Randal Martin on the CAM/Jeriah Debacle

[joshuabgood]

This is going around on Facebook. And the word is this is one of the leaders of AASA (Anabaptist Awareness Symposium for Sexual Abuse). If so, I think this really represents a significant, perhaps most significant yet, calling out of CA's by CA's.

I don't really know the man and am also not very familiar with AASA, can anyone confirm that these are one and the same? I am intending on attending their symposium in my neighborhood in a week or so.

This is not Jesus.

"I didn't force them. It was consensual on their part." Living in Haiti was "a horrible place for my problem." - Jeriah (Link in comments)

Jesus took a beating (yet another one) in this courtroom today. He was egregiously misrepresented by Jeriah, his pastor, and his church.

Jesus is being misrepresented in Haiti where CAM has continuously badgered Jeriah's victims with their attorneys and staff to settle for a cash payout. Those who have accepted payouts are being refused the very document they signed.

To all the victims of CAM and Jeriah's violence, and to all victims of sexual abuse in our culture, I apologize.

This is not Jesus.

Today he was represented by Judge Rinfret.

He's the Jesus who recommended millstones over offence, and dismemberment over lust, not excuses and abdication.

What will it take for us to change? What will it take for CAM to listen? Symposiums and conferences have their place, but they will never change hearts. Repentance does that.

Jesus, we don't even know how much we need you.

Revelation 3:17, 18
You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

[Hats Off]

Yes, this Randall Martin, the chairman of ASAA. Trudy quotes this on her latest blog. She currently has "differences" with the leadership of ASAA (over Steve Stutzman, I believe) but this statement from Randall is certainly helpful.

[steve-in-kville]

Those who have accepted payouts are being refused the very document they signed.

1) Can this be confirmed?

2) Why?

[Ernie]

Those who have accepted payouts are being refused the very document they signed.

1) Can this be confirmed?
2) Why?

I don't think this statement is correct, but I hope to have a verified answer by Friday.

[Ernie]

Jesus is being misrepresented in Haiti where CAM has continuously badgered Jeriah's victims with their attorneys and staff to settle for a cash payout. Those who have accepted payouts are being refused the very document they signed.

1) Can this be confirmed? 2) Why?

The CAM board has been aware of these "charges" for quite some time, but has not been able to validate or confirm any of this. If it is true, they would like to know about it. They are not trying to hide anything.

[randalm]

Ernie,

I just recently stumbled upon this thread. I can assure you that CAM executive level members had knowledge of the hush agreement’s existence several months prior. I find it incredulous that you were not informed, especially given the passage of time from when our organization originally began confronting CAM for utilizing the reprehensible document that forbade victims from speaking of the abuse after the money was taken. Executive members of CAM originally allocated 1 million dollars for this program out of interest generated from excess donor funds. Eventually, CAM revised the agreement and continued paying victims.

This whole saga has stood to profane the name of Christ among not only the victims, but members of Homeland Security. As Anabaptists we stand to look more like Dirk Willem’s tormentors than the man himself.

Just days after after this thread was created, I called CAMs actions to account during a plenary speech at the 2019 Symposium. I stood at the podium with absolute proof for what I was was saying—at the podium I had an actual copy of a singed hush agreement, dated shortly after CAMs June 11th statement assuring the public that money was not being paid to silence victims(this statement still stands today, at great offense to victims of Jeriah’s abuse).

The backlash was significant and from multiple facets, especially from the CAM leadership who called me to account for misrepresenting and lying about the organization in a meeting the next day.

Several days later I disclosed to an executive member of CAM that I possessed a signed copy of their hush agreement. A meeting was quickly scheduled in which board members of our organization convened with 20+ members of the executive and advisory board of CAM on December 16th, 2019.

The meeting was difficult and long. For me, one of the most incredulous moments was my heartfelt request for CAMs June 11th statement to be taken down/revised because of the pain it was causing victims. The request fell on deaf ears and the statement still stands today.

Parts of me can understand CAMs hesitancy to accept my recommendation that an independent investigation be conducted by GRACE to restore trust, but to directly refuse the concerns raised by the victims around the statements was the moment that I realized CAM is not listening to anyone but themselves.

Much time had passed since then, and life continues to be difficult for the victims. While large numbers of Jeriah’s victims have taken settlements, others have refused the relentless heckling(until recently) of CAM attorneys and representatives to accept a payout. I’ve offered assurance that the whole saga is not who Jesus is, despite being represented by those who claim his name.

It’s also true that these actions do not represent every Anabaptist, but does that stand a chance with those who’ve been harmed?

Someday this story will be told in its entirety. Sooner than we might think, I believe. Whatever the case, Jesus still weeps and holds this hurting world in his hands.

Regards,

Randal Martin

[TruthSeeker]

Ernie,

I just recently stumbled upon this thread. I can assure you that CAM executive level members had knowledge of the hush agreement’s existence several months prior. I find it incredulous that you were not informed, especially given the passage of time from when our organization originally began confronting CAM for utilizing the reprehensible document that forbade victims from speaking of the abuse after the money was taken. Executive members of CAM originally allocated 1 million dollars for this program out of interest generated from excess donor funds. Eventually, CAM revised the agreement and continued paying victims. . .

Someday this story will be told in its entirety. Sooner than we might think, I believe. Whatever the case, Jesus still weeps and holds this hurting world in his hands.

Regards,

Randal Martin

Thank you, Randall, for being so candid.

In the case of Harold Herr, CAM first "allowed" (I've never been clear as to whether the individuals volunteered or were appointed by CAM) 2 former fellow missionaries and a long-standing proponent of CAM/Harold to try to investigate the redisclosure of sexual abuse by his son Daniel.

However, Daniel made this request:
"Prior to meeting with you, I am respectfully requesting written documentation of the agent which granted you the authority to conduct this investigation, evidence of the investigation team’s experience in conducting investigations in general as well as subject matter expertise with interviewing victims of sexual assault, the team’s lack of personal knowledge of the issues or relationship with Harold Herr, and the steps that will be taken upon the completion of the investigation." Predictably the threesome could not meet the requirements set forth.

Then almost half a year of silence elapsed. The team working for CAM to appoint an investigator and or investigative panel eventually selected a real estate attorney who claimed to have served in defense capacities for some pedophiles.

In turn, Daniel responded to the attorney's contact as follows:
"My conditions for participation have not changed during the past six months and I have copied them below for your review.

"Your communication however has significantly heightened my concerns regarding: (1) your authority to conduct this investigation on behalf of CAM and LL; (2) the lack of subject matter expertise needed to conduct a credible and impartial investigation; (3) the actual purpose of the investigation; and (4) what steps will be taken upon its completion. The fact that you are an attorney, and the notable lack of subject matter expertise on the investigation team, leaves one to assume you have been retained to provide a legal defense for my father and others with potential legal liability."

The attorney ended up washing his hand of the case by stating:
"It seems that preexisting assumptions may make it impossible for us to be involved in a way that feels unbiased to all involved . . . It has become apparent any process addressing the dynamics involved within the Herr Family should be initiated by the Herr family."

And thus CAM/LL have washed their hands of all responsibility on the matter!!!

[TruthSeeker]

Note:
Daniel Herr did not redisclose his sexual abuse out of needs for personal healing or family therapy.
He clearly stated in his redisclosure document his deepfelt sense of obligation to the vulnerable minors in Haiti.
Instead of responding in kind, CAM/LL had so bought into his father Harold's approach of having made a spectacle out of his (Harold's) late ex-wife's mental health, that the case was written off as a "family problem"--fabrications from the grave, if you will.

[steve-in-kville]

--fabrications from the grave, if you will.

That's a new one for me. The excuses for not dealing with this issue are getting wilder as time goes on.

Randal- thank you for your post.

[TruthSeeker]

--fabrications from the grave, if you will.

That's a new one for me. The excuses for not dealing with this issue are getting wilder as time goes on.

Implied--not a specific quote.