NewsNuggets

By Jon Roberts – Worland, Wyoming …. In a recent email to supporters of the ministry The Hope of Survivors, Steve and Samantha Nelson announced that they will be retiring as directors at the end of 2021.

The ministry, which focuses on ending clergy sexual abuse, has been challenging and also a blessing over the last 20 years. Recently, during the camp meeting event at Mills Spring Ranch in Wyoming, they shared their two-decade long experience with The Hope of Survivors.

“The Hope of Survivors has blessed [us] in many ways, including being able to travel around the world to minister to broken lives and hurting people because of clergy sex abuse. We have also been able to plant similar organizations in various countries. However, it has been an awful lot of hard work and, yes, it has been a heavy burden to carry at times.”

Samantha recalls that the ministry has often been very challenging [when] dealing with different church entities. “They don’t want to recognize or deal with the issue and want the ministry to just go away so they don’t expose the real-world issues that affect the church, not only in Adventism but [also] other denominations.”

Steve agrees with Samantha’s perspective on the ministry which they ran together for 20 years adding, “I think it’s opened the door for a ministry that never would have happened had we not gone through with this and started the ministry. We wouldn’t have been able to touch [some} people’s lives without it. I mean, these are huge issues. You can’t really put a price on being able to spiritually talk to a situation that nobody was talking about.”

They shocked some, disappointed some, and angered some for discussing this issue, but they would do it all over again, Steve added.

He explained that the struggles have taken a toll on Samantha’s health which led to the counsel by medical professionals that they step aside to reduce the stress.

For those in the Adventist church who would like to bury their heads in the sand and imagine this issue is not prevalent, Samantha has strong words of counsel.

“I would say you have absolutely no clue what’s going on within the church because it is a very prevalent issue within Adventism as much, if not more than it is within the Catholic church or any other denomination. We are not immune just because we’re Seventh-day Adventists.”

“You need to educate yourself and be aware. People really need to educate themselves and not blame the victim. Don’t say it takes two to tango, and make it seem like it’s an affair when it’s not, because clergy sexual abuse is all about abuse of the power held over the one that they’re supposed to shepherd and watch over,” Samantha said.

She added, “It’s frustrating at times to hear people still say, ‘Well, that doesn’t happen at our church.’ What makes you think you’re immune? It’s not a denominational problem. It’s a human sin problem and we have sinful humans within the Adventist church.”

What has been challenging to the Nelsons is that the church is receiving credit for speaking out when, in fact, the church isn’t addressing the issue adequately at all.

“The Adventist church has actually gotten a lot of kudos that they didn’t technically deserve because of what The Hope of Survivors has been doing. And to explain that, I’ll just say that victims who contacted us believe that we’re speaking on behalf of the Adventist church, and they’re like ‘Wow, I’m so grateful your church is speaking out about this. All churches need to,’ and we’d let it go, but it hasn’t always been the case of the churches speaking out. It’s mainly just us and The Hope of Survivors,” Samantha explained.

She added that “one of the things we used to hear a lot was, ‘Why do you want to air the church’s dirty laundry? Why do you want to expose this? We are not supposed to talk about it.’ Our perspective on that is that transparency leads to trust. If you want victims and others to trust you, you need to be transparent. You need to be honest. You need to admit this is a problem.”

Success stories of the ministry can be both sad and joyous, according to Steve. “The sad part is there are success stories that are short-term and some that are long-term. The short-term ones can come to mind quickly. The long-term ones are more complicated. We know that marriages have been saved; people have stayed with the church, but then later on, their marriages disintegrated because the abuse is that difficult to deal with.”

The success stories are evident in the volunteers with Hope of Survivors, according to Samantha. “The majority of our volunteers were prior victims who had contacted us for help. Then, as God healed them and used The Hope of Survivors in that process, they wanted to become a part of it. They are the ones who are going to be helping carry The Hope of Survivors forward when we’re not here anymore.”

“Other successes are the lives that have been saved. I can’t even count how many people have said ‘I was ready to commit suicide and I found your website. You saved my life.’”

As the Nelsons prepare to close this chapter of ministry in their lives, they are taking with them the blessings God has given them–“The blessing of knowing that what God called us to do, so long ago, won’t die because we step away. He’s gonna make sure that it carries on and will continue to impact lives and save lives around the world,” Samantha expressed.

Steve is looking forward to hearing the stories in heaven. “I take with me the thought of eternity and hearing about how this ministry has blessed individuals and saved them from hurt and pain.”

They want their ministry to be remembered as groundbreaking and as them having the courage to speak to these issues. “[This is] an absolutely essential ministry to those who are hurting from clergy sexual abuse. There really wasn’t any other organization doing what we were doing when we started. I believe that’s why God called us to begin this ministry to fill that void. I just want it to be remembered as something that made an impact on Christians of all denominations. In fact, I shouldn’t even say “Christians” because we’ve actually had Hindus, Buddhists and atheists contact us for help,” Samantha said.

Steve wants people to remember them as individuals who finally stood up for the victims and who helped those who were in desperate need to reconnect with the church and with God.

The Nelsons ask for prayer as they wait to see what else God has in store for them in future ministry while continuing with their pastoral ministry in Wyoming.

On January 1, 2022, Martin Weber, a board member since 2008 and a retired hospital chaplain, will become Board Chair and President of the organization, with Shyleene Rosado and Carlos Rosero serving as CEO and treasurer, respectively, who currently are leading the Latino division.

To learn more about The Hope of Survivors please visit http://www.thehopeofsurvivors.org

–Jon Roberts is RMC media / communication assistant; photo by Sherry Taylor

By Jon Roberts – Casper, Wyoming … “It’s been a long time since we’ve had kids running around screaming and making noise, and learning about Jesus in camp,” Brent Learned, Mills Spring Ranch Camp director, expressed about welcoming youth back to camp and referring to 2020 when camp was not held.

As Engage Base Camp campers begin to pack their gear for MSR, Learned reflects on the lost year of summer camp and how important this week is to the campers.  “I especially feel for the kids that don’t have a safe home. Summer camp is the one week of the year that they really look forward to. It’s a safe place where they can connect with Jesus and with their friends.”

MSR is about reaching out, not only to campers in the Adventist church, but also to the community.  Part of the outreach this year is teaming up with Angel Tree Camping Ministry, a subsidy of Prison Fellowship. This partnership allows children with an incarcerated parent to attend camp free giving them the opportunity to come to a safe zone for a week as their home life is usually very difficult and most of them have never experienced summer camp before.

Learned offered the roofing contractors, who replaced the roofs on all camp buildings earlier in the year, the opportunity to send their children to MSR. He added that finances would not be an issue for the contractors who couldn’t afford camp.  “These are kids that have never gone to church before or to summer camp. It’s a brand-new experience.”

During the summer of 2020, even though MSR couldn’t welcome campers, staff and volunteers were busy improving and building new attractions.  One new activity is a sand volleyball court. Being very intentional about creating the court correctly, sixty tons of sand was hauled in, explained Learned. He added that eleven new rock-climbing routes and two rappelling routes await the youth. However, the newest attraction is a redesigned fire pit with benches. The project was designed and created by Casper resident, Gary Gauge, a student-intern from Union College. The homemade benches were made from trees located on the camp property and include no rebar, unlike the old benches that were uncomfortable to sit on.

Aside from the activities campers can submerge themselves in, Learned explained the real motive behind the camp experience is to initiate or assist the campers in their walk with Jesus. “The main point of camp is to connect and reconnect kids with Christ so that they can grow in the knowledge of salvation. Everything that we do is focused and centered around getting to know Christ.”

He added that worship isn’t just in the morning or in the evening. “It’s an all-day focus. First thing in the morning is our camp council worship as a group, and throughout the day, we begin every activity with prayer. The camp staff is always open to having conversations, mentoring, and building those relationships with kids throughout the day. The week-long play continues every single night, all week long, focusing on the story of Zacchaeus this year.”

He added, “To conclude the day, the cabins come together for worship before they go to bed. So, Jesus is in the center of absolutely everything we do.”

Engage Base Camp kicks off on July 25 and currently more than 30 are signed up there is room for more.  You can register online at https://www.millsspringranch.com/summercamp or by emailing [email protected]  or by showing up on July 25.

–Jon Roberts is RMC communication/media assistant; photos by Jon Roberts and Casper church Facebook

By Jon Roberts – Montrose, Colorado … After a mandatory year off, the 21^st annual Cowboy Camp Meeting assembled with some 75 attendees experiencing five days of a past lifestyle where the only worries were, “Do we ride the horse or the ATV to the meeting tent?”

The meetings, nestled in the heart of the National Forest, were attended by individuals from seven states, including a few outlaws, or non-cowboys, from Denver. The common thread of conversation among everyone was, “It’s good to be back!”

“It feels great to be back. This is one of the most beautiful spots in Colorado,” Ron Johnson, secretary treasurer of Cowboy Camp Meeting Association, enthusiastically exclaimed.

“It’s wonderful to be back,” Sharon Fisher, from Montrose, commented about returning after a five-year absence.

For others it was all about renewing friendships and connections. “I love seeing people I haven’t seen for a long time–people from all over the conference. It’s a real joy,” Wesley Cooper, a church member from Montrose, expressed. He added, “It’s such a great environment up here in the mountains. I’m a Colorado boy and I’ve lived in Colorado all my life. The mountains are home. I love it.”

The mornings featured Nathan James, pastor of the Moab, Utah district. His presentations focused on understanding the times in which we live and knowing what we ought to do.

For James, this was a unique experience. “I love the setting. It’s amazing. I enjoy the flexibility of the schedule, and the fact that there is some really great spiritual food, morning and evening, and discretionary time during the day.”

The evening concluded with Dick Duerksen, Oregon Conference story teller, doing what he is known for–telling stories. One story he told with gusto was about a couple living a not-so-licit lifestyle who started to attend an Adventist church. He explained how the man tested God in his tithe.  At first, nothing happened and the man was losing faith till his girlfriend convinced him to start tithing on his “not-so-legit” business. The couple was financially blessed until one evening they called the pastor asking him to do three things for them that weekend–marry them, baptize them, and help them start over with a lawful life in another location. Duerksen explained that this story is proof that when we fully trust in Jesus, our lives will improve.

Duerksen, who drove to the camp from Portland, Oregon, enjoyed the gathering immensely. “I think what I have enjoyed most is the spontaneity and spiritual interest in the people that are here. People who are just as thrilled to be at 9000 feet as I am–closer to God.”  What he hopes individuals will take home from his stories—“You can trust God; He’s a good friend.”

–Jon Roberts is RMC communication/media assistant; photos by Jon Roberts and Ron Johnson