From Maria Rosa

Just wanted to add my two cents here, I believe most topics have been covered, but I also want to add my support to the Family International. I am currently not in the Family, but I did grow up in it and I remember my time in the Family as being a time where I felt a lot of purpose in my life, I lived in Family homes where I always felt safe, very safe. and loved and cared for. I was never lonely as there was always plenty of people around to talk to. This was very enjoyable and something I miss.

We lived well and always had our needs met, not luxuriously, but considering that we were living in a third world country, with poverty all around us, I always considered myself very lucky! And was extremely grateful for the many blessings that God saw fit to shower us with, and from a very early age I saw the fruit of the verse, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all things shall be added unto you.” I feel that I had a wonderful heritage of faith instilled in me, and one that I cherish to this day, as it has brought me through many difficult times.I can’t imagine being raised any other way, and consider myself extremely lucky.

I can’t understand how some of my peers who also have left this group, can see the Family so differently, Well, I suppose it’s because you choose to dwell only on the negative and don’t stop and count your blessings. Because, you know and I know, we had Many!! I have a child of my own now and honestly I would like nothing more than for him to be raised in the Family with all the loving support and opportunities that Children in the Family have.

Now why would I want to subject my child-the apple of my eye- to a group that is as strange and perverse as the Media is making the Family out to be?? Well gee, maybe because what they are saying is a bunch of bull! Take a look at your own damn system, take a look at the School and day care facility options you have available for young working class members. I am scared to death to send my son to any one of your American Government facilities. You want real Juicy abuse stories, come to my neighborhood and check it out for yourself. Or how about taking a look at the American’s Services’ and see what these poor kids have to deal with. I get so angry because I can see both sides very clearly, I lived in the Family and I know that it is a wonderful and safe place to raise kids, and I have lived out of the Family in secular society for the last five years and know the kind of crap that is out here. So I say to you apostates and those who just can’t get enough of hearing your own voices. Shut Up, and start counting your blessings, thank God or Buddha or whoever you want for the decent life you had and that you continue to be alive and healthy, things could be a lot worse, you could be dying in Africa, or being blown up in Afghanistan.But you’re not. So be content and stop trying to cause harm to those members who still choose to be in the Family–Some of which include my parents, who are the hardest working most sacrificial people I have ever seen, with their hands full on a very needy mission field where they are helping thousands of needy poor children in Cambodia. They need all the love and support they can get–So say a prayer for them, and all the other hard working missionary members that make up “the Family". Oh and while you’re at it maybe you can send a little donation to them –I mean if you really want to help poor abused children, my parents know just where you can find’m.

Maria Rose is a former member of The Family International