MK forum

The lack of follow-through on the part of NTM is so disheartening. This has happened not only with the recommendations for Vianopolis, but even in the case of Fanda. No one is making sure any of those recommendations from GRACE are being carried out long-term either. We expected a certain level of integrity on the part of NTM. It now becomes apparent that that expectation was not realistic.

The layers and implications of this are so vitally important for everyone to understand. It is abundantly clear that IHART is not really independent at all. That means the investigations into abuse in East Brazil, Panama and Bolivia are actually internal investigations, and the aim of those involved will be to protect the mission, not to support and validate MK survivors. The exercise of going through the motions of having a Recommendations Panel becomes pretty meaningless, if the recommendations made by them are not accepted, are modified, minimized, and even after all that, not actually carried out.

I do hope that if there is any more talk coming from NTM about a plan to investigate "historical" abuse on any of its other fields, people will understand that this is just going to be more of the same meaninglessness. I really just hate the way MK abuse victims, MK witnesses to abuse, parents of MKs and others have voluntarily subjected themselves to the emotionally grueling process of investigative interviews, and I hate all the time and the money spent -- money donated by well-meaning, sacrificial individuals and churches who thought they were contributing to world evangelization! -- on this farce, this sham, that a few attorneys and mission leaders knew all along would yield absolutely no significant results but to kick the can down the road a ways, during which more donations would come in, and more plans could be made for how to move assets and personnel off the sinking Titanic.

Hate is a strong word, but yes ... I do hate that this is what has been happening for the past five years, and what will continue to happen, until ... until ...

Until what? How do we make this craziness stop??

I think if NTM missionaries have not said anything by now, they don't care and never will. There is no excuse for the average missionary not holding these guys feet to the fire. No excuse, nothing but condemnation

I'd like to think that the average missionary would have the courage to do that . . .i fear, though, that courage on the field often doesn't translate to courage facing peers and organizational authority.

A missionary can be so easily dismissed . . .give them the cold shoulder, some guild-inducing verses. . .self-doubt sets in, performance suffers, and the missionary resigns quite voluntarily . . .only later will they connect the pieces.

Being a missionary is a vulnerable spot to be in.
I hope, that if you are a missionary in New Tribes reading this . . .i hope that you will feel our heartfelt good wishes for your personal life . . .that you will think hard about this.

I have a theory. There are four camps (or more) of NTMer's.

Camp One - Those who don't believe the mks or feel the abuse is irrelevant because they are doing God's work.
Camp Two - Those who have swallowed the NTM spin on the mk abuse hook, line and sinker.
Camp Three - Those who believe but are not strong enough to stand up for justice so they put their blinders on.
Camp Four - Those who know the abuse, either personally or peripherally, and are trying to extricate themselves from NTM or trying to change from within. This, of course, seems to be the smallest camp of all.

I like your theory!