Wednesday, August 1, 2018

Professional Review 1--Purpose

June 2023
Originally Posted August 2018
 
Purpose

"Review and learn from what happened,
support good practice, and restore relationships." (p. 113)
“These are the things you are to do: Speak the truth to each other, and render true and sound judgment in your courts; do not plot evil against each other, and do not love to swear falsely. I hate all this,” declares the Lord…Therefore love truth and peace.” Zechariah 8

The purpose of this blog is to share the initial investigation done in 2008 by Rand Guebert. So far it has been shared privately with government investigative agencies in different countries and several colleagues and consultants.
"This review [investigates] several overlapping matters that have affected the mission, member care, and church community...[and] aspires to promote transparency, accountability, good practice, and healthy relationships." (Proposal, p. 112) 
"This professional review has been organized to draw together the various events that have led to the dismissal of Drs. Kelly and Michele O’Donnell from YWAM [and other organizations/networks] and to the potential loss of millions of dollars by investors in Nordic Capital Investments (NCI) and Stichting Dutch Investments (SDI).  Many of these events are related and overlap, and this review attempts to place them in context." p.1
We are sharing this review now with the support of many colleagues in hopes that the international Church-Mission Community (CMC) and general public will get a better understanding of the widespread and ongoing reality of corruption--outside as well as inside the CMC. Corruption is far more than financial crime, since it also includes many other abuses of power and exploitation, such as  sexual misconduct, cover-ups, silencing others, and leadership/group rationalizations. We hope that this review will encourage the CMC and general public to hold their leaders accountable--and themselves--for the good governance, responsible management, and personal integrity needed to prevent corruption and bring corruption into the light. 

More specifically, we also hope there will be a far more accurate understanding of the NCI et al. fraud, including what has contributed to obscure it and cover it up, and the heavy price paid by many people confronting it, especially within the CMC (e.g., discrediting, dismissals, physical danger). There is much to learn from this protracted case of corruption and the largely unanswered calls for assistance via verifiable disclosures and independent reviews. In spite of the long-term and ongoing damage, the time is still opportune for people to reverse course and act with integrity. As stated in the concluding paragraph of the Integrated Executive 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."
Keep in mind that Mr. Guebert conducted his 2008 initial investigation without the benefit of the 3000+ pages of documents released in 2010 by the Swedish government--focusing on the NCI fraud case. The Swedish documents fill in many of the details about how NCI operated and who was affected; provide a context for why fear, cover ups and dismissals could be so widespread in the CMC; and by and large confirm the concerns and conclusions in the initial investigation. Additional organizations have also been approached for assistance, for example to investigate how they (and their members or member organizations) have been affected, share information, and hold people accountable in light of good practice standards, but to little avail.

Mr. Guebert continues to welcome contributions to make the review as accurate as possible, especially from people who have not yet given their input and perspectives. Please feel free to share any additional information and documents via the comments and/or by email (lovingtruthpeace@gmail.org). You are also welcome to include your name below in support of the purpose of the weblog and the Professional Review:  "To review and learn from what has happened, support good practice, and restore relationships."


For an updated summary regarding NCI and related events (e.g., court cases, requests for assistance, lack of disclosures), we encourage you to read the "Summary and Summons" on the PETRA People weblog
“There is a story here that EVERYONE should know. Everyone should have the opportunity to evaluate whether the ends justify the means." Rand Guebert (16 December 2016, comment on the Shine the Light-Together website), 
Sincerely,
Michèle and Kelly O’Donnell
Moderators
---------------

We support the purpose of this weblog and Professional Review:
"Review and learn from what happened, support good practice,
and restore relationships."
Ron Williams
Dr. Bill Clark
Dr. Ralph Winestock

Tina Quick
Dr. Jonathan Quick
Tricia Johnson
Dr. Todd Johnson
Valerie Bertozzi
Patricia Shepherd
Dr. William Watson
Hollis Lewis, JD

Note:
We (Kelly and Michele O'Donnell) have authorized, as required in the Professional Review, to share this information on this weblog, initially with a limited group of people. In posting the Professional Review, we are not implying any criminality in the NCI case beyond those implicated in the verdicts of the Swedish court (2010) and any courts in the future. We do however continue to align with the many colleagues, victims, and general public who over the past 11 years have  strongly urged all those affected by the NCI fraud to share information to help fill in the missing pieces as well as for organizations affected by the fraud and their specific leaders and Boards to share information and authorize independent reviews. We also join with others in supporting Mr. Guebert’s conclusions that the discrediting and dismissals which we received must be understood in light of the NCI fraud and our commitment to consistently act with integrity.

Professional Review 2--Introduction

Introduction and Table of Contents

PROFESSIONAL REVIEW
GENERAL INTRODUCTION AND DISCLAIMER

Rand Guebert
26 September 2008

This material is strictly confidential.
It may not be reproduced in any way or shared without the explicit written permission of Dr. Kelly O’Donnell and Dr. Michèle Lewis O’Donnell.
*****

This professional review has been organized to draw together the various events that have led to the dismissal of Drs. Kelly and Michele O’Donnell from YWAM and to the potential loss of millions of dollars by investors in Nordic Capital Investments (NCI) and Stichting Dutch Investments (SDI).  Many of these events are related and overlap, and this review attempts to place them in context.

The review has been performed on a pro bono basis by Mr. Rand Guebert, a professional business consultant. Please see the review proposal from May 2008 in the appendix for further details.  As a primary objective of the review is to provide a detailed record of events, Mr. Guebert welcomes contributions in adding to the record and correcting any misunderstandings. The documentation available is now running to over three thousand pages.

The review covers four topics:  NCI, YWAM, Member Care, and Le Rucher.  For each topic there is a detailed timeline, which reflects all relevant events for which Mr. Guebert has documentation.  Each timeline was used to write a factual narrative for that topic, which is interspersed with Mr. Guebert’s analysis of events in italics.

Each narrative was then used as the basis for an executive summary of that topic, which contains Mr. Guebert’s conclusions and recommendations concerning that topic.  The four topical executive summaries were then used to write an integrated executive summary, which expresses conclusions and recommendations covering all four topics as a whole.  Also, a summary integrated timeline and list of names are included in order to help orient the reader to various events, people and organizations mentioned in the review. 

The review took Mr. Guebert approximately 500 hours to compile.  Mr. Guebert is available to discuss, and if appropriate, to update any aspect of the review.

Mr. Rand Guebert
Gex, France

---------------------------------------------- 
 PROFESSIONAL REVIEW
TABLE OF CONTENTS

                                                                        
Section One—Overview                                                     Pages
1. General Introduction and Disclaimer                                        1
2. Table of Contents                                                                        2
3. Integrated Executive Summary                                                  3-5                                              
4. Time Line                                                                                      6
5. List of Names                                                                               7-8
  
Section Two—Executive Summaries
1. NCI                                                                                                  9-12
2. YWAM                                                                                           13-17
3. Member Care                                                                                18-23
4. Le Rucher                                                                                      24-26

 Section Three—Narrative and Analysis                                 
1. NCI                                                                                                 27-46
2. YWAM                                                                                            47-71
3. Member Care                                                                                 72-92
4. Le Rucher                                                                                      93-111

 Appendix
1. Professional Review Proposal, May 2008                                112-113

Professional Review 3--Integrated Summary

Inegrated Summary

PROFESSIONAL REVIEW
INTEGRATED EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Rand Guebert

This material is strictly confidential.
It may not be reproduced in any way or shared without the explicit written permission of Dr. Kelly O’Donnell and Dr. Michèle Lewis O’Donnell.
*****

What are the general observations, conclusions and recommendations that can be drawn from the four accompanying executive summaries?

The sad and serious events described in this professional review have their genesis in poor or inadequate corporate governance, which has led to:

·       Authoritarian and dysfunctional management practices
·       Disregard for truth and justice
·       Ineffective employee/staff safeguards
·       Destructive conflicts of interest
·       Covert financial management practices
·       And in the end even suspected criminality

YWAM has experienced all of these consequences, while other organizations such as the WEA-MC, EEMA, Le Rucher and various churches have been affected to varying degrees.  These organizations should not let their good works, built over many years, be undermined by the unethical actions of leaders.  When an organization is confronted with unethical behavior, does it have the capacity to care for itself, or do staff abdicate corporate responsibility to a few unaccountable leaders?  One question arises over and over in this review--where is the ethical and accountable corporate governance?

1. Effective corporate governance does not tolerate authoritarian and dysfunctional management practices.  The dysfunctional management at Le Rucher was allowed to continue first by YWAM leaders and then by the Le Rucher Board.  This facilitated the supposedly unethical acquisition of Le Rucher from YWAM, mistreatment of staff and sale of fraudulent investments.  The good work of Le Rucher is besmirched by the lack of integrity of Christian leaders.  Churches and other organizations that have known about staff mistreatment and fraud have tacitly supported them by their silence or disinterest.  It seems that YWAM leaders emphasized “reconciliation” over the needs of truth and justice.  Authoritarian leadership may reduce red tape and foster initiative, but it can also be utilized by unscrupulous leaders to exploit others and ultimately bring shame on the Body of Christ.

2. Effective corporate governance ensures that when challenges and conflicts arise in an organization there must be truth and justice as well as mercy and reconciliation.  Do leaders value and practice justice and integrity? That must certainly be a measure of the  health of both the leader and the organization. The failure to investigate the facts of an organizational dispute is a recipe for misjudgment and an indication of dysfunction.  Member Care-Europe did not investigate the management issues at Le Rucher, even when they had become aware of serious consequences for former staff as well as the MC-E group itself. The Board of Le Rucher did not adequately investigate the management issues either. The elders of Crossroads Church attempted to investigate this dispute but did not take appropriate action primarily because of a conflict of interest.  WEA-MC leaders needed to better manage the relational impasses that occurred before, during and after RSA 06.  YWAM leaders did not investigate the fraud-related issues brought to their attention by the O’Donnells and many others—instead they asked them to reconcile with someone who was not only abusive but who had sold them fraudulent investments.  YWAM leaders emphasized “reconciliation” over the needs of truth and justice.  Seeking justice often takes blood, sweat and tears—and it seems apparent that the Christian community is not always willing to prioritize this—superficial forgiving, forgetting and “moving on” is so much easier and less expensive.  Where is the integrity of the different Christian groups and organizations in all of these overlapping matters?

3. Effective corporate governance will foster effective employee/staff safeguards.  Both at Le Rucher and in YWAM staff had limited safeguards such as those accorded to those in the same position in secular organizations.  Both organizations had some policies and procedures, but these were ineffective—they were no protection against abusive management.  When the O’Donnells, and later others, attempted to report fraud to YWAM, they were stonewalled by executive leaders and later rebuffed by YWAM-Garden Valley.  When they and others attempted to appeal to executive leaders against Kelly’s dismissal, a totally ad hoc and biased procedure was set up.  Because YWAM staff work as volunteers (similar to independent contractors) they are in a more vulnerable place than those who are legally classified as employees.  YWAM leaders are able to assert authority over people with limited responsibility or accountability for their actions.  The same applied at Le Rucher.  What happened to the O’Donnells and Le Rucher staff is a good example of the maxim that processes and procedures are not a substitute for good, ethical management.

4. Effective corporate governance recognizes that certain conflicts of interest can be very destructive and lead to the compromising of personal integrity.  For example, it was not appropriate for the president of the EEMA to be on the Coordinating Committee of Member Care-Europe at the same time.  YWAM executive leaders should not have considered that Kelly’s line leader was an appropriate person to receive reports of fraud.  At Crossroads Church the elders should never have allowed one of its nine members to be responsible for reporting on the management dispute at Le Rucher when this person was also a Board member of Le Rucher and known to have a management bias.  WEA-MC leaders had commitments to different groups which at times resulted in personal relationships being inappropritely impacted by political expediency.  It takes integrity to guard against conflicts of interest or at least to publicly acknowledge them and their possible consequences.

5. Effective corporate governance recognizes that money is handled with responsibility and accountability.  Money that is acquired by deceptive actions brings shame on the Body of Christ.  Christians are encouraged to teach the importance of wise and prudent financial management—God loves a cheerful giver not a frightened or guilty or naïve supplicant.  When money is managed wisely, there is far less scope for the perpetration of frauds such as NCI/SDI, or for the receipt of money from dubious sources, or the self-aggrandizement of Christian leaders.  When fundraising prowess becomes a sign of a leader’s spirituality the priorities of the Christian community are brought into question—it is the task of the leaders to promote good stewardship of Christian resources.

6. Effective corporate governance promotes good practice and personal integrity, without which there is often a steady descent into dysfunction with possibly even serious legal consequences.  This is evidenced in this case by the inappropriate dismissal of the O’Donnells and the widespread and dramatic impact of the NCI/SDI fraud.  The entire executive leadership of YWAM is not only complicit in the inappropriate dismissal, but also has a serious responsibility stemming from its awareness of the NCI fraud.  How far down in the organization this complicity and awareness are known and accepted is not clear.  But it would appear that the YWAM leadership, as hard as it may be for many to recognize, seems to have headed in directions with serious legal consequences.  Is this possible?  Can it be stopped?  When?  By whom?
*****

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.  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. 

Professional Review 4--NCI Summary

NCI Executive Summary

PROFSSIONAL REVIEW
NCI EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

[Click HERE to access the NCI Narrative and Analysis, pp. 27-46]

Rand Guebert

This material is strictly confidential.
It may not be reproduced in any way or shared without the explicit written permission of Dr. Kelly O’Donnell and Dr. Michèle Lewis O’Donnell.
*****

[Note:  Because the government investigation is ongoing, this Summary is only current as of the above date and does not contain certain information that is sensitive.]

Beginning in 1998 Kelly and Michele O’Donnell were offered the opportunity to participate in an investment programme run by Nordic Capital Investments KB (NCI) based in Sweden.  These investments were offered, promoted and initially administered by a respected colleague/leader in YWAM named Erik Spruyt, who is the founder and director of the Le Rucher ministry center near Geneva, Switzerland.  During 1999-2003 the O’Donnells and various family members made multiple investments in NCI.  NCI was also managed and administered by a former YWAM leader named Kristian Westergard.  Also during this time another investment scheme, Stichting Dutch Investments (SDI), was founded in The Netherlands with Spruyt as an officer, which funnelled additional monies into NCI.

According to the contracts that were signed by the O’Donnells these investments would earn 15% per annum as well as generate additional earnings for Christian ministries.

The O’Donnells received some funds back in 2001 in order to help purchase a house and received smaller payments on two other occasions.  There were no apparent problems until June 2006, when Westergard told the O’Donnells that their request to end their contract was not valid.  By the summer of 2007 it was evident that the money was no longer available and that the investments were part of a Ponzi scheme.  Government fraud offices in four countries were notified and investigations commenced in The Netherlands and Sweden.

The O’Donnells took on an extra responsibility in attempting to warn YWAM about the effects that NCI could have on their staff and reputation.  Various other people both inside and outside of YWAM also approached the YWAM leadership to challenge them about their involvement in this fraud.  YWAM’s approach to these contacts was to distance itself from NCI, Spruyt and Westergard at every opportunity, and subsequently to try to discredit and then dismiss Kelly O’Donnell. 

In November 2007 the Dutch TV station TROS made NCI the subject of one edition of it’s Opgelicht crime show.   The same day two major Dutch newspapers carried front-page stories about this fraud.

In February 2008 one of the investors unexpectedly gained possession of an Austrian court document detailing the involvement of Spruyt and Westergard (and perhaps Mercy Ships) in a rather dubious commercial transaction involving a prominent Genevan businessman.

In the summer of 2008 information was arising which seemed to indicate that NCI funds may have been used primarily to help finance a specific multi-million dollar Christian project.  The investigations are ongoing and the investors hope for justice and the return of their money.
                       
What observations, conclusions and recommendations can be
                        drawn from these events and the accompanying narrative?

  1. The love of money is the root of all evil? (1 Tim. 6:10)
While investors may be naïve or inexperienced, Christian organizations and their leaders can be tempted to take advantage of this naivety with dishonest and deceptive schemes.  NCI/SDI and its originators and managers succumbed to this temptation.  Further evil has been perpetrated by YWAM leaders and others who have sought to shield NCI’s managers from accountability and restitution.

It is almost a cliché to urge caution and prudence.  It is also a cliché to say that, ‘if something is too good to be true, it probably is.’  Wise personal management and stewardship of money is a subject that is much neglected in Christian life.

Financial management is also often weak in Christian ministries—it is not honored as much as worship leading or preaching and organizations often do not want to “spend money” on administration.  Christians are also often reluctant to hold their leaders responsible for good financial practices.  The goal must be to have just enough administration to achieve accountability and efficiency—there must be a counterweight to the temptation of leaders to misuse money.

Most Christian ministries are labor intensive and most mission organizations today place the financing responsibility on the workers themselves.  These organizations take on minimal financial commitments.  However, a capital intensive ministry with high operating costs has a constant demand for funding without perhaps generating any revenue of its own.  In ministries such as this, trouble raising money may be a red flag.  Without an endowment to fall back on, the pressure to raise money may become too great to resist the rationale that “ends justify the means”.

Christians as well as Christian organizations need to (1) devote sufficient time to learning the wise stewardship of money and (2) have adequate accountability for monies raised and spent.  There should be no excuses for the lack of timely and informative ministry accounts—a ministry that cannot account for its money does not deserve to have it.  No Christian ministry or leader should think that “their ends” justify “other people’s means”—this is simply arrogant and deceptive.


  1. Christian leaders have a major moral responsibility to honor the trust that people place in them.
If Christians cannot trust their leaders then the body of Christ cannot develop.  Trust is lost when Christians and their ministries fail to balance justice and mercy in their relationships and activities.  Trust is lost when charm and communication skills are confused with spirituality.  Trust is lost when vulnerable people are manipulated, discredited, harassed and deceived.  Trust is lost when accountability is sidestepped. 

Christian leaders must be examples to others, especially in difficult circumstances.   Christian ministries in general are often tainted by the lack of integrity exhibited in a specific ministry.  It is in the interest of the Body of Christ that corruption in Christian ministries is confronted and purged.

Christians need to take a stand against corruption and unethical practices in their own back yards.  Christians must also be wise enough to hold their leaders accountable for their teaching and behavior.  No one should have to obey a leader he/she does not honor or respect.  Every organization should have suitable and effective grievance procedures.  YWAM should be held accountable for its treatment of the O’Donnells, who have consistently acted with integrity in attempting to report the NCI fraud to them.


  1. Christian ministries, such as YWAM, need effective corporate governance.
Christian leaders cannot hide behind the concept that they are only accountable to God.  This is simply a recipe for abuse.  Authoritarianism is a common leadership style, but it has dangerous managerial implications.  Being a “strong” leader is not a justification for abusive treatment of staff.  Christian workers should have the same safeguards in the workplace as their secular equivalents—effective grievance procedures, whistleblower protection, etc.  Nevertheless, it is important to remember that good procedures can never replace good management.

When serious issues do arise in an organization, and they arise in all organizations at some time, effective corporate governance is necessary to see that these challenges are confronted in a responsible, transparent and humane manner.  It is the remit of leaders to address problems ethically and professionally.

Also, conflicts of interest seem to be rampant in the Christian world.  To say that they are unavoidable does not make them right.  Most secular organizations have rules against nepotism for a reason.  If Christian ministries cannot maintain adequate accountability and independence, probably there should be a reevaluation of goals and objectives.

If a Christian ministry wants to be a family business, or a family business wants to be a Christian ministry, this should be recognized as such and those who join as staff should not be under any illusion as to where accountability and decision making power lies.

Christian ministries should have the same corporate governance requirements as secular organizations.  Accountability to God is not an acceptable alternative and is not acceptable to governments.  Pretending to be accountable to a weak board of directors is also not acceptable.  YWAM and The Board of Directors of Le Rucher should each take responsibility for their lack of appropriate oversight of Le Rucher management and lack of concern for former staff.  All Christians have a stake in demonstrating ethical behavior.


  1. When a person or group has an important problem to solve, getting professional advice is very important.
For Christians, spirituality is not a substitute for professional advice.  Periodically we all need the advice and counsel of others wiser and more knowledgeable than ourselves.  Care should be taken to choose experienced and competent advisors. 
Significant organizational problems, of the kind faced by the O’Donnells, require patience, perseverance, and prudence to confront.  Many people simply do not have the resources available to confront some types of issues.  There is certainly an aspect of “counting the cost” in addressing any specific challenge that includes systemic and personal dysfunction, harassment, fraud, corruption and criminality.

In confronting fraud or other illegal activities in an organization or group there are time-tested, well known procedures and good practice for taking action.  It should not be asking too much for both leaders and staff to utilize these procedures and guidelines.  Wise advisors will almost always provide a sense of confidence and realism. 

In every case though, a person is always responsible for his/her own life—he/she cannot delegate this responsibility to an advisor, and no advisor should attempt to take this responsibility without clear evidence that particularly vulnerable people are involved, who need significant measures of advocacy and support to protect themselves.

Christians should never be afraid to seek wise and competent professional advice.  Any healthy Christian ministry will encourage its staff to do this.   YWAM should  be no different.  Every person must take responsibility for his/her own life and for using the professional advice that he/she is given.


  1. When it is necessary to use the criminal justice system, patience and forbearance are required.
Even for Christians there are indeed circumstances when it becomes necessary to use the criminal justice system.  Inadvertently, Christians may become involved with criminals, even criminals masquerading as Christians, in which case the professional assistance of the police is needed in dealing with the circumstances. 

Nevertheless, the criminal justice system often has many drawbacks—it is often not efficient or timely, it is often under-staffed and under-resourced, and it is often politicized.  These observations should be seen as fostering realism rather than excuses for not using the services of the police.

Also if there is a case involving multiple plaintiffs, additional challenges are created by the perhaps differing priorities and circumstances of the various plaintiffs.  It is realistic to recognize that plaintiffs will have differing objectives and this should be respected rather than criticized or manipulated.

Christians should see the criminal justice system as another type of “professional service” which they may need to utilize in the unlikely event that they become involved with criminals.  Moreover, society as a whole has a vested interest in seeing that criminals are brought to justice and any losses restored.
*****

YWAM has important issues to address related to corporate governance, financial accountability, and staff management.  YWAM needs to demonstrate to itself that it is able to care for itself as an organization and not be victimized by authoritarian and deceptive leaders.

[Click HERE to access the NCI Narrative and Analysis, pp. 27-46]

Professional Review 5--YWAM Summary

YWAM Executive Summary


PROFESSIONAL REVIEW
YWAM MANAGEMENT EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

[Click HERE to access the YWAM Narrative and Analysis.]

Rand Guebert

This material is strictly confidential.
It may not be reproduced in any way or shared without the explicit written permission of Dr. Kelly O’Donnell and Dr. Michèle Lewis O’Donnell.
*****

The O’Donnells have been working in Europe with YWAM since 1988.  Because of their highly respected ministry in the member care field they were released by YWAM to serve in a transnational and interagency ministry in 1994 by their line leader Garry Tissingh.  This work has continued to this day.

During the period 2003-2006 several members of Member Care Europe (MC-E) experienced increasing friction within the group as detailed in the Member Care Narrative.  This friction significantly influenced events in South Africa in June 2006 during a private meeting of the Leadership Team of the Global Member Care group (MemCa LT).  These events in South Africa led to the dismissal of Kelly from MemCa and both O’Donnells from MC-E.  Since then the O’Donnells and others have sought a just resolution of the issues which they and later two others had confronted in MC-E, and which later negatively affected the MemCa LT. 

In September 2006 Gina Fadely, YWAM Frontier Missions Director, took the view that Kelly had to return to “where the axe head fell” in order to reconcile with Erik Spruyt in the hope that this would have a positive impact on relational issues in MC-E and MemCa.  This view was further strengthened when Erik Spruyt, after a reported reconciliation with Jeff Fountain in November 1996, expressed a desire to also reconcile with Kelly to Lynn Green and Gina Fadely.  During the first quarter of 2007, the O’Donnells relationship with Gina became increasingly tense due largely to their different perspectives on the way to resolve this situation.  Three requests by the O’Donnells to also talk with Lynn Green directly about this matter in the Spring of 2007 were turned down, as were  requests for Gina to talk to former Le Rucher staff members, especially the former personnel officer.

Seven former staff at Le Rucher, including the O’Donnells, were very concerned about the serious dysfunction at Le Rucher that had affected them and previous staff over the years.  They  believed that Erik needed to seek reconciliation with this whole group of former Le Rucher staff who had left in January 2003 and not solely with any one person such as Kelly.  They also believed that Erik should directly approach them espousing his interest.  Gina, on the other hand, was primarily interested in Kelly’s relationship with Erik, as Kelly was a YWAM leader, and thought that Kelly should take this initiative and approach Erik.  Previous requests in 2003 and 2005 by former staff for independent reviews of what had happened at Le Rucher had not resulted in any action being taken by the Le Rucher management or its Board. 

This stalemate persisted into the summer of 2007,when it became increasingly clear to many people, including the O’Donnells, that YWAM was affected by the developing NCI fraud.  Six times during October 2007 the O’Donnell’s attempted to contact senior YWAM leaders (Lynn Green and John Dawson) without success.  During the latter months of 2007, while YWAM leaders continued to show little interest in the unfolding NCI scandal, Lynn Green and Gina Fadely increased the pressure on Kelly to take steps to reconcile with Erik.  However, beginning on 2 November 2007, with the increasing visibility of the NCI scandal, Gina shifted the focus of relational issues from Erik and Le Rucher to the MC-E and MemCa issues.  It would seem that YWAM leaders recognized at this time the growing significance of the serious, impending issues surrounding Erik.

Nevertheless, within three weeks of the Dutch broadcast of the Opgelicht TV programme on NCI, Kelly was dismissed from YWAM by registered letter of Gina dated 3 December.  The primary reason given was for not obeying YWAM leaders.  No mediation was ever offered by Gina/YWAM during this process, only a potential, undefined appeal.  The ad hoc process which YWAM followed was very confusing to many people and very distressing to the O’Donnells who had worked for 20+ years in YWAM.

The O’Donnells did ask for an appeal.  They also asked for an independent review.  It was the “appeal” option which was taken up for consideration by Iain Muir, a senior YWAM leader, as sole arbitrator.  This also was a completely ad hoc appeal process having no basis in YWAM’s Justice and Reconciliation Guidelines.  In March 2008, the O’Donnells presented extensive documentation, which they hoped would be used as part of an independent review, but their request for an appeal was rejected by Iain Muir in the following month.  The O’Donnell’s did not accept this decision and the libelous assertions it contained.

But on 12 May YWAM-Garden Valley, Texas emailed the O’Donnells to inform them that YWAM would no longer process their support checks, effective immediately. Also on 12 May Team3 sent a one-sentence statement to about 150 YWAM leaders on the GLT and IFMLT email forums stating that Kelly “is no longer affiliated with Youth With A Mission (YWAM), is not authorized to represent us in any way, and is not recommended or endorsed for ministry within YWAM.”  A 20+ year relationship abruptly came to an end.

Following YWAM’s denial of an appeal and an independent review, Rand Guebert, an experienced  business consultant, began his professional review of all of the related events.  Also, following the announcement by YWAM-Garden Valley, the O’Donnells contacted other professional consultants about their concerns of unfair dismissal and fraud.

What observations, conclusions and recommendations can be
drawn from these events and the accompanying narrative?

  1. Good process and procedures are very important, but they are not a substitute for integrity and good management.  The health of an organization’s grievance procedures reflect the health of the organization.
Many organizations have grievance/conflict management procedures.  Experience shows that senior managers are generally able to override these guidelines in certain circumstances in order to “protect” themselves or the organization. This is often achieved by asking staff to “trust them”, but in the case of the status of staff members, such as the O’Donnells, this simply cannot be justified. 

Procedures are only as effective as the people who implement them.  Generally good managers have good written procedures.  These good procedures may not be extensive, but they are usually very relevant—they are clear and practical.  Good management will want to maintain the confidence of its staff which includes making tough decisions.  But if this is seen as simply authoritarian or self-serving, confidence quickly begins to slide.

YWAM’s Justice & Reconciliation Guidelines are inadequate and need to be upgraded.  Management needs to redress its treatment of the O’Donnells and seriously consider its responsibility to pursue good practice and personal integrity.


  1. In spite of the inappropriate and flawed review process offered by Iain Muir on behalf of YWAM, there was benefit to continuing with this flawed process as YWAM became engaged in explaining its actions in writing. Through this process many others could see more clearly what was happening.
By following the flawed process the O’Donnells were able to engage in informative dialogue with senior YWAM leaders which forced these leaders to declare themselves and state their position.  This result was aided by many letters from former Le Rucher staff, family members, churches and other concerned individuals who queried or confronted these YWAM leaders about their actions.  It is not entirely clear why the leaders responded in the way that they did.  If the O’Donnells had not asked for an appeal it would have been difficult for them to engage in such a dialogue. 

In cases where fair grievance procedures fail to address particular circumstances both staff and management would look for a solution, and in some cases this might result in a compromise.  Such a compromise was never even attempted in this situation—instead YWAM and Iain Muir unilaterally established this flawed review process and upheld this inappropriate dismissal.

Also, not following the review process that was offered, but appealing to a wider body, would likely have failed up to now because a documented case was not yet available and members of the IFMLT or GLT would have lacked the necessary information to make an effective presentation and perhaps challenge the assertions of the few leaders who were trying to dismiss Kelly.

By following grievance procedures, even flawed ones, staff who are properly supported may well acquire useful information while at the same time expressing their concerns about the process.  Larger groups, such as the GLT or IFMLT, are most effectively addressed by well-informed group members with well documented dossiers.


  1. In Christian dispute resolution, mercy and reconciliation should be balanced with accountability and justice.
The crux of the impasse between the YWAM leaders and those concerned with Kelly’s dismissal centered on the requirement that he go through mediation/reconciliation with a person, Erik Spruyt, who was being investigated for major fraud, including the loss of many people’s money including that of the O’Donnells.  This concern has been consistently ignored by YWAM leaders.

Mercy and reconciliation are noble goals, but so also are justice and truth.  People have a natural desire to see justice done—not revenge taken.  The Bible and the YWAM Justice & Reconciliation Guidelines both recognize the importance of both justice and mercy, and the significance of good judgment in achieving both of them.  It is often easier to push for reconciliation and forgiveness, whereas justice is generally more difficult, perhaps requiring investigations and finance to achieve.  Christian organizations may not have the funds or the human resources to conduct independent reviews or effective mediation.

Nonetheless, reconciliation without justice honors no one.  Christians may be called to settle their disputes amongst themselves, but this should be done with the utmost integrity and in light of good practice. 

Concerned people are acting responsibly when they seek justice, as well as reconciliation, for former Le Rucher staff, and for the O’Donnells in light of their YWAM dismissal.  Christian organizations like YWAM are encouraged to value justice, including transparency and accountability, as highly as reconciliation, in both word and deed.


  1. In Christian dispute resolution, spirituality should be evidenced in good practice.
As Christians we honor both God and our earthly spiritual leaders.  But our earthly spiritual leaders should not only command our respect but also earn it.  Authority is important in every organization from the family to business to the military.  As members, employees, citizens or soldiers we are all commanded to have respect for authority.

As employers, managers, advisors and friends we should want to see things done rightly and justly.  Christian leaders should not use spiritual terms and Bible verses as a substitute for following the high road of good practice.  Good practice standards and input from outside an organization need to be recognized, understood and incorporated into the ethos and procedures of the organization. 

Also, if people need advice they should seek it without fear.  And if leaders themselves need to be confronted then there need to be appropriate mechanisms and safeguards in place to do so.  Ignorance is not honoring to anyone.

The O’Donnells and former Le Rucher staff were right to seek advice from outside consultants as necessary, and to prepare their documentation in a professional way with due respect for the authority of others.  Christians in general should seek to conduct their affairs in a professional and accountable manner, especially when dealing with important matters such as serious financial fraud.


  1. YWAM would benefit from strengthening its corporate governance. There seems to be little effective accountability for Team3 and Team3plus--they seem to have no clear procedures or requirements to inform the GLT of important matters.
While flexibility in management can be valuable in the early days of an enterprise, it should naturally give way to more structure as the enterprise matures, involves more people and diversifies its activities.  One might ask who is primarily influencing YWAM, and if the organization is self-sustaining enough to look after itself so that it recognizes and confronts important organizational issues

When the O’Donnells attempted six times to inform Team3 leaders of the NCI fraud, as suggested by professional advisors, their requests were turned down each time.  This is not acceptable, especially if there is no channel within the organization to handle the reporting of serious confidential concerns.  Contrary to what was said by Lynn Green in a memo to all staff on 2 April 2008, the office of the International Coordinator does not in fact seem to always be willing or available to assist in difficult circumstances.

The manner in which the O’Donnell’s appeal was heard followed no known protocol, and was done in a very arbitrary manner, which reflects very poorly on YWAM leadership.  It is quite puzzling why all members of Team3 felt it necessary to sign the rejection of an appeal from a mid-ranking staff member.

YWAM’s Executive leaders need to be accountable either to a strengthened GLT or to an independent Board of Directors.


  1. The O’Donnell’s line leaders had a moral responsibility towards them, in addition to their hierarchical responsibility within YWAM, that they did not fulfill.
As recently as April 2006 Kelly O’Donnell was given an award for “faithful service” that was recommended by Gina Fadely and presented by Lynn Green at the IFMLT meeting that year.  During 2007 current and former line leaders had reason to know that the charges made against Kelly did not fit his many years of service and their experience as supervisors.  In November 2007 they had reason to know that there were serious problems in the past with Erik Spruyt’s management and currently with his alleged involvement in serious fraud, and therefore they had reason to know that it was inappropriate to force Kelly into reconciliation with Erik.  Why did YWAM leaders never acknowledge this or seek to address it?

Was Kelly’s line leader instructed to dismiss Kelly by other leaders in YWAM?  Was a previous line leader aware of this?  What we do observe is that neither of these two line leaders’ personal experience with the O’Donnells prior to 2007 justified the dismissal action taken in December 2007.

Line leaders have a moral responsibility to act in a manner consistent with their experience and personal integrity.
*****

In conclusion, the record does not indicate any justifiable grounds for Kelly’s dismissal.  On the contrary, the O’Donnells have done their best to act with integrity and perseverance.  Their letters to Iain Muir were written carefully and respectfully, and provide ample evidence to substantiate their commitment to good practice and good relationships. YWAM should arrange for an independent review of the circumstances leading to the O’Donnells dismissal, and for acknowledgment of the results of this review and any restitution that might be required.  YWAM leadership should also review other recommendations made in this Executive Summary.

[Click HERE to access the YWAM Narrative and Analysis.]

Professional Review 6--Member Care Summary

Member Care Exexutive Summary


PROFESSIONAL REVIEW
MEMBER CARE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

[Click HERE to access th Member Catre Narrative and Analysis.]

Rand Guebert

This material is strictly confidential.
It may not be reproduced in any way or shared without the explicit written permission of Dr. Kelly O’Donnell and Dr. Michèle Lewis O’Donnell.
*****
The field of member care has been developing since the 1970’s.  Visibility increased in the 1980’s with attention given to MK’s and TCK’s as well as the emotional health of missionaries.  One of the many noteworthy contributions was the 1997 publication by the World Evangelical Fellowship (now World Evangelical Alliance or WEA) of a book on the REMAP study of missionary attrition, Too Valuable To Lose, which highlighted the importance of effective member care. 

The O’Donnells had been “released” by YWAM in 1994 to pursue a transnational and interagency ministry in member care, which became the primary focus of their work.  While many sending organizations and mission leaders had member care responsibilities up to this time, the field was not very well organized.  There was a need for more member care workers with better training and resources and more coordinated effort.  Also about this time member care work was beginning at Le Rucher near Geneva.

During July of 1996 the O’Donnell’s sent an email summons to over 40 colleagues expressing “a need to deliberately join together with a core group of like-minded colleagues in order to further develop the member care field, especially within frontier missions.”  This summons was based on the need to see cooperative efforts around the world to further develop member care resources.

A global member care group (MemCa) formed in 1998 as part of the WEA-Mission Commission with Kelly O’Donnell and Dave Pollock as coordinators.  It continued to develop internationally and helped practitioners, senders and regional affiliates connect with each other.  One of the strongest regional affiliations was Member Care-Europe [MC-E].  Kelly O’Donnell was instrumental in forming MC-E, and at the request of the MC-E group, initially functioned as it’s coordinator until 2001.  Earlier in 2000, the O’Donnells moved from their base in Oxfordshire to the Geneva area to join forces with the Le Rucher staff and the Spruyts in an effort to make YWAM’s Le Rucher base a European member care center that could serve mission clientele from different organizations.

Kelly and Dave worked effectively together as coordinators of MemCa until the untimely death of Dave’s son in January 2002.  Kelly and Dave were world class networkers who established relationships with member care workers around the world.  Between them there was a focus on both functional and relational development--functional in the sense of wanting to develop resources (as an example, Doing Member Care Well was published in early 2002), organize conferences and run training seminars--relational in the sense of wanting to provide ongoing support and encouragement for each other.  As Dave’s participation was waning—related to grief over the death of his son--Kelly contacted Bill Taylor of the WEA in February 2003 with the express desire of strengthening Bill’s role as an advisor and accountability partner.  Kelly also sought to develop a Leadership Team (LT) for MemCa in 2003, in order to provide diverse input and distribute the work load.

Organizational development has many challenges and pitfalls, many of which the O’Donnells and others encountered between 2002-2006.  People had different priorities, emphases, loyalties and time constraints.  During 2002 the vision of Le Rucher began to blur with management dysfunction leading to the departure of the majority of staff, including the O’Donnells in January 2003.  The very positive developmental potential of the previous years at Le Rucher began to be supplanted by leadership friction and dysfunction at Le Rucher, and laterally at MC-E, of which the Spruyts had also been members.

Soon thereafter, in early 2004, MC-E became divided over whether the Spruyts should be part of the group or not.  There was also tension over the manner in which the MC-E Coordinating Team (CT) of Marion Knell, Arie Baak, and Siny Widmer was handling this matter.

Even though Marion Knell was principal coordinator of the group, Arie Baak seemed to have significant influence behind the scenes, perhaps because of his position as chairman of EEMA.  Sentiment in MC-E grew over time in favor of the Spruyts until they were finally invited back in to membership by the CT in December 2005 in spite of the concerns of the O’Donnells and two other members about the way this was being done.  The O’Donnells became marginalized in this dispute.

The mistrust and friction that developed in the MC-E dispute carried over into the MemCa LT as Marion was a member of this group by virtue of her being coordinator of MC-E.  In South Africa in June 2006 the mistrust and friction resulted in a confrontation at a private meeting of the six members of the MemCa LT.  This confrontation led to Kelly’s dismissal/resignation as coordinator and his dismissal as member of the MemCa LT and member of MemCa itself.

The fallout from the events in South Africa were exacerbated when Kelly and Michele were also unexpectedly dismissed several days later from MC-E by Cees Verharen, the new director of EEMA, to which MC-E was now accountable.  This dismissal was undertaken with no due process or right of appeal.  The isolation to which Kelly was subjected was reinforced by his surprising exclusion from the COMIBAM preconference retreat and from active involvement in the member care meetings in Spain during November 2006, and by the puzzling disciplinary letter sent to him by the WEA Mission Commission on 17 November 2006.  The O’Donnells repeatedly requested to meet with Bertil Ekstrom and Bill Taylor of the WEA-MC during 2007, but without success.  Kelly was finally dismissed from the WEA-MC in December 2007 for his lack of attention to what he and Michele deemed to be inappropriate requests and assertions in the aforementioned disciplinary letter. 

In spite of these developments the O’Donnells have continued to pursue their international member care work with long standing colleagues.


What observations, conclusions and recommendations can be drawn
from these events and the accompanying narrative?

  1. The O’Donnells have made a lasting contribution to the member care field, both in the resources they have developed and the people they have influenced.
The O’Donnells are world class networkers, at their best when they are able to use their talents strategically as both practitioners and organizers.  Many people from around the world have testified to the significant role that they have played in their ministries and training.

The O’Donnells had academic qualifications as psychologists which allowed them to work in unique ways with both professional member care workers and those who entered into this ministry more through life experience and specific courses.  They could see the benefit of professionals working with their extensive training in a clinic or ministry hub, as well as the benefit of trained field workers of every nationality ministering to those on the front lines around the world.  Both specialists and mission personnel have played important roles in providing member care.

The O’Donnells also modeled a balance between the functional and the relational in their ministry.  They sought to be productive, but they also made time for people.  They also had the energy to travel extensively and the curiosity to engage with people from many cultures. 

The O’Donnells should build on their natural talents and experience to continue the work they have been doing, particularly with skilled colleagues who can further develop and extend member care work in different locations around the world.


  1. MemCa and MC-E each had ongoing challenges to identify what would be the best structure for itself--whether it was, or should become, an affiliation or partnership or network or association.  The world wide organization of the member care field is still evolving.
Both MemCa and MC-E developed as different types of affiliations.  MemCa started as a task force of the WEA and continued to be accountable to the WEA as it developed into a loose affiliation of member care colleagues, many of whom represented networks from around the world.  Today, in 2008, MemCa has been renamed the Global Member Care Network.  MC-E began as an informal affiliation of colleagues from different European countries, which eventually adopted a more formal constitution and became a part of the EEMA.  The O’Donnells had a strong concept of partnership in mind when they helped found both groups.

While different people will give different definitions to these organizational terms—affiliation, partnership, network, association—in general we can assume that affiliations and networks presuppose less structure than partnerships and associations.  Further, partnerships usually work on the basis of consensus and peer respect, while associations usually have an executive hierarchy and clear membership criteria.  Depending on the circumstances each of these organizational models can be highly appropriate. Kelly is fully capable of being a partner, yet his greatest talent is as a networker.

Because the member care field has many practitioners with varying backgrounds and  training there can be tension between those with professional training and those relying principally on their practical experience and background as mentioned above.  In an affiliation or network these differences are often not important, and this played to Kelly’s strengths.  As organizations develop more structure, tension stemming from different preferences related to background, nationality and desire for hierarchy increase.  Simply put, all organizations, even Christian ones, have some level of politics since every group must deal with issues of power and control.

Leaders in the member care field, including the O’Donnells, should review the status of different existing organizations and group structures, and consider how these, or new ones, might develop during the next ten years in light of other aspects of globalization.  Attention should continue to be given to honoring and supporting the contributions of all types of practitioners.


  1. The organizational development issues cited above led to specific challenges for  MC-E, in particular, and MemCa as well.  These type of challenges—leadership development, conflict resolution, membership criteria, cultural sensitivity—are common for young, international organizations having to make choices as they grow.
Leadership development is an important task in any organization.  Enterprises usually develop under the direction of an entrepreneurial, motivated leader. Many enterprises never make or survive the transition to new leaders.  Different talents and skills are required as organizations mature and adapt to new circumstances.  Kelly was very desirous to pass on leadership and coordination responsibilities to others in MemCa and MC-E, although it was not always clear which persons would be available and which structures would be the most helpful.  In MemCa for example, the LT in fact functioned more as an advisory group than an active leadership team.

In general, most of the members of MemCa and MC-E did not seem to have the time to pursue the vision and goals that Kelly and the other members themselves helped to cast for these groups.  The groups in fact had much more of a desire for personal and work-related support rather than functional initiatives.  Perhaps in a longer time horizon more of the goals that were set could have been accomplished or adopted more effectively. 

MC-E in particular had sad experiences in conflict resolution.  Attempts were made by a few facilitators, but these efforts foundered on a lack of common agreement on the “facts” and a lack of willingness to independently investigate the matters in dispute and follow through on commitments principally regarding how to proceed together.  There was never a clear understanding of what happened at Le Rucher during 2002-2003, and the important legacy of mistrust that those events set in motion.  MC-E’s claim to be impartial in the dispute involving the Spruyts inexorably led to them siding with the Spruyts.

Within the MemCa LT, the confrontation that arose at the meeting in South Africa in June 2006 was not solely Kelly’s responsibility, but was in fact the responsibility of the WEA-MC EXCO as well as the MemCa LT itself.  Kelly and others was aware that matters were coming to a head in South Africa.  Kelly was looking for assistance in resolving this ongoing conflict, but not enough substantive assistance was forthcoming.  It is sad to see the WEA-MC EXCO attempt to blame Kelly for the conflict in South Africa when members of the EXCO were fully aware of, and had given ongoing counsel into, the stance he was taking.

There were also issues of cultural sensitivity and confidentiality that were never appropriately addressed in MC-E.  European propensity for structure and hierarchy can clash with American informality.  Requirements for discretion can escalate into confusion over confidentiality.  Issues such as these that are normally easily resolved by the members then became flash points of conflict in the atmosphere of mistrust that developed.

MC-E, MemCa and the WEA-MC should review their handling of these issues in 2004-2006 for their own organizational health and integrity. 


  1. Leaders and executive groups have a responsibility to each other to exhibit integrity, good judgment and good practice.  They should be held accountable for their actions and honored for their contributions.
The deaths of Dave Pollock’s son (2002) and Dave himself (2004) played a pivotal role in this story.  Dave modeled member care personally and turned out to be an irreplaceable partner for Kelly.  While people mourned the death of Dave, it is not at all clear that anyone reflected on the impact this would have on Kelly and his work in member care.  This was as much a leadership transition as any that would occur subsequently.  It is probably safe to say that if Dave were still alive today Kelly and others would have found other ways to deal with the legacy of Le Rucher.

During 2003-2006 the MC-E CT had a significant conflict of interest in allowing Arie Baak to be both a member of the MC-E CT while also serving as chairman of EEMA.  For Arie to be a member of MC-E was acceptable, but to be on the CT was probably not.  At crucial points during 2003-2005 Arie was able to assert his influence to advance the return of the Spruyts and control events in MC-E without appropriate group process.

While Brent Lindquist, the Staffords, and Peter Nicoll all attempted to act as facilitators and/or advisors at different times, it was essential to also help set up a proper investigation of the facts in question, along with an extended time together for mediation/discussion, in order to better understand and deal with the group dysfunction in MC-E.

Although distrust had developed between the O’Donnells and the MC-E CT, it unfortunately carried over into the MemCa LT by virtue of Kelly and Marion both being on the MemCa LT.  The WEA-MC EXCO had a major responsibility to help find a way forward here, especially in the run up to the 2006 meeting in South Africa.  Every leader knows that he/she cannot solve such problems alone, and Kelly was relying on the help of the WEA-MC EXCO, especially Bill Taylor, for assistance.  Unfortunately Bill was very busy with many of the RSA06 conference details and other challenges, and it would seem unable to give consistent advice to Kelly.  It would also seem that his primary focus at RSA06 was on maintaining harmonious relations with various groups and not letting the ongoing tension in the MemCa LT interfere with this.
 
It would further seem that as matters developed in 2004-2006 Bill found it challenging to maintain his relationships with both Kelly and leaders related to the EEMA.  On three separate occasions during this period Bill had to retract positions he had taken on issues involving MC-E, leaving Kelly and Michele in an even more vulnerable place.  Finally in the context of RSA06, Bill went from being an advocate of Kelly and promoting his actions to distancing himself and WEA-MC from him at RSA06, and later seriously criticizing and denigrating him.  This is not honorable and should be objectively reviewed by Bill’s superiors in the WEA, as the WEA-MC had no effective grievance procedure to which Kelly could appeal.

  
Opportunities should be sought for the O’Donnells to reconnect with individuals in MC-E, the MemCa LT, and the WEA-MC EXCO, and to take the time necessary to exchange perspectives and clearly understand what happened.  Perhaps this professional review and the resolution of the NCI scandal will provide a basis for this.

Also, the dismissal of the O’Donnells from MC-E by Cees Verharen in July 2006 and of Kelly from MemCa in June 2006 does not seem to be at all warranted.  The O’Donnells acted with integrity while expressing their views—there is no evidence to justify these drastic steps.  Being intense and firm in a meeting is not a justification for being dismissed from a group—where would the world be if this was normal procedure?  Also the O’Donnells have attempted to reach out to their former colleagues in order to meet with them since the events of 2006, but without success—perhaps the day is soon coming when this will occur.
*****

In conclusion, there is a great need in the member care field for strategies suitable to the 21st century missionary endeavor.  One of the most important strategies for member care workers is to maintain and model healthy relationships with one another.  Missionaries and others will continue to work in stressful cross cultural situations that create a need for member care.  The provision of services and resources to meet these needs is still evolving, with the O’Donnells having an important role to play in this.

[Click HERE to access th Member Catre Narrative and Analysis.]