Moving On - Children of the Children of God

'Most of the projects supported by FCF are run by a cult called, 'The Family' aka 'The Children of God'. It's founder Moses David (David Berg) preached free sex, prostitution to raise funds, suggested sex with children was OK, said he was the end time prophet, spoke to spirit helpers and encouraged the division of families. He is now dead and his mistress, Queen Maria (Karen Zerby) now runs the cult with her lover, King Peter. They rely almost wholly on prophecies to guide the group which teach talking to the dead, fantasizing having sex with Jesus (guys too) while having intercourse and strongly discourage members having secular jobs or their children attending secular schools. They are home schooled. In an attempt to raise more funds and legitimize the Family they decided to set up FCF, which processes gifts to the various projects while enjoying tax-free status. Most of the projects keep parallel books, one for officials as many are locally registered in some way and one that shows reality. For example, it’s easy to not give receipts for cash donations that are pocketed. How do I know? I used to run one of the projects until I came to my senses. Fred' (End of E-mail)

(I received this reply from Ministry Watch.com below; I know of a few if you have any info please write to Rod Pitzer. If you know of any good web links please send them to him. Also how about copying and communications into this web site so we save on doubling up our efforts? Tx, Fred)

(Response from Rod:)

Hi Fred, Thank you for letting us know of the problem with the discussion function of the website. I am beginning to research Family Care Foundation (FCF) and understand it better. I will eventually re-write what we have about it as well as a few stand-alone reports. I would be interested to learn of any direct connections between FCF and The Family. Attached is a document taken from Family Care Foundation's 2003 Internal Revenue Service (IRS) form 990. The document lists all the grants and allocations FCF has disclosed to the IRS. It appears to me that the most direct connection is where FCF sends its money. Do you have any knowledge of any of the organizations listed that are connected to The Family? Do you have any other ideas of how I can connect the dots with FCF and The Family? Thank you for your assistance,

Rod Pitzer

Director of Research

Wall Watchers

2514 Plantation Center Drive

Matthews, NC 28105

Office: (704) 841-7828 Toll Free: (866) 324-7097

www.MinistryWatch.com

www.wallwatchers.org

www.thegoodsteward.com

Attachment

Grants and Allocations

Information from Family Care Foundation’s 2003 IRS Form 990

December 16, 2004

Question: Which of the following are directly or indirectly associated with the Family?

Cash Grants and Allocations:

AIDS Programs

1. Matumaini, Westville, Africa $14,307.50

2. Kwasha Mukwenu Women’s Group, Matero Catholic Church, Lusaka, Zambia $ 4,500

3. Anglican Children’s Project, Lusaka, Zambia $ 2,833

4. CCBI (Community Capacity Building Initiative), Nairobi, Kenya $ 2,000

5. Bwafwano Community Home-Based Care, Lusaka, Zambia $ 2,000

6. Sahara Centre for Residential Care, New Delhi, India $ 4,000

7. Bel-Air Hospital of Param Prasad, Satara, India $ 2,000

8. Shalom, Churachandpur, India $ 2,100

Broadcast Ministries

9. Africa Radio Ministry, Kampala, Uganda $10,774,50

10. Willie Mwale Film Foundation, Kabulonga, Zambia $ 3,000

Services to the Physically Challenged

11. Family Educational Services – Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan $10,111.20

12. Family Educational Services – Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan $ 2,500

13. Friends in Deed, Adyar, India $ 3,872.50

14. Voice for the Deaf, Hyderabad, India $ 6,905.20

15. Family Vol. Svcs, Nepal, Katmandu, Nepal $ 6,000

16. Hands On, Saigon, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam $ 1,462.58

17. Stand TZ, Dodoma, Tanzania $ 2,160

Drug Prevention and Rehabilitation

18. Helping Hands, Vladivostok, Russia $ 2,025

19. Future Horizons, Bangkok, Thailand $ 1,008.72

20. Builders of the Future, Bangkok, Thailand $ 2,000

Education & Community Development Programs

21. Small Village Plan, Banjul, West Africa $ 1,655

22. Miles for Smiles, Arusha, Tanzania $34,951.95

23. African Educational Services, Lusaka, Zambia $11,144.35

24. India Reach, New Delhi, India $ 1,000

25. Family Focus, Bangalore, India $ 2,722.90

26. Family Educational Services, Islamabad, Pakistan $ 1,000

27. ESAHN Family Assistance, Nakorn Ratshsima, Thailand $ 125

28. Family Int’l Community Services, Amman, Jordan $ 5,000

29. Family Educational Services, Istanbul, Turkey $ 2,000

30. AIM (Astrakhan Initiative for Minors), Astrakhan, Russia $ 7,000

31. Mapuche Quest, Villarrica, Chile $ 760.78

32. Hope for the Children, Vina del Mar, Chile $ 9.00

33. Casa Cumbree Presentations, Lima Peru $11,625

34. Los Andes Mission, Trujillo, Peru $13,470.90

35. Corazones Unidos, Morelia, Mexico $ 6,179.03

Evangelism and Christian Education

36. Asia TIPS, China $ 872

37. Education with a Purpose, China $ 1,081.30

38. CVR Ministries, Taiwan $17,640.99

39. Mission Care Taiwan, Hsinchu, Taiwan $ 135

40. Taiwan Family Mission, Peitou, Taiwan $ 1,380

41. Asia Vision/Hindi Vision, Bangkok, Thailand $ 4,638.90

42. Challenge Start Up Team, Odessa, Ukraine $ 8,465.18

43. Action in Focus, Nairobi, Kenya $ 200

44. Helping Hand, Durganville, South Africa $ 200

Food and Clothing Distribution

45. Helping Hands, Seoul, Korea $ 8,489

46. Missionary Student Exchange, Brazil $ 100

47. Casa de Corazones, Heredia, San Jose, Costa Rica $ 5,656.87

48. Love in Action, Guad., Tlaquepapue, Guadalajara, Jal., Mexico $ 2,150

49. Silver Lining, Saltillo, Coahuila, Mexico $ 2,080

Humanitarian Aid & Relief Work

50. Family Educational Services, Southern Turkey, Istanbul, Turkey $ 4,745

51. Healing Hearts, Kosovo, Prishtina, Kosovo $ 1,532

52. Balkans Relief Mission, Bosnia-Herzegovina $ 3,949.85

53. Project CHARM, Medjimurje, Croatia $ 2,875.80

54. New Horizons Project, Poona, India $22,907.90

55. E. Taiwan Family Mission, Tamsui, Taipei County, Taiwan $ 199.80

56. Side by Side International, Tokyo, Japan $ 100

57. Family Care Indonesia, Jakarta, Indonesia $ 5,000

58. Nordic Christian Help Org., Tangen, Norway $ 5,000

59. FEDES/Hearts in Hands, Penalolen, Santiago, Chile $62,823.65 Aid Shipping & Handling $51,026.90

60. Project HELP, Mexico $ 5,043.50

61. Projecto Rescate, Mexico $ 125

Medical Services & Programs

62. Samaritans, Bangalore, Karnataka, India $ 3,746.49

63. Polio Child Relief, India $ 5,888.72

64. Eternal Vision, Philippines $ 8,314.15

65. Caring Hearts, Hungary, Budapest, Hungary $ 3,180.50

66. Overseas Missions, Santiago, Chile $ 780

Motivational Programs

67. MexCity Mission, Mexico $31,290.21

68. Calico Charities, Mexico $ 43.50

69. Firefly Project, Ufa Bashkortostan, Russia $ 1,000

Orphan and Street Youth Programs

70. Accao Voluntaria em Mozambique, Maputo, Mozambique $ 1,136.79

71. Family Services, Bangalore, India $ 3,538.10

72. Hands That Help: India, Basheerbagh, Hyderabad, India $ 386.10

73. Chiang Mai Family Services, Chiangmai, Thaliland $ 1,722.75

74. Central Thailand Mission, Bangkok, Thailand $ 2,775.23

75. Cornerstone Project, Samut Prakan, Thailand $ 2,000

76. Child Reach Cambodia, Phnom Penh, Cambodia $ 2,090

77. Love’s Bridge, Perm, Russia $45,463

78. Love’s Bride, Moscow, Russia $ 477.82

79. FAVOR, Bacau, Romania $13,780

80. Noi Orizunturi, Bucharest, Romania $ 5,400

81. Fazendo do Mundo Um Lugar Melhor, Bahia, Brazil $ 820

82. Amor en Accion, R.D., Santiago, Dominican Republic $ 3,638

83. Amy Carmichael’s caring Home/South Reach, Zapopan, Mexico $ 8,187.91

84. Guadalajara Youth Rescue, Mexico $ 2,869.75

Prison/Inmate/Juvenile Delinquent Rehabilitation

85. Family Care Lebanon, Beirut, Lebanon $ 2,360

86. Healing Colombia, Santafe de Bogata, Colombia $ 7,199.50

Medical Assistance to Individuals

87. Ana Martinez, Long Beach, CA $ 585

Grants to Other Agencies

88. Dulzura Community Center $ 500

89. San Diego Food Bank $ 50

Non-Cash Grants:

Education

90. African Educational Services, Lusaka, Zambia Computer ($1,437)

91. Corazones Unidos, Morelia, Mexico Vehicle ($10,375)

Humanitarian Aid & Relief Work

92. New Horizons, San Nicholas, Nuevo Leon, Mexico Clothes ($2,079)

Medical Services

93. Overseas Missions, Santiago, Chile Shipping ($408.06)

Motivational Programs

94. MexCity Mission, Mexico Clothes & Toys ($4,785) Vehicle ($16,000)

Youth Services

95. Guadalajara Youth Rescue, Mexico Vehicles (2) ($5,000)

Food Assistance to Individuals

96. Individuals Food ($441.85)

Medical Assistance to Organizations

97. Corp. de Ayuda al Hospital Regional, Santiago, Chile $1,113,977.48

98. Rotary Club Int’l de Angol, Angol Novena Region, Chile $ 670,523

Other Assistance to Individuals

99. Individuals Children’s toys ($1,913)

Reader's comments on this article
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from One who knows
Sunday, December 19, 2004 - 23:57
(Agree/Disagree?)
Here is a portion of a email I sent to Rod Pitzer after I read this. Name withheld for personal reasons.

To Rod Pitzer,

Dear Sir,
I recently came across an email message between yourself and an ex-member of the Family that was posted on a site for ex-members in order to garner information about FCF. A year ago I was working with Family Care Gambia in Gambia. All members of FCG are current members of the Family international and FCG is under the umbrella of FCF. In the list of organizations that received grants from FCF, they are listed as : Small Village Plan, Banjul, West Africa $ 1,655. Following is the list of organizations that I am not sure are in the Family International. However, only organizations that are either composed of, run by, or recommended by members of the Family International can be given grants. Following are those I am not sure of:

1. Matumaini, Westville, Africa $14,307.50

2. Kwasha Mukwenu Women’s Group, Matero Catholic Church, Lusaka, Zambia $ 4,500

3. Anglican Children’s Project, Lusaka, Zambia $ 2,833

4. CCBI (Community Capacity Building Initiative), Nairobi, Kenya $ 2,000

5. Bwafwano Community Home-Based Care, Lusaka, Zambia $ 2,000

6. Sahara Centre for Residential Care, New Delhi, India $ 4,000

7. Bel-Air Hospital of Param Prasad, Satara, India $ 2,000

8. Shalom, Churachandpur, India $ 2,100

10. Willie Mwale Film Foundation, Kabulonga, Zambia $ 3,000

63. Polio Child Relief, India $ 5,888.72

83. Amy Carmichael’s caring Home/South Reach, Zapopan, Mexico $ 8,187.91

84. Guadalajara Youth Rescue, Mexico $ 2,869.75

88. Dulzura Community Center $ 500

89. San Diego Food Bank $ 50

97. Corp. de Ayuda al Hospital Regional, Santiago, Chile $1,113,977.48

98. Rotary Club Int’l de Angol, Angol Novena Region, Chile $ 670,523

99. Individuals Children’s toys ($1,913)

Most of the others I have heard about while in the Family and know them to be fronts for the Family. In addition, it is well known within the Family that FCF is completely run by current Family members.
(reply to this comment)

From fred
Wednesday, December 22, 2004, 08:39
(Agree/Disagree?)

Thanks for writing to Rod, I think the more people that write to him the better

Fred(reply to this comment)

From Big Sister
Wednesday, December 22, 2004, 23:58
(Agree/Disagree?)
Thanks for your efforts too. I have been puzzling over the $1.1 million going to the Chilean hospital and $670,000 for the Rotary Club in Santiago. There's something about those large sums, when compared to the tiny amounts given to almost everybody else that makes me suspect there's more to this than a simple donation. Why would a cult that discourages "system" medical care for its members, give such a large amount to fund a "system" hospital? Maybe it's just image building - for example, an annonymous donor wishes to donate $1 million to the hospital. FCF arranges to make the donation for them. Makes FCF look like a real charity even though the donation was going to be made anyway.

And Rotary? They are famous for their campaign to wipe out polio in the world by deceminating the polio vacine everywhere. That's a weird thing for TF (and its FCF pals) to support since, at least in my family, none of my nieces and nephews raised in the cult were ever vacinated for polio. I looked up the village of Angol, in Chile. It appears to me to be a tiny town in the middle of nowhere.
There is, in fact, a Rotary Club meeting in Angol, Chile every Thursday, but Rotary International made no mention of any village in Chile receiving $670,000!

I have not seen the tax return for 2003 yet but the annual report for 2003 does not mention these two large donations, inspite of their impressive size.

The donation to Dulzura Community Center can be connected to the fact that FCF owns a bed and breakfast in Dulzura and uses the property for a headquarters. (reply to this comment)

From Lauren
Thursday, December 23, 2004, 08:07
(Agree/Disagree?)

Big Sister, I'm just going to take a stab at this here -- I never worked for FCF, so I'm not 100% sure I'm correct on this. But as the items are listed on the report as non-cash donations, what seems to have happened is that there is a Family associated project that arranged to have a large donated medical shipment ("in-kind") sent to the hospital in Chile & for tax purposes, the entity that donated the items routed them through the foundation in order to claim a tax deduction.

A lot of people also don't seem to understand the way that FCF operates as how it "decides" to give money or in-kind donations to which project.

Most of the "grants" that are given to the various projects are not monies raised by FCF and then doled out. Most of the grants are funds raised by the projects themselves, which are routed through FCF so that the donors can claim a tax deduction.

There are no FCF projects that are within the US borders. All of the projects are oversees and FCF allows Americans to donate to a US non-profit (and thus make the contribution tax-deductable) while the funds are going overseas.

When a donor gives a donation to FCF, they must state the project that it is designated for. Otherwise the funds end up in a "common pot" so to speak and FCF can do whatever they want with them.

When someone donates to the foundation specifying what project the donation is for, according to the way FCF is structured, they pretty much automatically forward the money or goods on to the recipients.

It's also possible that the above large projects are not Family associated at all, as FCF does allow anyone to become a project just long as they apply and meet the criteria required.

While, in my opinion, 99% of the Family associated FCF projects are merely fronts for normal Family homes to get tax-deductable donations from friends/relatives/donors, etc. in the United States and the money is really not going anywhere to help the needy, there are a small number of Family associated projects that are sincere about humanitarian work, and there are also a few non-Family associated FCF projects. The two large non-cash grants mentioned would seem to fall into one of the last two categories. -- It's the only plausible explanation I can come up with, as the intents of the donations seem to fly in the face of everything The Family typically stands for.(reply to this comment)

From JohnnieWalker
Thursday, December 23, 2004, 07:56
(Agree/Disagree?)

You might have missed noticing that both of those entries are listed under "Non-Cash Grants". I believe this would make the amounts quoted only an estimated value of a donated item.

Naturally, the tendency is to exaggerate the estimated value of a donated item so as to make both the donor and the foundation look better. I highly doubt the donated items were appraised by an independant third party.(reply to this comment)

From
Monday, December 20, 2004, 15:14
(Agree/Disagree?)

Guadalajara Youth Rescue has TF printed all over it.

Leave it to TF to leave a generation of kids stranded, turn their back on them and go "Rescue" Youth who are strangers to them by clowning and singing them a song.(reply to this comment)

From totally agree
Wednesday, December 29, 2004, 11:59
(Agree/Disagree?)
You're gettin' it said. How utterly stupid and hypocritical! - To be oh so concerned about saving 'the lost', while not giving a damn about saving your own children. (reply to this comment)