Italian Family Adopts New Methods

Antonio Ciacciarelli
December 1981

In accordance with Father's direction, our national leader, Franco Ravaglioli, started a 40-day summer witnessing campaign on the streets at the beginning of July 1981.

Each center prepared posters which explained how history repeats itself, according to the model Mr. Ravaglioli brought back from the 120-day training session in New York. It was a new experience for the Italian family. As in many other nations, up until that moment, we had been witnessing in the streets, using only leaflets or invitation cards. Sitting at a table, waiting for people to be attracted by the history poster was very different from the previous way.

In the beginning, we did not feel completely at ease witnessing in this new way, because it seemed to be a kind of passive behavior. But two or three days were enough to capture the new spirit. We felt that we were entering a new era in our mission: we were no longer supposed to go around begging people to come to our centers, but rather to wait for people who are looking for something new in the religious field to approach our table, look at our poster, and ask us for information about our activity.

Each center changed its schedule to adjust to the new activity, which brought about a new spirit and many beautiful experiences.

Beyond this new program, Mr. Ravaglioli felt the desire to share with the Italian family the same deep experience he had in New York during the first 120-day leadership seminar. In fact, he decided to start a 21-day leadership seminar for all the Italian members. His desire is to send all members to this course, in groups of about 20. It is not so easy to condense 120 days into 21, and it is possible to share with the members only a part of the material and knowledge which he, his wife and his assistants received in that period, but the spirit these courses al e giving to the members is incredible.

The program includes a 40-hour street preaching condition and one day of fundraising with very high goals, in order to break down all our limitations.

All the brothers and sisters who participated or are participating in these courses have gratefully taken this unique opportunity to repent of their past mistakes and start a new life on a higher standard, to be ready for our 21-year course.

The center leaders (who attended the first course) and the members completing 21-day training are bringing this new spirit back to their centers, and the results are already bearing testimony to the importance of this course.