray with anyone yet; this is something that we hope to learn how to do, and we can't do it yet at this time with our limited knowledge of the language. We pray that the Lord will give us more in-depth opportunities to witness to those Chinese who speak good Russian and will be ready to receive the Lord. But we do what we can, and though our progress may be slow, it is sure, and one day we'll catch up, with His help.
       Here is the excerpt of the prophecy the Lord gave us recently about the effects of our work, which was very encouraging to us, as we felt that we were accomplishing very little:
       Every one of these tracts given to the Chinese is like a thrust with a sword into the wall of darkness that surrounds this land, cutting in it a crack, even a small one, through which the light of My Word can shine!
       Even if giving out 400 tracts seems little to you, compare it to 400 thrusts into a dark veil and you'll see how much difference it makes, how much light is able to shine through where it was complete darkness before!
       Each of these tracts given is likened unto a warrior of light sent out into the Enemy's territory! Each of their lives will last a different time-some will be able to give it one fight and then die, crushed in the hand of an unreceptive one. But some will go on and on, from one battle after another with the evil forces, going from enlightening one soul after another, in such far places, where you even can't imagine them to be.
       So know that this month you've sent 400 soldiers into the fight, fluent in the language, able to cross borders unnoticed, doing what I destined them to do. With each of these paper soldiers went teams of My Spirit fighters-angels and helpers! They had a way and a vehicle to travel to this great land of China and do their work to bring to Me the souls of men! This is what it looks like in the Spirit!
       (Note: This team had a want ad in Grapevine 102-the bottom line of it was: Would you like to help us print some Chinese lit?-Write to RU009! We need about 1,500,000,000 pieces to be exact! Love, DJ, Davida and Joseph, Russia)

A perfect morning, part 1
By Kevin
       Everything about the day had been perfect. The usual obligatory urgencies and emergencies were mysteriously absent, and everything I had done so far had worked out just swell. The world around me was quiet and serene, and all that could be heard was my nine-month-old son as he lay in his crib practicing the assortment of animal sounds we had diligently rehearsed the previous evening during snack time. This was indeed life as it was meant to be.
       But I soon discovered that there were indeed hurdles to overcome. The first was getting out of bed.
       It was Daddy's turn to take the little guy so Mommy could get a much needed and deserved sleep-in. It was time for the challenge of the day: To spend the next few hours entertaining a child who has the attention span of a Mexican jumping bean.
       As I was contemplating the pros and cons of letting nature take its course and dropping my head back to the pillow, I noticed the tranquil hum of cute animal noises was now frequently interspersed with grunts of frustration and boredom. I knew it would be only seconds before the baby siren was fully charged and if I didn't act promptly and decisively, glass objects would shatter and everyone in the neighborhood would run to their basements and bunkers believing an air raid was imminent.
       So, quick as a flash I dashed to my son's teddy bear-laden bed and clasped him close to my breast in my strong, fatherly arms, just in time to avert his operatic shrieks. I had scarcely completed a sigh when a wide, yet curiously roguish, grin spread across his chubby little face. I laughed nervously. Immediately the silence was broken by a confident and protracted “thrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrppp.”
       As I stood there holding the child to my breast (and two fingers to my nose), it became apparent that this was a decisive test of fatherhood. Would I worry? Would I panic? Would I allow myself to give in to fear and confusion? Yep.
       After several minutes of running around the room bumping into walls I eventually I got a hold of myself, and being skilled in the ways of fatherhood, I knew exactly what had to be done. I quickly gathered the diapers, wet wipes, powder, cream, cleaning agent, surgical mask, gloves, tweezers, plastic tarp, fire extinguisher, and other essentials. In less than an hour I was ready to perform the delicate operation of a diaper change.
       Using a pair of tweezers, I carefully removed the tape from the diaper. After a few brief moments of unconsciousness I rose to my feet and tossed the diaper into a metal drum to be later buried 30 feet under ground, according to government regulations. Then, going purely on my fatherly instinct, I knew, without having to look in the Childcare Handbook, that the next step was to clean up the mess.
       Again putting my fatherly instinct to task, within seconds I had devised the ideal plan to get things to a spic-and-span state. However, when I discovered that my 5-inch hose would not reach a working fire hydrant, I decided wet wipes would have to do.
       “Now, son,” I said in a fatherly way, “I'm going to reach down and grab a diaper from the bottom shelf of the changing table. You want a happy daddy, right?” I received a sweet ear-to-ear smile, which made me feel about as reassured as a zebra in an animal documentary titled “The Wonderful World of Lions and their Lunch.” I laughed nervously.
       As quickly as possible I reached for a diaper on the bottom shelf of the changing table just in time to feel a warm, wet stream splattering my back and head. Where's that fire hydrant when I need it?
       After a bath of wet wipes I had finally, after merely 12 or 13 tries, perfectly fitted my son with a nice clean diaper. Okay, so maybe it wasn't perfect, but where does the Charter say anything against holding a diaper together with half a roll of duct tape?
       A pretty full morning so far, but truthfully, it had only begun. I now braced myself for the ultimate challenge of deftness and patience: Time to get the wiggly worm dressed. I laughed nervously.

(To be continued…)

Also included with this file:
Peculiar People (by Zeb)
       Caption 1: I can't believe it! They're discontinuing the Zine! Has it come to that?! Woe is me!
       Caption 2: SOB!
       Caption 3: Hey! Look what just arrived in the new mailing! It's that new, exciting, highly illustrated comic mag!
       Caption 4: WOAH! Cooool!

Copryight © 2002 by The Family

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