At this time I was 15 and was living in a group home for intensive counseling. Brooks (a sexual abuser) calls NTM for support. See the end of the phone call where Dean handwrites the suggestion that files should be destroyed. “I’m wondering in light of this what should be done with the materials & info in Brooks and Mikitson’s files here! -Dean” The files that document Mik’s reports of abuse were never recovered.
Also see the letter that shows what state the Miks were in at this time.
Read more documentation
This is something that came out to me as well. Forgiveness and justice is always a tricky balance to hold. But it seems that NTM leans far too far toward forgiveness. To misquote James: “Repentance without works is dead”.
Kari, my heart just broke even more reading that letter from your parents. Wow. It’s really all I can say at this point. I love you, and I love your family. Amazing how you’ve been brought out of that wasteland into something so beautiful and world-changing.
@Disgusted
WOW—well said!!!!
It is typical practice of NTM to help the abuser and not the victim. As long as your sound sad and are busy crying and “repentant” as the abuser. As long as you are busy kissing some royal behind to NTM about how much they have helped you, boo hoo. It is no different today than it was twenty or thirty years ago. Please. NTM will go to no end to help the abuser who harmed and brutalized others: housing, jobs, counseling centers, continued support (i.e. not informing churches to stop supporting an abuser) but to the victim trying to gain help, nothing. Punish the victim, is the mantra of NTM, classy. Get rid of the victim as fast as we can, shhh, we don’t want this to reflect poorly on NTM. It seems they will go to no end to protect the abuser, their own reputation and their own financial resources. It is shameful on a multitude of levels. They will claim that they have gone “above and beyond” aiding victims while really never doing anything but appeasing their own pathetic minds. The amount of disgust that I have for an organization that harbors abusers, that aids in their shameful deception, and then on a continual and on-going basis punishes the victims, is beyond any words that I can express. Many of the men currently residing on the Executive Committee have no business being in these positions. Many of these men served at other locations where abuse was running rampant and it will be interesting to see should GRACE launch another investigation how many more men will have to resign from leadership. In NTM it is not what you know that counts, it is who you know. Do you have ties to a “big-wig” in NTM? No problem, we’ll cover your bumm for you. Are you well liked? No problem, we will make it sound like you were so “broken” by your sin. Broken? That is the least of these abusers problems. All Dave Brooks and the like ever wanted was to say “Sorry”. What a perfect mission. Get away with crime, but just say you’re sorry and you can stay. Nice. Dave Brooks , this disgusting excuse for a human being actually thinks that these girls whom he abused are in no need of counseling? Look at his statements from his correspondence with Dean Van Vliet in 1992, “IF she needs counseling”…he is so revolting. This is a seriously sick human being who belongs behind bars. And NTM guides him to seek counsel with an attorney? “Dave is obviously very repentant about what happened.” “He just wanted us to pray with them about it.” “He (Dave) feels that NTM has tried to help in every way up to now.” “Dave feels, and I verified his belief on this, that he should seek counsel from a Christian lawyer as soon as he can…” How about guiding him to turn himself in to the authorities? There would be a truly repentant heart and wise counsel. NTM, along with its host of harbored abusers need to be prosecuted to the fullest extend of the law. Period. NO exceptions. And the constant refrain that because it happened on foreign soil it cannot be prosecuted here? What? Were these children Americans? Is he (Dave Brooks) an American? Aren’t all NTM members (American) considered residents of Florida? NTM should be taking all financial costs for the victims (i.e. attorney fees) to aid in this prosecution. There would be a testimony to NTM be “broken and grieved”. It is time for NTM to stop promoting itself, stop talking about how fantastic of a mission they are, ENOUGH! Clean house, get rid of the filth, and humble yourselves. I don’t want to hear about how so many men were crying over the news, big deal. So what, tears should be the least that they should be doing. Look at your dorms, look at your leadership, listen to your people, your little people, apologized to all of your victims, and provide financial restitution, not just for counseling and mental health clinics, but for court cases, legal assistance, folks. Every man on leadership needs to do self-evaluation: did I at any time in my leadership career aid an abuser while allowing the victim to suffer alone? Was I more concerned about protecting NTM’s name than choosing godly behavior? Did I choose to turn a blind eye to the abuse of someone that I worked with or lead? Did I try to appease myself because I offered the victim a meal, or a encouraging word while hurrying them out of the mission? If you can answer yes to any of these questions, you do not belong in leadership. Get out. Remove yourself. I have had enough of the NTM propaganda; are there nice people in NTM? Sure, there are nice people everywhere. Big deal. I would like to know, now that all of these people have heard what has gone on in NTM what are they going to do about it? Are the “nice people” in NTM going to take a stand within their own mission or just continue on with their heads in the sand saying, “Wow, I had no idea”. Well, now you do have an idea and what are you going to do about it? And for the churches and individuals who have supported this mission, what is your cry? What will you demand from your missionaries? What changes will you expect to see before handing over your hard-earned dollars? If you are not a part of the solution then you are a part of the problem. A HUGE problem. If NTM as a people are so busy telling others to trust God then maybe it is time for them to do the same and remove themselves from positions of authority, to “take a step of faith” and stop living off of other people’s hard earned dollar claiming they are doing the work of the Lord while allowing evil and corrupt behavior to continue on. To say that this abuse ended at Fanda is absurd. It is still going on today. NTM should be shaking in their boots. They should be on pins and needles. They should be scrutinized by every church than is supporting them or plans too. Every parent who thinks about letting their children join this organization should be asking in depth questions from people who will give legitimate answers. (HINT, no one) In addition, NTM ought to start thinking about getting some better spokespeople who actually have some knowledge of NTM, (i.e. Joel Price). Why didn’t NTM turn Joel Price in to the authorities the minute they new he was involved in Child Pornography? That would have been wiser, nope not the brainiacs down at Sanford. “Oh, ah, no he was ah never with children”, well except for our photo op in Venezuela…duh. Yeah, definitely idiots from idiotsville……….
Brooks (both husband and wife) needs to be behind bars and so does Dean Van Vliet and anyone else involved in the cover up! I think this needs to go even more public. A news station would be my first pick. I want to punch a hole in the wall right now.
It sickens me that NTM leadership encourages this sexual predator to seek counsel and lawyer up before communicating with the victim’s family. Whose side are they on here? Whatever happened to the victim’s rights?
More unbelievable statements:
– “Dave is obviously very repentant about what happened.”
– “He just wanted us to pray with them about it.”
– “He (Dave) feels that NTM has tried to help in every way up to now.”
– “Dave feels, and I verified his belief on this, that he should seek counsel from a Christian lawyer as soon as he can…”
The level of gullibility in all of this beggars description.
And finally: “…they moved from Camdenton in early 1990.” Would that be NTM Camdenton? What on earth was he doing hanging around Camdenton in early 1990, when he resigned/was dismissed sometime in 1989?
A confession indeed, but only to having to done something to ONE girl (and only because of the threat of suffering financial pain).
“He feels that if the girl in actually suffering from something that stems back to that time, he would gladly help her in any way he could.”.
How noble! And how naive of this EC individual to swallow that story, hook, line and sinker.
It’s (not) funny how the talk of $ thrown into the mix seems to get the gears moving…..
Why is it that ntm is so quick to defend and even excuse the abuser – what about the victims?
remember, this transcript with dave is in 1992, still 5 YEARS BEFORE an abuse investigation was launched.
This is disgusting. Obvious proof of abuse. Why was the offender’s protection the main concern of the mission?
a confession.