Elizabeth Richardson, 15, Brazil.
Second-generation member of the Family International

Hi, my name is Elizabeth Richardson, I am 15 (soon to be 16 in April). I was born in the Family International and have spent all my life in it serving the Lord and trying to do my best for Him.

I don’t have half or even a quarter of nice inspiring stories to tell about when I was “young”, because I hardly even remember. I was born in Argentina, and lived in 2 different countries, now I live in Sao Paolo, Brazil and I am a missionary here.

But I do remember one thing about when I was smaller, I stayed the biggest period of my “younger years” with “nannies” and teachers who really loved children and the Family, I know them and see them until today, and they are very sweet and loving people. I remember a lot of fun and funny things that my teachers would do with me and I always thought it was fun to grow up like that, living with a lot of different children and learning different cultures and languages.

I don’t remember many bad things from the past, actually none, but to those people who have actually done bad things to me I have forgiven and it feels much better to move on with your heart clean without any grudges.

I am a full time Christian outreacher (I study and have all my scholastics in order, I even do other courses in my day to day) and I really feel good every time that I win a soul or that someone decides to open their hearts to Jesus, I don’t feel like I am wasting my time at all. The only way I feel like I am wasting my time is when I have to hear those of you out there trying to change my mind and others.

Concerning the things you think about us, maybe you say “You only listen to them because you want to, you don’t really have to,” yes it’s true, but we have to know what is going on and what is being said so we can specifically pray about it. I really don’t care what you guys think, I spend more of my time caring about what the Lord thinks, than what harmless humans think, I am not even scared of what you can do to me.

I love my life and I think all those hundreds of people do too, they said it themselves, so what are you wasting yours for? This has happened before, and those who you were able to persuade left, but the others where too hard headed for you, and you weren’t able to do what you wanted, so why try again if you have seen with your very own eyes that it doesn’t work. I said this before but I am gonna say it again: “STOP WASTING YOUR TIME.” Don’t you have anything better to do? We are stronger than you imagine, there is no way you can stop us. Have you ever tried to stop the rain from coming? It’s silly just the thought of it, no? Well that is just how we are, like the rain, you can’t stop us, not even if you try, it’s silly even to think about it!

I never met Ricky nor Angela, so I can’t really say what I think about her, but when I was looking at the pictures of her it seemed to pass to me all the love she felt for that Lord, the Family and others that she lived with. I don’t seem to understand why a person like that, so loving and understanding, with all the characteristics that a WONDERFUL human being could have, should be killed in such a way, it doesn’t even go into my head so well. But look on the bright side, everybody heard about her death, and in that way many people came to hear what a wonderful person she was, and still is in the Spirit World, still helping everybody.

I always heard about Ricky, but never met him, how can someone do something like that? It doesn’t go into my brain, but I forgave him already, and I am praying for him that he turns to see the Light of our wonderful Savior, and repents for all that he has done in his life, because I know Jesus is capable of forgiving him, he even forgave the men who killed Him.

I love the life I am living, it gives me great pleasure to know that I am working in the service of the most powerful “Leader” in the world. I love helping people, both spiritually or physically, I love to see the smile on their faces once they get to know Jesus as their Friend, there is no bigger payment or gift then the one I have, wonderful friends, wonderful peers, wonderful Family, and everything else wonderful that I don’t have enough words to describe how I feel for being in the FAMILY INTERNATIONAL (the most persecuted group) Ha! I love it!!!

I studied 5 years in a secular school (the rest of my life I was home schooled) and have seen all sorts of things, ‘specially unhappy teens who don’t really have the love of anybody not even their parents, they are so sad and lost, the only thing they heard [that] there was ever to live for was money and for themselves.

I had a lot of friends, and one day one of them came up to me and said: “you know why you have so many friends?” It kind of shocked me, because I never thought of myself as a very “popular” girl, and she told me: “Because you are always smiling and you are not afraid of telling people that you believe in Jesus, you always have this Light emanating from your eyes, what is it?” (It’s only Jesus.) I would often witness to them and give them some tracts for teens. But that is a good example of the Lord’s Love, and one thing that the Family young people are really privileged to have, HAPPINES, no one has the money to buy that, that is a gift that the Lord gives to His children that get to know him.

Of the brothers and sisters that live with me, I am the oldest one of 6,and I always had all the love and happiness that I needed, I have always done excursions, and have traveled to almost all of the country, I always had lots of fun. I speak three different languages (going to four), and I always had a good education (I am doing a few extra-curricular courses). What more can somebody ask for? Not even the “normal” people out there have all this!! And plus I have everything that I need.

I have gotten discouraged a few time and had lots of battles, and I even thought of leaving the Family, but then I looked back at my school years and all of the sad system and it doesn’t seem to pay off so well. I’d rather “waste” my time working for others and Jesus, than WASTING my time working for money!!!! I don’t care what you guys think about us, BUT WE ARE DIFFERENT, we are the dropped out rebels, rebels against the system, rebels against all the bad things the system calls good. Think about it! Who is on the wrong side? Who is on the losers side? US or you? The FAMILY INTERNATIONAL vs former members (the ones speaking bad about the Family, if the shoe fits than wear it).

I think that you should all stop and think about what you are saying, I told you about a bunch of things that I am dong with my life, a bunch of useful things! And you are there wasting your time talking bad about us. Why don’t you start doing something useful with your life? When you get up to Heaven, no matter who you are, Jesus is gonna ask everybody what useful things they have done with their lives. I have something to say, but do you?