• Home » Children of God Publications » Grape Vine #128

The Family / Children of God

Internal Publications and Secret Directives

DISCLAIMER: The sole purpose of this page is to document the existence of a publication produced by The Family International a.k.a. The Family, Family of Love, Children of God and various pseudonyms (hereon referred to as TFI). It is provided for the record, for educational and research purposes, with the principal aim of promoting accountability by the TFI for its teachings and statements, which have proven detrimental to the lives of many. By replicating this material, exFamily.org neither endorses the views expressed in this publication nor justifies the existence of this publication and its statements. Reader discretion is advised. The material on this page may be unsuitable for minors and may contain disturbing words of racism, hate mongering, directives to unhealthy lifestyles and/or criminal activity, and/or contain plagiarized works.

the grapevine
(Issue 128; February 15, 2002.)

The news and views from Family members published in the Grapevine do not necessarily reflect WS policy. Suggested reading age for this publication is 14 years and up. Selected portions may be read by or with those younger at parents' or shepherds' discretion. The Grapevine, P.O. Box 168751, Irving, Texas, USA - 75016-8751 e-mail: gv@wsfamily.com Copyright © 2002 by The Family

NEEDED: Sponsors for Needy Sheep in Eastern Europe
By the Eastern European Hungarian Activated desk
       Just like each one of you out there, weat the EE Mail Ministry are thinking of different ways to make the Activated vision a reality in our part of the world. So far we have the Activated program rolling in Hungarian and Romanian, and we have presently over 300 subscribers. The first few magazines have also been printed in Russian, Ukrainian, and Croatian and by the time you read this, subscriptions will have been sold in those countries as well, Lord willing. Bulgarian, Albanian, Czech, Polish and Slovakian are also in the works!
       It's been over 11 years since the beginnings of the Mail Ministry and over 19,000 Romanians and 6,000 Hungarians were fed through the MM course we had, free of charge. However, in this new era of action, the Lord has led us to discontinue the free MM course and offer these former MM sheep the opportunity to subscribe to Activated, just like anywhere else in the world.
       Right now we have long lists of potential and precious sheep that would very much like to subscribe to Activated, but they just can't afford the price. So we want to appeal to anyone interested to help with the spiritual feeding of these folks!
       Our first request for help is for those totally incapable to pay for the Activated magazines-the prisoners and orphans. On the Romanian list alone we have 29 orphans and about 320 prisoners from 15 prisons all over Romania and we could add scores from the Hungarian Mail Ministry as well. In Romania's maximum-security prison, our letters are the only Word that goes in, the only contact these people have with the outside world. Most of these prisoners actively share the Good News with their fellow-inmates, and every month their numbers grow and more prisoners get saved and write to us for further feeding. Everything started three years ago with one single prisoner, who faithfully witnessed to those he could, and it grew until 320 were saved.
       Aside from the prisoners and orphans, there are hundreds of other hungry sheep in both Romania and Hungary that are not able to pay for an Activated subscription-some are pensioners, some are students, and others just come from poorer backgrounds. Would you or your Home be willing to help sponsor subscriptions for these needy, precious people in Romania and Hungary? Do you want your Home's Activated stats to skyrocket? Then sponsor some subscriptions for some of the many Hungarian and Romanian sheep today!
       Or perhaps you have a burden to sponsor subscriptions for some of the many hungry sheep in Russia, Ukraine, Albania, Bulgaria, Czech, Poland or Slovakia? That would be terrific, too! With the Lord's help, these other language areas will also soon be up and rolling, so if you have a specific burden to help feed the sheep in any of those countries, please specify which country when you send in your donation. Or, if you simply want to help feed the Lord's many sheep in the EE, and want us to decide where the biggest need is when your donation arrives here, please write “EE sheep” on your Home's donation.
       The price for one subscription of 15 magazines is only $7.00 (USD). You can send your donations to HU 143 (Mail Ministry Home, Hungary) via your TRF, specifying which country you would like to sponsor subscriptions for.
       Thank you very much for your help! You can contact us at our Eastern European Activated desk: eedesk@bluebirdfoundation.org. Please include your PGP key at first contact and we will send you ours.

       For your inspiration, here is an excerpt from a letter from a prisoner.Each month we receive scores of similar letters:
       I don't know how I can thank you. I have no words to express what's going on in my heart. Until I received your second letter, I didn't know what it meant to be loved or love anyone. For 35 years I thought love only existed in people's imaginations.
       At last I found what I was looking for. In fact, I didn't even know I was looking for it, but I found it. What I needed was someone to love and be loved by, and you brought that person-Jesus-into my life. Before I received your letter, I didn't think about anything except how could I get out of prison sooner. Now all I want is to be able to show love to those who need it, and Jesus has given me the opportunity to do that. Everyone in here is starving for a kind word and a little bit of love from a sincere heart. I'm so glad that I have this chance to love others, and in return to be loved with God's love through them.
       Now it doesn't matter to me so much that I'm locked up here. I no longer scratch a line on the wall of my cell for every day that passes. I'm happy! Thank you so, so, so much! I thank God and Jesus from the bottom of my heart for His love for me, and for the fact that you exist. I want the whole world to know that I, a murderer, found happiness and love and forgiveness through Jesus. As long as I live, I'll tell others about Jesus' love!

The effects of Feast 2002…
Marianne (SGA), USA
       The Feast is always such a special time, a time that I treasure above almost all else. I look forward to it all year and when it arrives, I love basking in every second of that special time reserved for my Husband. My heart overflows with love and thankfulness for all the gifts He pours out on us, and the way He opens His heart to us without reservation. The gifts He revealed to us this Feast were awesome. I hardly feel worthy of such blessings. They are powerful and are not for those who don't mean serious business for the Lord.
       I know that putting these things into practice in my personal life will take a commitment on my part. Making these things a part of me goes against a big part of human nature, at least a lot of my personal habits. But I am determined to follow my Lover to the very end and make the effort, whatever it takes, to use these gifts as much as possible and learn the use of these weapons as faithfully as I can.
       Each GN was special and delicious in its own way, and altogether created such a wonderful and bountiful Feast. Thank you, Mama, for being so faithful to pass on such revelations from the Lord's mouth to us.
       I could go on and on about how much this Feast meant to me, but all in all it changed me in a way that nothing else has before. I know that as I take it one step at a time to obey and follow without hesitation, my loving Husband will fulfill His promises and bring me closer to Him in every way possible.

Paloma (17), USA
       When the new GNs have questions at the end to personally ask the Lord about it is very helpful! I like it a lot as it gives me a good start on getting my own personal counsel from Him. Thanks for adding those questions, and I hope there can be more in future GNs!

Tender Joy, Pakistan
       I think this was the best Feast I have had so far! The Word was thrilling, enlightening and heavy! Some things have not yet completely sunk into my whole being. It'll take some time and re-studying to fully grasp with my heart, soul, mind and spirit what it really means and will entail in my life. All I know is that I want it!
       The time between the readings was such a beautiful, meaningful experience for me. When re-reading the GNs and then praying about the questions that were asked, things made so much sense. Even if my gift of prophecy is not that “flowing,” it seems easier and simpler now to hear from the Lord this way. I see how I just have to get really quiet and focus and want an answer! And, sure enough, I have gotten it every time I asked!
       I also want to say a big thank you for “Rising Above,” the online-only GN #2! It was so feeding to read it! I started to write down every quote that spoke to my heart, but I soon realized that I copied more or less everything down! I know that I will have to restudy and restudy this one, too, as I really want (and see the need) to be able to rise above the things that are either small, but nagging, frustrating or discouraging in everyday life, or the seemingly bigger obstacles that will take a miracle.
       The word pictures were so illustrative and clear and helped it to be easy to grasp and understand the concept of rising above. I am praying that I can remember and apply all this in my daily life more and more and more until it becomes a habit to rise above without thinking.

Activated reactions and testimonies
(Sent in by the EAD: We received this letter from a man in jail in Thailand, shortly before Christmas. We wrote to a Home in Thailand and put them in touch with him.)

Grace for a prisoner
       Greetings from Thailand in the precious name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. It's my pleasure to inform you that I've been receiving this wonderful magazine called Activated and it has been a great blessing to me. It has touched my heart in a profound way and strengthened my walk with God. Isn't that wonderful? Actually it was someone who subscribed to these magazines for me. May God continue to bless this ministry and keep your prophetic words flowing, and use these ministries to win many souls.
       I am Kevin Walter, a 29-year-old Nigerian, in prison here in Bangkok for possession of illicit drugs. I've been here since 1994, serving a jail term of 25 years. I'm not sure when I'll be released but I'm asking the Lord to intervene in my life and shorten the days of my stay in jail. I've got a poor family background; in fact, it was in a bid to assist my mum in the upbringing of my younger ones that I got myself lured into being a drug courier. It was my first trip out of the country that landed me in jail. Since my incarceration I've been through a lot of odds and trouble, but in spite of it all I thank God that He's in total control of my life, plus shepherding me each day.
       I really would like to start a communicational relationship with you. I would like to hear from other brothers and sisters in other parts of the world, also from your members in my homeland of Nigeria. Certainly it will help ease some of my pain and stress of prison tension. I look forward to hearing from you soon. My heartfelt love to everyone out there. May our Lord bless you as you continue in His service.
       Sincerely yours,
       Kevin

(Sent in by the U.S. desk: E-mail response from an Activated reader.)

I will inform others
       It's wonderful to spend time meditating on the essential meaning of life. I appreciate being a part of a purpose that serves the best interest of everyone. I admit that I find myself lacking with regard to being a big witness for the Lord in my life. I haven't really gotten out into the world, even in my own community.
       I have lived in Hawaii all my life. I am 30 years old now, and have raised three children as a single parent. I am looking into volunteer opportunities to gain some kind of skill-building experience that may eventually lead to economic self-sufficiency. I don't know of anyone here in the Hawaii from Activated Ministries that I can work with, but would be interested in contacting anyone you may be able to refer me to here.
       I fully enjoy the Activated mags. Given the right opportunity, I will definitely inform interested others on how to subscribe to the Activated magazines.
       Happy New Year!
       Aloha

Working with the Missionaries of Charity
From Aaron and Joyful, Calcutta, India
       After Mother Teresa (founder of the Missionaries of Charity) died, a prophecy from her was published. She says in there that the sisters need the love of David and if we (the Family) would please go and give it to them. These dear sisters give a lot daily to the poor, sick and dying of Calcutta as well as to a lot of children. They have a simple orphanage where they receive about 300 abandoned babies a year from all over India and the surrounding countries, and arrange for them to be adopted by Indian families and families abroad.
       Awhile back we got them subscribed to the Activated magazines and by now they are receiving 10 sponsored copies. (Thanks to our dear Family sponsors!) When they received the Christmas issue, the Sister Superior told me how all the sisters were especially grabbing this issue and liked it so much. They used some of it in their service as well.
       We went to sing for their orphanage (besides the babies, there is also an older group of children, as well as a group of handicapped children who no one wants to adopt), and went to see the babies after that. Incredibly small babies were picked up by these dear sisters and nursed back to life. It brought tears to our eyes to see them and made us so thankful for those dear Missionaries of Charity, and Mother Teresa who started all this (and much more). She definitely left her stamp of dedication and deep love for Jesus on Calcutta.

The Christmas tape connection
From the Bangalore Service Home, India
       We were recently passed the e-mail address and phone number of someone who had contacted the Activated desk and wanted a Sing a Song of Joy cassette. We called him up and he was thrilled to hear from us and wanted to meet right away. We met in a restaurant and he wanted to let us know how he had found us.
       Since he was young he had heard the songs from Sing a Song of Joy and now as Christmas was approaching, he wanted to search for that tape more than ever. He did a search for Sing a Song of Joy on the Web and it led him to the Family's site and then to Activated. He then sent his e-mail to the desk, which they forwarded to us. He ended up signing up for Activated and bought a Christmas tape.

News from Activated desks, December 2001

BRAZIL DESK
       The Homes in Brazil sent in 747 NEW PAID SUBSCRIBERS in December alone! This is a new monthly record. In fact, it is more than double our previous monthly record-November's 354 new subscribers.
       We received 112 GP mail orders for tools! This is also a new record-an increase of 29%over November's record of 87 sales. The profits from these mail order sales are fast becoming one of our principal sources of income.
       The São Paulo area fellowship, which Contato hosted this year, was a big success. The admission price-one new subscription per Home-helped the São Paulo Homes achieve their highest monthly subscription total ever, over 100 new subscriptions.

CHILE DESK
       We had a great month of December! Lots of books, calendars, and magazines were distributed in our area-Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay. Many of the brethren and Activated disciples sold books and calendars and gave them as gifts. Store-to-store and gas station distribution of Conéctate materials also went well. Some brethren sold CD cards together with our Christmas Conéctate mag.
       We were able to print 1,000 Christmas mags, which went out like “holy bread” here, ha! We wished we would've had more, but we didn't foresee the demand. We learned something for next time. The “Mag of the Month” program is fantastic.
       We were able to send Conéctate mags and books to Paraguay. This is a great victory as the Homes there have been sort of isolated for sometime given the geographical location of the country.
       One of the Homes in the area has been really pushing books and other Conéctate tools, apart from the usual cassette tapes and videos, and they are finding out there is a big market out there for our products. They have been distributing hefty amounts of Obstacles Are for Overcoming, The Future Foretold, From Jesus - with Love, and other books.

EUROPE DESK
       We were very busy leading up to Christmas with lots of orders and subscriptions coming in. We sent off the first mailing for the EE team. Slowly but surely the amount of GP orders that we have received has begun to pick up.

INDIA DESK
       All of our Weekly Planners for 2002 have gone out!
       At the beginning of this year, 10,000 subscriptions looked a bit out of reach, but the Lord has definitely proved His power and helped us to almost get there this year. We had our highest month ever.
       All the Homes in Bangalore just had a meeting/program for their Activated subscribers. They were each sent their complete list of all the subscribers from their Home and they sent out invitations to each one. The program was a “street play” and musical story about changing the world, with a challenge at the end for anyone who wants to, to join hands with us in changing our part of the world. Forms were passed out to see if people would like to ... sign up a friend, join weekly or monthly classes, help in CTP projects etc. Over 350 people came to the program, most of whom the Homes were not following up on before, so now there is a whole new group of people to take to a new level of growth.

Activated spurs city-wide follow-up effort
By Mark (CO), India
       It was exciting and inspiring to have our Active members witnessing alongside us over Christmas. We also held a candlelight service with 26 of our Active members. Church growth takes time and you don't always see the growth immediately, but it was so nice at the end of the year to hear their new year's prayers, and to see how many more Active members we had at the end of this year as compared to last. We also had six of our Active members join us for the Feast (a first for our Home!). They just took it all in and grew so much from the experience.
       With the Activated vision, of not only getting subscribers to the magazine but coupled with faithful follow-up and it being the foundation of our Family expansion, we met as a city to come up with a workable plan to harvest the subscribers.-Particularly the ones that we have in a database but don't know personally or who are not yet part of any Family Home's church.
       The idea came about to have a program, with songs, a skit, a message, and finally, drawing the net. The exciting part was in counseling and checking in with the Lord about the meat of the message, the Lord confirmed to not compromise in the sense that the Word needed to be straight from the Activated mags and to introduce Jesus specifically and clearly. The theme was, “Change your life. Change your world.” It was a street play put together and performed by the young people with a band, dance team, and a localized “Change the World” skit. We also had a large screen set up (10x12 feet) that displayed the song lyrics.
       The Lord's Spirit was strong and powerful. The deeper the message we gave, the greater the Lord poured down His Spirit and anointing. There were people in tears afterwards. Many folks who had only met us once or had subscribed many months ago were saying, “How can we be part of your Family and your work?” “Yes! I want weekly Bible classes.” This type of get-together is something we may need to do monthly, as we continue to get new Activated subscribers. (In Bangalore we get approximately 100 new subscribers a month.)
       The harvest is so plenteous. This fruit of the Activated magazines and vision is compelling us to get out there, feed the sheep, and do whatever it takes to reap the harvest!

MEXICO DESK
       There was an amazing demand for the new CD cards. The Homes were thrilled with these tools, and having eight titles to choose from was a plus. We were soon out of stock of the CD cards. We also received several calls from the GP who had bought CD cards from large chain stores and supermarkets, who are now interested in purchasing directly from us.
       In the second week of December we shared a booth at a Christmas Fair with another Home in Monterrey. This went very well and we were able to get out a good amount of tools.-We were mostly pushing the ICDs, and these went out very well.
       While going shop to shop, we found many shop owners willing to display our CD cards in our very nice display units. When we explained our work to them, most of them agreed to have the display on the counter in their store on consignment and sell them for us, without taking any commission for the sales. This worked pretty well, and we would make our rounds every couple of days, or call them to see if we needed to replenish the display.

USA DESK
       Our Christmas CD card sales went very well this year. We sold a total of 75,876 cards, which was a 40% increase over last year's sales. We know the “Conviction vs. Compromise” series helped the Homes to focus more on tool distribution this Christmas. If our Activated Homes were a gauge of the typical Home, we had our best Christmas ever! Even though we had an extremely busy schedule at the office, we still were able to get out in the evenings and on the weekends, selling cards in parking lots, shop to shop, and in restaurants. It was fun for everyone!

Activated tips and ideas
Books as gifts
From the Chile desk
       Some of our Activated disciples bought several copies of books like From Jesus - with Love or calendars to give as Christmas gifts to friends or relatives. Others also bought magazines for the same purpose. We have promoted doing this in the area and people have gotten really turned on to giving gifts of a “spiritual” nature like our books and tools.

E-mail advertising
From the Europe desk
       We came up with an idea of sending out small one- or two-liner advertisements for some of the new books that we got recently, as a signature at the end of all the e-mail that we send out.

Renewal promotion
From the India desk
       We have been communicating with and encouraging the Homes to meet all those who are ready to renew their subscriptions. From our database, we have sent out a listing of those who have completed their one-year subscription. This information seems to be a blessing to the Homes, as many times they are not sure who is ready to renew and who is not.
       From what we have heard, a large percentage of those who have been on Activated for the first year want to renew it for the second year and sometimes even sign up a friend. A lot of these people are people who the Homes do not meet regularly and so when they do meet them, they have been quite exuberant and happy to meet someone from Activated.

Living “Conviction vs. Compromise”
Turning down ballooning and clowning
By Hannah (of Philip), India
       We wanted to testify to the Lord's goodness and how He put us to the test after reading Part 3 of the “Conviction vs. Compromise” series.
       We had been doing a lot of face-painting, ballooning, and clowning with another Home, and almost no sooner than we had read this Letter, we got a call from someone asking us to do 10 full hours of it in one day! We would have made quite a lot of funds through this, so it was a good test for us. We were scared but at the same time very excited, and got together to pray about it. We all got that it was a test and a couple of us got something like, “Were we willing to put that many hours on the field witnessing, getting out tools and Activating as we would have done for this-just basically for funds?” The Lord challenged us to try it and see if He was not able to do mighty miracles for us.
       Well, you can guess the outcome! We decided that we weren't able to do the clowning and explained why. Instead, we sent out two teams with two adults and the two teens that were supposed to do the clowning and both teams did really well. We got some Activated subscriptions, some follow-up done, a new contact for our tools in a book store, tools out, and at the end of the day we got an order for 100 Mottos Planners, which alone amounted to the funds that we would have made through the clowning! Wow! We were so excited and thrilled and we all resolved not to do clowning or ballooning again unless we were able to make it a solid witness at the same time.

Like frogs in the pot
By Joan Newheart, Philippines
       There's nothing more victorious to be reported this month than receiving the mailings about our life as Family members. Again and again while reading the mags, the Scripture Luke 24:32 came to me, “And they said to one another, did not our hearts burn within us, while He talked with us by the way, and while He opened to us the Scriptures?” The truth of these Letters were just like that. It made our hearts burn within us, and we felt like yelling a battle cry to fight against the awful lukewarmness and compromise that has crept in ever so slowly, without us being fully aware that it was there. We were just like the frog in the pot, slowly being cooked and not feeling it. God knows that in our hearts we want the pureness of the Lord's Family, and are willing to live and die for the truth, so it was just shocking to see that we had allowed in the small foxes. It felt so good to read those mags.

Keeping the standard brings blessings
By Catherine, Estevão, and Ana, Heavenhome, Brazil
       We have a small, relatively new follow-up Home (one year in existence). Some months ago, we had to make some decisions about the spiritual standard of our Home. We had a young person who was an excellent fundraiser (he brought in a third of the Home budget by himself!) but who wanted his own independent life within the Home. We had to make the decision to obey the Word, raise the spiritual standard, and trust the Lord. He went FM and left the Home. We were only three adults and one teen left. Then two more boys came to our Home to help.
       A month later, the “Conviction vs. Compromise” Letters came out and we decided that the boy who wanted to help support the Home via a System job would have to find another place. He left. The other boy also went FM more or less at the same time, due to the seriousness of the New Wine.
       We took the counsel in the “Conviction vs. Compromise” Letters, and by faith passed down the spirit to our Active members. Some of them had ongoing problems and disobediences that we hadn't invested serious time in helping them to get a complete victory over. The Lord showed us that it was our responsibility to pass on this spirit of obedience to them. Although it was a battle and we had to take several personal meetings to explain it and bring them through, it has borne lots of good fruit, even in their tithes and donations!
       But we were still only three adults and one teen for the Christmas push. We give four Bible studies a week. We have to do a lot of tool sales to make it and it was tiring because we have kids, too. Anyway, we just had to keep going with or without those brethren who had other goals and visions in their life besides the complete dropout vision-and guess what? Over Christmas push we raised the complete budget for January and the rent for February and were able to take vacations after Christmas!
       For us, it is a complete miracle and the Lord's blessing for our determination to stay revolutionary and stick as close as possible to the standard of the CM Family, trusting Him for the funds and supply.

Meat of the Word-right off the bat!
By David DragonSlayer, India
       We are taking road trips to another state here in India where we used to have a Home. It's a 38-hour trip by train. Due to this city being a sensitive place with a lot of persecution of Christians, we had to go slow with our friends there and were mainly giving them the milk of the Word, talking to them more about our CTP projects, etc.
       Then something happened!-The new GNs came out that gave us the vision for the Activated program and becoming teachers and shepherds. Another thing that spoke to us is that we needed to give our friends the meat of the word. After the recent happenings in U.S., we found people very receptive to the message.
       We felt the anointing on us to warn all our friends about the Endtime, the Antichrist, and the new cashless society that is soon to come. So we would just walk into people's offices and tell them that we had something special to read with them from the Bible that would open their eyes and give them more understanding of what is happening in the world and why.
       We gave many Bible classes like Daniel 2, Matthew 24, etc. People were flipped out, telling us they wanted to know more. One top businessman in the city spent five-and-a-half hours with us reading the Bible and watching Countdown to Armageddon. Amazingly enough, he didn't answer his phone or let anybody in his office during that time. He prayed with us and told us how thankful he was that we had given him these truths. Not only did we get a chance to present our tools and our work, but the meat of the message was preached!

Preaching the Law of Love
By Steven and Christina, South Africa
       This GN series talks about not being afraid to share the meat of the work when the Lord shows us to go ahead for the benefit of the sheep.
       During a faith trip, while staying at a lady's house, we were gathered together with her son and a friend of his. The conversation started to steer toward the topic of relationships outside marriage. Although those folks are occasional churchgoers, the Lord encouraged us not to hold back about the sexual side of the Law of Love, but to present it in a way that would be more understandable to them. They were quite receptive to the message and afterward thanked us for clearing up some misunderstandings, misconceptions, and confusion brought in by church doctrines.
       It was convicting to realize that had we held back on the meat of the Word that they needed, we could have ended up sounding like any another Christian group or church pastor. Compromising would have kept our witness shallow and ineffective and we wouldn't have been able to answer the deep questions they had in their hearts.

Discovering the wonders of the “God factor!”
By James Newheart, India
       We made a real effort to put the Activated ministry first in our outreach, despite the fact that it caused a considerable drop in our outreach income. But because we were mainly focusing on getting people Activated, the Lord did some wonderful miracles to show us that He was pleased.
       First the Lord brought a very sweet couple and their baby to our doorstep to take care of and feed. They are so hungry and thirsty for the Word and training, and it is just what we needed to get us on our toes in the Spirit. There is nothing like having babes around to get everyone desperate and in prayer and in unity.
       Secondly, the Lord supplied a very large donation “out of the blue.” It really encouraged us and gave us more faith to keep going in the Activated direction.

Attention, grandparents!
       Want to turn back the clock? Then hang out with your grandchildren! That's right. Research shows that grandparents who spend time taking care of their grandchildren actually feel younger and more active. Those grandparents also say they have a greater purpose in life. You see, when grandparents give their time unselfishly to their grandchildren, an invigorating bond can form. That connection is good for both the grandparent and the grandchild. Of course, it can be hectic, it can be tiring, but what a wonderful and energizing way to turn back the clock.
       -Mark Merrill, The Family Minute
(Editor's note: If you aren't living with your own grandchildren, why not adopt some of the other kids in your Home for “grandchildren time?” It'll do you good, the kids good, and will help the parents too!)

NEW FEATURE: Home-schooling corner

JETTs and TEENS
Tips on using the CVC courses with our teens and JETTs
By Mercy (of Byron), Europe
       I have been using the CVC courses with my six older kids for the past few years and would like to share some tips and lessons we learned along the way.
       One of the most helpful things I did to learn to use and master the course was to do it myself. Since I had joined the Family as a teen, I had never finished high school, so I set out to pass my General High School Diploma and get a few certificates. That gave me a well-rounded view of the CVC, its assets and drawbacks, and it was a lot of fun. And I finally got some “credit” for being a mom of nine (I got a GHSD, and certificates in CC, Youth Counseling, Christian Counseling, Primary Teaching, and Secondary Teaching, all things that home schooling moms do day in and day out.) These took me about three years to get through (since I don't have as much time available as regular students), but doing my school right alongside the young people helped me to understand what they had to do, as well as showing them that it can be done and how to do it by jumping right in. After all, a sample is worth more than a sermon.
       Of course, I didn't wait to finish my courses before getting them into it, but it all happened simultaneously. With some of the young people, it was quite simple; they were eager to learn, had a vision for the stuff and got right in. They planned their courses, studied faithfully, and did great. But others were much less challenged and some not at all. For those two last groups, I had to find a different approach than: “Here's the book, choose what you want and go for it.”
       With some young people, it has to be discussed with them, and they need help to choose courses. Then they need help to plan, prepare, and assign their work on a week-by-week basis just like any other schooling. But still, for others, that was not sufficient. I found out a couple of teens actually didn't read the material, but simply ticked it on their planner.
       That's when I decided to turn the CVC courses into open book tests. For each pub or article to be read, I give a list of questions to be answered in writing and there's no way to answer them, but by reading the pub. That did it. Of course this is more time-consuming that the “here's the book, work through it” method, but for the ones who do not discipline and apply themselves, it has turned out to be the key. Then when it's time to fill the forms and sign them, I can do it in full knowledge that the material has been studied properly.
       Another point is that since the CVC courses came out, it's possible to already use them (except for the practical experience) with younger kids. Elena passed her Junior High School diploma shortly before her 13th birthday, and for the past six months has been doing CVC courses towards her General High School Diploma. Since she is still young, the open book test (OBT) method works well with her and also shows that she has done “school work,” not just reading.
       With younger students, who still have plenty of school hours available and may not be in a hurry to get their Diploma, it's nice to supplement the courses with side studies. For example, Elena had chosen “Travel through Eastern Europe.” Since it's a relatively short course, I supplemented it with a country-by-country study of EE from an encyclopedia, taking some notes, drawing the flags, and adding pictures to her notes. She also memorized the flags, capitals, and locations of every EE country. Then she wrote an essay on “Life in Lithuania,” having lived there for five years. I felt this would round off her schooling as well as be more presentable to any System inquiries, should the need arise.
       Sometimes, instead of just giving open book questions, I ask for short essays or summaries. For example, in the course on Current Events, some of the “World Currents” Letters talk about famous people, so I ask the student to research and write a short summary on the life of that person. In a good encyclopedia (such as Encarta), there's a lot of info to be found. Or I may request that the pupils express their opinions or conclusions on an article, which helps me to see if they get the point or if they misunderstood something. Sometimes what is clear to us as adults is not clear to them, and unless we find out how they perceive a certain topic, we can't help them come to the right conclusions.
       Saving the open book test in the computer can be helpful, so it can be used for other future students, or even shared with other Homes, which can be a timesaver.

Q and A
       Q: Is there a list of CVC courses that are approved for High School credits with those of us on the Full Program with CLE? Some of their Electives are very expensive and I know our material in the CVC is very good and I wanted to include some in with my High School Projection for my two teens.-Abel and Leah, Thailand
       A: Michelle at our Family CLE office has been in touch with the CLE about this question. At present they do not have a list of particular courses that they have approved. Each family must submit a Special Studies Proposal for each non-CLE course they plan to be using and for each individual student.
       The exceptions to this rule are the FAMILY Bible Proposal, which we approved on September 18, 2001. (See MO site for Family CLE Bible Studies Curriculum.) For these courses, as long as they are using the courses listed in that proposal, they can report hours for high school credit. (For each 180 hours reported it will earn 1.0 Bible credit up to a maximum of 2.0 Bible credits.)
       For all other CVC subjects, you must submit a “Special Studies Proposal” and they will approve the course on a case-by-case basis.
       They are developing a program where they allow Standard Approvals for certain courses. If you submit a proposal for a CVC course which they have already approved, they will notify you at that time and no further processing will be needed. They also have a new Standard Approval for Physical Education, since this is now required for all new Academic and General diplomas. You may include P.E. on your Academic Projections and they will send you their Standard Approval form when they approve your Academic Projection.

Home-schooling tips

PEP meetings
By Kalyani (of John S.), India
       I am very thankful for the recent PEP [Pilot Educational Program] meetings which were held for the India area in Bangalore. It was envisioning for me. Before the meetings I was not sure about how I was going to educate my children once they are of school age, with both my husband and I being Indian nationals.
       Attending this meeting gave me the faith to go for CLE and also raise the funds needed to get this program and other materials to educate our children both spiritually and scholastically. My heartfelt prayer is that we can have something to even tighten the monitoring of our children's growth even before they reach school age.
       This PEP questionnaire [see Pilot Educational Program (PEP) Questionnaire, available on MO site, CC/FED section] and all the other things which they brought up in the meeting are an answer to prayer. Now we're on the attack with the schooling of my children. I have the CLE readiness books and started with my four-year-old boy, and also have the monthly planner and Word Curriculum photocopied, and I plan their school, reading, as well as memory and Word projects. I've been keeping a log of what I'm doing with them on a daily basis and what kind of videos they watch and so on.
       This is such a victory for me as before I always procrastinated, thinking that I'm not going to be able to school my children and that maybe we should appoint a tutor and so on. But now I'm sold out that all things are possible in this era of action and I'm going for it. I'm making a point to download and study different FED mailings and seminars from the MO site. It's been helpful to see how I can get the best for my children. I can help them to be what the Lord wants them to be.

Positive school times-not just workbooks
By Praise Belen, Costa Rica
       The first nine weeks of school this year I dedicated to having the kids do FUN school that did not involve workbooks at all. They did remedial spelling, research on the computer, writing reports, social studies videos, times table games and so on. This went well and they enjoyed it so much. I gently brought them back to the CLE workbook idea during our second nine weeks and we are using them again, but with variety promised and planned. For example, one lightunit of Social Studies, and then watching some documentaries or computer study.
       I know that I have to avoid that burnt-out situation again, yet I do have several kids in different grades and individual planning for each one's needs without the use of workbooks is just too much for me. So we are hopefully making the swing to a more balanced mixture. I still have to trust the Lord that we will get a year's worth of work done in a year with all this time spent doing other things. Yet I do see that the kids are happier and more motivated to do the seatwork now that they had a long break (not a break from school but from boring workbook-type school). I do find that especially in Language Arts, they just don't learn much with CLE and we are doing more “freelance” work in that subject, which they enjoy much more.

Alpha Omega Publications CDs
Christian correspondence Course
By Paul, Steven, Tiger, and Vanessa, USA
       We have discovered a new Christian correspondence course called Switched-on Schoolhouse, which provides CDs for the entire K-High School grades. It comes with answer keys for the teacher, which is used with a teacher's code, and as the child is completing each subject, the CD keeps records automatically and adds up grades at the end of the course completed.
       It seems much more practical for those who travel a lot, and you can print out any extra work you need for the child to do by hand, such as penmanship, etc. Also, it can be used by five students for the same grade, which is much easier for our situation, as Homes often have more than one child in the same grade. You can order the catalogue through the 800 number which is: 800-622-3070. Their homepage is at: http://www.aop.com

Switched-on Schoolhouse
By Esther and John, Indonesia
       Like many of the Family in our area, we have been following the CLE curriculum, and have been satisfied with it. Recently our 13-year-old daughter was visiting a Home in another city, and she told us about a CD/computer based syllabus that their Home was using. She really liked it so we checked it out.
       It is published by Alpha Omega. It's called Switched on Schoolhouse. It has a good graphic interface, multimedia explanations, maps, and generally what looks to me to be very good content. I compared its content with CLE, and it seems a bit more detailed, and somewhat more challenging.
       One aspect of CLE that I have become increasingly dissatisfied with is that it is very old fashioned, and coming from a Mennonite perspective sometimes seems out of touch with the times. I know it is pure and unworldly, and I like that, but I feel that some of the kids feel that out-of-datedness-especially the Junior High grades, and maybe it doesn't jibe so fully with our lifestyle.
       Switched-on Schoolhouse, like CLE, is a Christian syllabus, but more non-denominational. Aside from its interface, presentation and good content some of its benefits are:

*       It has internal record keeping.
*       It is automatic. You program the school calendar at the beginning of the year, and it keeps up the students' pace.
*       Takes a tedious job off the teacher, and is foolproof-no need to bother with it.
*       You can set it to a Mastery mode that requires 100% scores on lessons before moving on to quizzes and tests. If students are doing okay you can turn it off.
*       You can easily re-assign lessons that quizzes show to be weak.

       I don't know how other folks operate, but it is a trip to keep up with ordering all the CLE books, not to mention the expense. Well, of course the CDs are costly too: $285 for 5 subjects. But they are reusable. I am using SOS for 5th grade and above and using CLE for the younger ones.
       At any rate, I think SOS offers some advantages over CLE that makes it our choice. Their homepage is at: http://www.aop.com

4-H Club Web site
By Susanna Prayerful, USA
       I wanted to mention that in looking into a curriculum for woodworking, electronics, and small engines for my teen, I found that the 4-H Club in the States has inexpensive and good material. They have other types of subjects also for all ages. They are nationwide and have clubs for home schoolers also. Their web site is: n4hccs.org. At the “projects online” button, there is a fun class on computers for beginners, among other things.

Camping trips and learning time
By Lynn Clear, USA
       During these weeks of time off school, I've been taking the kids on camping trips to different parts of the state we live in. They've been seeing what a variety of climate types there are around here, and have been learning some appreciation for each of them. During recent trips to the mountains they've had a chance to become pretty good fishermen, learned how to manage a very small boat, how to observe many varieties of wildlife, and they've learned much of what it takes to live the trailer life. When we go to the ocean, there are lots of other kinds of adventures, like crabbing with crab-pots, finding seashells, learning about the tides, and observing sea life, like shellfish, octopi, sea stars, etc.

Spelling curriculum
By a Home in the USA
       I got to talking with other moms here about schooling and kids, especially regarding the A Beka books. It seems that for some, A Beka spelling books are too advanced for the age they specify. So I've changed our spelling curriculum to Modern Curriculum Press' Spelling Work Out Books. They're easier, yet still thorough and explanatory.

Prophecy time before school
By James and Sapphire*, China [*aliases used]
       I've been finding that a short prophecy time right before school helps the boys do better in school and have a sense of order about the things they need to get done. Our six-year-old is so excited about it, as he now can read and write. He likes to write down what he gets and then share it with others.

Attending kindergarten
By Chad, Julie, and Nate*, China [*aliases used]
       Now that our two youngest children are attending the local kindergarten for their second month, we have been seeing some habits crop up which have us concerned. Although they had their little squabbles and arguments from time to time previously, they were pretty minor. Our daughter (2) has in the past hit and pinched our son (4), but he usually was quite easygoing and forgiving, and would never retaliate. However, this behavior is increasing, and our son has taken to hitting and pushing the other children at school.
       I recently started teaching at a kindergarten part time, and have observed sadly that this kind of thing goes on constantly: The children are sitting quietly for the most part, but there is a good deal of teasing, pushing, pinching, hitting, and spitting at each other (usually done as quietly and as on the sly as possible) that the teachers don't see or choose to ignore. And this particular school where I teach is supposedly one of the city's best, the teachers are very sweet and dedicated. But, like most schools here, the classes are very large, which contributes to this problem.
       We have had united prayer for the children, and the Lord showed us that we needed to bathe them much more in prayer, and spend more time cleaning them up spiritually after their morning classes. We plan to also continue checking in with the Lord about their attending the school. We do feel that they are making progress in learning Chinese, which is the reason we have been sending them to school.

CLE daily goal chart
By Abe and Jodie*, China [*aliases used]
       We just received our Certificate for the Teaching and Training Course from CLE, PTL!
       The CLE daily goal chart has helped us and especially the children, by motivating them to reach their daily goal. It also has been a definite help for us as parents and teachers to help them accomplish what is required for them to accomplish each day and gives them satisfaction and a daily goal.

Teaching multiple ages and grades
By Joanna, John, and John, Thailand
       We have added Patti (2½ yrs old) to our school group, so now all the kids are getting regular schooling. Thank God for the CLE which enables me to pour into more age groups at the same time. It's sort of a juggle, but now every morning from 10-12, I teach the kids aged 2½ to 9. The 5- to 9-year olds work on their CLE while I work on reading, writing, math dots, flashcards, practical life, etc., with the two pre-schoolers. It seems to work pretty okay and we can already see progress. My three-year-old, Vera, is already reading Ladybird 4a. At the same time I do have to go back and forth a bit to check on the others' work. Then at 12, the two youngest go for lunch with the JETT/teen teacher while I continue having school with the rest of the kids for another hour.

Mama's Childhood Memories
By Rejoice Surrender, India
       Dear Mama, I love your book. My nine-year-old son has difficulty reading. It is such a struggle for him, but he wants to read your stories and it was so inspiring to see him reading to four-year-old Shanti-a whole story. We have been praying desperately for materials for him and have invested in the CLE reading course up to the 4th grade, but your sweet lessons of life could be the key for not only the reading victories he needs, but for others too. I just want to say thank you and God bless you!

Cherub Wings
-A captivating new Word-based video series, available now!
       Cherub Wings, a new 3-D animated video series produced by the creators of Treasure Attic, is now available for your children to enjoy, and available for distribution to Homes in the U.S. and Canada. This new video series for ages 3-99 has won a number of major awards, and is extremely captivating and feeding.

Change lives with powerful messages packed in attention-grabbing 3-D animation!
*       Cute and catchy angel themes!
*       Winner of the 2001 People's Choice Award from the National Religious Broadcasters Association!
*       Winner of the 2000 Silver Crown Award for Best Children's Film!
*       Best Children's Film-Reaching for the Star-2001 Christian Wysiwyg Film Festival!
*       The highest rating (Level 5) from the Dove Foundation!

Order a set for your children!
       The Cherub Wings series is Family-produced, Word-filled entertainment for young children that teaches them important lessons like taking Praise Time, learning to hear from the Lord, and how to sharpen their Word swords.
       Here's what some Family parents say about Cherub Wings videos:

By Claire (of Darren), USA
       Cherub Wings was an answer to our prayers. Our little boy is runner up for the world's most energetic child, so finding 30 minutes to myself was never an easy task, until we got the Cherub Wings videos. It seems they just grew on him, and now he's in love with them and asks to watch them all day long. They are packed full of the Word, Bible and ML principles in their songs, quotes, and stories. “Heaven's Troopers” is his absolute favorite song and he asks us to sing it to him over and over again. The Cherub Wings videos are 100% Word input and 100% Family standard! I'm so thankful for them and I would recommend them to all families and parents!

By Linda (of Justin), USA
       Our 1½-year-old son, Aidan, loved Cherub Wings from the time he was a baby. Now he's a toddler and they are still his favorites. He knows all the songs and has learned some of the quotes-the lessons really stick with him! Each video has a memory verse and is full of great lessons in faith for the little guys! The Cherub Wings videos have beautiful 3-D animation, and the graphics are very cool! Even older kids like these videos-our OCs are always happy when we turn on Cherub Wings for our toddlers, and they sit down and soak them up too. This video series is so totally Family-based, teaching kids to read the Word and memorize, and hear from the Lord. I was surprised that we got so much message into these videos that are available for the GP!

How to order:
       Cherub Wings videos retail for $12.99 in Christian bookstores, but are now available to you for as low as $5 per video. The special price breakdown that we are presently able to make available to Family members is:
       1 set: $7 per video ($70 per set)
       2 sets: $6 per video ($60 per set)
       3 or more sets: $5 per video ($50 per set)

To order your Cherub Wings video sets, contact us at:
       Activated Ministries, P.O. Box 462805, Escondido, CA 92046
       Phone: 760-739-1196
       E-mail: orders@activatedministries.org

[Note: Videos #1 to #6 are also available in Spanish. All Cherub Wings videos available in NTSC/VHS format.]

A great new distribution tool
       Cherub Wings are proven hot sellers at fairs and convention booths and are also tremendous for personal follow up, friends, relatives and neighbors. The 3-D animated program is extremely captivating and guaranteed to change lives as you Mark 16:15! Seize the opportunity to approach home schoolers, day care centers, public and church libraries, churches and Sunday schools, or enjoy door-to-door witnessing with this easy-to-distribute video packed with a feeding witness!
       We would suggest starting with three sets of Cherub Wings videos, allowing you to see how easy Cherubs are to distribute and just what a great witness they are. Along with seeing the distribution potential of this fun Gospel-packed entertainment, the two sets distributed can either cover the cost of a set for your own kids or be set aside as seed corn for greater distribution.

Cherub Wings titles
       Motivated by his endearing love for children, Cherub, a spirited, full-of-life angel is commissioned by God to present a variety show that will help kids grow in faith. The result is a celestial array of songs, storytelling, and object lessons that teach as well as entertain.

*       #1 “Little Things” - This fun-packed show is a visual delight. From visualized prayers to captivating songs, “Little Things” highlights the amazing effects of doing little things in a big way!

*       #2 “Gratitude Attitude” - Chase away your frown! Turn it upside down, and bring the joy of praise into your heart with this entertaining video. Gratitude is a great attitude! And this Cherub Wings episode shows us how to bring sunshine into dreary days.

*       #3 “The Angel Song” - Join Cherub and his guide, Choirmaster, as they replay the warmth, anticipation and joy of the birth of a tiny little boy whose seemingly insignificant birth would echo hope for centuries to come.

*       #4 “Follow the Leader!” - When little Samuel heard God calling him he replied, “Speak Lord, for Your servant is listening!” And so began an exciting life of dedication to God's service! This episode teaches that we're never too young to hear God's call.

*       #5 “Heaven's Troopers” - Everyone knows that exercise and eating right helps our bodies to grow strong. In the same way, reading the Bible and obeying God's Word helps strengthen our souls! Join Cherub and his friends as they take us through the fun steps of “Bible fitness!”

*       #6 “Never Outta Sight” - King David said: “O Lord, You know me even from the time I was born! You are familiar with all my ways!” Join Cherub as he entertainingly shows us how much God cares about each one of us personally and individually!

*       #7 “Moldy Goldy” - Children learn with Cherub about materialism through the parable of the Rich Man, and how God wants us to be content with what we have.

*       #8 “Oops! Sorry!” - Join Cherub and Chubby in this funny adventure as they learn the true meaning of Jesus' instructions to “forgive from the heart.”

*       #9 “Out of Bounds” - Cherub and Chubby learn that doing just what you want may end up being just the opposite of what you expected! From cloud-boarding thrills to the madhouse craziness of a no-rules day, this adventure brings great delight while highlighting the benefits of healthy guidelines.

*       #10 “And It Was So” - Cherub and Chubby learn about God's mighty power! Children will see the ultimate act of forgiveness in the Crucifixion and will marvel at the power of God in the Resurrection. They will learn that by accepting Jesus' gift of forgiveness, they can receive Him as their Savior.

E-mail responses from the GP
Dear Children of God,
       Just a quick note to say howdy. Thank you for faithfully sending the Winepress and other material.
       I remember some very pleasant things that happened to me a long time ago in Thurber, Texas. You ol' timers may remember. They are just simple things that impressed me. One was a saying they had, “Pray first.” I mean they had that little sign stuck on everything! They even had it stuck in the restroom right by the toilet paper. In fact, that is the first time it really impressed me. That little saying stuck in my mind for a long time and I've been trying to do that very thing lately and it gives me comfort every time I do it.
       Thank You Jesus for those sweet people way back then and for MO. What a wonderful experience that was. I better hush or I'm gonna make myself cry, and a man ain't supposed to cry.
       Thanks again for you guys. Me and my sweet Judy really do love each and every one of you sincerely. God bless!
       -Jerry

       Greetings to you in the name of Jesus. Though I personally don't know you-but don't be shocked, life is full of surprises-perhaps God has numerous ways of connecting people around the globe, thus creating the spirit of love where it seems impossible to be established.
       I am John Gwee, a Liberian 20-year-old boy living in the Buduburam refugee camp in Ghana. The main reason for me writing you is that I want for you to be my friend and adviser since I lost my parents in the civil war in Liberia-my country. I am writing you to please be my adviser in order to encourage me, because I don't really know what will happen to me from now on. Please, I am begging you with my whole heart. I close here with my warmest greeting to you and all of your Family.
       -John Gwee, Ghana

       Thanks for the Powerlinks, they are very inspiring! I just got back from a great three weeks in Italy, where I stayed with four different Family Homes. My son and daughter are still with the Family and have four beautiful kids that they are raising to be little soldiers for Jesus, too. It was so nice to spend time with the Family again and be able to watch them at work and play, enjoying the life Jesus blesses us with daily.
       I am planning a trip to Mexico next week and would love to visit the brethren down there. I am going along the Pacific Coast all the way down to Manzanillo and if there are Family Homes anywhere along the coast, I'd really like to stop in and say hi ... if they are interested in an old-timer like me. Thanks again for the Activated materials you send, and your prayers are always appreciated.
       -Rodney H. (formerly Naaman da Gypsy)

       Hello. I just saw the videos and I'm amazed by what you're saying, because I feel the end is coming near. I'm following the reading course from the Family, but I'd also asked to meet some of the members from the Family. I received Jesus into my heart and I want to be a part of the Family to share the Word of God with others so they can also receive Jesus' love into their hearts. I wanted to let you know you have a great Web site. Best wishes and God bless you.
       -Hilde

       Greetings to the Family. I would like to know if it would be possible for me, a 38-year-old man who has lost his direction in life to meet with a member of your group? Up until this point in my life I have made my own way, with the blessings of the Lord, but I now find myself confused and bewildered regarding my relationship with the world. It would be an honor to be able to spend a few minutes reasoning with a representative of a group that has demonstrated their worthiness by the quality of the “fruit” that their vine has produced though the years.
       -Robert Daniel

       I have been getting your mailings for a while and would like to get physically involved. What can I do? This Christmas season has been very lonely for me and I need to get involved doing something positive.
       -Vicki

Dear Family,
       My name is Jo Ann. In 1970-1972 my name was Cherub. I met the COG in Dallas, Texas, through truly miraculous means. I was born again and filled with the Holy Spirit while I watched a Moody Blues concert in Dallas, Texas. Without anyone but me and the Lord, I cried out in my heart for help, and that the Lord would teach me how to love. I had an incredible vision that transformed my soul.
       I had a vision of a cross so bright that the brightness filled the entire stadium; I could no longer hear or see the band. I walked outside and saw the stars for the first time in years. I was so completely filled with the Holy Spirit; I smiled and laughed for two weeks. People would actually stop me and ask me why I was so happy. Of course, I did not really know what had happened to me. All that I knew was that I had to read and understand the Bible. One week later, I was sitting at my desk at work, and someone came up to me at work and asked what I was drawing. I was drawing a cross.
       She asked me if she could come over to my house and show me something. She came and brought her Bible and some literature from the COG. She showed me Daniel 2, I was so thrilled that I cried. We went to Thurber, Texas, where she had met the group. We stayed. Those times were hard, but I look back, and I would not have traded those days for anything I have ever lived since. I miss those times, especially now.
       I have lived in this world, but never felt a part of this world for 28 years. I would love to hear from you. I have an excitement in my soul that is telling me that it may be the time to come back. I have attempted to reach the Family through the Web site, but my link will not go through. By the way, some of the old timers might remember me. I was married to Ezekiel who played bass for the LA Band. Jeremy and Fiona will know me. Please say hi to them for me.
       I am very curious as to how the COG have grown through the years. I have grown in peace and love. God has created a new creature than the one I was when I was 17 years old. Thank the Lord. I memorized the Bible so well in two years, that I can still recite probably thousands of Scriptures word for word. That is the only thing that has saved me through this hard, cruel world. I admire the old timers who ventured throughout the world and have so multiplied. They are truly the Children of God, and I miss them so.
       I am now a registered nurse. I originally got a business degree, but found that to be so meaningless, so I went into the nursing field, where I believe God does use me, almost every day. To me, this has been my mission, for now. I work in the critical care areas where people are very near death and ready to find answers quick. The Lord has opened many doors for me, allowing me to minister. I could have never joined a church (and I have looked); I am too radical and honest with the Word of God. I cannot keep my mouth shut; sometimes just a little Scripture slips out (which has been so fitly spoken), and the church vipers turn again and rend me. So I do not cast my pearls before swine. I wait and the Lord shows me His sheep. So brothers and sisters, I have always been with you in my heart.
       I was raised in an atheist household; my father was evil and abusive. I have had to work through many issues with the Lord as my Psychiatrist, Father, and Husband, so that I did not hate myself so badly that I could not love others. The desire to share my knowledge of the Bible is so overwhelming-that is all that I think about. With all of the propaganda coming out of this administration led by the religious right, it is just a matter of time before I will not be able to contact you or speak about my beliefs of Endtime prophecy. So please, do not forget me out here. Write back to me soon. Please let me know of ways I can find you. May God continue to use you, and bless you, and give you courage.
       -Your sister in Christ, Jo Ann Brown/Cherub

       My name is Lewis. I just wanted to say I found your Web site very useful and helpful. I am 16. With all of these things happening and going to happen, is it really possible that there could be an Illuminati, or a Trilateral Commission? I don't know whether to think those organizations exist or not. I say this because I've seen both those organizations featured in movies, books, videos, games, etc. I look on the Net all the time for info on the Illuminati and I find tons of info. But how do we know this is true? I mean, is there a place where we can find the proof that such an organization exists? I believe in God and I'm a Christian. I believe that the End is near, and a one world government or new world order is about to take effect but … I just wish I could find more info. Please e-mail me back.
       -Lewis

       I really appreciate the fact that I can keep in contact with some of the Family. The Devil has really been fighting my family lately and I really believe it is because, well, my cousin is staying with us and he is really getting into the Word. We study the Bible together every day and, on top of it, even if it isn't a whole bunch, me and Brittany are winning at least a few souls. So we're all a threat. But he won't win because I have the Almighty on my side. I can't wait till I am 18 so I can come join you and get to witness every day! (Oh yeah!) I did get to read the Letter on witnessing by Maria and it really inspired me.
       -Tina Jenkins

       My name is Isaac. I've recently come to the realization that Jesus is Lord but I feel mostly confused when I read much of the Bible. Can you help me? I went to your site hoping to get a phone number to reach someone. I'm not a big fan of e-mail. I was also hoping that you had a community somewhere near to where I'm staying on Long Island, New York. I want nothing more out of life than to serve the Lord. Can you help me?
       -Isaac

       I love and treasure you. I don't have to see you to love you. To me you are a beautiful creation of God. God bless you and all the Family there. Please thank the Winepress crew for the wonderful New Wine. I love you all and look forward to meeting you in God's good time.
       Over the past few years I have thought about the difference between the Family and other Christian groups, churches, and associations. I have often asked myself, “What is the essential and outstanding difference between the Family and other Christian groups and or churches?”-It is the message of love, the focus on the love of God. I have not yet met any other church that preaches the love of Jesus. Love is mentioned, often, but it is not focal point of their message. It is mentioned in passing. It seems that the main message of love has been lost along the way. This is why the Words of Jesus via David and Maria are so poignant, so piercing and powerful. Anyway, enough of this preaching. I love you and wish you and all there.
       -Ronald

ideas and tips

Key GNs and FSMs organized
       After the fast day we worked on our pubs library and organized it. We sorted out all of the Activated FSMs for easy reference and also the Letters on the keys and the Letters on prayer. The Board Vision GN and Handbook are also in their own folder and easy to get to, not just included with all the GNs. This makes re-study of these hot and recent topics easy to get to!
       -Home in Slovakia

Surplus news
       It's helpful to let the Family members (in your area or continent) know what you have a surplus of, so we can help one another out and not spend unnecessary funds on things that the Lord supplies in another place, within a reasonable distance.
       We have some very good contacts and I know there is a great need in other places, if people only knew about the provisions. There are always cars/vans on the road going somewhere and sharing some of the blessings can make a big difference to another Home, plus we bridge some gaps between Family members and can hear news about what's going on in other places.
       -Abner and Rosie, Denmark

$$ saving photocopying
       We have been wanting to get out more Word each month but lack funds to do a lot of printing. So we bought a ream of paper and arranged to use a photocopier at a friend's office. This way we can get plenty of copies at a very low cost.
       -Home in Middle East

(Editor's note: Do you have any money-saving ideas? Please send them in so they can be shared with all.)

in My arms
       Written by Christy, South Africa: Olivier and Marie (SGAs) had their 8th child on November 21st. Their baby boy, Michael Angel, had died in the womb ten days before he was due (of unknown causes) and was stillborn. They were aware he had passed on before the delivery. Marie had a very smooth and easy home delivery, and the Lord supernaturally poured down His grace and strength during and after the birth. Please continue to pray for Oli, Marie, and their seven children, for the Lord's comfort and grace. Michael Angel touched all of our lives in a special way, and the Lord said he was our special link to Heaven!

       (Jesus:) Weep no longer, but rejoice, for not only is your little one safe, happy, beautiful, and able to communicate with you; he is also My gift of love to you, who will help you from this realm and who will provide you with a new and closer link to Me and to the power of Heaven. He will help you and guide you and teach you how to use the power. For though he was but a helpless babe on Earth, his spirit is wise, for he has been taught of Me and groomed by Me, and he knows only the pure, the Heavenly, the Godly. He has never been polluted by the world nor by the Enemy, but he is a completely fresh, clean and pure spirit, and he will help your hearts and minds to be pure, to be Heavenly, to be filled with My freshness, My love, and My joy.
       He'll never be far from you. You'll be able to feel him. You'll even be able to see him. I'm more than willing to allow this passing back and forth through the veil, for your sakes' and to strengthen your faith and your spirits. Your children likewise will benefit from this special connection with Heaven, and they will grow in wisdom and depth beyond their years, with the help of their new little brother. He is your son, their brother, and always will be.
       It will not be too long before you are re-united, and in that day, you will not feel the loss of the time you spent apart. It will be remembered only as a dream, and the joy and love you share will be eternal. (End of excerpts of message from Jesus.)

Written by Jonathan (of Rejoice), Australia:
       Rejoice graduated to her Heavenly reward on Sunday, February 3, at 3:50 a.m. She was surrounded by her parents, brother and sister, my mother, myself, and our older children. She was in no pain and went peacefully. During her final day we talked to her, played CDs of some of her favorite songs, shared our favorite memories of her, cried, laughed, and prayed together. Many of my relatives visited during the day and it was a beautiful time. Of course, according to the prophecies we received, she has been with Jesus since the day of her hemorrhage on Jan 1st. Nevertheless the death of her physical body was a very moving time for us and brought a sense of finality to her graduation. It was a very victorious graduation and we received some very beautiful and touching prophecies at the time.
       Here is an encouraging prophecy we received from the Lord at the time of her passing:

       (Jesus:) Hush now, My loves, do not weep. Let Me dry those tears and comfort your hearts. Give Me your broken hearts and I will mend them. Give Me your pain and I will heal you. Give Me your tears and I will turn them into peals of laughter as you remember the joy, the love, and the grace that Rejoice brought to your lives.
       If you could see it from Here, your hearts would not ache so. For she has not been taken away from you. She is but in another realm. She is at My side now. I comfort her heart as well. She has cried tears for you. She longed to be with you, but I have kissed her tears away. I have shown her that she will be closer to you now then she ever could be there. Oh, how this made her heart glad, for her deepest desire was to love and care for you.
       Fear not, and be not dismayed. I know these things are hard to comprehend, but trust, assured that they are true and she is still alive and well. She is more beautiful, happier, and more vibrant then she was when she was with you. Smile now, and let her life on Earth live on through you. Let her joy become your own. Let her love overflow onto you and let it bubble over. Rejoice! For this is not the end but the beginning. A new life here in Heaven is about to be discovered. Even as I am with you always, her spirit and her love will continue to be with you forevermore. (End of message from Jesus.)

letters to the editor

Re: Action FSMs
By Priscila, Moldova
       I really liked the Action FSMs on witnessing and Activated. God bless the ones who took the time to write those testimonies. I know from experience that it is easier to just quickly write a 1-2-3 testimony, but the detailed ones are sure worth the effort. They are great!

Re: GV #122, two young people
By Marissa, Tahiti
       I was very touched by the testimonies of the two young people that had left the Family, especially seeing that they've been in the System, experienced living in it, and can now say that the System's not where it's at! It's a beautiful testimony of how the Lord has worked in their lives, and what they now have to say is very convicting. It really makes you want to pray for those that have left, that the Lord will have His way in their life and that whatever He sends their way will work together for good.

Re: JJT column, by Kevin
By Martin, Kenya
       Thanks so much, Kevin, for your column in the Grapevine. I don't know if you get a lot of fan mail, but your column is definitely looked forward to by me and many others. You're really quite talented at what you do.
       P.S. The JJT “time” issue is something that's been “on my heart” for awhile. :-)

Re: Robberies in Africa (GV #123)
By Abe and Jodie*, China [*aliases used]
       The accounts, lessons, and especially the counsel from the Lord on the robbery in this Home brought to mind some sobering lessons that we learned some years back. Though our situation wasn't as severe and as serious as the one that happened in this Home, the fact of not letting our guard down spiritually (and physically) is one and the same.
       We've taken this as a sobering warning to repair any weak areas of our own security, be they spiritual or physical, and take on a greater “on guard” attitude in all that we are doing. Going two by two is a definite area that we need to brush up on.
       We have seen that it's a fairly weak area for many teams living in China, due to the size of the Homes here. But that shouldn't be our excuse and we should strive for the Lord's solution rather than the compromise or the easy way out.

Re: Grapes of thankfulness fliers
By Jackie (of Jim)*, China [*aliases used]
       I received my first “grapes of thankfulness” from a sweet sister we lived with a few years back. It was such a wonderful encouragement.-Just another one of those wonderful things about our precious Family, the love and appreciation we have for one another. This pub is a great vehicle for conveying that thankfulness towards loved ones we may not otherwise have a way of contacting. It was convicting for me to use it more to share a drop of love and encouragement.

help wanted
       We are a Russian couple, Stephen and Clare, with three young kids and one more coming in June. This April we need to take a one-month trip to a city 2,000 km away to follow up on our sheep there and do some required paper work. (We had a Home in that city for four years and then we closed it down, but we keep in touch with all the sheep there by mail.) We really need your help to be able to make this trip! We need about $400 for this and we'll appreciate any help, big or small! TYSM for considering our request! Our Home # is BY001.

Dearest Family,
       My name is A. (of C. and V.) and I will be moving from China to Taiwan to help with kids in the COs Home in just a few days.
       There were a lot of difficulties with my passport and visa, but with a lot of prayer and effort my parents were able to work it out for me. GBT. But! It did turn out to be quite expensive! Plus the ticket and all the extras. My parents just quit their job so they can have more time to minister to our sheep.
       Anyhow, with no income and a lot of our funds going out we are beginning to become quite low on cash. But that's exactly where you can help! Yes, you! We desperately need your help so that my parents won't have to start working for the System again and so they'll have money to make trips to visit sheep, eat, pay bills, survive, AND most importantly continue serving the Lord, etc. We are counting on you!
       Also my mother was quite sick with asthma, but lately due to tons of prayers from all of our wonderful Family and lots of rest she has been doing extremely well, but teaching does exhaust her quite a bit and that's another reason she stopped working. We are trusting the Lord that He will take care and supply for us. And we most surely cannot do without you, our precious Family!!
       -With much love, A. (CN619), China

personals
       Cristina and David (of Robert and Maria, India), I've been trying to get in touch with you two for ages. Please write me at:nyz_jmyself@yahoo.com. Love, Maria J. (of Paul and Faith) Denmark.

       Hopie (Romanian) in Bucaresti, and James and Pauline (from Canada, last heard of in Hyderabad, India), please write to Michael and Mary in France at e-mail: mmkeat@ aol.com.

former members - seeking contact
       Frank Lister would like to get in touch with old friends he knew while in The Family. Deuteronomy (knew you in Bishop Stortford), Asher (knew you in Peutrue, Walls), Topaz and Antipas (known in Brixton), Phoenix (known in Birmingham in 1970). You can contact him via the European Family Information Department at contact@thefamilyeurope.org or write him directly at: Frank Lister, BM Box 5383, WC1N 3XX, London, ENGLAND.

entertainment

Movies Rated for YAs and Up
BLACK HAWK DOWN (2002)
Josh Hartnett, Tom Sizemore, William Fichtner
       War drama about a U.S. military raid that went disastrously wrong when optimistic plans ran into unexpected resistance in Mogadishu, Somalia, in October 1993. Very realistic, intense, with graphic and gory portrayals of the horrors of war. Not for sensitive viewers.

       (Jesus:) Because of its extremely graphic realism, this movie is much more than a movie.-It's an experience, a trip into the hell fires of war itself. In spite of the horrific and heartbreaking scenes of senseless killing and destruction, for those who are able to stomach it, there can be some benefits from watching this movie.
       Everyone who chooses to watch this should be warned that he or she will be affected by it. I don't want people who are sensitive, or hurt by such graphic depictions of war, to watch this movie.Even those who aren't prone to be bothered by violence and killing should wholeheartedly pray for My protection and cleansing both before and after watching it. There are several very disturbing scenes throughout the movie, scenes which could stick with you for a very long time. For the world, it's good that these scenes are there, for it reminds them what war really is. War should not be romanticized or idealized, for nothing good comes from war-only the perpetuation of evil and destruction.
       It goes without saying that this movie was pretty one-sided. It didn't present the whole story of what really happened in Somalia and why. It would be good for those who watch this movie to read a little background of what really happened, otherwise they could tend to come away feeling that the Americans are the saviors and the Africans are mere savages. This, of course, is not the way I see things.
       Many soldiers themselves, maybe even the generals and other commanders, may have thought they were doing the right thing, and may have wanted with their hearts to help the people of that land, but they themselves didn't really understand the situation or all that was going on. History is complicated and governments are complex, and can't be rationalized or understood by looking at one event, and certainly not by reading one book or watching one movie. If you are wise, if you are in tune with Me, and if you realize this simple fact, then you can watch a movie like this and it can have a good effect on you, moving you, touching you, helping you to see the horror of war and be touched to pray for and empathize with those who have had to go through such things-whatever side they're on.
       The sad thing is that in a war like that, nobody wins. Everybody loses. There's no clear-cut right and wrong, or a clear good guy and bad guy, in real life. The heart of man is wicked, and whether it's a wicked warlord in Somalia or a greedy politician in the USA, evil is evil, and the fact is that the world is run and its wars started by evil men-men against men, wounding, killing, and blowing each other up with steel and dynamite. There is hardly anything more appalling in My sight.
       The movie was trying to be a fairly accurate account of a certain event in Somalia. Of course, every story needs a protagonist, and this movie has its “heroes” in the form of the U.S. servicemen. In that way it is flawed, as the movie manipulates your emotions to feel pain or rejoicing at the defeats and victories of the men portrayed. It makes you feel anger at the “enemy” and sympathy for the “good guys.” It's not that the Somali warlords and their followers were in the right, it's just that no matter what outfit they're in, everyone still has a human soul, and still has relatives, friends, and family that will mourn their death.
       The director and producers did at least present human faces on some of the Somalians, and give them a chance to express their views, and if you aren't biased toward one side or the other, you can see their point and feel for them. For many, though, this will not be effective, because on the other side, the promotion of the fact that America was doing the right thing in being there and doing what they did is very strong, and the most touching part of the film, its wrap-up, portrays this message.
       This movie did not glorify war or attempt to gloss over its horrors. It shows it like it was in the sense of being terrifying, disgusting, and disappointing to all involved. It shows the heartache and fear in the hearts of the soldiers, and the conflicts that many struggle with. It also shows that the generals in charge made some big mistakes, and some of the soldiers did too, which is the way it is.
       This movie takes you right in there, into the tanks, into the streets and alleys, into the firefight, and it makes you feel like you know what it was like to fight in that battle. It is interesting in the way that it shows the in-depth details of modern military action.
       There are also good examples to be gained from the heroism, obedience, teamwork, and co-ordination of the various groups of soldiers. I often liken you, My Family, to elite war divisions, and this is an example of how things can be. Things can be going horribly, and you can be in the most horrific of situations, but if you remember your training, and do your best to contact headquarters, and most of all faithfully and bravely do your duty in using the new weapons, you can come out victorious and save not only your life, but the lives of others.
       Another thing to glean from this movie is a renewed appreciation for how you can believe in what you're fighting for. It's one thing to fight for what is right, but these poor soldiers were in there because of a political decision-a decision made by men who were not led by Me and which incurred disastrous results. It gives you a heart for the men who are led by politicians who have absolutely no idea of what it's like for men to be in battle-and it can further strengthen your resolve for Me, as I do know what it's like to be in the battles you're engaged with. You also are blessed with a cause worth fighting and dying for, if need be.
       Conditions in My Endtime army can be rough, and in the future, you may find yourself in battles that will be as intense in spirit as the physical battles shown in this movie. But you will not be going into them alone and without sufficient support, or on the counsel of unwise or incompetent leaders. You will be going in with My back-up, with communication with Me, with the ability to hear from Me and get your signals clear so that you don't find yourself with your back to the wall and no way out. You can learn from the example of these men, who were dedicated, whether it was to the cause, to their fellow soldiers, or even just to their own honor. They were willing to fight and bleed and suffer and die for these things. How much more should you, My soldiers, be willing to fight and die for Me, knowing that you are on the right side, that your cause is worthy and justified, and that you are bringing light and life rather than death and destruction.

Movies Rated for Senior Teens and Up
ROCK STAR (2001)
Mark Wahlberg, Jennifer Anniston
       A young singer of a tribute band finds his dreams answered and nightmares realized when he's chosen to replace the lead singer of his favorite heavy metal group.

       (Dad:) Well, you know me, I like the soft music. This hard-rock stuff is not my bag. You'll learn from this why I like the softer stuff. The world of rock may glitter, but it isn't gold. All that fame and that fortune, the girls and the wild life, just don't satisfy. It's a trap that gets you sucked in and empties your soul of anything good. It's a miracle if any good ever comes from any of those given over to it.
       If even half of what is portrayed in this movie is true, then I'd say it's a testimonial to the depravity of the whole hard-rock scene. Some may find it somewhat entertaining, some may find it an interesting glimpse into the bleak existence of some of these people. Thank God for some of those who made it out, like dear Jeremy, and others. Real, true love is the only thing that will truly satisfy.

Movies Rated for Junior Teens and Up
ALI (2001)
Will Smith, Jon Voigt
       Biographical drama about boxer Muhammad Ali.

       (Jesus:) This movie is not only educational but inspiring, as far as seeing someone who was willing to risk everything for his convictions. You see how much of a fighter this man is; he stood up for what he believed in a time when what he was saying was very unpopular, and doing so hurt him in many ways, but he didn't back down.
       There is a lot to be learned from this movie, and it's one of those true stories that has real value. It is well done and has some food for thought. It portrays the time period of the '60s well, and can be educational.
       It shows that Ali was a normal person. He had his weaknesses and his strong points, his low times and his high times. It shows the hypocrisy of religions, as well as the love of money and fame. Boxing is an ugly sport, emphasizing the baser man inside, and this movie doesn't make you like it any more.
       Ali's disease [Parkinson's syndrome] has humbled him and given him a new meaning for living and so even though greatly humbled and weakened, he is much happier and more useful to the world.

Movies Rated for JETTs and Up
KATE AND LEOPOLD (2001)
Meg Ryan, Hugh Jackman
       Romantic comedy. The third Duke of Albany travels through time from the New York of 1876 and arrives in modern-day New York.

       (Jesus:) This is a fun, uplifting movie about love-a more innocent and pure love than most know today. It's a movie about love that comes to pass through consideration and respect for people in general. It's love from the past, from an age when children were still taught to behave with decency and have respect for others. The same love exists today, but is so hard to find, due to so many trying to be so many things other than just respectful of others.
       It's the love that everyone is looking for and wanting, but they just don't know how to find it anymore. If they would just stop, look, and listen to My still, small voice, they would find the keys are right at hand: Show love, and you'll be shown love; give love and you'll receive love; treat others with respect and you'll be respected; tell them they are beautiful and they will be beautiful. Love is My creative power, and when you show love, you are allowing My creative power to come into lives, which transforms and can make something out of nothing.
       Learning to love someone completely usually requires letting go of the walls that one tries to protect his or her heart with. But there is magic in love that melts away the uncertainty and the feeling of being unlovable. Love has a power to it that goes contrary to logic, as is shown in this movie.
       It brings out the importance of chivalry and good manners in a world where these things have been lost over time. It's a good reminder to go slow and enjoy life and not get caught up in the rat race, which is System life today.

Movies Rated for MCs and Up
THE LOVE BUG (1997)
Hank Cooper, John Hannah, Alex Davis.
       Herbie, the magical Volkswagen Beetle, is passed on to a new owner. Together, they must battle a dastardly Australian racer and his evil car “Horace.”

(Jesus:) It's a sweet, fun, entertaining story that the kids can enjoy, without too many bad parts. The main characters argue a bit in the beginning, but later learn to work together as a team. It's a typical “good vs. evil” story, and pretty harmless.
       In the parts where there is more “action,” especially for younger audiences, it probably needs to be explained a little bit. But good wins out in the end, and the “bad” guys aren't as evil or disturbing as they are in some movies.
       Kids will enjoy how the happy little misunderstood car does things for people out of love. The story is of course imaginary, as a car is not a living thing, but it is something the children will enjoy watching, especially boys.

Non-Recommended Movies
SPANISH JUDGES (Vincent D'Onofrio, Valeria Golino; 1999)
       (Jesus:) This movie is definitely not something for My children to watch. It has a very shallow and senseless plot with evil people deceiving and lying to each other as well as planning violent actions against each other throughout the film. This is evil versus evil, as there was no good side in the movie to oppose the bad.

OTHER MOVIES
LADY AND THE TRAMP II: SCAMP'S ADVENTURE
       (Animation, by Disney)
       (Jesus:) This movie is a modern-day adaptation of the parable of the prodigal son. With good preparation and supervision, it can be worth watching as it has many good lessons. However, this movie is not for repeated viewing, as the kids could then easily memorize the bad behavior and songs about the same.
       It has a very good and clear overall message, but in order to show the contrast between right and wrong, they also depicted quite a bit of the wrong. It's unfortunate that they made the bad look like so much fun, with those catchy songs and all. That's dangerous, especially for very young ones who aren't likely to stay tuned in long enough to get the point at the end.
       It would be a good movie for some Family children to see, as it addresses problems and wrong attitudes that some have seen or been exposed to. But, it will only be helpful if it's shown to the right age groups and thoroughly discussed by the parents or teachers. It's not one for careless, casual or repeated viewing, or when the parents are too tired to really explain it.
       I know it's hard for parents to not let their younger kids watch movies rated for older children at the same time their older brothers and sisters are watching, but it would be a mistake for parents to show this to their kids who are too young to get the point and are likely to pick up a lot of the bad in the process.
       Unfortunately, by the time kids are old enough to get the most out of this movie, they're at the age when they feel simple cartoon movies like this one are too juvenile for them. The key, as usual, is in the parents or teachers prayerfully previewing it, and taking their questions to Me before they show it to their kids.
       A lot depends on what your children are like. If, after viewing the movie yourself, and praying about whether you should present it, I show you it's fine for them, and you then follow the tips I show you for how to make it a positive learning time, then you can go ahead. But if you don't have the time for it, and you just want to throw on something to show them, then this isn't the film to do that with.
       The timing is also important, and it would be good to ask Me about the timing of your kids viewing it. A particular child or a group of children may be going through certain things, and watching this movie may not be what they need at this time in their lives. For some children, rather than exposing the evil, it could stir up a hunger for some of the bad things portrayed.
       The overall theme and message and purpose of this movie is good. But there are times when such a theme may strike too close to home, such as in a Home where someone has just left My Family and My service to strike out on his or her own, away from the so-called restrictions to find so-called freedom. Then the movie could bring pain and heartache to the loved ones left behind.
       However, in many cases where the Home is not in the midst of such trials, it would be a help to the children, particularly the younger ones. It would help them to know that “all that glitters is not gold,” and that the grass that looks so green on the other side of the fence is often brown and dirty when you get there. It is good that the children learn these lessons when they are young.
       “Order” by definition has some rules and limits and structure to it. And an orderly environment is a more loving environment. Those who promoted anarchy and disorder in the movie were unloving; they were reckless and haphazard, and with it came selfishness and “every man for himself,” without helping or loving others.
       This movie can help teach children wisdom by seeing the sad fruit of what can happen when they do as they please and don't listen to their parents' or elders' advice and wise counsel, just like Scamp in the movie. Explain to your children that Scamp, and also the prodigal son, wanted to leave school before the bell rang, but they both had to come back and start school all over again.
       Part of the movie promotes the wrong kind of freedom, through independence and being irresponsible vs. the Godly kind of freedom by being responsible,and holding on to their crown. Teach them about their special calling in life. Teach them to have respect unto the recompense of the reward, like Moses and many others who didn't sell their birthrights! Your children are calledand chosen to be Heaven's boys and girls.

Tips on movie viewing with children
[WS: This prophecy was originally received regarding Lady and the Tramp II. However, it has good tips and insight that should also be applied to other movies that you show to your children.]

       (Jesus:) Pray, preview the video [if possible-especially if you know it has questionable aspects], preface, pow-wow, present, and participate-the six P's. As you go through these steps, this will result in a happy, fruitful, and constructive video viewing time with the children. You will be happier for it, though it will be an extra investment of your time and effort.
       As you do your part and follow through with the six P's, you will lay the foundation even before they watch the movie. Laying the foundation is important, for without it they will be tempted to pick up more of the negativeand not as much of the positive.
       Different people will get different things out of a video, and this is why it's important not to just let the children watch it because you've read the blurb and it's an okay movie to watch. This movie will take an explanation of the story, beforehand and even while watching the movie.
       Going through the six P's step by step will help overcome the spiritual lethargy that has infiltrated the training and shepherding of our children. A video like this one can be a useful tool if there is an amount of preparation put into it. This video should not be used simply for fun or just to see a new movie to entertain your children.
       The effects of watching a movie like this can be good and very feeding spiritually for the children if My parents and teachers walk through it first, following the six P's-Prayer, Preview, Preface, Pow-wow, Present, and Participate.
       Someone should take the time to hear from Me, asking for specific, tailor-made instructions on how to present the movie for his or her own particular situation and/or group of children. As you do this it will bear the right kind of fruit in the children's lives and it will be a stepping stone, a positive avenue that I can use to teach and train your children to grow in faith and discernment.

       1)Prayer: Pray for My leading and discernment as well as wisdom about your presentation once you've previewed it. Call on the power of the keys! I will be your Guide and will train you through it, too. Confirm with Me that it's the right movie to show your children, and the right time, and ask whether there are any specific aspects that you need to tune into or explain or prepare them for, or follow up with Word studies or explanation afterwards.
       2)Preview: Whenever possible, it's ideal to preview a movie before showing it to your children, so that you are aware of the content and prepared to explain and pow-wow accordingly. Once you've seen the movie, you'll be better able to find cross-references in the Word so that you can preface the video with good sound advice that's Word based. Children grow weary if you exhort them with the lessons, but if you use a similar story in My Word it will help them picture the lesson-”object lessons.” Or receive a prophecy in advance if you can't find anything in the Word that's relatable to the movie. Alternatively, if you watch a movie with your kids that has been rated for their age group, and you don't have time to preview beforehand, you should at least watch with the kids, and then for Word time later bring out these lessons. It helps bring Word time more alive.
       3.)Prefacing: Preface the video in advance by reading with them and presenting the story of the Prodigal Son who wanted his freedomjust like in Scamp's Adventure. He found out that things he imagined or dreamed about were not true, but on the contrary he found only hardships with no real friends. He eventually started to miss home and all his many blessings-his family's love and affection, the security of being accepted and cared for, the good food, shelter, and much more.
       4.) Pow-wowing: Try to do much of the pow-wow before watching the movie with the children. The main explanation or pow-wow can take place before, as this is when you will get the listener'sattention best! Your children will be all ears as you get the mileage out of the lessons beforehand. Because of anticipation, they will be willing to do almost anything, even listen in order to get to watch!
       There are two ways to watch this movie-through the carnal eyes only or though the eyes of the spirit, and you must train them in those ways. You can't very well go through the six steps or six P's just before the movie or even the same day, but preparation can also be the Word theme for the week or days prior to watching the movie.
       Even the children can hear from Me personally after or before watching, and receive any caution I have to give them personally-Words of counsel and guidance, etc. Use every opportunity to bring Me into their lives and teach your children to hear from Me in prophecy.
       5.) Presentation: You should now be ready and all prepared for the movie presentation. Well done!
       6.) Participation: See how the children retain the training you've poured into them. While watching or presenting this movie, pause as you feel led or as needed and now let themparticipate. It's a good exercise for them. This will teach them to see with My eyes and put on their glasses of faith and learn to discern the signs of the times, which are obvious in the movie.
       Teach your children to see, to speak of the lessons through teaching them at every opportunity you have so they will develop a depth of understanding, and so they will not only see the glitter or the shallowness and frothiness of this world. This movie has many lessons. Dig them out. Lead them to draw the right conclusions.

ponder
       The greatness of our fears shows us the littleness of our faith.

ads
       Curious as to what the Family is doing around the world? Pick up a FAR and get some of the highlights!-Not only for your friends and contacts, but information for you as well. Well worth the read!

       You have an impact on that little child's life whether you're actively participating in their care or not. So don't miss out on all the interesting pointers, facts, accounts, and information on children and their care found in Kidland. You can make a difference in a child's life!

       For an Easter study for your children, take a look at the lists in the TAG, page 107, and the Kiddy Cat Book page, 32!

pray
       Healing key: Immense power is available to you through calling on the keys of the kingdom for the healing of your loved ones. If you want to see miracles of healing and deliverance from affliction, claim the keys and watch Me do the work!

Answered Prayers
       Seth, Indonesia: I wanted to thank all those who prayed for my healing (stomach ulcers and seizures), and for your encouraging words. My body has been doing a whole lot better due to your prayers. It has been a step-by-step method of getting more strength, better health, and I've been healing up as I step out further by faith to walk on the water! It has been a battle, but I've never been so full of His joy and peace through it all! Please keep me in your prayers.
       Dove Newman, India: I'd been having problems with my back for months, and recently it took a turn for the worse, to a point where I was basically an invalid. I could barely get up in the morning, had severe pain in the night, and couldn't sleep properly. The doctor said I had a serious problem, and that in order to straighten out my back, I would eventually need an operation.
       Basically every day I was asking for prayer that I would make it through the day. I asked the Home to lay hands on me and I claimed in prayer that the Lord would heal me completely and that I wouldn't need to have an operation. Before I knew it, the Lord had answered my prayer! It's a miracle! My back is totally, completely healed! I want to testify and tell you, dear Family, how the Lord completely healed me!
       Victoria, Spain: I want to thank everyone for their prayers. A couple of months ago I was quite sick; I got pneumonia and had to be in the hospital for nine days. Before that I was very weak and in a lot of pain. Due to medication, I could hardly see. I also lost my voice from excessive coughing. After leaving the hospital I started a new treatment of chemotherapy, and little by little I started to get better. TTL! Now I don't have the pain that I had, and I can do normal activities around the house like teaching, cooking, etc. I'm also able to go out walking which is a victory. Thanks so much for praying for me. Please keep praying as the cancer is still there, but I continue to trust the Lord for His care.

Asia
       Stephanie (SGA): Serious, sharp back pains.
       Ryan Harper (5, of Jeremy and Joyful, SGAs): Lyme disease.
       Angelina (17): Chronic eye irritation, not yet diagnosed.
       Elaine (15): Recurring, severe headaches.
       David Red: Thyroid problems.
       Michael Tea: Memory loss.
       Love (of Peter, Vietnam): Four large fibroid tumors in uterus, causing considerable pain and other symptoms.

Europe and Africa
       Protection of the Family in Madagascar, where there has been considerable unrest, and Lagos, Nigeria, amidst extreme violence and rioting.
       Emanuel (of Daniella): Diabetes and Hepatitis C. Recently underwent operation to remove half of her thyroid, which could cause cysts.
       Marie-Claire (13, of Samuel and Heidi): Bone cancer, causing back and knee pains, and inability to walk or use her left arm.
       Peter (10, of Dust and Maria): Leukemia, which he has for the third time. Doctors recommend bone marrow transplant but a donor has not yet been found, and the operation is risky.
       Victoria: Cancer.

North America
       Marie (of Andrew Fighter): Cancer. Has undergone a hysterectomy which will be followed by chemotherapy.
       Andrew (of Marie): Tumor in tongue. Andrew is currently having great difficulty breathing normally.

South America
       Luz (daughter of David): A progressive degenerative disease. Now has pneumonia as well.
       Kristen (3, of Phil and Crystal): Tuberous sclerosis, which is a rare disease, affecting the brain, and causing convulsions. Due to the nature of the disease, convulsions can potentially have serious neurological consequences.

open forum: catch 'em doing something nice
By Kate (20), Italy
       I was reading the open forum section in the last Grapevine and had to write in along the same line about my experience.
       Imagine going for a visit to your mom's house, and after an over-20-hour bus ride you arrive at the door and all you can think about is finding the nearest bed and passing out for a good twelve hours. You walk in the door and are received with an incredible welcoming-at least a hundred hugs all at once from mom and little sisters in tow. They excitedly lead you to the room they prepared for you to stay in for the visit.
       The first thing you notice is the wonderful scent of flowers and plants beautifully decorating the room, that nicely made bed with an enormous fluffy pillow that looks so inviting (they let you use one of the best in the house!). On that bed is a large array of welcome-home cards and drawings from the little artists, not to mention an arranged bowl of delicious fruits and homemade cookies especially for you. And that's just a small part of it!
       What a wonderful family I have, and a mother that's a true sample of what mothers should be. She's been there for me through rough times, put up with my Aquarius eccentricities, but most of all been a good friend. I know my little sisters (9 and 11) are a copy of that example when I wake up to a surprise breakfast-in-bed, or a special painting or a poem written just for me.
       You guys are great, and who wouldn't look forward to every visit knowing you'll be treated royally (even when you don't feel like you deserve it, ha!). TY Mom (Joanna), Anna and Larissa!

Ideas to get Activated out
By Stephen (CO), Japan
       Here are some ideas to help us get out subscriptions or Activated mags that we came up with at an area Activated meeting:

*       Ask Active members, Bible class students and close friends to subscribe.
*       Give the mags to new people met during DTD and STS.
*       Use the mags as feeding materials. Send them to your friends and contacts. Send them with your regular newsletters.
*       Make the subscription course a gift for your contacts, depending on your Home's financial situation and how potential your contacts are, or how much they help, etc.
*       Hold an Activated seminar, possibly as an area.
*       Ask your Active members for ideas of how to get out Activated. If you have any salesman friends, ask them for tips on selling our product.
*       Include Activated mags in the feeding materials package for the bride and groom [for those involved in wedding ministries].
*       Distribute Activated mags when you visit institutions (first get the management's agreement).
*       Visit everyone you know! It's a great chance to renew contact with old friends and acquaintances. Tell them that the Family has finally come out with a course and now is their chance to subscribe to it!
*       You can have Activated mags at a stand in front of any performances. You can sell tools, too.

Here are some more ideas from Homes in Japan:

*       Elixir: Whenever I go on follow-up, I always bring the person something to read. So, I just tell them, “I brought you a magazine today!”
*       Joe: Many mothers in Japan have a lot of free time, and are looking for a circle or group to be involved with. We tell them that we have a Bible class and use the Activated mags as textbooks, with the yearly subscription fee.
*       Marina: When I introduce Activated, I tell people that I am very excited about it. “It is a brand-new magazine in Japanese, but it is already distributed in 100 countries!” If I'm talking to a man, I tell him, “It will make a good present for your wife.” The main key is to be very excited about it yourself.
*       Daniel: You can ask restaurants, dentists, hospitals, etc., to display the Activated mags along with subscription forms, for customers/patients to read or take.
*       Tabitha: You can also ask barbers or other storefronts to feature Activated materials. I'm thinking of giving Activated to everyone in my apartment building.
*       Lynn: At one of the business seminars we attend for free, Rejoice YA and I were asked to be receptionists. We laid out the pamphlets of the speakers, as well as Activated mags. Dozens of attendees took them. We were also able to explain the mags from the stage.
*       Rejoice: You can use Activated mags for childcare seminars. You can also use English Activated mags for your English classes.
*       Daniel: If you know the contents of the English Activated mags, you can use some of them in your witnessing and tell the person, “What I just shared with you will be covered in a coming Activated mag.”

His plan, not mine!
By Jenny Heart (18), Zambia
       I couldn't forget the dream. It all started one night when I had a dream that I was living in Africa. Weird, I thought, but hey, I'd better check in with the Lord to see what He has to say.
       Sure enough, He said it was time for me to move on and that Africa was the place He was leading me to. Yikes!
       As far as which country to go to it was up to me, but He told me to check in with Him once I'd found it. I did a little research on the majority of African countries, and Zambia sounded the most appealing to me.
       After receiving a confirmation from the Lord, I decided it was time to get moving. I didn't even know if there was a Home in Zambia so I wrote a want ad to any Homes there. The strange thing is that the day I sent out my want ad, the Home in Zambia sent out their want ad for more personnel. The Lord was definitely engineering behind the scenes.
       How I got there was another story. I was living in Hungary at the time, which is basically not the vision of a place to do fundraising. I asked my former Home in the States if they would be willing to let me fundraise there and they said yes. So I moved to the States.
       My goal was to only be in the States for three months and then move to Zambia. Little did I know that the Lord had other plans in store for me.
       Shortly after arriving in the States, I received an e-mail from my 15-year-old brother, who was living in Canada. He was asking me if he could re-join from FM to CM in my Home. Gulp! I really did want to help him, but if he were to come that would mean that I would have to stay longer in the States, and not get to Zambia as fast. We prayed about it as a Home and we got that not only he should come, but that my 13-year-old sister who lives with him should also come.
       I was both happy and sad.-Happy to help them, but sad to have to delay my move to Zambia. Well, it was definitely the Lord's plan for me to stay longer as I had some pretty big lessons to learn on patience and not working in the arm of the flesh before I got to Africa.
       Many times I got discouraged as fundraising was slow and it seemed to me that I would never get to the mission field, but the Lord allowed that for a reason. I was tempted at times to go to other Homes to fundraise as some of the other young people did, but I knew I had a responsibility to the Lord and to my brother and sister.
       After one year of trials and tests to get to the mission field, I arrived in Zambia.
       I have never been so happy and fulfilled in all my life. Literally! I know when people read this that they're probably thinking, “Yes, yes, we've heard this a thousand times!” But it is the truth. Zambia is a witnessing paradise. People here are so sweet, sheepy, and receptive to the Word. They have a spiritual vacuum and are thankful for anything we do for them. It is really poor here and the average life span is only to age 36. That is mainly because AIDS is rampant here. The need is endless. You can really make a difference as there is so much to do in the form of witnessing, CTP, and Bible classes, etc.
       I still have my share of battles as the Enemy really fights us here 'cause he knows we are making a difference and he's scared. I've had some of my most intense spiritual battles since moving here, but seeing the fruit of our labors and what we're here for makes it worth it all.
       About 73% of the country is Christian and almost everyone you meet has Jesus in their hearts. Our main job here is to help them grow in their spiritual lives as they are all just babes in their Christianity. Even the pastors look to us for help and guidance.
       The other day I was sitting out in the yard hearing from the Lord and I felt burdened about feeding our sheep more. I was thinking about how much potential there is here for so many more sheep to come to us. The Lord then told me that I needed to pray for more sheep to come in. So I started to pray. Five minutes later there was a knock on our gate. A lady came to me and said she was looking for a church to join and came to us for Bible classes. She said she felt she wasn't growing spiritually in her church and that she needed a deeper feeding of the Word. When I asked her how she found us she told me that a taxi driver had told her about us. Wow, talk about an answer to prayer!
       In conclusion, it pays to hear from the Lord about everything. Because of my sacrifice, my brother and sister are now CM, on fire, dedicated disciples. The Home in the States where I was fundraising has now started taking in more FM returnees as a result of my brother and sister joining there. I was also able to learn valuable lessons before coming to Zambia that are vital to surviving here. Now I realize that the Lord had His hand in everything and that my delay in coming here was actually a blessing in disguise.
       So keep on fighting no matter what comes. The Lord knows what He is doing in our lives. He is the Master Planner and can see the whole picture instead of the one tiny part that we are limited in seeing. So trust Him!

12 Foundation Stones works!
       Stephen, Croatia: We have another four people who are going through the course, and all are growing, and are now witnessing to others wherever they go.
       We give them classes weekly, and one woman has begun to translate all the GP e-mail that she receives. She's constantly in the Word, and changed totally from being into Hinduism, new age, and meditation to being totally sold out to Jesus. She now witnesses wherever she goes!
       On Friday evenings we have a special Bible class that our friends can bring their sheep to, and we're meeting more needy people who devour every word we say.

Adam #12
Cover: Special “You and Women” Romance Exclusive.
Winning Ways with Gals!
Page 2: Really romantic things that women LOVE guys to do!

       Never-before revealed romance secrets that you've always wondered about!

       Absolutely fool-proof tips for the Romeo within!

       What the experts say: “A gripping and ground-breaking breakthrough in investigative romance journalism. A must for every bedside table!”-An Adam editor

       To be continued in next issue!

       Cover photo: FGA Barney of Bruni in Brunei in the mood for love.

(End of File)