What they say versus what they do

A good example of how saying the "right" thing doesn't necessarily translate into doing the right thing is New Tribes Mission/Ethnos360's handling of Gary Earl. At a later date, I plan to both summarize this MK survivor's story and outline leadership's responses. Although some communication has gone missing from the thread, please click through and read this MK's story. It's horrific, and Ethnos360's failure to respond and then outright refusal to follow their own policy is indicative of their priorities and culture.

Throughout this MK's interactions with mission leadership, the leaders affirmed the importance of responding to abuse and its impact on child safety. She shares Scott Ross and Bing Hare's communications with her and explains how Scott Ross acknowledged Gary Earl's influential position and claimed that, for this reason, he needed to proceed carefully. In these communications, both Scott Ross and Bing Hare conveyed they believed the abuse took place, Scott Ross even saying the fact it happened wasn't a question in anyone's mind. At one point Bing Hare said, "the mission policy of dismissal will be invoked if the allegations are confirmed." These communications happened throughout 2006 and 2007, two years of back-and-forth with a lot of nice words but no concrete action.

This MK outlines how in January 2008, Bing Hare claimed that Gary Earl acknowledged this abuse and had sorrow for what he did to her. Then years went by, and Gary Earl continued to be a member of New Tribes Mission. So Scott Ross, Bing Hare, and presumably other leaders knew of this abuse; they claimed they would pursue it and, if it was confirmed, Gary Earl would be dismissed; they even claimed Gary Earl admitted it, and then they did nothing. Gary Earl was not dismissed as they said he would be.

In 2013, five years later and seven years after they were initially told of this abuse, there was an investigation. As a result of her disappointment with Ethnos360/New Tribes Mission's inaction for so many years, she didn't participate until she found out she was not the only one who was abused by Gary Earl, that there were allegations of sexual abuse in addition to the physical abuse she experienced, and that the investigation resulted in findings of confirmed abuse. A back-and-forth ensued. Brian Coombs was an integral part of this investigation response, as the director of personnel and child protection at this time, and Steve Sanford, the current CEO, was also a member of leadership during this abuse response.

Throughout this time, Gary Earl was at Ethnos360 facilities, even allegedly staying in an active New Tribes Mission dorm at one point. Leadership eventually decided to force Gary Earl to retire, contrary to both their presentation to this MK and their policy. Finally, after much pressure, Gary Earl was forced to resign, still in violation of their policy. Many in leadership during the investigation and response were friends of Gary Earl, having worked alongside him in Papua New Guinea. One can't help but wonder how that played a role in this breach of policy.

This is what it means to be a child in Ethnos360/New Tribes Mission. If you are abused by someone who is widely known and influential in the organization, they will be protected instead of you. This happened with leaders and child protection members who are still in leadership to this day, and it happened with one of their "independent" investigations. Since members of this organization consider each other family and friends, many of the same leaders and child protection team are currently in place, and with the same processes for "independent" investigations, why would we believe this isn't still happening?