MK forum

When I first came on Fanda Eagles I never realised what a journey it would be.

I've been a writer for many decades, had some good successes with it, but it has predominantly been either comedy or medical journalism in nature. Suddenly I find I'm writing an introspective account of my own life, the tears, the laughs, the frustrations, the warts and all.

Today I have asked myself, why am I still here. I'm hardly a lovely clean cut christian boy who sits in church most Sundays. If someone asked myself if I was a christian, in all honesty I'd think long and hard before I answered. Life didn't work out for me in that way, it didn't for a lot of us.

I'd sum myself up as a sympathetic agnostic. But in on this site it doesn't matter what my religous beliefs are, or for that matter my marital status is, if I'm gay or straight or any of those matters that would bar me from becoming a missionary.

What made my day today was the number of MKs who stood up for MKs they probably had never even heard of a few months ago and took the time to write letters to voice their displeasure at the way the Downunder MKs could possibly be dumped back on the doorstep on NTM Australia (who have changed their name to Cross View Australia). As many of you have kindly said, we were all on the mission field together and together we will sort out this mess, not have different groups to sort this out depending on where you now reside. And it didn't seem to bother anyone that Old Bemused is a Sympathetic Agnostic, once divorced, short wearing, cycling MK from who knows where.

I have sent Brian Shortmeier a challenge, to reach out to the MKs that he knew when he was the Principal in PNG, just to see if they are o.k. I await to hear how he gets on and I wish him all the best.

We stand with ALL the Downunder MKs
as well as with ALL the others.

God tell Mr Noah
"You build yourself an ark
Cuz you need to save yourself
From a world of deeds so dark"

Mr Noah he build the ark
Them animals come in two by two
It take about a hundred years
And he got a floating zoo

* * * *

Move on to the 1940's
Mr Fleming he also hear from Above
Who tell him build another ark
Float around and spread God's love

The Missionaries they join the ark
Coming two by two
And some have little kids
Yes, that was me and you

Oh it was quite a trip
This ark called NTM
Our parents fished for souls
Brown Gold it was to them

But then the Ark it hit an iceberg
Things below deck pretty bad
And up on the bridge some muttered
"Oh dear, how very sad"

Many carried on their fishing
Some abandoned ship
A few questioned why it was
To one side the Ark did dip

But those grown up kids got restless
Radioed the captain, "this you should know
That hole in your side needs urgent attention
Or to the bottom thou wilt go"

And that is where we are up to
In this story of the Ark
Will it sink, swim, or float away?
Stay tuned, to not remain in the dark

Excellent poem

Good one, Bemused!!

Hindsight is a wonderful thing. What if those in "leaderships" knew of an abuser and kept/moved their own children out of harms way?.....it happened. What if "leaderships" knew of abusers and moved them on to other countries?....it happened. What if "leaderships" wanted to move abusers off bases so moved the abuser to work with lesser being?.....they tried. What if "leaderships" were aware of the terrible nature and consequences of their actions so shredded evidence and lied?.....it happened. What if past leaders became aware that they may be interviewed regarding past actions?....it will/has happened. What if adult children of members of leadership or dedicated families to the mission knew the truth? Some may share the truth.......many won't.....it's happened.

What would happen if "all who knew" shared the truth they hold?....... miracles would happen.

Many find it too painful,unbelievable and controversial to face so perhaps pretending at this point in time it never happened appears to be the easier option. Please.....before you decide...we have carried our histories for far too long. That is why we are here.

Keep us in mind add your pieces to our puzzle....please validate our pasts....we may have already validated yours.

It may have been the 60's,70's,80's,90's but today it's 2012. What have we learned from the past?

Set someone free..........maybe it will be yourself.

Excellent post, Radioshack. (BTW - just your name "Radioshack" brings back way too vivid memories of life in the Numonohi dorms).

What if everyone stopped placing more guilt on the victims - it happens all the time!
--By protecting our friends which ultimately protects the abusers and adds guilt to the victims for even speaking out.

I have been pleaded with by an MK friend to not encourage investigations because it might result in bringing accusation to a parent (very elderly now) who was on leadership in those days. Honestly, I can't imagine this man coming under any accusation, but what do I know? Not picking up guilt for speaking out was hard for me after that conversation and still is! I might be the cause of this man's death, it was implied (hopefully not intended)! This is something I will never forget. And this leadership person was another one I had always liked.

But wow, It made me feel for the victims themselves who are finally speaking out and made me realize what they are up against, even by their own friends whom they grew up with and were in the dorm with.

Yes, that is so true, Aghast. Someone very close to me has a father and a brother who is a part of an investigation and I feel so uncomfortable about this, knowing that this is causing her anxiety and pain. (And probably some resentment toward me and Fanda Eagles and all we represent.)

But you are right, we cannot let this deter us. Even though it does cause us inner turmoil, which I think is healthy to acknowledge.

*****
The radioshack. Yes. My daughter was often "too busy playing" to come to the radio for our weekly radio conversation. Now she tells me she avoided speaking to us because every contact began the cycle of aching loneliness and bedtime tears all over again. This hurts my heart so much that my eyes are blurred with grief even writing about it 30 years later.

If there is nothing to hide there is nothing to fear.

In most investigations the police question not just the suspect, but as many witnesses as they need to. They want to put the whole picture together, so they can see which version of "the truth" is actually the truth.

Again, if there is nothing to hide, there is nothing to fear.

When it comes to those who were in NTM leadership, in many cases there is actually much to hide. Or much that was hidden back then. In case after case, NTM leadership failed miserably to handle abuse cases correctly. Again I bring up what I have said before: I believe these failures would have been less common if there would have been women on these leadership committees. But there never were. So men decided together to cover up, shift around, disbelieve, or minimize. They DID make mistakes. It's not that I don't understand how and why those poor decisions were made. I do understand. But that doesn't make them right. And I do believe those men should be held accountable for their mistakes, even all these decades later.

When an MK learns that those types of mistakes and failures were made by their own father, husband, brother, uncle, cousin or other man they care deeply about, of course it naturally causes fear, and concern and defensiveness because of the consequences that are going to be meted out on these people.

But the truth still needs to come out. No more cover-ups.

The truth will set us free. We must allow the truth to be told. Even when it hurts.