NTM Abuse
About this website:
Words are so inadequate, but those of us behind the fanda eagles blog want to publicly thank GRACE for their tireless work that went into the creation of this report, for their compassion and strength, and for displaying through their actions an example of a Christian organization that undeniably conveys the heart of Jesus. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.
Commenters, contributors, readers..we thank you all! This is your blog. It is all of ours. It is our voice.
I returned to Senegal in 2008 to explore the country of my childhood. While I was there I began hearing stories of sexual abuse at my missionary-run boarding school. This was my first inkling that the sexual abuse that I reported to NTM in 1989 did not happen to me alone.
Bonnie was one of the first MKs I contacted and she too was eager to find out the whole truth. As we began contacting other MKs and asking questions the stories of abuse snowballed. We took our findings to the current NTM Executive Board expecting outrage and sorrow. After several meetings with the EB and other members in leadership positions we realized that NTM did not care to find out what happened, and that they by their actions condoned the abuse in 1989 and still do today. For such a large mission who claimed to be acting in the will of God to have such a stance on pedophilia and physical abuse of children concerned us, to say the least. We feared for other children in NTM schools around the world.
In 2009 I received a letter from a New tribes Mission Executive member in response to our asking him that now that the current board knew of the abuse that happened at Fanda, what the Executive Board was planning on doing about it. He said, in part:
“I have to admit that I’m still not sure of all that you want to see happen and I’m not sure that we will ever be able to met your expectations. I hate what happened to you, but am not sure how to go back 15-20 years ago and take care of all this when most of these perpetrators are not with the mission anymore.“
This blog began as a response to NTMs unwillingness to go back and find out what really happened.
Kari
Use the links above to read the documentation dating back to the 80′s proving that NTM knew about the abuse and kept it covered up. Read the stories from other Fanda students, and use the forums to talk about whatever you wish. There have been many many reports from other New Tribes Mission boarding schools that will need to be investigated after Fanda. Let us know about them in the forums and through email.
Having followed this closely since we first heard of it, our hearts, as do all of yours, continues to break. This has all brought back painful memories of our time as NTM missionaries. From Boot Camp on including language school, and then on to Senegal, and having to leave our 2 boys in Fanda, we are painfully remembering the constant emotional/spiritual “abuse,” especially when it was towards our boys. That constant scrutiny from leadership on their young lives has left deep scars.
The leadership style of NTM always seemed to focus on “sin,” including small petty incidents, and we were always taught and encouraged (commanded) to be faithful and confront our brothers with any and all sin or fault. We can’t help but wonder why this teaching is not now applied and implemented after all the MKs have come forth for so long. One would hope that leadership would respond to the faithfulness of the abused in sharing their painful stories and deal with the sin appropriately.
Those of you who think this whole situation needs to be forgiven and for all to move on and that time will heal all and the pain will go away, we want to tell you that our boys are now in their mid 40s and still struggling and seeking counseling from time to time.
As far as NTM dealing with all of this, it may surprise you all to know that we received a prayer/newsletter from Senegal. This letter is compiled and and published and sent out to a mailing list. The person who sends this out is Frank Stottlemyer, the man who was the Field Chairman while we were there and at the height of all of the sexual abuse in Fanda. We find it very odd that there was only one mention regarding this situation, and credit is to be given to one family who said that while they are here in the States on furlough, they had read the GRACE report and asked for prayers. One would think that somewhere in the newsletter Frank Stottlemyer would at least mention the situation and the seriousness of it, and share some sort of brokenness and ask for prayer, especially since a prayer/newsletter such as this goes to pretty much all missionaries and/or supporters who have an interest in the particular field they represent, in this case, Senegal.
As others before on this site have mentioned, we want to extend our prayers to all who suffered abuse, and we will continue to hold you up in prayer as we pray for our own boys. Thanks for your courage, and may the Lord Himself flood your hearts with an awareness of His love and concern in all of this.
As NTM as so aptly described themselves as “strict, paternalistic, anti-educational,heavily submissive oriented and autocratic,” obviously, that’s a climate for abuse of any kind. On pg 2 of the GRACE report, one statement stands out as to the underlying cause, “it was the conduct of New Tribes Mission, which emphasized the saving of souls at the expense of children, that made the abuse that followed, predictable.”
I’m no supporter of NTM and have known that child abuse was condoned, having your “wife in submission,” covering up sin etc, but this was beyond anything I could have ever dreamed they would have allowed to go on and cover up. Now, they say on their website, they are “heartbroken,” but is it real or is it because the sins of the mission have been made public, and they have been more or less forced by these courageous MK’s to do something? I commend all of you MK’s, especially Kari for not letting this continue to be covered up, for being persistent in doing the right thing and making NTM face their crimes against innocent children. I pray for all of you.
Religious authority carries a powerful weight and the abuse (mental, sexual, spiritual) that has been done by people representing God has a profound impact on victims/ survivors. One resource that many survivors of religious authority sexual abuse report as valuable is “Healing the Sexually Abused Heart: A Workbook for Survivors, Thrivers, and Supporters.” It is time to end all abuse and promote healing and transformation for all.
I am outraged and angered after reading the GRACE report. The fact that these sins/crimes occurred and then were COVERED UP is absolutely and heinously wrong. My heart is broken for the lives devastated by the abusive and wicked acts of these men and women. I also desire to see these perpetrators and negligent-to-respond investigated and prosecuted by our justice system. As others have said, words fail to convey my sorrow. I am honestly sick to my stomach, and my throat is in a knot.
I am an active NTM member and would like to issue my own apology to the victims and say I’m sorry for what members and leaders of this organization I belong to did to all of you and continued to do by covering up these heinous sins/crimes. I believe in the full forgiveness of Christ through the cross, but as scripture clearly shows, full forgiveness in God’s eyes does not preclude consequences on earth.
I am thankful that I have seen what I consider true repentance come from our current NTM leadership. I believe that the men leading our mission now are God fearing men desiring to pick up the pieces and do what is best and right for the victims and to properly deal with the perpetrators. I have a “wait and see” attitude for our current leadership, but so far I believe they have acted above reproach. They have desired to have full transparency, and to cooperate with the GRACE report.
Larry Brown has confessed his own heartbroken and tearful response as he read through the GRACE report. The leadership team has already taken some action with the retroactive firing of members which was part of the recommendation of the GRACE report. Furthermore, Larry has been updating members about his own personal sorrow. Federal headship certainly does not pass the sin of past members or leaders onto our current members or leaders, but as one commenter put: our own personal response reveals what we truly believe in this matter. I pray that all current members and leaders are as equally sickened and sadden as I.
I pray for the abuse victims and others involved that you all will be able to forgive those who have sinned against you, through the help of Christ. The evil doers will never deserve your forgiveness, but no one deserves Christ’s exchange of our sin for His righteousness. God loves you more than anyone and I pray that His love will fill your hearts with love for Him. And that in God alone you will find comfort, peace, and restoration.
@Brother in Christ
Hey Guys,
I just want to say finally that I am praying for you and praying that the truth will come to light and not stay hidden. And I am praying that justice will be served and I know it will and I really pray that it will be done in love and that the world will stand in awe at the power of our God to turn what is, in our eyes, horrifying, into something good for His Name. I know that He will because He allowed it to happen for a reason. We serve an awesome God! And I love and respect you all! =)
@Brother in Christ
New Tribes Mission is not my brother in Christ; it is an organization, but it is NOT a “Christian organization.” Organizations cannot be saved; Jesus did not die for the sins of organizations; organizations cannot pray, read the Bible, believe or speak in tongues – except maybe as speaking in a forked tongue may count!
I challenge you to write to NTM and find out if their corporate policy would forbid them to take “internal matters” before unbelievers.
I just received this message from a current member of NTM,
“Hi Joel! I’m writing to you because I am wanting to share with you how bad I feel about all this abuse that has gone on. I am so sorry that each one of these kids have gone through any of this and now having to deal with this for the rest of their lives. And too, the kids that haven’t even talked about it. My mind just struggles with all of this. And I want to apologize to you for all the pain that you too am feeling for all this that has gone on. I know that you are carrying so much of the weight of this. I really am sorry! It is horrible that believers would be doing this, especially missionaries that are all supposed to be mature as leaders. I have no intentions of being defensive. I am sick in my stomach, have been for weeks. There is so much sin that needs to be owned up to and too I pray that everyone involved will be sensitive to God in what and how God wants to deal with these devastating situations.”
All of which is not to mention that we seem to be giving the benefit of the doubt to NTM (at least the elements responsible) that they are in fact worthy of “1 Cor 6″ consideration as a “Christian” entity (just in need of some repentance and restoration) and aren’t in fact, more like the wolves which need to be emphatically chased out of the fold.
@Brother in Christ
First of all, I have a little more faith in Christ than thinking that taking this story “to the world” will “destroy” His name. I do not understand the fear of spreading this story. As one of my non-Christian friends put it after reading your comment “A huge argument that makes me not want to be atheist is that you can’t have morals without god, but what good are god’s morals if in order to protect that god you need to ignore the morals!!!???”
We as Christians will have many more opportunities to show our God as HE REALLY IS by telling this story – what could “destroy” the name of Christ more than Christians continuing to stubbornly cover-up and blindly spiritualize the crimes that take place within the church? Instead, our testimony should be moving forward together to protect the innocent – hopefully with NTM at our side – TRANSPARENTLY and honestly showing the forgiveness and hope and grace that we are given as Christ-followers on our journey.
Please think about who you are really trying to protect here – if you will read the ‘about’ section of this site, you will see that this whole thing has been handled biblically. I hesitate to get into a bible verse competition with you, but Matthew 18 says “If your brother sins against you,[b] go and show him his fault, just between the two of you. If he listens to you, you have won your brother over. 16But if he will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’[c] 17If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector.” GRACE is part of the church, and so far NTM has only made vague promises that they are “listening to the church.”
@Brother in Christ
My “brother” I will dare to suggest to you that you look at the passage again and look at what has happened here (not the same thing), and also that you look at the words of the Lord Jesus: Jesus reserved his strongest statements for the religious leaders–and he excoriated them PUBLICLY. Check this out: “Hypocrites! For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people’s faces. You won’t go in yourselves, and you don’t let others enter either.” (Mt 23:13, NLT) This is NOT a case of taking petty lawsuits and hanging dirty laundry before the public (as in Corinth); this is a case of leadership failing to lead, failing to shepherd, failing to humble themselves so that they could actually “allow the little children to come” to Jesus.
@Brother in Christ
The name is destroyed by people living in egregious, hard-hearted, unrepentant continued sin. People pointing it out is NOT the problem.
@filtered down victim
Please read 1 Corinthians 6…we are destroying the name of Christ by taking it to the world…THAT is sin…
Wow. NTM is getting presure from supporters? Good. I hope they resume support if they are saisfied with the responce from NTM though. But good on em.
Let me say that I am truly sorry for your pain. I pray that NTM will follow the recommendations in the Grace report – and maybe even go a bit further. One question – can NTM bring charges against the perps? Wouldnt that have to be done by the victims? Certainly NTM would need to cooperate – but the crime was committed agains the individuals, not the org. So, not sure we can pin all that on the org.
Please know that my prayers are with the victims and my eyes are ever watchful of my kids. My wife suffered abuse as a child – but has found healing and has mobed on – she choses not to let it ruin her life, or even govern it. She preferres to look forward and enjoy now – we all have BS in our history we wish was not there – but now we are NEW CREATIONS and old has passed away. Thank God for hope – for a life focused on the future… not ruled by the past. I pray you all can enjoy life and start to move forward as your healing progresses. Thank you for looking back enough to warn the rest of us about the future. I pray that as life moves forward – you will be able to look ahead at all lief and eternity will be, and not remain locked into the past. Thank you for your voice.
I would like to say something to all the Fanda survivors out there. “Seek and you shall find” It is Gods promise to you. I have been living by this ever since I re-committed my life to God. I have gone through and questioned just about everything taught to me at Fanda. We were taught Biblical facts but a lot of the translation and example that was shown us was flawed. If you want to know the real God just look for him. He loves you. Always. Not just when you are doing the right thing. And he wants honesty and transparency from you, not perfection. You can sin and still be a child of God. You can admit you are wrong and still be a child of God. GRACE said it in the report, we were spiritually abused.
@J Wheeler
Dear Amnesia, I completely understand your being afraid to remember but at the same time wanting to remember. As a survivor of childhood sexual abuse myself, I know that what has happened in the past definitly affects your decisions, and relationships, and tons of other things in your life today. If you can face these things and heal from them your life will definitly be different, but… much better. I know because I have been facing and dealing with my abuse for 14 years now.
“I shall know why, when time is over, And I have ceased to wonder why; Christ will explain each separate anguish In the fair schoolroom of the sky.” –Emily Dickinson INTEGRITY
Fellow MK’s — you’re in my thoughts and prayers.
I was never a member of NTM, but had family and friends who were and are members, and I attended NTBI. I’ve followed the story of the children of Fanda on this website and was glad when NTM brought GRACE in. Like others, my feelings while reading the report were shock, disgust, sadness. I knew none of the abusers or victims, but did know some of those who covered up. It hurt to know what those I knew had done and I felt the recommendations were right and just, although it hurt to see them, too. I hate how sin has bent and twisted every part of this world.
My feelings about the abusers are hard to write down. I am so angry about that. As someone who experienced abuse myself and knowing how my own abuse has wounded me and how it pervades and affects my life, my beliefs and actions years later, I understand the anger that I hear on this board, and share it. I’m still have intense anger about my abuse, although I want to, as God asks me, to “do justly and love mercy,” rather than the other way around (i.e. to expect and desire justice, but not love it or make it an idol, to not just do merciful acts, but to love mercy).
As for judging what NTM has done, it’s hard to do so with any accuracy, as they have been so guarded about saying more than the few statements on NTM.org. For any information I’ve had to come here. This is where the report is and this is where snippets of NTM’s internal emails are shared. This should not be so! Their reticence in communicating to the public is a tacit continuation of the silence that has long been the shame of NTM. They’ve allowed the post on the abuse to fall off the NTM home page, have done little to update it or inform the “outside world” of what action they have taken. The time for fear, for guardedness, is over.
@Walt Bertelsen
I still have hope that NTM will act. If they don’t then yes will be looking to serve God somewhere else. I choose to trust God in this even though I don’t understand why He has allowed this to go on for so long. He runs the universe so I’m pretty confident He knows what He’s doing. Some may not like this but It’s not about us, it’s about Him! “Vengeance is mine says the Lord I will repay; judgment starts at the house of God. I really want justice to be done here and to see some of these people in jail but I will trust the righteous judge. When you look in the Bible at all the sick, sordid details of various peoples lives you see there is nothing new under the sun from the moment that Eve ate the fruit we’ve all been wallowing around in the muck. Our only hope is in Jesus.
@Kati
Actually was told at the meeting that some have. They are waiting to see what NTM will do.
Fanda Eagles-my prayers are with you all as you continue the healing process for the pain you and your families have endured. I too was abused as a child, and the pain doesn’t just go away. It affects every pore of our being.
As a current member of NTM, I pray that NTM continues to investigate and go back and search out every known case of abuse in the boarding schools. Every victim needs to be heard and those involved need to be held accountable. Thank you Fanda Eagles for bringing this shameful episode in the history of NTM to the forefront.
My heart is aching and I just want to say Thank you to the Fanda Eagles for speaking up, you have made a difference, you have opened my eyes, my children will never be sent to boarding school and I intend to continually remind my children that they are my first ministry (even as adults, God has given me Family as my very first priortity and ministry will always be second to that.) I’m so sorry for all you precious MK’s who have suffered, and I pray that God will heal you all.
@joie
Now that Grace has met with NTM and NTM has made their decisions if the story should go to press it should no longer make any difference. My concern was that there seemed to be a stance of “let’s take it to press” to force NTM to acknowledge their guilt before they had made any decisions. A forced acknowledgement really is no acknowledgement. Some say that Grace has forced them. Possibly but at the same time NTM does not have to accept the recommendations. However whatever their decisions are now, positive or negative, they can no longer be made due to “ignorance”. Yes some people presently in authority were ignorant of the extent of the abuse (if not the cover up really didn’t work), but that can no longer be said. Needless to say now is the time to act and any unnecessary delay would show unwillingness to do what is right.