I am Nicholas D. Zaleivch. It has come to my awareness that the Dr. Phil show is to broadcast a show about the religious group “The Family International”, of which I am an active part of, and so very proud of it! To give you so background about myself, I am Canadian, 21 years old, and presently living and working as a fulltime missionary in Brazil with “The Family Int.”

There have been many wild stories flooding the internet and various other means of media
about our group, condemning us and our religious beliefs. They go as far as to say that we young people have been abused both mentally and physically by the older members of our group, an accusation which is unfounded in one iota of truth. In my 21 years in this group not once have I been abused in any way by anyone, nor do I know anyone who has been. In fact I count myself blessed to be born into this group for it has given me many opportunities which I might not have
had otherwise. I have been able to travel the world to over 20 countries, seeing new places and partaking of different cultures and peoples.

My parents raised my 6 siblings and I with a good christen foundation and we never found ourselves lacking for anything. We saw many places and learnt many useful things in our travels with our parents and to this day, even my 3 older brothers who no longer are part of this group
are thankful for their missionary heritage which helped them establish themselves as respectable citizen of Canada. My parents of course, like any other parent in this world, would have preferred for my brothers to stay and caring on in their footsteps, but of course they had their free choice (just like anyone of us in this group, contrary to what Kristi Lamattary says on the show.) to choose what they wanted in life and moved on to other things. As for me, I chose a life of service, a life dedicated to the bettering of our world, or at least my part of it. I have chosen to follow the one who means more to mean then anything, and that is my lord, Jesus Christ.

Dr. Phil says we have been abused, mainly sexually, and to top it off at a very young age, is a claim that is based on some ex-members of our group who have grudges against our group and is a last ditch attempt to get back at the group, which is low and quite ridiculous as there is no truth in their statement that all Family young people are abused. This issue as been address quite often, and our leadership has formally apologized for any unloving act that happen to any member while part of our group at any time, although it was not their fault in anyway, for if someone was truly abused it was the fualt of the perpetrator not the group as a whole which has been taken to court case after court case over the years in various countries and continents across the globe and on every account never found a trace of wrong-doing of any kind and to the contrary found our communities to be safe havens for children. (Do your research Dr. Phil) Another claim by another sad ex-member (who seems to have left the group a long time ago and still has not gotten a life of his own) Jim Lamattary is that we members are separated from the out side world, which is quite wrong, sorry Jim, get you facts straight as we have as much freedom as we want and are free to go and do as we please, and have contact with people outside our group on a daily basis. And Jim there are no more “camps” as you called them, we have communities and are and always have been abuse-free environments.

I will pray for you and your Family that you may one day find the peace your looking for and let go of the past and your delusional thoughts so that you may take your place in society as respectable citizens. May God help you! As for me,I am not a robot, no I have my voice and my free will and I choose to remain in my group and stand by what we believe in. Yes I know that mistakes have been made in the past my certain members in our group, but that was the wrong of individuals not the group, leaders, or teachings. I have posted this statement on your Dr. Phil site, if it is not there then I want to make it quite clear to who ever is reading this that we Family members are being boycotted and that Dr. Phil is in no way interested in the truth, only sensationalistic tales of abuse and horror that are unfair and biased! I pray that I am wrong about this.

In the name of truth and free choice I ask you to consider the facts and make you own mind up about our group. All I can say is, long live freedom of religion and free press!

With sincerest concern

Nicholas D. Zalevich