Stanley Fox Statement and assorted other topics

[joshuabgood]

I am posting this on the behalf of, and at the request of, Stanley Fox.

Stanley Fox’s Personal Statement June 21, 2019

This is my personal statement regarding the Jeriah Mast abuse situation in Haiti. My desire is to be transparent, to promote the truth, and to foster healing for Jeriah’s victims. Please understand this is not an official Christian Aid Ministries statement nor has CAM asked me to make this statement. I want to express my deep sorrow for the many victims involved and desperately wish I would have handled the following situation differently. I am so sorry that this has happened to innocent children; my heart bleeds for them.

I had no knowledge Jeriah was a pedophile when he was sent home in 2013. My understanding was CAM sent Jeriah home because he was involved in homosexuality. I was not involved in hiring Jeriah initially nor in the decision to allow Jeriah to return to Haiti. In 2017, an adult friend confided in me that Jeriah had sexual contact with him and his older brother. In that conversation, I asked him whether Jeriah's mission authorities knew about this incident and if it had been addressed and resolved. He confirmed people in mission authority were aware of the situation and informed me Jeriah went to the victim’s home community to express repentance and seek forgiveness. I wrongfully concluded that the issues had been thoroughly resolved. Even though I did not know in what year the abuse took place nor how old they were until June 2019, I deeply regret I did not pursue the incident further at that point and I take responsibility for not following through. I was able to have a phone conversation with the older brother on June 15, 2019 to express my regret and seek forgiveness for not pursuing the 2017 revelation further. I did not know of any other cases of Jeriah’s sinful activity until they were exposed in May 2019 after Jeriah fled Haiti.

It has been a privilege and blessing to serve alongside the wonderful people of Haiti and I love and care for them deeply. My deepest desire is that these victims, their families, and communities find healing and restoration. I am more concerned about the wellbeing and healing of the victims than I am about myself and am willing to relinquish my position at CAM or even resign if CAM so wishes. May God bless all those who are reaching out to bring healing to the hurting people in Haiti.


-Stanley Fox

[Dan Z]

Thanks Joshua for posting - and Stanley for the explanation.

[queserasera_2]

If it's possible for a statement to be beautiful, this is one. It moved me. I don't know Stanley, but I would trust him.

[Grace]

Thanks for posting Stanley Fox's statement, Joshua. His statement is reflective of the Godly person he is.

[Dan Z]

If it's possible for a statement to be beautiful, this is one. It moved me. I don't know Stanley, but I would trust him.

I’ve known Stanley for years - and this is how I feel to que.

[joshuabgood]

I didn't mention this earlier, but fwiw (and in the interest of full disclosure) Stanley is my uncle (mother's brother).

I had the privilege of meeting and talking with him a couple of times earlier this week about this tragedy and communicating my perspective. Stanley's first concern always was the victims. And in the several conversations I had with him, regarding the statement he was going to make, he always wanted to talk about victims first. He from the beginning acknowledged that he should have pursued what was told to him further. And that he carries tremendous regret and sorrow for not pushing it more. He also immediately and willingly noted that he would be at peace with resigning if that is what would be best for the victims. And he communicated that.

He also made it clear to me from the beginning that he didn't want a lawyered up statement. He wanted the opportunity to express personal sorrow for the victims, confession and apology on his part for not pushing it further, as a pastor. And he wanted to do that from the heart. His wife also holds deep sorrow about this tragedy.

And while he is my uncle, I sense a very soft heart and a response that evidences how a follower of Jesus would respond having made a mistake like this. I respect him a lot and love him...while also weeping with him for the victims.

[I Timothy]

Does anybody know if there were any consequences toward Stanley for his failure to act at CAM? It looks Stanley also vouched for Harold Herr, does he have a further statement?

[queserasera_2]

As far as I am aware, the only "consequences" were for Paul and Eli Weaver after they were named and CAM has never formally confirmed their status since.

[I Timothy]

As far as I am aware, the only "consequences" were for Paul and Eli Weaver after they were named and CAM has never formally confirmed their status since.

This is all beginning to make sense. Who is the CAM donor base? Some would say a morally corrupt culture where sexual abuse happens and is covered up. This is the pool that CAM gets donations and workers from. CAM is unable and unwilling to properly screen workers and sex abuse happens on the "mission field" due to the culture of its base. So how does CAM try to cover this up publicly? They hire squeaky clean spokesmen to be their image.

In most organizations SF would have been terminated for not reporting sex abuse, no questions asked. His inaction creates legal and financial liability for the organization. Mainline Christian organizations would have accepted his offer to resign (read his statement). However, the morally bankrupt need the image of those like Stanley Fox to look good. CAM absolutely needs SF and others like him to hide behind. I am surprised that Stanley Fox allows himself to be used like this. There is a reason SF offered to resign and CAM wouldn't accept the resignation.

[steve-in-kville]

I am honestly shocked that some federal agency hasn't latched on to CAM yet, and taken them down for tax evasion or money laundering, or something of that nature. The stories of them being a tax haven for wealthy Mennonites is astounding. Pennsylvania Dutch version of a Swiss bank account. One would think they should be on someone's radar by now.