From Mr. Carn Catherwood The incoming mail figure for June broke all previous records. We received 15,661 pieces, 4,569 more than our record of 11,082 set in December 1984. This sizeable increase in mail — 260% over June last year — was mainly due to the response to Mr. Armstrong's semiannual letter. We received a 14.1% response to the literature offered. The letter was received very favorably and many people indicated their appreciation for La PURA VERITA on the response card. Others asked for renewal of their subscription or for other literature they had seen advertised previously. Many people expressed amazement that such a fine magazine is published without charge.
We also received 2,318 pieces of mail from our May READER'S DIGEST ad. This three-page ad included the back page and a fold-out page. It was titled "The Future of Italy Prophesied — The Bible Reveals What Is Going to Happen."
In June, the subtitled version of "The WORLD TOMORROW" TV program — "Il MONDO DI DOMANI" — began airing on Rete Quattro, covering all of Italy. This is a new station added to the one we already have, called Tele MonteCarlo. The response thus far has been very good and has tripled our normal response figure. All of these factors, combined with responses to several direct mail shots, added up to a record-breaking month for incoming mail.
Requests for visits are continuing to come in at an average of four per week. Messrs. Mike Caputo and Cliff Veal will be visiting several of these people during a tour in mid-July. We have several prospective members in Rome and are expecting that a number of new families will be attending the Feast in Fiuggi this year. Many of the prospective members are now beginning to donate and tithe, which will aid the growth of the Italian branch of the work of God's Church. This support shows their commitment in a period of economic instability.
Mike Savoia, a junior at Ambassador College, is presently participating in the Italian summer program. He is attending the University for Foreigners at Perugia in central Italy. In addition to studying a great deal of Italian, Mike is also taking a variety of other classes. This is the first year of the program and it appears very successful thus far. Mike is currently employed subtitling the Italian "WORLD TOMORROW" program. He has also worked in the Italian Department processing mail and helped in translating the Italian hymnal. His studies this summer should add immensely to his skills in the Italian language.
The first Bible correspondence course test was mailed in June with Lesson 4. Also in June approximately 3,800 new students were enrolled in the course, largely as a result of a recent offer for the correspondence course in the Italian language. Most people are very receptive to the lessons and the response has all been positive.
Donations for May showed a 122% increase over May 1984. The growing number of donors has been very encouraging, having risen from 177 in 1984 to 280 in 1985. The number of co-workers has more than doubled in the past year, increasing from 27 to 64. All this has contributed to a healthy increase in indigenous income.
From Mr. Peter Nathan The Eternal blessed us with another fine increase in income during June — up 19.6% over June of last year. This lifts the year to-date figure to an 11.8% increase, almost right on the 12% budgeted figure. Incoming mail was up by an excellent 57% in June, bringing our year-to-date mail increase to 15.3%. Mail from within New Zealand is up 24.3%, while mail from the Pacific Islands has decreased by 6.8% so far this year. Outgoing mail for the first half of the year was up 19.5%.
The major factor in the June mail was the 4,500 responses to Mr. Armstrong's semiannual letter. This already represents a 14.5% response from our subscribers in New Zealand. (Responses from the Pacific Islands haven't started arriving yet.) Over 70% of our semiannual letter respondees requested both booklets offered — THE UNITED STATES AND BRITAIN IN PROPHECY and A WORLD HELD CAPTIVE.
During the last three months there has been an average 20% increase in donation mail, and there has been a very pleasing upswing in the number of donors. The number of new donors added in the first half of 1985 is up over 50% compared to the same period last year. On the other hand, the number of co-workers has remained rather static so far this year.
After a period of low inflation due to government-imposed wage and price controls, New Zealand is once again suffering from sharply rising inflation now that the controls have been removed. The annual inflation rate is around 17%. As of July 1, postage charges also increased by an average of 17%, making quite an impact on our budget. However, we know the Eternal will continue to provide for us in order to do His work in New Zealand with increasing power.
International News
Worldwide Church of God