Ingrid Bauman - Waterloo, ON

October 10, 2025

Ann Hershberger, Executive Director of MCC U.S.

Ken Kim, Executive Director of MCC Canada

MCC U.S. and MCC Canada Boards of Directors

Dear Ann, Ken, and MCC U.S. and MCC Canada board members, 

I am writing to you to express my complete dismay at what I have been reading and hearing about regarding abuses of MCC workers. Based on the data and stories collected by MAST there have been over 70 cases of abuse, including allegations of financial fraud, abusive terminations, pressuring terminated workers to sign non-disclosure agreements, harmful responses to reports of sexual assault and harassment, and psychological harassment and bullying. The number of egregious terminations has been escalating in the last 20 years. How can this happen in a Christian organization, especially one that is known for its peace stance? Where is the work toward restorative justice here? Where is the compassion in these cases? 

I have been donating to MCC for many years, and for some time thought it would be best to designate the donation to where it was most needed. I am appalled to think that my donations may have been used to pay lawyers, or to pay terminated workers not to talk publicly about their abuse. I have spoken with some of my extended family members and friends (who have also donated money to MCC) and suggested that they may want to direct their donations to another organization. 

MCC is an organization that has had a wonderful reputation for doing good in so many ways and in so many places. That reputation has been tarnished by the abuse that has taken place and then swept under the rug. My hope is that MCC will do the right thing: 

·       commit to an independent external investigation which should result in a public report with binding public recommendations about accountability for the perpetrators and reparations for the survivors of the abuse, 

·       release survivors from NDAs which prevent the truth from being told, and 

·       accept the proposed parameters for a facilitated conversation with John Clark and Anicka Fast who were fired without warning or cause following a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder.  

MCC is known for its work on peace and justice and should be leading the way on truth and reconciliation within its organization. MCC needs to be transparent about what has happened (and may still be happening) and change its policies so that it becomes a safe place for all its staff and a model for the secular world in resolving conflicts within its organization. 

As you meet in Akron next week, I ask that you make it a priority to address these issues and move forward in a way that will promote healing for those who have been abused by MCC and thereby rebuild the good reputation MCC had been known for.  

I consider this a public letter and have given permission to MAST to post it on their website. 

Sincerely,

Ingrid Bauman 

Waterloo, ON