From Celeste DiMattina

The setting of this tragic happening vaguely reminds me of a movie I once saw… I won’t get into critiquing the movie itself and the morals and message therein (seeing as I did not agree with them), but the sick feeling I had for days after watching that movie is almost as bad as the feeling I experienced at receiving news of Angela and Ricky’s deaths. – Probably because I knew the movie was fictional whereas I knew both Angela and Ricky and could not believe I had actually read that notice correctly.

It just didn’t seem right, and it still doesn’t! Angela was such a loving person! There’s no way anyone would want to kill her. And as for Ricky, though I knew he had turned sour and antagonistic over the years after leaving the Family, murder and homicide was the last thing I would have expected any young person raised in the Family to do.

My name is Celeste DiMattina, I’m 26 and was born and raised in the Family. I haven’t lived my entire life in the Family though. When I was a young teen I took a “break” for a few years. At the time I lived with my dad (who is no longer a Family member – though he is one of the thousands who are just fine moving on in life) but as soon as I realized what I was missing – the fun, excitement, happiness, contentment, enthusiasm, joy, peace, etc. (I don’t think I could do the subject justice and the list would go on and on) – from not being in a Family Home and around Family members, I realized I had to get back to the Family as soon as I could. It wasn’t easy to rejoin actually, contrary to what some might say of our recruiting techniques, but I look at it as a time in which I was able to see both sides of the fence and make a concrete decision of just what I wanted to do with my life.
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By: Elizabeth Amber M., 26, Chile
(Second-generation member of the Family International)

How can one defend a pre-meditated murder done in cold-blood? How can one slander a murder victim? How can someone who knows nothing about a situation write or speak about it without having done any research? How can someone who has never met me say they know how I feel or how my life is? What happened to freedom of speech where both sides of a story were printed and people were given a chance to choose what to believe instead of being told, where stories were based on evidence, not hearsay or rumor? How can a country that fought for religious freedom so easily deny that right to their own people? It’s beyond me.

I was born and raised in this amazing organization. I couldn’t have asked for a more exciting lifestyle than the one I received growing up traveling all over Europe, North, Central and South America. I have met and talked with people from over 100 countries. Listening to the types of lives they’ve lived has only convinced me further that I am living and working in the best group on Earth. I’ve had the opportunity to learn about so many things that many my age have never, and probably never will. I’m a well adjusted, secure, self-confident, independent individual and, thanks to the Family, I have a very wonderful, fulfilling and satisfying ministry and lifestyle that lets me explore and try out new things and opportunities. I have always felt loved by those I’ve lived with and have felt their care and concern daily in all that they’ve done to take care of me and make sure I had all I needed physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually. What more could one ask for? Read the rest of this entry »

(From Marianne Mullen, 32, second-generation member of the Family International)

My name is Marianne Mullen, and I’m a second generation member of the Family International born in California, but grew up in many countries worldwide. I’ve lived on four continents, speak five languages and have spent the better part of the last ten years as a volunteer teacher of underprivileged children in various parts of Asia. Being that The Family is presently undergoing a media smear campaign, whether intentional or not, in regards to the very sad and tragic events involving the deaths of Angela Smith and Ricky Rodriguez, I feel obligated to say something.

I was very saddened to hear of this news, and my heart goes out to the loved ones of both Angela and Ricky, whose hearts must be feeling deep grief over their loss. It’s taken me some time to digest it all. I am finding it hard to rationalize how someone who was raised in the same loving, caring and peaceful environment of The Family as I was, one where we truly believe and try to live what the Bible teaches, “The love of Christ constrains me,” could undergo such a dramatic transformation from a nice person into someone so unstable, full of hate and bitterness with revenge enough to kill. I can only conclude that regardless of our upbringing, we are each given the freedom of choice and are fully accountable for the decisions we choose to make in our lives, and Ricky’s sad fate was the result of listening to voices of bitterness and anger, and of choosing hate and revenge over the love and truth that he’d been brought up with. Read the rest of this entry »

Hi there, my name is Serghei Pînzaru and I’m 26 years old. I would like to share MY SIDE on the events of January 8th. First of all I’m deeply moved and saddened by Ricky’s murder of Angela. When I first heard about it I was shocked… Even though I never knew Ricky Rodriguez personally I know from the people who knew him that he was a very intelligent young man and that he was happy when he was in the Family International. What made him change??? Contact with antagonistic and hatred filled apostates who is sunk so low that they claim Karen Zerby was the one to blame for what has happened, incredible!!!

My sincere prayers are with the families of those who been involved. The scripture which comes to my mind is this: “Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution”. (2 Tim 3:12)

I’m a member of the Family International for the past 8 years, and previous to that I was a professional ballroom dancer in the Ukraine. What made me change my chosen career and join the Family International? It’s very simple, really, after I’ve met the Family I heard God’s call to: “Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature”. (Mark 16:15) Jesus also sad:” If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for My sake, the same shall save it.” (Luk.9:32-24). This and other things moved me to give up my life of pleasure, riches, fame and comfort for going to those who needed help, encouragement and the love of Jesus. Read the rest of this entry »

By Sam Doehler
Age 28, father of two

Well, you say that I was abused, and that all, or most of the children within the Family have been at some point or another. But I can’t help but wonder how could you possibly know whether or not I had ever been abused, unless you had been there, or been the one to do so yourself.

But do I suppose though that, if I sit here and think long enough, I could come up with some instances. Such as having to eat liver and brussel sprouts all in one meal. I mean, just eating one of those dishes for dinner would be cruelty, but having to eating both for the same meal would fall under abuse. But you couldn’t be talking about that, because many “normal” people do the same thing to their children!

Perhaps you’re talking about having to sit down for up to four hours a day for the sole purpose of learning how to read, and write, instead of being able to play with my hand-me-down, handmade bow and arrow. Just having to leave the bow and arrow outside was something no aspiring Robin Hood should be asked to do. I mean what if I was jumped by Sir Guy, on my way to the bathroom. That alone is harsh unloving behavior on the part of my overseers. But to be made to sit there and study for something that would never help me out in Sherwood Forest and thus decrease my chances of survival, could be viewed as abuse. But you couldn’t be talking about that either, because many “normal” people do the same thing to their children! Read the rest of this entry »

By Érica Rocha de Lemos (27 years old, Brazil)

My name is Érica; I first met the Family in 1997 and have been living as a full time missionary for the Family International since 2002.

After hearing about the news of the recent happenings with Angela and Ricky, and seeing how things are being approached I felt in my heart that I should say a bit about my life in the Family International and how it has been one of the best moments in my life, and all that is being said in relation to how Angela’s murder and Ricky’s suicide is connected to what certain ex-members of the Family International are saying about Ricky’s previous life in the Family.

Unlike many of the young people in the Family International I was not born in the group. I came to know Jesus and His love through faithful missionaries, who began working at the university I studied architecture in, 8 years ago, through one of their musical shows. I felt the love of Jesus in them, and thus began what I would come to call my journey to find the “real vocation I was called to”. Five years went by from the time I met the group, until the moment I decided to follow the call to be a missionary, and dedicate my life to others. During those five years I was able to see clearly what it meant to live for love and others and not for yourself, through the sample which I saw in the missionaries I was in contact with from the Family International. It also became increasingly obvious to me that in the world I was living in there was more and more of a “look out for number one” spirit, with each one only looking out for themselves. Read the rest of this entry »

(From Samuel Paquette, age 30, second-generation member of the Family International)

As I read through the recent news articles printed regarding the atrocious murder of Angela at the hand of Rick Rodriguez, I couldn’t help but feel very frustrated and upset with the twist and slant that the news avenues were giving this story. It’s hard to believe that such a ruthless crime would not only be downplayed by the media but somehow twisted in order to make the reader feel that it was somehow justified. I ask myself, where are they headed with this?

There is so much talk in the news today against violence; we hear daily of the atrocities brought about by those who engage in terrorist acts against mankind and our hearts go out to the innocent who die at the hand of ruthless and bloodthirsty suicide bombers, so why then do those who on the one hand speak so avidly against these crimes, turn around and seemingly tolerate them on the other? It just doesn’t make sense!
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From Mercy Langille, 26, Bangalore, India

“Yea, all that live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” That is the verse that came to me when I first heard about the slander that is being thrown at The Family. (we must be doing something right, or no one would be saying anything)

I am a second generation adult who was raised in The Family. I have been through a lot, I’ve seen a lot. I’ve experienced things people my age can only dream of. I am 26 years old and have lived in 8 different countries. Aside from bring a fulltime missionary (which I know I am called to be), I have chosen as my profession to be a teacher. I’ve worked with children of all ages, from babies to 12 year olds. I’ve studied Family child training techniques and I use them daily with the children that I teach. If there is anything I know, it’s how children are raised in The Family. I see it every day! Are they abused? Not from what I have ever seen. These children are loved and cared for in every way.

Was I abused as a child raised in The Family? Certainly not! I was raised in a very loving environment. Though for several years my mom was single and had to raise 4 of us on her own, we never lacked for anything. We always had good food, warm clothes, comfortable beds, and she saw to it that we were educated properly. I’ve never attended public school a day in my life, yet I completed high school plus 3 college courses. I could read at the age of 2 and this started me on a lifelong love for books and I taught myself a lot that way. Read the rest of this entry »

About myself:

Name: Angelina Rieli
Age: 26
Ministry: Secretary
Countries lived in: Brazil, U.S.A., Turkey, Slovakia, Hungary
Countries visited: Mexico, Greece, Romania, Ukraine, Poland, Bosnia, Montenegro, Croatia, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, France, England
Some of the things I’ve most enjoyed doing:

• Attending my best friend’s wedding
• Attending one of my best friend’s deliveries
• Caring for my godchildren and niece
• Collecting frogs
• Debating with my friends
• Dinner out with my parents whenever I visit
• Experiencing and learning so many different aspects of my secretarial ministry
• Hearing from my siblings and friends about my nieces, nephew and godchildren

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(From a second-generation member of the Family International)

By Jude Osborn, 31 (a.k.a Kevin Kanwayte)

There’s no doubt that I had a good, positive upbringing as a young child. I had regular school, lots (and lots) of friends, went witnessing, sang on television utterly off key, played with toys, completely unraveled entire rolls of toilet paper with my friends. You know, just normal kid’s stuff.

Then between the age of 7 and 8 my immediate family left The Family to pursue a secular life. As ironic as it may seem to some people, I suddenly found myself surrounded by abusive situations. Having the best parents in the world, I was personally never subject to anything remotely abusive as a child, but my heart goes out to these childhood friends of mine. For example:
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