'I WAS A CULT BRIDE'

A SIMPLE FAVOUR CHANGED LIZ'S LIFE FOREVER

- Emma Levett

Being approached by cult members at a shopping centre sounds far-fetched, but it's exactly what Liz Cameron faced in 2011.

Then aged 18, Liz – who'd just finished school and was still living at home in Canberra – thought she was simply helping a Korean student by filling in a survey. However, the reality was far more sinister.

"She was very sweet and she said she was trying to better understand the Australian culture," Liz, now 32, tells New Idea.

"When I wrote I was a Christian, she asked me if I'd do a follow-up survey about faith in Australia. I agreed to that too."

It seemed like a harmless act until Liz was approached at a second shopping mall.

"Another [person] asked me to fill in her survey. When I said I'd done one already and told her my name, she said she'd heard of me. She was so warm and complementary and I was flattered," Liz says.

"When she asked me to meet for coffee I decided to go. I was looking for Christian friends and it felt like maybe this was the answer to my prayers.