MK forum

Hmm ... that brings another song to mind from long ago ...

"Untold millions are still untold ..."

NTM sang the same songs as ABWE, wish that was the only similarity. Full Stop.

Thanks to Pamela Bennett, who has sent us a link to a report from ABWE following an "independent" investigation of "historical" child abuse in that mission. This is the report that the mission itself has posted on its website.

For those of us waiting (im)patiently for the outcome of IHART's investigation of child abuse in NTM, I believe we need to take a good hard look at this report. I predict that when all is said and done, what will be published publicly by NTM will be very similar to this report.

(Underlinings in the report added by me.)

http://www.abwe.org/news/article/abwe-h ... on-update/

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August 8, 2012
ABWE Historical Investigation Update

HARRISBURG, PA —
After hiring G.R.A.C.E. to investigate the tragic child abuse by Donn Ketcham in Bangladesh and its aftermath, ABWE took several more steps in its effort to follow God’s plan for repentance and reconciliation.

Last year, ABWE hired Simms Showers LLP, who brought a highly experienced team, led by Rob Showers, to search for and investigate all other historical cases of child abuse (except the case being handled by G.R.A.C.E.) in ABWE’s 85-year history. Simms Showers immediately began looking at old reports, reviewing field notes and corporate records, and compiling historical cases.

Before going into private practice, Mr. Showers acted as Deputy Assistant Attorney General and Executive Director of the National Obscenity Enforcement Unit, later called the Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, in the U.S. Department of Justice. He has started and run several nonprofit organizations, including the National Law Center for Children and Families, and has lectured and written articles about church and nonprofit law, sexual misconduct and the sexual exploitation of children.

The independent investigators from Simms Showers conducted an extensive review of ABWE records and found other incidents of potential child abuse involving ABWE missionaries or MKs dating back to 1956. From that point, the independent investigators conducted numerous investigations on those historical cases. All of these thorough investigations have now been concluded, resolved, and closed.

On July 11, 2012, the investigators submitted their final reports to the Board of ABWE International, summarizing their findings and recommendations.

In four of the cases, Simms Showers conducted their own full investigation, interviewing witnesses, victims, and perpetrators, and presented their factual findings to the ABWE Board. All four of these cases found child abuse occurred and resulted in the Board taking appropriate disciplinary action against the perpetrators, some of whom were former ABWE personnel.

In four other cases, partial investigations were conducted since previous reports had been made. In these cases, the Board concluded that child abuse had occurred; disciplinary action was taken and the files were closed.

In the remaining cases, the victim(s) and/or perpetrators were not available because they were either deceased, not identified, or the victims did not consent to pursuing an investigation.

When the firm began its investigations, none of the ABWE personnel involved in any of the cases remained in the mission field—they were either retired, or had previously resigned or been terminated.

The ABWE Board can now report that in all of these historic cases, the necessary authorities have been notified and in cases where supporting and/or sending churches were told only of the missionary’s “moral failure,” they have now been told that the missionary was specifically involved in child abuse.

When warranted, ABWE administered discipline to the perpetrator. In situations where ABWE policy and Scripture dictated, we informed the missionaries’ churches so they could take appropriate action. The Board has now concluded all investigations and cases involving historical child abuse allegations, except for the investigation by G.R.A.C.E.

Moreover, ABWE now has drafted and implemented a comprehensive interim child-protection policy that will improve education about the seriousness of the issue, reporting an incident, and timely investigation and counseling for the victims.

Perhaps no other sin scars its victims so deeply as child abuse. Although God, by His grace, does have the capacity to fully forgive this grievous sin, we also recognize a biblical principle that forgiveness does not remove all its consequences.

As in all personnel matters, ABWE’s actions will not be made public. The Board and its administrative actions should not be confused with a court of law and its verdicts. If the authorities, who were informed, decide to take action, then the names and actions involved in the investigations will come to light. But we do not feel it is our place to release the information except in an appropriate forum such as to sending churches and appropriate authorities.

The Board of ABWE International is truly sorry for both the sins and the failures that have so tragically impacted the lives of our MKs. Over the past year, we have taken a series of steps aimed at rectifying any mistakes in handling previous cases, as well as strengthening our child safety and protection policies.

Although we will never be able to change what has happened, we are committed to redressing the wrongs and making right what we can. Please be in prayer for us, as we seek to repent of our past failures and ensure the safety of our children.

If you would like a copy of the summary of ABWE’s new interim child-protection policy or have questions about these investigations and have a legitimate need for information, please contact Tony Beckett, at tony@abwe.org.
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If you have not read GRACE's comprehensive 67-page report on MK abuse at NTM's school in Fanda, Senegal, then I encourage you to do so.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/36559323/Amen ... ed-Edition

This report was made public. Complete with detailed accounts of abuse that occurred, names of NTM personnel involved in abuse and cover up of abuse, the effects the abuse had on MKs, and GRACE's recommendations for appropriate consequences.

Please compare the two reports. And be prepared with realistic expectations as to what is going to be produced for us, the public, to see ... once the slowly turning wheels of IHART grind to a halt and NTM decides what to do with the information gathered.

Dear ABWE and other Mission Boards,

Perhaps if I write an analagy (or a parable) this might be easier to understand.

Imagine you are a youngish child and one day you develop severe abdominal pain. So severe your parents rush you to a hospital, not just any hospital, but one that proclaims it is the most dedicated in the business.
There you are examined by a young House Surgeon, who finds you have rebound tenderness in the right lower abdominal quadrant and your WBC is raised on the blood test. The House Surgeon suggests that it is in fact a case of acute appendicitis and that immediate surgery for removal of the offending organ is indicated. The young House Surgeon reassures you and your worried parents that you will probably survive the experience and that the Surgeon is non other than Dr. Bemused, who has done this sort of surgery before.

When you wake up, your appendix is gone, there is a small scar and your leg is also missing! This upsets you considerably, but when you complain about your missing leg, you don't get a response or are told that you are not walking with faith in the "prestigous hospital" that saved your life.

So you and your parents go home and never mention it again, right? Of course not, everyday you are reminded that a grave incompetence was committed and you were the victim, because contrary to some vague reassurances from the "prestigous hospital" you don't grow another leg and move on.
Years pass and you find that you are not the only involuntary amputee of one Dr Bemused, there are quite a few of you with limbs missing and other surgeons had been committing similar incompetences.
So you form a group and you approach the "prestigous hospital", who set up their own inquiry. The results are horendous, it turns out that Dr Bemused was actually the janitor, but as he was on the spot on the day of your operation, they let him do it. Then they destroyed the medical files. But wait worse is to come, you are told that it all happened long ago, Dr Bemused has left his employment at the "prestigous hospital" and can't be found (but he was awarded an honory doctarate for his years of service to humanity). The subsequent report makes some recommendations, but to be honest they are not really worth the paper they are written on and it is all going under the carpet very fast.

So what do you do? Everyday you are reminded of the "prestigous hospitals" incompetence and negligence, because your leg is still missing. But no one has taken responsibility for what was criminal negligence (it is also a criminal act to operate on another human, without being suitably qualified) and the "prestigous hospital" is still operating and still telling the world that they provide the best medical care.

And there we have it, a nice analagy/parable which illustrates the point. Please take an MKs shoes and walk in them for a while and remember you only have one leg, so you will only need one shoe.

Thank you for that, "Dr." Bemused.
You have a way of making things very clear.
Sad to say.............

Why thank you. I also may have lost a leg, but I can hop pretty fast . However I still have two eyes that see clearly, a brain that interprets what the eyes tell it and 10 upper digits to write with and that is not a bad combination in my book .