IL - Group holds conference this weekend in Chicagoland
A leading advocacy organization will this weekend (April 19-21) hold a conference that will address the prevention and awareness of the past and present abuse of missionary children.
Missionary Kids Safety Net (MK Safety Net) has been raising the issue of abuse of missionary children by evangelical missionaries for the past 20 years. This weekend, they will hold their first national conference in Rolling Meadows to address the state of the crisis and focus on solutions. Speakers include William Paul Young (author of the best-selling novel The Shack), David Clohessy (Director of SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests), and Dr. Andrew Schmutzer (Professor of Bible at Moody Bible Institute).
"This is a current, cutting edge issue in the North American evangelical mission community,” said Rev. Rich Darr, a Board Member of MK Safety Net and Lead Pastor at First UMC in Park Ridge, IL.
The conference will take place at the Holiday Inn Rolling Meadows-Schaumburg at 3405 Algonquin Rd in Rolling Meadows, IL (847-259-6600), and will run from noon on Friday, April 19 to noon on Sunday, April 21. Beyond the plenary speakers, items on the agenda include sessions on topics like how to report abuse to authorities, and screenings of documentary films like “All God’s Children.”
“We’re excited about this conference and the topics being discussed,” said Clohessy. “This is an important and on-going problem that needs to be exposed and stopped.”
Contacts:
Rich Darr: MKSN Board Member, Missionary Kid survivor, Lead Pastor of the First United Methodist Church of Park Ridge IL. (815-370-4703, [email protected])
Bev Shellrude-Thompson: President of MKSN, Missionary Kid survivor. 224-203 3087 [email protected]
Linda Tripp: MKSN Board member, Vice President in the World Vision Global Partnership (retired): [email protected]
Rachel Steffen: Adult MK and victims' advocate: [email protected]
Winter Appeal 2023
To our friends,
2023 has been a long year with many ups and downs for us all. As we close out the year, we at SNAP hope that you are feeling like you are on your way to being healthy, fulfilled, and happy. This past year has brought both successes and challenges. Thanks to the support you have shown in the past, we’ve been able to celebrate the good days and weather the stormy ones. Now, we are once again asking for your support as we work to support survivors new and old as we ‘Move SNAP Forward.’
At SNAP we are proud to have hosted a very well-attended conference in August 2023. This event allowed us to gather friends, survivors, advocates, and allies for a weekend of camaraderie and connection. We were so happy to be able to welcome many first-time attendees to gather in person and are already looking forward to the next conference.
To strengthen our movement for justice, healing, and prevention, SNAP will be expanding our peer support and providing more volunteer opportunities in the coming year. Through this great work, we are ensuring survivor voices are represented as we work for significant change that will benefit children and survivors.
Right now, survivors worldwide are getting the help they need from SNAP, and more and more reach out to us daily, but we need your help to keep those programs going and get our volunteers the training they need to thrive.
Your tax-deductible gift to SNAP can help offset the cost of our important mission. If you are not in a position to contribute, you can still support us by sharing this letter with those who can. As we continue to fight for survivors across the globe, your donation or sharing the great work SNAP does will help us continue our work to protect the vulnerable, heal the wounded, and prevent abuse.
Your donation ensures SNAP will be there for those who need us more than ever!
Warmly,
Michael W. McDonnell, C.P.S.
Interim Executive Director