The Words of the Verheyen Family
|
|
The Words of the Verheyen Family |
Dear Family
This year 1970 began with members of the three centers coming together at 12 midnight on the first day of January.
We met at the Amsterdam center and started the New Year with prayer and singing. We shared the letters and telegrams we had received from many centers from other countries. We shared many articles about the early days of the movement. Teddy talked to us about God's Day and the importance of this blessed day being the most importance of all the days we celebrate. God has never had a day He could call His. Now since 1968 we can share with the world God's day.
At 3 a.m. we all made a trip to the Holy Ground in remembrance that our Leader had chosen 3 am to announce this day before heaven and earth. At the Holy Ground we prayed and thanked our heavenly Father for this great family that is now established all over the world. Then we all returned to the center for more prayer and reading about our Leader's life and the start of his mission. Then we said the family pledge at 5 am. It was starting to get light outside before we went to bed. It was a wonderful time spent together as our Father's family.
We wanted to share these hours with all mankind. The world was celebrating but in a different way. Someday they will all know the meaning of January the first and will celebrate every day for God.
On the first of this month there was a conference of the leaders of the Catholic Church, most of them were from the Netherlands. They were trying to break down the Catholic Laws and allow the priest to marry.
It was a closed meeting but God opened a way for us and we walked into the conference room and gave out chapters of the principles. We were able to talk to many people and give them printed material about the Principles. Then we went to the room where the conference members were staying and put more information about the Principles in their rooms. We thought they might put us out but Father made it very easy for us to talk and work directly with the top Catholic leaders of Europe.
Now almost all the Catholic leaders in Holland know about our movement. This has been a very busy month with some big openings for us to lecture before large groups of people. On Jan. 15th a large group of spiritualist heard about us through their secretary and asked us to give a lecture at their closed meeting. Teddy gave a very inspiring lecture on the first, third and sixth chapter. The mission of Jesus made them think. After the meeting many came to us and said the lecture gave them something new to think about. There was very little resistance from the people. They want something new.
January 16th we had an open meeting at the new center in Utrecht. We had sent out 70 invitations to students who had been to the old center. A lecture was given to about 25 people. It was a happy evening and always the Principle lectures leave such feeling of depth in the people and they leave for their homes with a lot to think about. We know the new center in Utrecht will produce many fruits in the future.
Two of our boys went to a church one Sunday night; they started talking about Principles and a large group of people gathered around them and wanted to know more. They only told them a little and said for them to come to know more; on Monday night they all came to hear the first lecture. Most of them were young high school boys, two older men came with them.
We are still working to get the Principles in every high school. We visited the home of the president of religions of a group of 20 schools in the Amsterdam area. He and his wife were very nice to us and took the first chapter of the Principles to read. They will visit the center on the 9th of February and let us know what they think of it and if they will help us.
In the meantime on January the 28th a door was opened to us in a large boy's Catholic school. Teddy gave a 50 min. lecture to the boys. The boys were about 15 and 16 years old. They were excited with the lecture and asked if we could come back the next week. But their teacher said we could come back in two weeks and give another lecture. The questions and answers after the lectures were very good and inspiring to the young boys.
We give all the thanks to our Heavenly Father and the spirit world for helping us. Only one year ago this would have been impossible to have broken through the wall of the leaders of the religions and given lectures in high schools.
We were happy to receive one of our brothers from Belgium for a weekend. He is very new in our Father's Kingdom and had many questions for us to answer. A boy from Delft Holland visited us and will come back for more Principle. He is from South America. A young man is coming this weekend from Groningen (North-Holland) to study the Principle.
A lady is with us now from Heerlen (Southern-Holland). She is staying a few days for further study. We visited with her and 3 people, all Mormons, who had read the Principles, so we were able to answer their questions. She is studying deeper so she can be more effective in the southern part of Holland.
We went to Den Haag and taught one person for a day. The University witnessing is still going on. Some students are coming to the center. But our members are teaching most of them in their rooms at the student house.
We have visited many student houses and put our handbills and meeting times on their boards and have mailed out many handbills with information about Principle to theologian students. Then we visited the theologian schools and left reading material for the students. We tried to do this two years ago, but at that time the school would not let us leave material for the students to read.
People are to the point where they need the Divine Principles. They cannot go on without them. We have to give them the truth at this time.
This month the whole Holland Family put in 120 days of fasting. We feel tine indemnity has been paid. Now God can take. We will march on and bring victory to our Heavenly Father.
We have given lectures to 120 new people this month in Amsterdam. Many have visited the center and received one or more lectures.
In the Laren center one person had accepted the Principles. They had 21 people visit their center. They all are pushing forth with much renewed energy and are working hard to build that part of this nation for the Father.
We will march on until we have a strong foundation, so the Spirit of God can work with much freedom with the people of this land.
Our prayers go to all of you
In our True Parent's Name
The Holland Family