MK forum

The culture he was in was NTM culture. If his parents are offering this as a mitigating circumstance, then surely they are saying that NTM culture should be on trial!!!!!

So Larry and the leaders at Sanford. Some of your own are blaming your organisation for the way their son has acted, can we please have a statement to clarify what your response is to this.

Wow. Incredible. It never ends eh? No one ever comes out and says the truth. The mission culture did not put value on their children's lives. Neither did it respect women and boarding school is not Biblical.

I am so thankful for ICE and that they got this pervert thrown in jail where he belongs. May this just be a start. May justice start to prevail!

I just checked for a press release statement from NTM in response to this harsh sentence meted out to one of their own. An MK who grew up in the mission, and then went back to the field as a missionary himself.

Scott Kennell spent practically his whole life in NTM.

This is a HUGE story.

I would think NTM would have something to say. The name of the mission is mentioned in every article I have read about this sentencing.

Nothing?

This would lead me in the direction of a relevant conclusion. Relevant to our own issues here on Fanda Eagles.

While you are a good, productive part of the Big Happy New Tribes Family, then "we welcome you"! We're glad you're here!

But if you cause any trouble at all, disappoint or embarrass us, or cause us any bad publicity, then you are nothing to us.

You might have been in this mission since the day you were born, but inclusion in this family is conditional. Conditional on your positive performance.

The goal of this mission is to survive as a mission. The survival of the organization takes precedence over the needs of any one individual.

Wow. Am I ever grateful that that is not the way in works in God's family!

Here's a comment posted by Beverly Shellrude Thompson, one of the founders of MK Safety Net, under a Jan. 28 Orlando Sentinel article about Scott Kennell's sentence. My friend Beverly speaks her mind, and speaks it well! Her comment is addressed to Pam McCurdy, mentioned in the article in this paragraph:

In a statement released Tuesday, New Tribes Mission spokeswoman Pam McCurdy said: "We are heartsick. Children are to be protected, not hurt. We are grateful to the authorities for the prosecution of this individual despite international legal obstacles. NTM USA is steadfast in our commitment to do everything in our power to prevent this from happening again. We ask you to please join us in prayer for the victims." http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/loc ... 2311.story

Here is Beverly's comment:

BeverlyShellrudeThompson at 11:39 AM January 29, 2014

Pam McCurdy, it is not enough for NTM to "pray for the victims" and to express remorse. Your responsibility for what Scott Kennel did when he was your employee extends far beyond praying for the victims.
1. Scott traveled by boat up and down the Amazon, staying in the homes of indigenous people and had access to many children. Will NTM inform the indigenous tribal leaders, as well as the local governments in Brazil where Scott Kennel served so they can do an investigation in all the communities where Scott worked and stayed? Have you developed a response plan when other victims are identified and/or come forward?
2. Will NTM pay for trauma therapy for the Scott Kennel’s victims? I am quite sure there are well-qualified Brazilian trauma therapists who could provide trauma therapies for the victims.
3. Has NTM contacted the kid's summer camp in New Jersey, Solid Rock Day Camp, where Scott Kennel worked in past summers and was planning to work again this summer? Camp management need to be informed by NTM of his conviction, as well as all staff and parents of children who attended the camp while he was there that he is a pedophile.

These are not rhetorical questions - they are actual questions which need to be adequately addressed by NTM and your funders, victims and their families need to be informed of your response plan going forward.

I gather from Pam's statement quoted in the article that she did send or give something to at least some media (some articles mention an e-mail?). This statement has yet to be published on the NTM website, which does have a section called "Press Releases", under "Media Information". The last press release there is from November, and it is about NTM pilots and Typhoon Haiyan relief in the Philippines.

Oh dear. With all due respect to NTM, that response is like me arriving at the scene of a major accident where I find a victim missing an arm and haemorrhaging badly, then saying "I'm a nurse, trust me" putting a band aid on their foot, patting them on the head and going home again.

In regard to Beverly's questions.

1) What other victims? NTM in the past has asked a convicted sex offender if they had any other victims, apart from the one they were convicted for abusing and when they replied "no", closed the matter and said that the offender had gone on mental health leave, not that he was in jail. If they can lie this badly once . . . .

2) I'm not qualified to give a definitive answer, but I doubt offers of help will be forthcoming, any assistance will probably have to be demanded by those affected.

3) Probably not, but don't worry, someone else did contact the camp management.

It's a good thing "someone else" is an excellent communicator!