MK forum

True!
But how would we have known?
Too bad we didn't wake up faster.

Yes, dbarney, in spite of the deep heartaches along the way, my life has been incredibly full of blessings. The people I grew up around in Thailand, and the people I raised my babies amongst in the Philippines remain endeared in my heart forever. Many sweet and precious memories remind me that God makes no mistakes.

The errors were human, not divine.

from Gene Long: ".... the field leadership accusing me of having contempt and lack of respect for them..."

"When wickedness comes, so does contempt'
And with shame comes disgrace." Prov. 18:3

Disgrace to shameful "leaders!" Of course, it was all switched around and scraped off their plates.

Don't mean to be spouting verses---but there is practical wisdom here. There are helps available! We don't have to stay dumb.......

"It is not good to be partial to the wicked
Or to deprive the innocent of justice." Prov. 18:5

After being dismissed by the FC, my parents pleaded their case to the EC. What a comfort they were! “We don’t know what to do with you [insert my dad’s name],” warning my parents of “shipwrecking your faith” and no retirement. In other words, you’re getting too old for a transfer, and if you leave, you’ll have nothing. (Except, we will send you a plaque in a couple of years – won’t that be nice.)

Soooo, one of the FC leaders (he and one other were mainly responsible for my parent’s dismissal) came for a meeting with the EC and my parents. FINALLY, they heard three specific accusations: they had “crushed” three people “to the point of discouragement.” This was something they could actually try to make right, so my mom went to two of the three allegedly crushed people, who confirmed the accusations were…false. By then and for other reasons as well, she didn’t bother going to the third person.

Ironically—to put it mildly—two of the three people were abusive dorm fathers. Never mind the crushing effects they had on many, including myself.

Never mind that my dad is one of the humblest, kindest, faithful servants I know. (Probably a good streak of German tenacity and stubbornness helps too. Never mind his exceptional language skills. Never mind that he lived in a hut for 10 years in the jungle sometimes hungry, sometimes sick and often lonely and discouraged, so that he could learn a very difficult language and translate the word of God in order that those people could begin to understand God’s grace in their own words.

Never mind that my parents left family, home, country and all that they knew for the sake of the gospel.

I thought that’s what NTM was all about…

Shaking my head at the deep, deep sadness in your post, Arara Azul. Your pain for your parents is so intense, so heartfelt.

I never comprehended, while I was still in NTM, how much damage had been inflicted over the years in many countries around the globe.

Damage inflicted by NTM upon adults, children, tribal people, nationals, supporters and extended family members.

So much hurt. So much destruction.

No, that was never, ever what NTM was supposed to be about.

Gene and Arara,

We had a similar situation with ABWE in 1993, my husband wrote a letter of resignation and the mission board told us not to tell our supporters until we came home to resign. We obeyed but their tactic was they would write our supporters first, of which they did, and then instead of accepting our resignation, they terminated us for insubordination. We never got a letter or anything telling us we were terminated but some of our supporters sent us a copy of the letter they got. I guess our insubordination was wanting to resign. To this day we have never been told we were terminated or to what or whom we were insubordinate to. This is how ALL these mission organizations seem to work and this is one reason I have no trouble understanding what went on with so many good people with NTM. What is so troubling is no matter how many facts are put before loyal supporters of these groups they will still defend them to the end. Full stop.

AA: We knew about your father and his ministry before you were born.
What happened to your parents is wicked.
They must feel very free and relieved by this time.
Some people have suggested that plaque holders should take said plaques out in the back yard and smash them to pieces.
Why not in the front yard?