MK forum

STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO THE GRACE REPORT FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ABOUT DONNA BEACH


The statements made in reference to Donna Beach were carefully looked into by the Executive Board. There were a number of serious allegations made and NTM sought outside legal counsel and further investigations were made into the facts and the interpretation of the findings, before determining its response to the recommendations made by GRACE concerning Donna Beach in the August 28, 2010, Amended Final report by the GRACE organization.

It should be pointed out that during our investigation of the allegations made by GRACE against Donna Beach, it was determined that absolutely no interviews were conducted by anyone representing GRACE, with the young man or his family, nor Mrs. Beach or her family to verify the factuality of what was alleged, prior to the publication of the report.

It has also been established that Donna Beach was not a Fanda School staff member nor was the young man a student at Fanda. Additionally, the young man has never, at any time, brought any accusations against Donna Beach. The incident was dealt with openly at the time. Gary and Donna Beach’s home church was informed of the reasons for their dismissal from NTM in 1985 and many others on the Senegal Field have also verified that the leaders communicated this to them as well.

Three years later Mr. and Mrs. Beach reapplied to NTM for reassessment for further missionary service. They entered NTM’s training for a period of further evaluation. NTM leadership in partnership with their local church were able to commend them to a new field of service. The members of the new field were made aware of what had necessitated Mr. and Mrs. Beach’s dismissal from Senegal.

Since that time Gary and Donna Beach have served for 23 years in both Africa and Europe. They are respected and esteemed by their colleagues and have a blameless testimony.

The Executive Board acknowledges that Donna Beach submitted to all of the policies and procedures in place in 1988 with NTM knowing all the details relating to her dismissal in 1985. Therefore, Mrs. Beach will not be terminated again from membership over this same issue. We apologize for the delay in making this clarifying statement.

Tow Mater said

"...Even after it all hits the fan, or starts to hit the fan, all you really know how to do is to hire investigators....and then to hire attorneys to investigate the investigation."

WHY would NTM do this? It seems Tow Mater has shined the light on something that may be obscure to most of us.

WHY this extreme interest to protect Donna Beach?

In doing some research, Donna had a sexual relationship with a teenage boy. Ongoing. For a period of time. I've been told she was in her 30s and a married mother.

WHY would NTM "hire attorneys to investigate the investigation" regarding Donna Beach?

Is Donna's ministry in NTM so valuable that a crime punishable with jail in America, needs to be exonerated by NTM?

Could it be that Donna is related to Paul and Faith Wyma? (She is.) Could it be that Donna is the granddaughter of Ken Johnston Sr? (She is.) And, just who is Ken Johnston Sr?

Ken Johnston Sr was New Tribes Mission Chairman for many years. He was the esteemed leader and revered.

GRACE investigation said to terminate Donna Beach. NTM hired attorneys to investigate this investigation?

WHY?

Why indeed?

I've heard some comments from people within NTM about the Donna Beach recommendation. I was told that Grace did not get it right. I heard that the young man involved according to UK laws was not of an age to be considered underage or child abuse at the time of the relationship. The details seem sketchy the important fact to find out is when did the sexual relationship start and how old was the young man. In my limited research on abuse it seems that it's not unusual for the victim to try to protect the predator and actually take blame on himself. In light of this it's not a shock to see the victim has not brought accusation against Mrs Beach. This latest statement is not satisfactory for me. I'm not in agreement that the Beaches should have been reinstated. It certainly is a troubling dynamic to find out that this woman is related to the Wymas and Johnsons. It's does not seem right because lets be honest we all have sins to deal with but not all of us act out on those sins I think when you do that you cross a line and you should be held accountable and proven to be trustworthy under strict boundaries. I think some more details need to be released regarding what actually happened for example the age of the young man and how long were they involved in a sexual relationship and what exactly was required of the Beaches to allow them to be reinstated.

Tuti Hess,

You said exactly what I was thinking but couldn't put it into words like you have.

More information would certainly help, but we all know that's not going to happen.

I have to agree with GRACE though. Certainly based on the information that they were able to gather and the published report, they came to the conclusion that the situation rose to the level of sexual abuse of a child, and as such their recommendations were appropriate.

Perhaps if NTM had been more forthcoming with information, and how the situation was handled at the time, the recommendations may have been different. But based on the published report, I think GRACE made the right decision. I'm sure that NTM has gotten a lot of flak over the implementation of the report's recommendations, but they would be much better off taking their lumps and getting this all handled cleanly and openly.

In reviewing documents provided by NTM as well as interviewing more than one witness with knowledge of the events, GRACE finds credible evidence that Donna Beach engaged in intimate contact with a child who, at best, was 17 years old. It appears that Ms. Beach was approximately 31 at the time.27 Although GRACE is aware of no evidence that Ms. Beach has inappropriately touched any other child since the events discussed in this report, GRACE considers the NTM policy on sexual contact with a minor to be prudent and consistent with best practices for employers in responding to instances of maltreatment. The actions of Ms. Beach directly contradict the NTM policy of contact with a minor.
Here in the final amended grace report it says that at best the young man was 17. If he was 17 when it started then it is a case of adultery not child abuse. The fact of when the relationship started is important in deciding wether what she did is a criminal act. This is the fact that I want made clear. I do not know what the laws on this subject are in Senegal and they may have changed now.

From the NTM-USA Child Protection Manual, revised Feb. 2011:

(Emphasis added.)


"DEFINITIONS 
OF 
ABUSE


Child
 abuse 
is 
non‐accidental 
behavior 
directed
 towards 
a 
child
 under 
the 
age
 of 
18,
 often
 in 
the
 context 
of 
a 
relationship 
of 
responsibility,
trust,
or
 power (such as a tutor-student relationship) 
that 
endangers 
or 
impairs 
the
 health 
or 
welfare
 of 
a 
child.


SEXUAL 
ABUSE
Child 
sexual
 abuse 
is
 evidenced 
by 
an 
activity 
between 
a 
child and 
an
 adult 
or 
another
 child 
who
 by
 age 
or 
development 
is 
in
 a 
relationship 
of 
responsibility,
trust,
or 
power; such
 activity 
is intended 
to
 gratify
 or 
satisfy 
the
 desires 
of
 either 
party.

Sexual
 abuse 
includes, 
but 
is
 not
 limited
 to, verbal,
 visual,
 and/or 
physical 
touch.
Sexual 
activity 
as 
defined 
above 
between 
minors, 
where 
there 
is 
a 
span 
of 
three 
years
 or 
more
 between 
offender
 and
 victim, 
is
 considered 
child
 sexual 
abuse.
 In 
cases
 where 
there 
is 
a
 span
 of
 less
 than
 three
 years 
between 
offender 
and 
victim, 
it 
is 
considered 
inappropriate 
sexual
 behavior.
 In
 either
 circumstance, 
NTM‐USA
 child 
protection 
policies 
apply,
except
that
 restrictions
 related 
to
possible 
future
 membership 
with 
NTM‐USA 
may 
not 
be 
imposed.

DISCIPLINARY 
OUTCOMES
In
 every 
confirmed 
case 
of 
sexual
 abuse,
 NTM‐USA 
will 
permanently
 dismiss
 the 
member
 with
 no 
possibility
 of 
reinstatement.

"

Dodging the questions by pointing out that the under-aged victim was not an American, that the "incident" occurred years ago, or that the perpetrator does not presently serve with NTM-USA does not engender confidence in the integrity of NTM.

If it is wrong NOW, it was wrong THEN.

Tuti - I so appreicate your voice on these. I like that you research. You reason "out loud". You are a current NTM member and you have true courage.

I wish there were hundreds, thousands of you.

Imagine being the parent of a 17 year old boy with hormones and a 31 year old missionary, married lady and a mother, has repeated sexual relations with your son. Would you think he was an adult having an "affair" with a married woman?

Raz made the exact point here. Read NTM's own policy. Donna Beach, Paul Wyma's niece gets a pass? WHEN will NTM show some intgrity and do the right thing?

Tuti, why do you think they hired attorneys to investigate the GRACE report for Donna's case? Does this seemextremely odd to you?

Oh, you brave one, Tuti. You lone voice. I just prayed for you. What a lot of junk for you to handle "within" the base...

WOW - I just re-read what Raz posted.

NTM, your own policy statesit so clearly?

WILL YOU EVER HUMBLE YOURSELVES AND REALZIE HOW STUPIDLY YOU CREATE ALL YOUR MESSES?

Without excuse! That's you, NTM!