MK forum

If these days are dark for NTM it is only because THOSE days were so terribly dark! Not just at Tambo! I actually believe these current days are not so dark for NTM, as light is shed on what really happened and those terrible acts can be dealt with. That is a good thing, a healthy thing, to have sin exposed. Much better than when it was hidden.

Yes the example set before us was to not talk about it, not expose it, just live with it. Not scriptural. These acts of evil should be exposed. To protect the younger generation now, to prevent the abuse from happening again, but also so the abused generation can heal.

Why is it considered whining and childish to talk about what happened!!! Horribly bad things really did happen. Don't doubt what you know is true! I did that for too many years. I didn't even see my past as my past truly was. Actually I didn't see my past at all. That part of me was shut down, couldn't find it!

Were these men really evil or were they decieved into thinking that they were truly God`s emissaries of the gospel.

"JERRY BARTLETT"]Were these men really evil or were they decieved into thinking that they were truly God`s emissaries of the gospel.[/quote]

From God's perspective, what they did was evil, whether they fancied themselves evissaries of the gospel or not. From the victims perspective, it doesn't matter---evil was done to them by these men.

I too, find the Tambo silence mystifying. My challenge -- if there is anyone besides Sherpa reading this -- is that if you don't speak up, there may be no validation, or justice, for those who suffered abuse at Tambo. Even I know there was abuse there ... and I have never been to South America.

Can you live with that, Tambo MKs? If MKs from other schools get to tell their stories and see some measure of justice to ease their pain, and you don't ... will you be okay with that?

Please think about it. This opportunity may only come around once in our lifetime.

I agree that they should speak out, but we need to keep in mind that some are still deeply wounded and may not have even come to grips with what happened to them, perhaps they don't want those wounds opened up again...perhaps they are so depressed they can barely get out of bed, let alone start another battle with NTM when they are barely listening if at all (I'm beginning to wonder). I'm just saying we don't know what those poeple are going through, we don't know why they keep silent. Yes it is embarassing, people will know what happened, they might feel and probably will be made by some losers to feel ashamed, and it will be a rough journey to come out with it, NTM will probably contact them or some 3rd party, but nevertheless, perhaps they don't have the strenght or courage to stand up for themselves - I definitely believe they all could make a difference for future children or perhaps current children in the same situation they were in, but I don't feel right judging them not knowing their current state of mind or situations. You may know more about them Sherpa, so correct me if I'm wrong please, but I know after some horrific things that happened to me I couldn't even get out of bed for months...so lets be gentle and pray for them to have courage and speak out instead of beating on them? Am I wrong here?

MK, I think the expectation is that as abuse survivors get older, they become more ready to examine, process and expose their abuse. In the case of the Tambo school in Bolivia, it is known that MKs have suffered abuse there going back for decades, even back to the 1950s.

It is hard for some of us to understand why people in their 40s, 50s and even 60s would still be observing the "code of silence".

One of my favorite quotes from Dr. Drew: We are only as sick as our secrets.

For those who are still in the earlier stages of coming to grips with what has happened, those who are paralyzed by fear, panic, depression, or shame, yes, we want to show them utmost compassion and they should be encouraged to heal at their own speed.

We do all this for the children. For the child within us, the child we once were. For the children we have given birth to, the children we are nurturing and parenting. And the children of future, the children who will be brought to the mission fields and need our protection. For our grandchildren.

As to why they may not be talking on this site I have some comments. When I found out about this site, I contacted some of the people I knew from Tambo. Some were NTM children and some were from other missions. The people I knew who were not from NTM pretty much said I don't believe New Tribes will ever handle this, especially since I wasn't with NTM. I will believe when I see it. The distrust is extremely strong. I do not believe they follow this site, they are busy trying to put their lives back together even today more than 30 years later. Others, NTMers included, said it was so long ago, I don't want to deal with it again, I can't handle it all over again. I think they all have very personal reasons, and if they can't handle bringing it back up and they have found some kind of resolution so that they can live their lives, then they deserve the respect to be allowed their own way of dealing with it. It may be hard for some to understand, but there is no justice for what was done, anything would be too little, to late. Of course I would like to see people dismissed fromt he mission, supporting churches notified, it legal cases could be made, then prosecution, but none of that begins to compare to what was done to the children. It may help to put in place policies to protect the current and future children of NTM, but there is nothing to prevent that now. Part of the problem seems to be these comments I keep hearing about the different fields and entities within New Tribes operating as separate entities and I can't figure out from what is being said if there is really any accountability back to the Sanford headquarters or if each field just does what it wants. It is a very strange way of doing business.