MK forum

We have already pointed out before, that there are examples and precedents set. There are other investigations of child abuse in which adult abusers are clearly named.

The GRACE report on NTM's school at Fanda, Senegal.

The PCUSA report on MK abuse by its missionaries.

The Penn State report.

And most recently, the report on abuse by ABWE's missionary doctor in Bangladesh, which named not only the doctor, but also many other individuals in the mission who bore some culpability.

We also posted recently that because of the publicity about ABWE's Dr Donn Ketcham, a child victim of his who was molested in Michigan has now come forward to file charges. Donn Ketcham can finally be held accountable by US law enforcement. It has been a painful reality for us that in the older cases of child abuse committed by NTM missionaries overseas, the abuser could not be charged for crimes unless they had victims here in the US as well. By refusing to publicly name their missionaries, NTM is protecting them from the possibility that Stateside victims could find out what they did to others overseas. It also keeps any other possible victims these people might have had, at any point along the way, of learning that others were also victimized by the person who abused them.

I cannot see how this reflects the spirit of Christ, when he spoke so vehemently about adults who hurt innocent children. In my opinion, child abusers do not deserve the mission's protection. Even if they are already deceased, they do not deserve protection. Their heinous deeds should still be exposed. A child victim is no less worthy of validation because his or her perpetrator is no longer living. I feel very strongly about this.

There is some history to make one cry.
And there is most likely much more.

Very very bad things.
Does ntm care?
No.
They let it continue just in that one place for 60 years!
The cumulative blame on all those leaders is HUGE.

From pg 1 of the Tambo report. (Insertions in italics.)

New Tribes Mission USA commissioned the Bolivia investigation for the following reasons:

• To understand the truth about what happened to children on the Bolivia field, knowing that this understanding would help keep other children safe;

Question: Who is it in NTM USA who is supposed to now understand the truth about what happened to children on the Bolivia field? The readers of the summary report are certainly not going to come anywhere near understanding the truth, since the report does not adequately convey the truth. Who is it in NTM USA that now has truthful knowledge of the full scope of what happened to hundreds of children, and the names of the missionaries who hurt those children? Anyone? Anyone?

• To value MKs and the suffering that many have endured by giving victims/survivors (V/S) an avenue to tell their story;

Yes, many MKs indeed suffered much in Bolivia. Do you think they feel valued now? You asked them to trust you and tell their story. And then what? They now find their suffering has been rationalized and minimized, and in many cases disregarded on the basis of "preponderance of evidence". The adults who caused them lifelong pain have been shielded and protected by you. They feel about as valued as they always have. Which is not at all. They were the child sacrifices offered up by their parents for the sake of your mission. You said you were following Christ's great commission, but in so doing, you ignored the words he spoke about his little ones.

• To provide a means for counseling or other support services for any V/S who desire it;

Your offer to financially cover counseling for MKs who meet your qualifications and stipulations has been helpful to some. But what many readers do not know is that there is a limit to your generosity; a cap to your aid. Child abuse victims are supposed to get better, darn it. If an MK is going to be sick or needy or emotionally unbalanced for the rest of their life, well then, that is just asking too much! (Sarcasm intended.)

• To remove any perpetrators who might still be current members from its midst and hold people accountable;

Hold people accountable? How is anyone supposed to know if you have really followed through on this, NTM? Don't you think your own members would like to know this, as well as all the rest of us? You didn't even give a number on how many current members with findings that required dismissal were actually dismissed, let alone give any names. (pg 24 of the report) Where is your accountability on this, as a mission?

• To analyze organizational and leadership environments to identify possible root causes of how abuse occurred, and identify ways for NTM to improve organizationally;

I applaud you for saying that you want to identify possible root causes for the abuse that went on in Bolivia. I have not been in the mission now for many years, so I cannot express an opinion about how well the mission is doing in addressing these root causes. Much has been written in these forums about the unhealthy and abusive mission environment of decades past. I do hope things are different now.

• To comply with appropriate legal standards; and

• To make reports to law enforcement.

We now know this is pretty pointless, as far as any hope that legal action will be taken here in America against missionary child abusers from long ago. But I do wonder how thick that file is getting, and what those people at that police station are saying about this mission organization that wounded so many of its own children.

On this dreary Sunday afternoon, I do actually have something positive to report.

I can no longer find Paul Gess or Susan Major on NTM's membership list on their website!

When I had checked a few weeks back, they were still there, and that was upsetting to me. But now they are gone.

It is my heartfelt hope that this will in some small way ease the pain carried for decades by the Tambo students who were subjected to sexual inappropriateness by Paul Gess, or who suffered great hurt and humiliation under the cruel and sadistic hand of Susan Major.

At long last, NTM. This is a step we have been waiting for.

Unless you didn't actually dismiss them, but simply required them to resign, like you did Gary Earl.

Maybe someone else has information on this?