Desalegn Abebe, MAST, and others speak out through teal ribbon campaign at Mennonite World Conference meetings

At the beginning of Mennonite World Conference (MWC) meetings in Germany from May 23-28, 2025, MAST launched a support ribbon campaign, inviting people to wear a teal-colored ribbon as a public call for justice, accountability, and transparency for MCC. During the meetings, MCC Executive Directors and other MCC leaders, staff, and board members were present in various capacities. 

Pastor Desalegn Abebe (President of the Meserete Kristos Church, MWC General Council delegate and member of MWC’s Faith and Life Commission), and Anicka Fast (secretary of MWC Faith and Life Commission and member of MAST steering committee) wore the ribbon during the meetings. They were soon joined by several others, including MWC staff members and volunteers. Numerous others approached both Abebe and Fast to express their support for the campaign. “Some did so privately,” says Abebe, “aware of the risks but moved by conviction.” 

Desalegn Abebe wears a teal ribbon while helping to plant a tree at Schönblick, Germany, to symbolize MWC’s commitment to creation care 

Anicka Fast with some fellow teal-ribbon wearers: CMU Peace and Conflict Transformation Studies professor Wendy Kroeker (member of the MWC Peace Commission), Naomi Enns (Director of the Center for Dialogue and Conflict Transformation at LCC International University, attending Global Anabaptist Peace Network meetings), and Sara Wenger Shenk (President Emerita of AMBS, helping to lead an MWC workshop) 

On the first day of the meetings, during a joint morning session with about 100 people present, MWC General Secretary César García read a statement prepared by the MWC Officers. It emphasized that MWC strongly supports Fast’s ministry in the Faith and Life Commission and that MCC had not accused Fast and her husband John Clarke of any misconduct at the time of ending their employment as Representatives in Burkina Faso in August 2023. García stated that the conflict between MCC and John and Anicka has not yet been resolved and emphasized that MWC supports efforts toward resolution. 

During the meetings, three additional people came forward to share their stories of abuse with Fast. MAST now reports a total of 66 cases of bad endings with MCC, with stories from Africa, Asia, Latin America, Europe, and North America. These accounts point to the involvement of all levels of MCC leadership in bullying and psychological harassment, covering up financial fraud, responding harmfully to reports of sexual harassment and assault, silencing whistleblowers, and neglecting workers’ health and well-being. 

Over the following days, the topic of allegations against MCC was “the elephant in the room,” according to one MWC volunteer who wishes to remain anonymous. It received some visibility during a morning prayer time on May 27. Commission member Lydia Adi, speaking of how the light of Christian witness sometimes begins to dim due to “war, persecution, or despair,” said, “The fire of our witness is not meant to be carried alone… This is part of what it means to be baptized into Christ’s body. When one of us suffers, we all feel it. When one walks through fire, we walk alongside. We are baptized not just into his life, but into his suffering – and also, into one another.” Adi then invited Pastor Abebe and Fast – both unaware of what had been planned – to come hold a lit candle together. This was followed by a prayer for endurance in suffering, for unity in the church, and for the power of the Holy Spirit. The several hundred in attendance stood to sing “You’re not alone,” a 2005 composition by Brian Moyer Suderman. Fast says, “When harm perpetrated by our own peacebuilding agency remains invisible in the church, then all our discourse about peace and justice feels meaningless to me. I felt supported and encouraged to see fellow commission members give some public attention to this situation in a symbolic way.” 

Fast and Abebe hold a lighted candle while Lydia Adi leads part of the morning prayers at MWC meetings on Tuesday, May 27, 2025 

MWC Communications features the Tuesday morning prayers in a Facebook story on May 27, 2025 

According to Pastor Abebe, the MCC Executive Directors sought him out during the meetings and asked him why he was involved in the teal ribbon campaign. They claimed that they had already responded to his concerns (following his 14 February 2025 public statement calling MCC to account) by moving forward with the facilitated conversations and the creation of a listening space. They also claimed that Anicka and John were unwilling to meet with them despite their efforts. In response, Pastor Abebe strongly emphasized the need for a neutral third party, such as an investigator – agreed on by both MCC and MAST – to make a determination of what happened in cases where some allege wrongdoing. He pointed out that the problem of harm against MCC workers and partners has become public, as shown by the announcement on the first day of meetings and by the more than 1500 signatures of the petition. He insisted on the need for MCC to respond appropriately to the allegations through an external investigation.  

In later communication with MAST, Abebe added additional details about his reasons for responding to MCC leaders in this way:  

“My own experience has been shaped by direct involvement in an organization that eventually collapsed—largely due to unresolved allegations and prolonged silence from leadership. This has made me particularly sensitive to the warning signs and the critical importance of a timely and transparent response. 

That’s why I strongly encouraged the involvement of a neutral third party. The issues have persisted for too long, and those of us who have seen MCC’s capacity for positive and responsible action are deeply affected by the current situation. An external investigation is not a matter of distrust, but of restoring integrity and ensuring accountability for the sake of the entire community.” 

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.