The CAM scandal links and assorted other topics thread

[queserasera_2]

I have loved CAM, I worked for CAM, my family still works for CAM. This thing breaks my heart.

But their institution threw egg on the face of Jesus in a very heinous and public way. Why do they want to be allowed to repent in a corner? This idea that people should call them to find out what's going on because anytime they release information they are criticized.....CAM is not the victim. They assisted in making the victims. And I am just not sure they hate that enough.

In addition, when I called their number to stop our donations, I got a young, sweet sounding girl. Who am I supposed to ask to speak with? There's never been a point person. I know how the phones work at CAM. I've been there.

[queserasera_2]

Questions I still need answered:
1. What happened to Paul and Eli Weaver? Are they still just on leave?
2. What happened to Dwayne Stoltzfus and Stanley Fox? Are they just in time out or are they released?
3. What is going on in Haiti?
4. Have the files of other staff members been reviewed for sexual sin? Have they been reevaluated and/or removed?
5. What "measures" have been put in place to vet new employees?
6. Is there a commitment to be more aware of how abuse happens and how to prevent it?

Lastly.....
7. Why does everyone I personally know living in Haiti who worked with CAM now refuse to have anything to do with CAM anymore?

[Aurien]

I see this. Remember, CAM is not a church, and is not structured as one. I don’t see how this is relevant.

I am satisfied with what they have done.

J.M.

I had a reply typed out and then deleted it because I just do not have the strength to argue with you on this matter, and it seems to me that you are being what I call "willfully ignorant." Whether or not that is the case there is nothing I can do or say that will change your mind. Maybe sometime in the future I'll take another stab at it but for now I'm done.

[Aurien]

...and then come back and revisit the question of whether CAM has indeed taken proper steps.

I don't know of anyone, including the folks at CAM, who feel that CAM has taken all the proper steps. They've admitted that the matter should never have happened in the first place, and that mistakes have been made since then. They are working to change the policies, procedures, and culture that allowed this to happen. I found out months ago that as soon as I mention some verified information, it is either challenged or considered insufficient to satisfy people's questions. (I understand that I do not have knowledge on everything that has happened and is happening currently.) The CAM crisis committee has welcomed people to call and talk with them and so has the board. Recently the board reached out to me and we had a congenial discussion for over an hour and a half. There is a new board chairman now.

Who is the new board chairman? Did the old one leave of his own accord or was he dismissed?

[Aurien]

I don't know how many people read through this thread as guests or as members who don't comment. If any of you, male or female, have experienced any abuse in a Conservative Anabaptist (CA) setting, then know that there are those of us out here who understand and empathize with your pain. We know what it's like to be abused by a person, church or organization that we trusted. We know that abuse hurts deeply and that it's ok to feel angry, it's ok to cry, it's ok to grieve for what you've lost. We know that what some people call bitterness, unforgiveness, or being stuck in the past is actually just us processing the emotions that go along with a traumatic event. We know that wanting light to shine on the darkness of abuse is not vindictive. It is cleansing. It is healing.

We see you. We care. You are not alone.

[Judas Maccabeus]

Ultimately, you are going to have to trust someone, unless you are expecting to get appointed to the board. If those who I trust say it is on the right trajectory, that steps have been taken to prevent future recurrence and those in responsibility have tried to move it in a right direction, who am I not to trust them? If the details of who had what done to them, and the mechanics of how the board chairman got replaced is what you feel you need, that is fine, you are welcome.

I will say, that CA churches seem to be held to an incredibly high standard by some. The fact that failures occur is not surprising, I could tell you stories about my former group, but there would be no point.

The root cause of the failure was a defective process managed by less than perfect administrators. We will always have less than perfect administrators, so fixing the process is the way improvement will occur.

Ultimately, we all need to make a decision who we will trust. You are entitled to make yours.

J.M.

[Ernie]

In addition, when I called their number to stop our donations, I got a young, sweet sounding girl. Who am I supposed to ask to speak with? There's never been a point person. I know how the phones work at CAM. I've been there.

There are three point people.
If talking to one of them may change your mind about your support of CAM, you can ask for someone on the Haiti Crisis Committee.
If you have already formed your conclusions based on certain assumptions, and you know that these conclusions and assumptions are correct, I suggest you not bother them. Others who have come to meetings, with their conclusions already formed, haven't had very satisfactory conversations. They didn't come to learn, they came to hold CAM accountable for things they heard through secondary and tertiary sources. When it comes to forcing someone to admit to disputed matters from secondary and tertiary sources with a "he said/she said", the conversations can go on forever. The crisis committee and board are glad to admit anything that is verified. I have found them to be quite humble people.
RZehr and Hillperson have both had conversations with CAM that informed their perspective. I think they also offered advice. You are welcome to consult with them about how they did it if interested. But like I said earlier, if you already know who you trust and who you don't trust and CAM leadership is not one of the latter, then there is probably little benefit in conversation. It is probably time to move on to an alternative non-profit that you can trust.

Back in June, joshuabgood asked me this on one of the CAM threads,
“I am curious, what would it take to make you consider dropping your support?”
Here is how I replied publicly on June 11.
“I would consider dropping my support, if there are no new policies, no new accountability procedures, no new layers of review, and no help for the victims.”

[Ms. Izzie]

CA churches are held to an incredibly high standard by their own declaration that their doctrine and practice are superior to other churches. Therefore, their churches and organizations should show the self-declared superiority in how they operate on a normal day. But, maybe more importantly, there should be something superior when their humanity and failures are apparent. Maybe that is the problem. Why do I expect humility in the humanity and failures when there was arrogance displayed about doctrine and practice? That is what I ask myself.

If having people who trust us is a sign that we are on the right track, then I suppose most leaders whether religious or not would be able to find somebody to make them feel they are ok. I wouldn't say that having support or trust from people would necessarily prove anything about the godliness of what we're doing.

“I would consider dropping my support, if there are no new policies, no new accountability procedures, no new layers of review, and no help for the victims.

The problem is that they should be open about changes without a person having to do the run-around with phone calls. Not everybody has an inside track, nor the time to do what I did. I am not an insider. I made phone calls. It was congenial and I appreciated the time spent on my calls. But the difference in what was open to the public and what they were willing to say on the call didn't meet the level of integrity that I expected.

One more thing...…..sure, we can go to other charities. It doesn't escape me though, that there are many church leaders who are part and parcel of CAM. That is hugely concerning to me.

[Ernie]

But the difference in what was open to the public and what they were willing to say on the call didn't meet the level of integrity that I expected.

I've mentioned this to CAM many times. I can understand if people who don't have any reason to trust CAM... would like if CAM would communicate more publicly.

[appleman2006]

I would of been very open to having my mind changed by a simple response of either a phone call or a letter in response to my letter. I understand they cannot personally return every letter and I did not demand it of them. I am not that important. But since I have not seen a public declaration answering to my concerns or a direct answer to me I am left to conclude that either they did not consider my concerns valid which is their prerogative or they did and had no answers. Either way it leaves me with few options.