I have no idea who will end up reading this, but I feel compelled to do my part to clear my name and that of my friends and co-workers in the Family. My name is Sofia. I am 25 soon to be 26 and have grown up my entire life in the Family, in my opinion the best environment for every child there is. I spent most of my life in Asia with my parents as missionaries. When I was old enough to decide what to do with my life I decided that I wanted to carry on being a missionary and at the age of 18 came back to Asia where I have spent the last 8 years in humble service to the people of this wonderful continent.

When I decided to continue on as a missionary it was done without any coercion or pressure, I made the decision because I wanted to spend my life making a difference for the better and because I believe that the Family is the best place to do it. My only regrets are that I feel that I have not done enough and that I could never do enough to right the wrongs and save the dying and lonely, rescue those that are without someone to love and care for them and make the world a better place for all mankind

Idealistic, I know, but those are the ideals that I was raised with and the ideals that we as a Family stand for.

I wish that everyone could experience a childhood like my own with Godly, loving parents who reared me to become a Godly and loving grown up. I was never abused in any way as a child nor since becoming an adult, except now by a few very sick and deranged detractors who have the nerve to reach into our loving and peaceful lives and threaten to do us harm.

In what way?

Well, now, I myself am a mother of five of the world’s best children and I will have no one speak in opposition of that! I have given them the best that there is, not speaking as a close-minded, dead at heart, couldn’t-care-less, brain-washed attitude that some of our apostates would have you believe, but as a mother whose love for her children far surpasses distance, time and space. I have given my children the best that this world has to offer in a loving, child-abuse-free, healthy, caring, scholastically advanced environment.

I’ve always been taught not to boast, but in this case I feel it calls for an exception.

I feel that my kids have been given the most superior rearing that can be had and we as parents and those in the community that we live in, are fully preparing our children to have the best future. Why? Because whether they choose to remain in the Family or pursue other careers outside, they will have all that they need to do so not only in spiritual values of love, honesty and camaraderie, but also in advanced training both scholastically and vocationally as well.

So now that I hear of people with the nerve to lash out against our rearing and that of the Family’s third generation of children—my children—I will not stand for it! I am like a mother bear, that when someone comes near to hurt or torment her children in any way will give her life for their safety and well-being—over my dead body is all that I can say!

I have given my life, time, and love to my dear children, whom I consider a personal gift from God, and I will have no one make light of it. I can think of nothing worse then to be away from my children for any amount of time because I love their company and I love caring for them. They are the apple of my eye, my best accomplishments, and a treasure of great price—the best thing I ever did. And I can guarantee you that nothing would hurt my children more then being ripped away from us, their parents and the Godly and loving atmosphere that they have been brought up in.

I think that every mother should think that her kids are the cutest, smartest, and most physically advanced children in the world—it is our right as mothers. But negate the fact that I am their mother and teacher, the greatest proof is in the child itself.

Here are some facts about my children:

My oldest child just reached school age. His reading and spelling levels surpass that of your average 4th grade child taken from any public school. He has an immense knowledge of the world, its continents, the different cultures that exist, both ancient and modern, knows all his times tables from 1 to 12, can do multi-digit subtraction, addition and multiplication problems. Not only that, but he loves it! His hobbies are reading about history, drawing animals—which he can do an excellent job of—and reading encyclopedias about animals. He can tell you all about mammals, reptiles, carnivores, omnivores, herbivores, nocturnal, extinct—you name it, he knows it. And if he doesn’t yet, he will soon—after all remember he only just turned six. He says that he wants to be an environmentalist and save the world and it’s wealth of animals, people and habitats that are rapidly being destroyed by the world’s fast-paced and selfish ways.

My second child at the age of four-and-a-half can also read and write above 1st grade level. She loves to dance, draw, play with her sisters and is very alter in mind and can notice even the smallest details about what goes on around her. She also likes doing double-digit addition and subtraction problems, and phonetic spelling.

My third has just turned 3 and can read like a 1st grader, does simple math problems, both addition and subtraction, and is truly one of the kindest souls I know with a heart full of love and a kind word to say to all she meets.

My fourth is one-and-a-half, she’s just starting to talk. She loves reading stories from the Bible, coloring and having school—that is, flash cards of colors, shapes, animals, plants, math dots, the alphabet, verbs. …

You get the picture? And my fifth is not even a week old, but she was born with an exceptional start in life, weighing in at 5 kilos and a vision of health.

Every time I look at her or any of my children I am humbled by the faith that God has in me to honor me with such priceless treasures. But it goes without saying that I could have never done it on my own without the help, love and support of the Family and its extremely talented, happy, fun and loving teachers who personally care for each of the children. I have seen they give above and beyond the call of duty in the care of both my children and the many others of our Family communities as well. There is no denying the overwhelming evidence that the children of the Family are nothing but the best and have been given the best. I dare to say that most secular parents would probably envy that extraordinary care that goes into each and every aspect of our children’s lives.

I hope that what I have written can help you see that we are not what a small few of those who left us and turned against us would make us out to be. What I have written is unsolicited and pure fact. It is the way that things truly are inside our group, and I would swear it on whatever book that you call most holy.

I will spend my life doing my part, however small, to make this world a better place. As in the word of Saint Francis “Oh Lord make of me an instrument of your peace!”

As for me and my house we will serve the Lord!

Sofia is a second generation member of the Family International.