Former members of House of Prayer church say they haven’t seen children in years

LIBERTY COUNTY, Ga. (WTOC) - Former members of the House of Prayer church are speaking out after the FBI raided the church yesterday.

These two former members say they weren’t surprised to hear about the FBI raid on the church Thursday morning.

Gladys Jordan, a former member of the House of Prayer, said, “I was there until 2016, when I was put out. Because of questioning, you know.”

Jordan says the church prevents non-members from speaking to family members who are still in the church. She hasn’t spoken to her son since she left.

He’s a member of the Assembly of Prayer church near Augusta which the FBI also raided on Thursday in relation to the investigation at the church in Liberty County.

“I miss him, I pray for him every day. Pictures, when I look at pictures, I just miss him you know.”

Jordan isn’t alone. Diana Carrasquillo says she’s experienced the same thing.

She hasn’t seen her two daughters since 2018, when she left the church. She says she was kicked out for associating with Jordan.

“I went to go call my daughters to let them know what was going on. When I went to go pick up my phone, it was disconnected. When I tell you that was the last time I talked to my daughters, it’s been four and a half years now,” said Carrasquillo.

One of Carrasquillo’s daughters is still a member of the House of Prayer. The other, is a member of the Assembly of Prayer Christian Church in Killeen, Texas.

The FBI raided the Texas church yesterday too.

Carrasquillo says they joined the group just looking for support.

“When I first joined the church, I thought it was the greatest thing, we had a community, I was part of this church that I thought was full of love.”

But now, Jordan and Carrasquillo only see their children through old photos.

While the FBI said the raid at the Augusta-area church is related to the one in Liberty County, they have not yet confirmed if the raid in Killeen, Texas is part of the same investigation.

WTOC has reached out to the House of Prayer to ask for comment but have not heard from them.

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