Introduction: Why ABWE of Pennsylvania? Why a Blog?

THE PURPOSE OF THIS BLOG

The purpose of this blog is to bring into the light what has previously been kept in the dark, that is, to publicly identify former ABWE missionary Dr. Donn Ketcham of Allendale, Michigan, as a pedophile. 

ABOUT ABWE

In addition to revealing that Dr. Ketcham is a pedophile, those of us putting together this blog intend to document how the American mission agency he served under, Association of Baptists for World Evangelism (hereby referred to as ABWE and located in Pennsylvania), has protected both his private and public reputation by leaving in place the impression that he was dismissed from the mission as a result of an affair, not pedophilia.

EVIDENCE/DOCUMENTATION

July 1989: A young MK visiting the States without her parents tells her sending church pastor that missionary Dr. Donn Ketcham has been sexually molesting her on the field since she was 12 years old. This pastor contacts ABWE, and ABWE immediately hands the girl over to counselor Russ Lloyd and Ketcham’s boss Russ Ebersole to journey alone with the two men back to Bangladesh and the parents–who had no idea why their child was coming back. Lloyd’s diary chronicles what happened in those dark days, from his perspective.

 Russ Lloyd’s Diary of 1989 Events: 

• Counselor’s Diary P 1
• Counselor’s Diary P 2
• Counselor’s Diary P 3
• Counselor’s Diary P 4
• Counselor’s Diary P 5

1989 Confessions:

• Dr. Ketcham Pedophilia Confession
• Minor Victim “Confesses” to “Adultery” under duress (Respond)

ABWE’s 1989 Letters to Churches:

• From Dr. Ketcham: Sept. 1989
• From Ebersole: Sept.1989

2002: A group of grown MKs tell ABWE leaders attending “The Return” conference that they were also abused by Donn Ketcham as children. The women are promised an investigation, all that is delivered is free counseling (update: counseling not paid until 2010).

2009 SBB Emails ABWE Lawyer:

• Email Exchange with Don Davis

2011: SBB and the 1989 victim launch this blog to tell their stories and invite truth and transparency to ABWE. ABWE denies wrongdoing until the documents above were released to the public. At which point the board of ABWE acknowledged for the first and only time that the abuser and abuse were mishandled. (Michael Loftis is the only ABWE employee dismissed since this confession, and they deny that his leaving had anything to do with this matter.)

2011 ABWE Announcement:

• ABWE Confession of Guilt

2012 Update: Despite their initial claims in 2011 that Loftis’ departure had nothing to do with questionable leadership ethics, ABWE made this admission in October 2012. They concede to having also removed Don Davis as council and Russ Ebersole as well. They also concede to dismissing any board members who were around in 1989. 

We hope and pray that this blog will result in a change of heart at ABWE. That they will not tolerate perpetrators of child abuse in any form, regardless of the title in front of the perpetrator’s name.  In addition, we hope that the mission will finally call Dr. Ketcham’s actions crimes, not just sins, and act accordingly.

This blog is a voice for those of us ABWE missionary kids (MKs) who were sexually molested by Dr. Ketcham in Bangladesh and for anyone who has been abused by him here in the States. We can finally tell “our side of the story.”

We strongly encourage anyone who has been molested by Dr. Ketcham to use this site to share your story and help the whole truth about Dr. Ketcham and ABWE to finally come out.

        — Susannah Beals Baker

2013 UPDATE: On Feb. 7, 2013, ABWE summarily dismissed GRACE as the investigative team and hired Pii, a private firm that specializes–according to their own electronic brochure–in confidentiality with their client (read: their job is to protect ABWE). On Feb. 11, 2013, GRACE gave a detailed and thorough response to every allegation slung by ABWE.

At this date, Feb. 13, 2013, ABWE refuses to guarantee us the original terms of the GRACE investigation. A devastating blow to any chance of justice for the abused MKs who–as a result–are no longer guaranteed:

• Public access to the final report
• Equal footing on a committee to determine final outcomes of the report
• And any sense that ABWE’s claims of wanting to experience “truth and reconciliation” are genuine.

LATEST UPDATE: On Feb. 18 editors of this blog were contacted by a reporter from Christianity Today. We expressed our specific concerns regarding the confidentiality of the Pii investigation to this reporter, and we know that ABWE was promptly confronted by the reporter with those concerns and our allegations regarding Pii. Suddenly, less than a day later, ABWE–who has been unwilling to answer OUR questions about this in the last 10-plus days–is saying the report will go public and slinging more mud at GRACE. This is a stunt by ABWE because of the spotlight of a Christianity Today story, nothing less and nothing more. 

The GRACE report was just a few weeks from completion.

NOTE: PLEASE REFER TO THE TIMELINE ICON AT THE TOP OF THE PAGE FOR MORE DOCUMENTS AND EXPLANATIONS OF THIS LONG AND DIFFICULT JOURNEY WE HAVE EMBARKED ON TO BRING TRUTH AND INTEGRITY BACK TO ABWE’s MINISTRIES. WE INVITE HEALTHY DIALOG ABOUT WHY THIS HAPPENED AND HOW CHRISTIANS CAN PREVENT IT HAPPENING AT ANY OTHER RELIGIOUS INSTITUTION.

ABWE Fires GRACE, GRACE Responds

February 7, 2013. ABWE publicly fires GRACE according to a website announcement, with no prior notification to the MKs involved.

Friday, February 8, 2013. A member of BangladeshMKsSpeak speaks with Tony Beckett and emails a large number of people at ABWE alarmed that MKs were not informed or even notified of the website announcement. Also in answer to the specific question of whether or not a Pii investigation report would be public, Beckett’s response was that ABWE was focused on “the truth and reconciliation” as evidenced by their “trajectory the past two years and online statements of regret.” When pressed for a real answer he admitted he had none.

 

Saturday, February 9, 2013. A small number of MKs receive an email from Cockrell claiming that he “meant to” inform us of the firing of GRACE first, with no explanation as to why they did not make sure that happened until two days after the fact or why many MKs ABWE has contacted in the past did not receive even THIS email.  Note:  Many still have not received this letter.

 

Monday, February 11, 2013. GRACE responds to ABWE’s allegations and firing here.

 

Today we only wish to say that they (the GRACE team) are total professionals, experienced in investigating child abuse, and with incredible hearts for God. Their bios speak for them and their response to ABWE speaks for them. 

 

Again, we at BangladeshMKsSpeak and every MK we have connected with in the last 48 hours stand behind them 110% and are devastated by ABWE’s highly strategic blow.

GRACE Update on ABWE Investigation January 2013

Please read the following update from GRACE:

GRACE Report on ABWE Investigation: January 2013

(Note that any former-MKs wishing to volunteer for the Child Protection Task Force must contact GRACE directly. GRACE’s email address is included in the update.)

News from ABWE

Please see the following update on administrative changes at ABWE, which went live on October 17, 2012:

ABWE Announces Leadership Changes

The changes include the board seeking and receiving the resignations of Don Davis and Russ Ebersole, as well as removing any board members active in 1989 from any existing current ABWE boards.

A Joint MK Statement to ABWE of Solidarity on These Points

Though recent allegations have divided the MKs of Bangladesh, we believe in these last days of the GRACE investigation it is important to remember that which unites us. We do not wish for Satan to have yet another victory in this saga by placing walls between us in these final hours.

So, we wish to remind you and remind ABWE of the things we stand for, undivided:

1. ABWE has not only failed in the past to address child sexual abuse properly–as they have admitted–but their mishandling continues to this day with half-hearted internal investigations with secret outcomes, as demonstrated in the Simms Showers investigation. We ask for thorough investigating by true third parties in the future, for a full disclosure of the Simms Showers report(s) and any future reports, including a response from the accused, with only victims’ names protected. We also agree that the child abuse policy/guidelines at ABWE should be balanced enough that there are protections built in for both the accuser and the accused. We hope that ABWE will allow GRACE to inform such policies and allow for input from adult MKs.

2. ABWE has not properly and publicly addressed their handling of administrative employees who were involved in child sexual abuse mishandling, including Michael Loftis, who they maintain publicly left for unrelated reasons.

3. ABWE has not properly and publicly investigated and addressed concerns of sexual misconduct by nationals on the field of Bangladesh and concerns that nationals may have been abused by Donn Ketcham. All victims matter, not just MKs.

4. We do not desire to destroy ABWE, but rather to see it restored to its former reputation of integrity.

We hope that our fellow Bangladesh MKs will agree with us on these points and join us in praying that God would work in all of our hearts at this time. Signed as one …

• Rick Adolph
• Susannah (Beals) Baker
• Nathan Barrick
• Deborah (Barrick) Beddoe
• Scott Benedict
• Daniel DeCook
• David DeCook
• Stephen DeCook
• Diana (James) Durrill
• Diane (Walsh) Ford
• Mark Goddard
• Kimberly James

• Debi (Totman) Martin
• Lynda (Adolph) Miller
• Tamara (Barrick) Rice
• Cindy (Adolph) Smith
• Anne (James) Smith
• Eric Tower
• Jonathan Tower
• Debbie Walsh
• Doug Walsh
• Phil Walsh
• Susannah (Goddard) Weldy
• Linda (Walsh) Zylstra

If you would like your name added as a Bangladesh MK, please message us on our Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/BangladeshMKsSpeak and we’ll be sure you get added.

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NOTE: The blog will take an indefinite time of silence to be in prayer. We ask you to join us in petitioning God for our unity, peace and comfort in God’s sovereignty. We will continue to post verses on Facebook as reminders to pray, but it will not be a place for discussion at this time. 

Who Can Hold ABWE Accountable? Churches, Denominations, Affiliations and YOU

We need your help to spread awareness to various denominations and evangelical affiliations with ties to ABWE. They have the influence necessary to inspire action at ABWE headquarters in ways we have not been able to.

Below you will find suggestions for your emails (please speak from your heart) and a list of contacts to choose from. We encourage you to make your voices heard.

“It is the greatest of all mistakes to do nothing because you can only do little—do what you can.”   —  Sidney Smith

Points to Bring Up:

• The Simms Showers investigation. We’re concerned about the vague number of cases, the quality of the investigation, and lack of transparency. How can we be sure ABWE did due diligence when they have not in the past?

A Healthy Mission Board for MKs

We are often asked what a healthy mission board/field for MKs would look like. While we don’t have all the answers, we definitely have some thoughts.

• In the initial hiring process of missionaries several things should happen:
  • Thorough background checks of prospective missionaries
  • Thorough sexual abuse prevention and response training
  • Waivers signed stating that the mission knows of no allegations of abuse regarding any of the coworkers (nationals and missionaries) on the field where the missionary will serve and that they will be notified immediately in writing if any come to light at any point, even if no longer with the board.

Another Article: “Helping Victims of Childhood Sexual Abuse”

This article comes to us from ChurchLeaders.com and I believe it is really important reading for the pastors who come to this site wanting to understand what is happening and how abuse affects victims as adults. (A warning for abuse survivors that there are a few sentences in the article that describe what constitutes sexual abuse, and this may be disturbing to some.)

But there is great stuff here. Including …

These truths about childhood sexual abuse and its effects have enormous implications for pastors. They will keep a pastor from telling a victim, “That was such a long time ago. Why don’t you just get over it and move on?” These truths will remind a pastor that survivors are often sexually promiscuous or struggle with chemical addiction, so he can address the underlying issue and not just the obvious behavior problems. They will also prevent him from shaming the survivor for her sinful actions, and thus adding to her despair.  Equally important, the informed pastor will realize he must always refer sexual abuse victims for additional help.

Please check it out and let us know what you thought: “Innocence Lost” Helping Victims of Childhood Sexual Abuse by Marnie C. Ferree