MK forum

Hi. I'm a fan from afar. I wanted to encourage what you're doing in your meeting this morning and let you know that I support you! I was an MK (with CEF) and my missionary parents were very abusive. Because of my abusive upbringing, I was attracted to New Tribes and all their dysfunction (very shaming recruitment techniques attracted my very shamed self). I ran to them at the age of 18 like a fly headed to a sticky strip. I got all the way to their MTC in Missouri (I am pretty angry that I was in their Bible school in Waukesha for 2 whole years, which they consider a recruitment grounds, without hearing one word of what was really going on behind the scenes. I feel that they were incredibly dishonest with me.). The Fall I was there was when the GRACE report came out. I was devastated. It changed the way I saw myself first--nobody had ever described something like what I had gone through as abuse. What I read sounded like how my parents ran their house. You know how abusers rationalize what they do, and when you're a kid, you internalize it? I was still rationalizing everything on into adulthood and the GRACE report didn't let me hold on to that avoidance technique any longer. It, of course, changed the way I saw the mission. At first, it seemed like they were going to deal with everything, but as I continued through the training, I started to feel like they were saying, "It was in the past, the past, the past." But I didn't see enough changes for it to only be in the past. The phrase I always got when I asked a question was, "The ship takes a long time to turn around," but that was an excuse to not do anything. When graduation rolled around, we decided to withdraw bc I was now dealing with my own healing, but also bc I couldn't support the mission any longer. Even if I felt like NTM-USA was always doing the right thing (I don't...) their Global Missions Agreement means that their missionaries from other countries can get away with anything as long as their countries' boards approve. This is another door for abusers to hurt MKs and indigenous children. It's a flaw in the system that any abuser could easily pick up on.

All that is to say, the Fanda Eagles and all the NTM MKs are VERY, EXTREMELY close to my heart, bc you opened the door to my own healing journey. I am a radically different person today bc of your bravery. My children are being raised safely, outside of the mission's reach, and in the arms of a very changed mother. My shame has been cast off. I have a sense of self-worth. And all of this started bc I read the GRACE report one afternoon and it changed the way I saw the whole entire world. Thank you, and I'm praying for the Panama meetings today. Much love.

Wow, thank you so much, Savvy! Sometimes I wonder ... what it's all about ... what it's all for ... whether anything is making a difference. And then I read an unexpected post like yours, and wow! My heart soars! With humble gratitude.

Thank you so very much, for letting us know .... that you care. And that you are praying.

I needed to see this today.

It's about breaking the cycle, as Savvy has done. It takes considerable bravery to stop and question the path one is on and go against the flow. It can come at considerable cost in terms of friends and family.
It is also the reason why some of us post so regularly, to be the small voice that says "abuse is wrong, wrong, wrong".

I shall go find the fatted calf

I'm glad it encouraged you. I've wanted to say something for a while but today felt like the right day. I've shared the post made by MKSafetyNet (Facebook) with fellow advocates and survivors and asked them to pray for you to get many breaths of fresh air. I'm sure there's a sort of energy when meeting with the leadership face-to-face, but the way I see this overall is that you've been fighting a battle no one should have to fight, and you've been fighting it since you were babies. How exhausting. I get tired of my NTM problems and I only entered the mission at 18 (I'm only 24 now). So I'm praying for your renewal and long-term energy...but also praying that the ship would alter its damned (in both senses of the word) course.

Oh so young

Alas I think the ship is sinking, rather than changing course. The band is still playing on, but there don't seem to be so many lights on any more. And many of those lights are no where near "the field", but are at home (see previous posts, it is well over 50%).

Will it ever change course? Only those on the bridge can answer that. But behold, there is a party of MKs approaching the bridge, wonder how the meeting will go? Brave souls, I'll just keep bobbing around on the ocean, putting messages in bottles and hoping that . . . .

The meetings in Sanford, FL have been continued into a second day. I hope this is an indication that meaningful dialogue has been taking place.

A fifth member was added to the group of Panama MKs -- someone who actually lives in Sanford.

That is all I have to report at this time. I hope we will have more specific news as soon as it's available.

Meanwhile, please continue to hold this group, and these meetings, in your thoughts and prayers.

I don't know if we can get the ship to turn around. But at least there is some communication going on. I just can't hear what is being said!

(Savvy, I am not part of the Panama MK group. I am just one of the members of the large cheering section who is rooting for them! I am an NTM MK from Thailand.)

On November 1st and 2nd, the Panama MK Delegation met with a few members of the Executive Board of NTM, the Director of NTM Personnel/Child Protection and the attorney NTM hired to review the IHART process, to present and discuss concerns regarding the NTM Panama historical abuse investigation.

The initial reaction from the MK Delegation is positive and hopeful. The NTM group listened, questioned, discussed and then committed to taking the issues raised in the initial Letter and the resulting meeting to the full Executive Board for discussion and decision. The MK Delegation expects to receive a brief acknowledgment letter as a result of the meeting in which it is expected NTM will provide a more definite commitment to responding to the initial Letter in detail in the near future.

I know that you all would like a more definitive conclusion to this and the Panama MK Delegation would also. We all desire the best possible outcome and to that end we are giving NTM the space they need to work thru what we have asked.

The Panama MK Delegation will continue to communicate with NTM and will disseminate any relevant responses from NTM as appropriate.

Moving onward and upward.

Thank you for letting us know! Hope!

Thank you so much for this report/update, threewillows! There are many all over the world who have been cheering you on!

Yes, this process will require patience. If the end result is positive, then your efforts and your patience will be worth it.

NTM, the ball is in your court. Please do not minimize or shrug this off. It is vitally important, and your response will carry a big impact, not only for Panama MKs, but for countless others who are watching and waiting.