Podcast 9 Transcript--Asking YWAM Again for Disclosures

Into Integrity Podcast 9
9 December 2019

International Anti-Corruption Day--Today!
Asking YWAM Again for Disclosures

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Welcome to Into Integrity. I’m Michele O’Donnell.

Thanks for joining with us as we follow Jesus, living in integrity and confronting corruption. Today is day 24 of the 40 day FAST. We invite you to join with us and others during Part Two of the FAST now, 6-26 December 2019.

A reminder of the purpose of the Into Integrity FAST. It is to call attention to--and confront--the lack of disclosures by specific organizations, leaders, and people affected by the international Nordic Capital Investment KB fraud (NCI) as well as the related dismissals that Kelly and I have received. This is a combined food FAst for genuine contrition and a hunger STrike for resolute action by specific people and organizations primarily within the Church Mission Community (CMC).

You can find more information and important links on the Into Integrity weblog.

It’s time to take a stand, speak up, and live in integrity.

This is Episode 9 and the theme is International Anti-Corruption Day—Today! Asking YWAM again for Disclosures. Listening to and acting on this episode is a way for publicly participating in and supporting the United Nations’ International Anti-Corruption Day today, the 9^th of December.

I share excerpts from three core materials to overview why it is important for YWAM and its leaders to “assist by transparently and verifiably disclosing how they have been affected by Nordic Capital Investment KB fraud (NCI),” as requested since 2012 by the Shine-the Light-Together petition and its signatories. How has YWAM been affected by the NCI fraud? How have they dealt with it so far, in their responses and lack of responses, including the wrongful dismissal against Kelly?

As the Shine-the Light-Together petition says:

“Corruption such as the NCI KB fraud does not simply go away on its own, over time, by ignoring it, or by keeping silent. All of us can and must act with integrity--the consistent, highest level of moral wholeness. And we can and must hold our organizations and leaders accountable to do the same. This petition is a key tool to help.”

We begin with an excerpt from another key document linked to the Shine the Light-Together petition, the PETRA People 2012 Statement: An International Call for Integrity and Action.

“Youth With A Mission International (YWAM). NCI is an affinity-based fraud and YWAM is the main organization affected. It is seriously affected. In July 1995 Mr. Westergard presented NCI at YWAM Le Rucher during an international YWAM conference. Major YWAM leaders invested since at least 1996 and YWAM projects received NCI-related money. Senior leaders have consistently stated that senior/international leaders were not aware of NCI and that one of the major YWAM leaders actively involved in NCI (administering contracts, receiving NCI funds, etc) and YWAM Le Rucher in France were not properly part of YWAM. Hence, it is argued, YWAM has no responsibility. These assertions are hard to understand in view of the court and other documents. YWAM leaders (e.g., IFMLT, GLF, MMI), YWAM members, and YWAM donors internationally are urged to get informed and together call for an internal and an independent review of how YWAM has been affected and how it has responded, and to persevere until such reviews are done. Will they do this? 

Docs: Request to YWAM Leaders for Assistance 5 June 2011, with links to investors, projects, previous requests; see also this partial list of YWAM-related investors, based on EBM documents.”{EBM is the Swedish Economic Crimes Authority]

I turn now to an important letter sent to YWAM leaders in August 2014.  It is featured and linked in the PETRA People weblog (located in Part Two in all the entries over the past two years).

Requesting Assistance from Specific Organizational Leaders

“In August 2014, four of the organizations included in the Shine the Light-Together petition and several of their leaders were formally presented with the petition, asking for their assistance and that they inform other leaders in their organizations. Leaders in Youth With A Mission, Mercy Ships, Youth For Christ [see update below, June 2019], and Crossroads Church (Ferney-Voltaire, France) received separate email-letters regarding the petition with the names and comments of the people who signed it.  The letters were then posted on the PETRA People weblog in September 2014 along with subsequent correspondence (Click here to see the paper trail: (August 2014--current). Note that specific names of leaders were listed again in the February 2017 weblog entry along with links to other organizational leaders and Board members who have a moral responsibility to assist and hold themselves and fellow leaders accountable.”

Here is the letter sent to YWAM leaders on 27 August 2014 by Michèle O’Donnell, Kelly O’Donnell, Hollis C. Lewis, Jr., Donna Seymour, Rand Guebert. Please note: There has been no official response, for over 5 years.

“Dear Loren, Darlene, Lynn, Jim, Tom, Iain, and YWAM leaders/staff around the world,

Please find attached the Shine the Light-Together petition which includes the signatures and comments of 100+ people. You will likely recognize the names of many of the signatories, including 19 who are current or former YWAMers, dozens of long-term supporters of YWAM, and others in the international church-mission community.

The petition, which includes the PETRA Statement 2012 (also attached), is an international call for assistance. It is directed primarily to organizations and people affected by the Nordic Capital Investment KB fraud (NCI). Many YWAM personnel and ministries around the world have been affected by this fraud according to Swedish court documents and personal testimonies. The petition and Statement also provide links to core materials to give a good overview of NCI.

In light of recognized good practice standards for financial governance, the petition is asking all organizations affected by NCI “to provide assistance by reviewing and disclosing how NCI has affected them...to review how they have responded to the NCI matter thus far...[to authorize] independent and internal reviews...[for] leaders and members...to hold their organizations accountable....[and to be] transparent, accountable and cooperate to return money.” (e.g., Seven Standards of Financial Stewardship, Best Practice in Finance and Governance in the Voluntary and Community Sector, International NGO Charter of Accountability).

Specifically with regards to YWAM, the petition states: “NCI is an affinity-based fraud and YWAM is the main organization affected...Major YWAM leaders invested since at least 1996 and YWAM projects received NCI-related money. Senior leaders have consistently stated that senior/international leaders were not aware of NCI and that one of the major YWAM leaders actively involved in NCI (administering contracts, receiving NCI funds, etc) and YWAM Le Rucher in France were not properly part of YWAM.

Hence, it is argued, YWAM has no responsibility. These assertions are hard to understand in view of the court and other documents. YWAM leaders (e.g., IFMLT, GLF, MMI), YWAM members, and YWAM donors internationally are urged to get informed and together call for an internal and an independent review of how YWAM has been affected and how it has responded, and to persevere until such reviews are done. Will they do this? Docs: Request to YWAM Leaders for Assistance 5 June 2011, with links to investors, projects, previous requests; see also this partial list of YWAM-related investors, based on EBM documents.”

We would be grateful if you (YWAM leaders/staff around the world) would carefully review the petition and Statement with links to core documents. An additional helpful document is the summary entry about YWAM on the August 2012 PETRA People weblog which includes comments by YWAM senior leaders and others about NCI/YWAM and YWAM’s responsibility to help.

In closing, we encourage us all to keep in mind the Biblical exhortation/criteria for leaders “to be above reproach” (I Tim. 3: 2,7,10) as well as the current anti-corruption efforts calling for verifiable financial integrity efforts across sectors, including within the church-mission community (for examples see the three latest entries on the PETRA People weblog ). One example of the latter is the recent open letter to the G20 government finance ministers initiated by the EXPOSED Campaign, an excerpt which focuses on Christians’ responsibility: “...we need to examine our practices that may have contributed to corruption and mend our ways. We need to be faithful in teaching integrity, and as we abide by God’s teaching, we hope to be instruments of transformation in our society.”

Sincerely,

Michèle O’Donnell, Kelly O’Donnell, Hollis C. Lewis, Jr., Donna Seymour, Rand Guebert”

Please note again: There has been no official response, for over 5 years.

I’d like to finish by quoting from Rand Gueberts’ Professional Review of NCI and the related context, including dismissals. This Review is posted on the Loving Truth and Peace weblog. It is also the subject of the 7th Into Integrity podcast-blogpost done in June 2019. Here is the conclusion from the Integrated Summary.

"YWAM and other groups are only being challenged now because of the integrity and perseverance of the O’Donnells and those who have stood by them in these last difficult years.  The need for accountability and restitution in varying degrees clearly lies with YWAM, Le Rucher, WEA-MC, MC-E and involved churches [Youth With A Mission, Le Rucher Ministries, World Evangelical Alliance-Mission Commission, Crossroads Church etc.].  In authoritarian settings nearly everyone is too vulnerable to stand up to the power of the leaders—staff have limited rights and limited resources on which to rely.  The time has come for the truth to be known and justice to prevail, without which there can be no proper basis for organizational health and reconciliation.  For everyone involved it is not too late to act with integrity and seek redress, both publicly and privately."

Thank you for joining me for Into Integrity.

You can read today’s posting on the Into Integrity weblog and access the related resources and links. The title is “International Anti-Corruption Day—Today! Asking YWAM again for Disclosures.” It is

Join in solidarity with this important effort, Part Two of the Into Integrity FAST (6-26 December).  Feel free to contact us by email:  prointegritynet@gmail.com

Thank you again for your encouragement, prayers, and support.

Take a stand. Speak up. Live in integrity.

And spread the word.