(Venezuelan Missionary to Romania of The Family)

I wanted to do something with my life. I knew I could make a difference. I saw selfishness, hate, and greed. I wanted to make the world a better place. But they told me I couldn’t. They told me I was a fool! That if I didn’t listen to their cajolery to give up the path I’d chosen that I was brainwashed, over sheltered, narrow & close-minded. I never thought of myself as such. All I wanted was to serve my God in peace. I’ve been down the seekers road. I’ve searched high and low for fulfillment, for purpose, for meaning. I knew there had to be more to this life than living for oneself.

Is it close-minded to find what you’ve been seeking, finding meaning and purpose… a goal; then focusing your all on achieving it, while ignoring all that would sidetrack you? To put everything into fulfilling your dreams, even if it means dismissing those who say it cannot be done, who say that “their way” is better, though you’ve tried “their way” and know where it leads. If closed mindedness means closing my mind off from the ravings of those who say I’m a fool for trying, that I should give up my philanthropic quest to share the happiness I know with those in need of cheer, of talking about my God of Love to those who don’t know Him, and living & working with likeminded individuals, giving up everything which ties me to the selfish world I’ve been liberated from, then Yes, I am closed minded! I believe… I know that I can make this world a better place. Even if all I’m able to help is the small part of the world I live in, with a kind word or deed!

If you don’t believe it can be done, if you don’t want to try, or if you have tried, realized it wasn’t the calling for you and took a different road, I don’t judge you. I won’t consider you a fool. But please extend me the same kindness. Respect the decision I’ve made. Respect the goals I’ve committed to. Don’t belittle my colleagues, and I, or tell me I’ve been forced to live the life I have chosen. Don’t put me down for trying to transform my little part of the world with the love of God. Don’t accuse my parents, who are also living for others, of having raised me in a harmful & abusive environment. All I’ve ever felt from my parents and those who raised me was Love & support. I feel the same from those I now live & work with.

If I were given the chance to choose a different upbringing other than the one I received, I would make no modifications. Not one! I was born & raised in The Family, and would defend its name from those who say it’s a perilous, dangerous, or abusive environment for a child, because I felt no insecurity or harm while being raised therein. I was born to career missionaries in The Family, and I feel no animosity towards The Family, its leadership, or my parents for the upbringing they gave me. I’m 19 years old and guess what? I’ve been in The Family for 19 years. I’ve been given ample opportunity to live a life outside the fellowship. I’ve taken a close look at all the world has to offer, tried a lot of it, experimented with other ways to find true happiness & fulfillment, never felt over sheltered, but was always aware of the reality outside my lovely home. I chose to remain in The Family, and when I have children, I won’t hesitate to raise them in the same warm environment, until they mature enough to personally decide the path they wish to take. Just as I have done, and have many of my friends & loved ones. The Family may not be the path for everyone, But it’s the path for me!

A few years ago, after careful comparison of my life, to the lives of those outside our fellowship, I decided to remain in The Family, and make service to God “my profession.” I not only wanted to be good at it, I wanted to be professional at it. I chose to commit to living for Christ. I won’t say it hasn’t been a struggle. Striving to be a true Christian in a vastly unchristian world ain’t easy. But the happiness altruistic service to others brought me, through intangible blessings such as love, joy, & peace, far outweighs any material rewards I could receive living an egocentric, self serving life. I have found, as have many before me, that if you want joy, happiness & love in your life, give these things free to those who want them. And before you know it, the same gifts will come & find you. If this doesn’t make any sense to you, then I challenge you to try, you will understand.

Counseling some of today’s troubled youth is one of my ministries as a missionary, hearing they’re troubles, sympathizing, and offering solutions from a Christian perspective. I’ve talked with youth from dozens of countries, diverse upbringings, social classes & walks of life, and would by no means compare the rearing I received in The Family, to much of what is experienced outside our walls. Plenty of today’s youth are confused, rebellious & insecure. Many of those I counsel, (and I ain’t talking about those in The Family) complain that their parents aren’t there for them, don’t love them, and sometimes even mistreat them or are violent & abusive. I never experienced any of the above as a child in The Family. Those who raised me were never harmful or abusive as some suggest. Um, I’ll summarize this in simple language: I was raised by great folks and have no complaints!

I’d venture to say there isn’t a parent in the world who hasn’t made some mistakes raising they’re kids. (Feel free to holler if you thing I’m wrong.) Have my parents & caretakers made mistakes raising me? I could think of a few. (I’d bet they could think up libraries of screw-ups I made as a son.) However I wouldn’t put discipline for wrongdoing in the “mistake category.” The mistake would be to not correct your kids for erroneous behavior. (Have some kids, let them do whatever they want, wait until they’re 14, and if you’re still alive and have hair, come visit me, tell me what it was like. I’ll make you some coffee!)

We strive to help those in need, to show them through kindness, that there is a better way to live, that true happiness exists, and that they can feel God’s love, by simply opening themselves up to him. We wish to put joy in place of sorrow, love in place of hate & peace in place of war. The accusation that The Family is an unsafe place is diametrically opposed to these principles and the way I was raised as a child in The Family. I’ve seen the dog-eat-dog society much of the world lives in, and prefer to separate myself from it. I have found the road I wish to take. If you don’t think it’s for you, then follow a different path. But don’t belittle me, or my parents & colleagues for wishing to serve our God in peace!

Miguel A. Sosa is a second-generation member of the Family International.