Date: 18th of Jan 2005
From: Michael Fischer
Age: 22
Country: Australia
Mission Field: Okinawa, Japan

“WE ARE TROUBLED ON EVERY SIDE, YET NOT DISTRESSED: we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed.”… “And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.” (2Cor.4:8,9; Matthew 10:21,22)

Wow, what does that verse mean to me? In light of what has recently happened, I believe it means exactly what it says. We are getting attacked from every angle possible, but we are unafraid: we are saddened and confused as to why this happened, but we are not without a hope that some good can come from it. Yes, we are persecuted, but the Lord has not forsaken us. We have been cast down by the media and our very own loved ones, but they have not succeeded in their intent to destroy us. I guess this work just must be of God or something. This next bit is very interesting…. Our brothers are going to deliver us up to death, and the fathers their children, and the children are going to rise up against their parents, and perhaps even cause them to be put to death, and we are going to be hated of all men for the sake of Him who has called us into this line of work. How much more specific can you get?! Times are definitely getting darker, but if we’ll hang in there and “fight the good fight,” then the Lord’s going to see us through till the end. What an amazing piece of scripture that is.

I don’t believe that my being born into this Family was an accident. In fact, I know in my heart it happened this way for a purpose, a purpose that is much higher than me or anything that I could ever hope to become in this life. I was brought up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord for a purpose, that purpose was to make me into the missionary that I am today. I wasn’t brought up to be a doctor or a scientist or engineer, or anything else for that matter. I wasn’t brought up to make lots of money and to become a success in the eyes of the world … far be it from me. I was brought up to believe that this life is but a vapor and that we are only here for a short while, and then we’re gone.

I was brought up to believe that the only things that really matter in this life are souls won to the kingdom of Heaven, the love you share with others, and the charitable deeds that you do unto your neighbor, which is anybody that you come in contact with, and that if you put these things above worldly success you will not regret it in this life and the life to come. You want to know something?! I don’t regret it in this life now. So that means that the next life is a colossal bonus.

I spent some time outside The Family (about 9 years) during which I finished school and had a little job experience here and there. On one occasion I was working at a big supermarket chain. My job as the store man was to accept deliveries. “Hi there! Nice to see you. I’ll take that. Sign there and see you later.” This is what I said about 70 times a day. I was a fill-in for this guy who had been working there for about 25 years. On his days off I would come in and work. Anyway, on this one particular day the manager came out to have a little chat with me. He said to me, “Mike, we just caught the guy that normally does this job stealing a bottle of whiskey from the back of the store. We fired him. He worked for this company for 25 years, was soon to retire and was in line for a big pay package for all his years of faithful service. Did I mention we fired him? Oh yeah, I did. Well now he won’t be getting that pay package anymore. He forfeits that to the company because he stole that bottle of whiskey. Now, I want you to listen carefully, Mike. If you’re smart this could be a big step in the right direction for your career here in our supermarket. How about it, Mike, would you be willing to take this guy’s job?” I didn’t answer right away. I guess I was in shock or something. Later I walked into his office and handed him my two week notice. I left a week later.

This little story may not mean much to you, but for me it kind of sums up life outside The Family. I do not want the better part of my life to be wasted away on just trying to survive, or even doing well in the eyes of this world. I want my life to make a difference in the lives of others. I want to spend the time God has given me wisely. I want to live for something that’s real and that will last forever. I want to live with people who feel the same way and have the same goals at heart, because if I don’t then I know I’ll lose the vision. I have seen the fruits of that. To whom shall I go? Thou alone has the words of life. Show me a better way and I will follow you.

I have brothers and sisters outside The Family who are pursuing a lifestyle other than the one I have chosen. I love each one of them dearly and I’m proud of them for pressing forward in the different vocations they’ve chosen for themselves. I will continue to love and support them no matter what they choose in this life, and I know they each feel the same way about me.
I know there are many others who have left The Family over the years and done well for themselves. To you, I say “thank you”! Thank you for proving that there is life after The Family. I wish you all the very best in this life and in the one to come.

To those of you who have taken a stand against us, I say this, “Let it go. It’s not worth it. No possible good can come from it. Get on with your lives and salvage what little time you have left before Jesus returns to right all wrongs. Listen to the advice of Gamaliel of old, a doctor of the law: ‘Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nothing: But if it be of God, ye can not overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.’” (Acts. 5:38,39)

Michael Fischer is a second generation member of The Family International, currently residing in Japan.