9/25/08 – Tony Alamo Instructed Judy’s ex-husband to Flee into Hiding with their Two Girls
Former member recalls her experience with the Alamo group.
Click HERE to read the article that details Judy’s experience.
I lived at the Foundation from 1971-1982. Before I joined the group I had a job, car, place to live. Tony tries to make it seem like it was only “drug addicts” that lived there in the beginning…NOT TRUE. I really thought I was joining a “missionary group”. Boy, was I deceived. At first it was wonderful for me. To be able to pray, read the Bible and go to Hollywood each night to pass out Gospel Tracts and talk to people about The Lord. I didn’t realize, at first, that I was unable to go anywhere without Tony or Sue’s approval. I had no money of my own. No car anymore. I did babysitting, which I loved, because I love being around children. I babysat not just 5 days a week, but 6 days a week and a lot of times 7 days.
Years and years went by. I married one of the men there with Susan Alamo’s approval. We had 2 daughters. By this time, we lived in Dyer, Arkansas. As the almost 11 year mark approached, I started having feelings I never had before. Since I was so young when I joined (young, emotionally, too), I didn’t realize those feelings were depression. It hit me that we (the family) never took vacations like the “outside world.” We didn’t go other places, too, like Christmas shopping at the Mall unless we asked Sue (I never got to go; my husband went without me). He worked 7 days a week, from 7am to 7pm. The “rah, rah” mentality I had when I joined was starting to escape me. I am sure Sue saw this and before I knew it, I was asked to leave.
I was tricked into leaving my daughters behind; my husband refused to let me take them and he was not about to leave the Foundation with me. I thought to myself, “Well, I will leave for a few weeks and then come back.” Once out, I soon discovered, I didn’t want to go back. With my grandmother’s help, I was able to secure an attorney and begin divorce and custody proceedings. Long story short, my husband, instead of turning the girls over to me, per court order for me to have temporary custody, took off with them. [My now ex and my children were on the run from that point on. I feel a lot of sympathy for those who haven’t seen their children….] The FBI was contacted. I didn’t see them for 6 and one half long, long years. Even now, my one daughter will have nothing to do with me because of something Joan Decker said to her when I left. She won’t tell me what it is either.. My other daughter, I have a good relationship with..
I had met some really nice women when I lived there. To my knowledge, the one I felt was my “best friend” is still there… I am so, so, so glad I don’t live there anymore.. I have my mind back, can go where I want, when I want to. I am glad others have left, too. It saddens me to think of what is going on there with the beatings and the young girls having to be married to Tony. Ugh, Yech…. Thank you for giving all of us ex members a forum to write our feelings of the Alamo Foundation.
Very Sincerely, Judy S