Dear Brothers and Sisters,

John Williams is starting to work on compiling a list of our trained members and other trusted professionals (who are not members) for the BFD.

When our members are looking for help on a particular issue, then they can consult with their local BFD Representatives who will have access to this list and be able to refer them to a good person for advice on that issue.

I think this is a great idea. Please consider this letter below from John carefully and see if you can be of help in any way.

God bless,
Jim Stephens

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

As you know, Jim and Hiromi Stephens want to broaden our support to our Blessed Families. One simple way to do this is to create a databank of members and friends who have the heart and expertise to help in some way or another.

On one hand, the BFD website already has a list of members who are heading up various ministries to serve our families--on adoption, children with special needs, etc. But there are also other kinds of ministries needed and there are people all over the country who serve as great resources for the local members and may be unknown to anyone outside that area. These persons would serve as knowledgeable advisors about what to do or they could themselves be in a position to help solve the problem.

These would include trained experts. In addition, it would also include ordinary people who have effectively dealt with a problem as well as those who have been unsuccessful but have gained a lot of wisdom from experience. In this case, they would need to be willing to be a resource for others, which would mean admitting that they have/had the problem within them or in their family. (This latter requirement could perhaps be reduced by allowing people to go on a "confidential" list, which only BFD reps would have access to.)

I am thinking about such things as:

1) Marriage problems

a. Members who have some experience dealing with serious marital discord, such as infidelity or chronic fighting, and separation, as well as divorce and child custody issues.

b. Members who have some experience coping with marital problems in their children.

c. Therapists who have helped our members and are pro-marriage and not biased against our religious faith.

2) Domestic violence

a. Members who have some experience dealing with being the victim of serious abuse from their spouse or other relatives.

b. Members who have some experience coping with their own spouse abusing their children or their married children being abused by their spouse.

c. Therapists, lawyers and others who have helped our members and can respect our reluctance to divorce.

3) Mental illness

a. Members who have some experience dealing with such afflictions as severe depression, bipolar disorder, ADD, spiritual possession or some form of psychosis, obsessive-compulsive disorder, personality disorders, and the like.

b. Members who have some experience coping with mental illness in their spouse or children.

c. Psychiatrists and other therapists who have helped our members and are not biased against our religious faith.

4) Substance abuse and other compulsive behavior

a. Members who have some experience dealing with abuse of alcohol, drugs, gambling, and the like.

b. Members who have some experience coping with addictions in their spouse or children.

c. Psychiatrists and other therapists who have helped our members.

4) Sexual disorders

a. Members who have some experience dealing with compulsive sexual behavior such as pornography use, prostitution, and serial infidelity or with incest or same sex attractions and gender confusion.

b. Members who have some experience coping with such issues in their spouse or children.

c. Psychiatrists and other therapists who have helped our members and who respect our sexual norms.

5) Unlawful behavior

a. Members who have some experience dealing with the legal and other consequences of illegal behavior driving while intoxicated, abuse of illegal substances, indebtedness due to gambling, use of illegal pornography, use of prostitutes, domestic violence, etc.

b. Members who have some experience coping with such problems in their family.

c. Lawyers, therapists, and other experts who have helped our members.

6) Financial problems

a. Members who have some experience dealing with serious indebtedness, difficulty managing money or chronic unemployment.

b. Members who have some experience coping with such problems in their family.

c. Financial services, counselors, and other experts who have helped our members and who respect our donation practices.

Perhaps you can think of others I have not. And perhaps you have ideas about how members could offer their name as a helper in a certain area while keeping their privacy.

It will take some time to glean this information from everyone nationwide, but please help us make a start. Send in any names you can think of. Ask them permission if you can, or I can ask them if they would like to help and be included in this databank.

Thanks and God bless you for your efforts,

John Williams

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