Tambo alum here- I just found out about this forum a week ago, so am just now reading through some of this.
My experience at Tambo was almost always a positive one and I did not experience any kind of abuse. Often times it seems that we forget that humans make mistakes, and yes, those mistakes can be very vile. I am not excusing any of the abuse that took place over the 50-year period Tambo was opened, but just pointing this out. My stomach turns at how sick some of the people were who would abuse children while claiming to serve God. But another thing that really makes me very upset is the constant flow of comments I see from people who never attended Tambo, and some of whom (from the posts) never attended any kind of boarding school and have no idea what they are like. I see a vast amount of anger and, although more than justified, it drowns out the positive. At Tambo, there were problems. There were cases of abuse. And yes, this is disgraceful and very sad. But there was so much positive that came from Tambo as well. There were professors, staff members, and other leaders there who had lasting impacts for the good on the lives of so many students.
So I ask that as we read about this case and the further developments, we remember this: there were plenty of vile mistakes made at Tambo, but there was also a lot of good. Don't be too quick to see the whole of Tambo's existence as bad. There were many students impacted for the positive. And while the missionaries were out in the tribes, there was a great impact for good and sharing of the Gospel.
Sincerely, Kyle
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