Kerry Fast, aunt of Anicka Fast

To MCC board chairs and board members October 8, 2025

Fifteen months ago, I wrote a letter to the board members of the provincial and regional MCC boards, which I sent to executive directors to be distributed to board members. I wrote this letter in my capacity as aunt and great aunt of Anicka Fast and John Clarke and their children. I received responses from two provincial executive directors, one a brief acknowledgement that my letter had been received, and one, a lengthy explanation that MCC takes all allegations of abuse seriously. In my letter, I asked board members to roll up their sleeves as governing bodies of MCC and hold senior staff accountable for how it treats workers and volunteers.

But in the past fifteen months, I have seen none of this. Instead, MCC has obfuscated the accusations, denied allegations of mistreatment, weaponized language of faith against victims, homed in on John and Anicka as the only complainants, and otherwise not taken allegations of abuse seriously.

By now you have received many other letters written by church leaders, respected MCC workers, pastoral care givers, leaders in the Mennonite community, and concerned individuals. Collectively, we are asking MCC to change course. As I said in my previous letter, you as governing boards have the power to do so. Call for an independent external review of MCC’s personnel procedures and its history of terminations. Release individuals from the NDAs they signed so that they can tell their stories and receive the support that has been denied them. Ensure that MCC leadership staff agree to the parameters for the proposed facilitated conversation between MCC and John and Anicka. As boards, you are accountable to MCC’s constituency, and the senior staff is accountable to you. Many members of MCC’s constituency have made their voices heard through letters and by withholding donations. As I said in my previous letter, my ask is simple—listen to them.

Kerry Fast

Winnipeg, Manitoba

I suspect that executive directors did not forward my June 2024 letter to board members. I’m appending it in the hope that you will forward it, along with this letter, to them now.

I have given MAST permission to publish this letter.

Sent to MCC board chairs to be distributed to board members:

Ron Ratzlaff, MCC Canada board chair

Emerson Lerscher, MCC US board chair

Daniel Grimes, MCC Great Lakes board vice chair

Ron Moyo, MCC Central States board co-chair

Susan Peak Hart, MCC Central States board co-chair

Kevin Malamma, West Coast MCC board chair

Sam Oommen, West Coast MCC board co-chair

Alma Ovalle, MCC East Coast board chair