(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!

The scary thing is that it’s causing their readers to make up their minds and come to wrong conclusions about us based on misinformation. I’m 30 years old, one year older than Rick, I was born and raised in the Family and I’ve lived a very fulfilling life serving the Lord as a missionary in South America, I’m married to a wonderful woman and have 5 beautiful children ages 3 to 11, I live a life of service, I read God’s word daily, I pray for those who are struggling or need healing, I witness and give God’s message of hope to those who are lost or feeling discouraged or disheartened. I’m not telling you all this so that you can think I’m a wonderful guy, I’m telling you this so that you realize the huge contrast that this information bears against the thoughts and wrong conclusions that may have already been produced in your mind against Angela, about me and my peers and the Family as a result of the negative and slanderous articles written against us which were heavily influenced by a handful of now antagonistic former members and their vitriolic criticism. Why are we looked upon as the weird “fanatics”? In my opinion, they are the “fanatics”! How far will these people go? Are my children safe and can I go to sleep at night assured that my family won’t be a target of malicious criticism or even violent acts perpetrated by them?

My prayer is that before you come to a conclusion regarding the Family and before you tolerate the death of an innocent missionary at the hand of a disturbed and mentally unstable man, that you ask yourself “what is the truth?” If you make the effort, I can assure you that it won’t take much digging to find out that there is a whole world of information about us that clearly proves that the Family is not what they are portraying it to be.

I love the Family, I love being a missionary and I wouldn’t be in the group if I didn’t think it was the best place to serve the Lord and raise my children. The Family is a wonderful missionary organization, it has a very high standard of morals, ethics and conduct and I’m blessed to be a part of it and am proud to call myself a Family member.

Samuel Paquette is a second generation member of the Family International.