[Vienna] In Vienna, where rents are expensive, our fellow initiates here have dreamed for years of an independent group meditation Center. And in the middle of last year, our dream came true. Through God's loving arrangement, we purchased a Center for a very good price in a convenient location.

All the things that the Center needed were voluntarily contributed or made by fellow initiates. The fellow initiates who were skilled in carpentry made a clothes stand, shoe cabinet, bookshelves, etcetera, through their own initiatives. Master's publications are displayed in the brand new bookshelves, which emit a happy radiance. Besides putting up a picture of Master that was taken when She visited Vienna and a letter in Master's own handwriting, the new Center also displays Her painting, "The New Era," which is a symbol of our new beginning.

The renovations did not affect our group meditation and monthly one-day retreats. The Center's library has collected more and more of Master's books, audiotapes and videotapes. Borrowing, returning, and circulation of library items is all self-service. We expect that over time we will improve the Center in all respects, thus allowing it to completely perform all its functions smoothly.

Sharing God's Love With Homeless Friends

It has been very cold this winter, especially in the beginning when we had a sudden, unexpected arrival of a cold current from Siberian. More than one hundred people froze to death in Europe within only a few days. On one icy, rainy evening, fellow initiates prepared sandwiches, hot coffee, hot tea, fruits and chocolates and went to every major subway station to convey Master's care for the homeless. Among the homeless that the Vienna fellow initiates found, some were old and weak, some were alcoholics, some were mentally disturbed, and some were young and strong but homeless because they could not get jobs.

In a telephone booth at the Karlsplatz subway station, fellow initiates found a homeless woman, who obviously looked distraught. Her clothes were sloppy and she spoke incoherently. When she received the food and a hot drink from us, she was moved and kept expressing her gratitude. A sister initiate wanted to take off her own coat and give it to the woman, but the woman refused to accept it, saying that the sister initiate also needed the coat for the cold weather. We truly believe that her soul could feel Master's loving power.

While greeting and talking to our fellow initiates, another middle aged homeless person even shed tears. We gave him a copy of the sample booklet. Looking at Master's picture, he could not stop crying.

In the Franz-Josef-Bahnhof subway station, we met a group of homeless people. When they received the vegetarian food and hot drinks from us, they happily said, "You must be children of Jesus Christ!"

After this loving activity, the fellow initiates continue to give clothing, sleeping bags, boots, etcetera, to the homeless in need, and these gifts that symbolize God's love have all been delivered to them personally.

 

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