The Words of the Verheyen Family
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The Words of the Verheyen Family |
Jean
Pierre Verstraeten
It is very cold and snowy outside, everything looks white and beautiful. This is only on the outside as I look at the beauty of nature we can see that God is the greatest artist of all, and we can enjoy His creation. If only man's heart be beautiful we could live in the kingdom of Heaven in perfect peace.
Our Heavenly Father has blessed Holland with a new baby girl, she arrived on the 28th of November. Her name is Johanna Jouse van der Stok. Johan and Elke, are enjoying the number 4 in their family now.
Norbert and Rosie are still trying to lay the foundation in Den Haag. They are finding many new people to tell the Principles.
On their 40th day after starting their mission there, they were able to have a special prayer room in the house. They are living in one big room in the top of a big house, we call it the ark of Noah because it has windows all in the top and is built as a ship. They live in the home of two ladies, one is 75 years old and the daughter is 37 years old. They can live there for free.
Indemnity at this Christmas Time
The whole family did a 3 day fasting and we asked God to make one day fasting as 3 days, this way we got altogether 144 days of fasting.
The purpose of this fasting was the restoration of Father's heart wherever it is needed the most.
On God's Day, Jean Pierre Verstraeten, will return to Belgium. Jean Pierre was born in Belgium but came to Holland to work in an astronomical observatory. He found the Divine Principles 8 months ago and wanted to take this great truth back to his people in Belgium. For the last 8 months he has studied and prayed for the people in Belgium. His job expires now at the end of the year so he will return to Brussels and work with a girl from Austria to restore that nation back to the Father's heart. We are enclosing a picture of him.
We have translated and are using the introduction to the Divine Principles of Mr. Eu's Book.
3 Days of Experience of the Father's Heart
It was Christmas Eve and 12 of Father's children had been chosen for a 3 day mission to what would be a strange city to them.
The purpose was to search as the Father does for His lost children and to feel His lonely Heart.
When all families would be together they would leave each other and search for a new child for the Heavenly Family.
The weather began to get cold with snow coming down. And the condition was to only take 12 guilders with them for food and sleeping and it also had to pay for travel. They must fast for 24 hours and not sleep for 24 hours.
They each had 1,000 handbills plus chapters of the Divine Principles and other material to present to the people they talk with.
There were 10 boys and 2 girls. They prepared to leave at 8 p.m. The night of the 24th, everyone was excited and happy, after taking a hot dinner and having prayer together they each left for their chosen city. Some hitch hiked, and some went by bicycles. It was 10 below zero centigrade.
We know it would not be an easy 3 d-.37 for them, but the condition of indemnity would be great. The oldest who undertook the mission was 43 and the youngest was 18 years old.
They were to return at 8 p.m. on Sunday night. The weather kept getting colder in the 3 days, we were waiting for their return with hot food and a warm house. On their returning, the first arrived at 6 p.m., the last one came in at 10 p.m.
They all were talking at the same time of how God worked for them, leading them to groups of people, and a place to sleep and some of them were given warm food. One boy left his 12 guilders home, he said to test his own faith in God. He reported how people gave him a place to sleep and much food to eat. One boy slept in the police station one night and the next night he slept in the post office on top of a table.
They reported going into churches and standing in front of churches and talking to many people. One boy said "I felt so lonely especially in the church, People walked away from me.
One man stood in front of a church at 4 a.m. shouted about the Principles, people thought he was crazy. One buy could not find a place to sleep, he slept outside in the cold.
To have felt the lonely heart of the Father is the greatest experience.
`Mansei' to you, our True Parents, because you have showed us the way to be winners over Satan's kingdom.
Love and Prayers
The Holland Family