My name is Lisa, I’m 23 years old & I used to live with Angela. We were friends, & even roomed together for a time.
I’m no writer, but when someone you know & love is brutally murdered, & then slandered in the newspapers & on television, you can’t help but be shocked, appalled, & upset – even if you’re Christian. There just aren’t words in the English language to describe how horrifically twisted it is to try to excuse the brutal murder of someone who gave their life to help others by saying the murderer was “abused as a child.”

I could go into trying to refute “child abuse” accusations against the Family, but really there’s no need. Courts around the world have done that for us. Anyone who really wants to know or see for themselves should check out any one of our hundreds of Family homes around the globe.

I’m a Family teacher, & have been pretty much full time for the past 6 years. I want as many children as possible to grow up with the same opportunities we had when we were young. What child in the world couldn’t benefit from learning to help others, traveling the world, learning to sing & perform, having tons of friends & playmates, parents as well as teachers, helpers & older brothers & sisters who genuinely love & care about them as an individual?

The only possible explanation I can think of for the actions of our young apostates is that they feel guilty for having forsaken the outstanding opportunities they were given, & are trying to prove to themselves and us that they didn’t make the wrong decisions.
As for Angela – you should ask the kids she used to spend a couple hours with on Tuesday afternoons teaching them science & social studies & taking them for nature walks. It’s been a long time, but these children still ask about her, and want to know when she’s coming back. Tell me how you explain to a 5 year old that someone who was “one of their favorite aunties” was murdered?
Angela was one of the most selfless people I have ever met. She was always either cooking special food for someone, spending the little personal money she had to buy things for others, encouraging someone, helping them with the dishes, or doing fun activities with the children so the parents could have some time off. That’s the kind of person she was.

If every one of us who knew her were to make a commitment to follow in her footsteps when it comes to caring for others, we’d certainly change many parts of the world for the better. I for one am trying. As for those who cannot find anything better to do with their lives than try to hurt, malign, & destroy others… I pity you. You will eventually reap what you are now sowing.

Lisa is a second generation member of the Family International.