External consultant releases recommendations for possible MCC “listening space”; MAST continues to call for external investigation

MCC Executive Directors have contracted with Jes Buller Stolzfus, a former MCC employee who ended seven years of MCC service in early 2024, to design a “potential listening space” that would allow MCC to “listen to and learn from individuals who experienced harm while working with MCC.” Stolzfus confirmed this mandate when contacting the MAST steering committee in February 2025 to request a meeting. She committed to share her report and recommendations not only with the Executive Directors but also with MCC boards and with interviewees, with the understanding that these could be made public.  

Several MAST steering committee members met with Stolzfus in March 2025. We emphasized our conviction that any listening space that is not accompanied by external accountability through an independent investigation would be farcical and harmful. We pointed out that as long as a “listening space” is controlled by MCC, it contains the problem so that MCC is not held publicly accountable. Such a space would not prevent abuse from continuing and could cause more harm to those who come forward. 

Stolzfus shared her full report and executive summary with the MAST steering committee on June 1, 2025. Drawing on the perspectives of 28 stakeholders, she concluded that it could be possible for MCC to implement a “process to listen to individuals who have experienced harm while working with MCC” and called for such a space to be led by external facilitators, to include public reporting (while safeguarding confidentiality for those harmed) and to be paired with investigation and repair. She insists that MCC “stands at a crossroads” and that if it does not respond with appropriate humility and commitment at this “pivotal moment,” it will risk deepening the “pain and mistrust” that many of its stakeholders currently experience. 

In general, MAST welcomes Stolzfus’s clear call for MCC to drastically change course from a defensive posture to one of lament and listening, her awareness of the relevance of questions of accountability and investigation, and her recommendation that any listening space be run by an “external facilitation team.” We appreciate the care Stolzfus showed in listening to us and we see that she has included the perspectives that we shared with her in her final report. We agree with her and other respondents that urgent action is needed in response to the widespread harm that many have experienced, and that MCC must pay attention to the distrust from their constituents. MAST recognizes the value of deep listening as a necessary part of a process of healing and accountability.  

However, the MAST steering committee remains skeptical of any listening process that is divorced from strong external accountability or that is controlled – even at arm’s length – by MCC leaders who may be continuing to abuse. Many survivors who have shared their stories with MAST name current MCC leaders (in executive leadership, International Program leadership, Financial Services, Communications and Donor Relations, Planning, Learning and Disaster Response [PDLR] and Human Resources) as those who continue to actively cover up fraud, silence whistleblowers, respond in harmful ways to reports of sexual abuse, and neglect the health and safety of workers. If a “listening space” does not have the power to investigate reports of harm or make binding recommendations about accountability for perpetrators and reparations for survivors, we feel that it is all too likely to serve as a way to contain reports of abuse under a veneer of care and so perpetuate harm. We will be watching carefully to see how and if a “listening space” unfolds within MCC. 

Meanwhile, MAST continues to call on MCC to commit to a full external investigation of all allegations, in which the choice of firm and the mandate of the investigation are approved by the MCC Abuse Survivors Together (MAST) steering committee. This call is supported by more than 1500 petition-signers, in public statements by Kim Thiessen and Desalegn Abebe, and by an open letter from the Central District Conference board of MC USA. 

If you want to raise your voice in favor of an independent, external investigation, feel free to submit a Supporter statement to MAST at stopmccabuse@proton.me.

Consider joining our teal ribbon campaign. Send us a photo of you wearing a ribbon (to the Stop MCC Abuse Facebook page or to stopmccabuse@proton.me)!

Review our list of possible additional actions at https://www.mccabusesurvivors.org/get-involved.