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Christianity Today, August, 2009

Missionary Child Abuse

All God's Children recalls the travails of a West Africa boarding school.

Brandon Fibbs | posted 8/18/2009 10:52AM

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All God's Children
Documentary by Scott Solary and Luci Westphal
December 2008
70 minutes, $19.99

The writer of Ecclesiastes says there is a time for everything—a time to be silent and a time to speak. All God's Children was made for the latter. The 2008 documentary was inspired by an article that ran in Christianity Today in April 1998, exposing alleged child abuse at the Mamou Alliance Academy in Guinea, West Africa, a Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA) boarding school for missionary kids.

At Mamou during the 1960s, dozens of children were beaten, abused, and even raped by teachers and overseers, and told that if they ever revealed what went on, they would be defeating their parents' work and damning millions of potential African converts. Now adults, many of Mamou's survivors have banded together to confront the demons of their past, seek justice, and, in some cases, offer forgiveness.

All God's Children is a harrowing tale. Including firsthand interviews and footage of children at the school (though showing no abusive situations), the film offers a glimpse into the long-term mental and spiritual ramifications of violence practiced against the innocent. Many of the former students have left the faith, some struggle with their sexuality, and others battle depression and suicide. One ex-student could not conceive of a world in which anyone would want children, while another finds hymns nauseating because they were the soundtrack of his abusive childhood. Yet another felt compelled to show the world that his experiences were a perverted aberration of God's will and is now a minister.

All God's Children struggles to find meaning amid grief compounded by decades of disregard and a willful lack of justice. It also serves as a clarion call to organizations that would ignore and suppress the truth rather than drag it kicking and screaming into the light. (After years of prodding, the c&ma did eventually investigate the allegations, identifying nine offenders in 1998 and apologizing to the victims. Although several workers were reprimanded, no legal charges were ever filed, and the film claims that several of the workers are still on staff.)

While some, though certainly not all, of the abused have arrived at a place of absolution, the film is less interested in how they've healed and more interested in ensuring that their tragic story is finally told. The group is adamant that their stolen childhoods not be washed away by overly simplistic amnesty.

"Forgiveness is the f-word for the evangelical community," says one former student. "It's not that victims are against forgiveness. Victims are against forgiveness as the solution to the problem."

The filmmakers interview several of the parents, many of whom are as haunted by the past as their children are. They thought those looking after their children were friends and fellow laborers in the field. They had no reason for distrust until it was too late. While none of the former students interviewed here blame their parents outright, their feelings of helplessness and abandonment are obvious.

"How many African souls were worth my soul?" an adult asks with the pleading intonations of a child. The tragic implications are clear: All God's Children forces us to ask ourselves, What does it gain a man if he saves the whole world but loses his own children?

To learn more or to order the DVD, visit AllGodsChildrentheFilm.com.

Brandon Fibbs, CT Movies and BrandonFibbs.com

Related Elsewhere:

All God's Children is available at Amazon.com.

Previous Christianity Today articles on the Mamou Alliance Academy include:

Missions: From Trauma to Truth | Once-abused children demand accountability. (April 27, 1998)

Pain Relief | The Christian & Missionary Alliance apologizes to adults abused as missionary kids in Africa. (July 12, 1999)

More information about the film is available at AllGodsChildrentheFilm.com.

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August 2009, Vol. 53, No. 8

Comments (11)

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Displaying 1–5 of 11 comments

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Luci Westphal

August 21, 2009 3:26pm

Thank you for this excellent reporting, Brandon, and also for all the added links in the online version. Being able to read the original Christianity Today articles gives a extremely valuable perspective. Due to some technical issues, the home-viewing DVD is temporarily not available through an authorized seller on amazon. Please visit the film's website to purchase the DVD directly through our authorized distributor: http://www.allgodschildrenthefilm.com Thank you, Luci Westphal producer, All God's Children

Kristine Ward

August 20, 2009 8:34am

This is an excellent documentary. The sadness is the need that ever had to be made. But it is truth that will set us fee. If you have any interest in protecting children and opening the eyes of your fellow congregants, please obtain this documentary, view it and encourage others to do so.

Shary Hauber

August 19, 2009 8:28pm

Missionaries were given no choice they had to send their children to boarding school. They also trusted their fellow missionaries. Wrong yes but the abuse was not known to most parents until their children were adults. Yes the church needs to deal with this here in America, many churches don't know how to handle abusers, they just forgive them and do not hold them accountable for their actions. Then if the abuser is a leader the church often covers it up. Why can't we learn from the Catholic? God will judge us for giving our daughters and sons to these abusers then covering their sin. A former Mamou student.

Ruth King Goddard

August 19, 2009 11:18am

Thank you, thank you, thank you! As a victim of missionary abuse - I was never in the field, but the abusing 'missionary' was often in our home, and we at conferences with him - your coverage is a great victory. I am grateful that you are giving this film the attention it deserves. There are probably thousands of victims of abuse by missionaries and christian leaders, who have never received acknowlegement of wrong from the perpetrator or organization. Many have turned to alternate lifestyles, to remain 'safe' emotionally, many more have rejected the god they see who allowed this to happen. It is imperative that all Christian leadership prayerfully view this film, especially organizations with clear allegations. We must pray deeply, and seek God's guidence on how to bring hope and reconciliation where brokenness and denial has reigned. 'It is better than a millstone...' There is an unreached mission field of victims waiting to see the true character of our God.

Mark Jackson

August 18, 2009 10:23pm

This is probably a problem for most mission schools particularly where unmarried and spurned people end up getting a job because there is a shortage of applicants. Unrealistically high moral rules and regulations end up being flaunted and covered up. Little wonder that hoardes are dismissing the churches message.

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