May 3-4, 2018 – MKSN Oklahoma City Seminar
We met at the Edmond Seventh Day Adventist Church in Edmond, Oklahoma. Harmony Jenks, a long-time friend of MKSN and advocate for clergy abuse victims, helped organize this event along with Dianne Couts. Dale Dorrell, MKSN Board Member, shared his music with the group. A special part of this gathering included meeting for meals at four different restaurants where we networked, shared our stories, and learned from one another.
Thursday, May 3, 2018
Lunch Gathering with the Adult TCK OK Group.
Evening Meet and Greet
Showing of All God’s Children with Q & A
Friday, May 4, 2018
The Healing Power of Telling Our Stories – Dianne Couts
Healing from Abuse – TCKs Unique Challenges – Harmony Jenks
The TCK Experience – Its Effects on Marriage and Parenting – Panel Discussion
The Lifelong Impact of Being a TCK – Dianne Couts
September 7-8, 2018 – MKSN Chicago Conference, Pulaski Park Field House
• Meet the MKSN Board and Hear Their Stories
• A Framework for Understanding Personal Growth as TCKs – Chris Brown
• Updates on MK Issues – Shary Hauber
• One Church’s Response to MK Abuse -Tim Bos
• There is Healing in the Telling of the Tale – Dianne Couts
September 9, 2018 – The Parlor Room, Geneva UMC
• Understanding TCKs – An Overview – Dianne Couts
• An Overview of MKSN – Rich Darr
• Broader Issues of MK Abuse – Tim Bos & Rich Darr
• A Framework for Personal Growth as TCKs – Chris Brown
October 19-21, 2018 – MKSN at the Courage Conference in Raleigh, North Carolina
Dianne Couts, President of MKSN, spoke about child abuse in mission settings at the Courage Conference held in Raleigh, North Carolina the weekend of October 19-21, 2018. Ashley Easter hosts this conference where over one hundred attendees gather to learn, to share and to encourage each other in their efforts to confront abuse in religious settings and to encourage survivors on their healing journeys. Other attendees included board members Shary Hauber and Dale Ingraham and MKs Annie Abernathy and Sarah Klingler. https://www.thecourageconference.com/home
2019 – MKSN at SNAP Leadership Conference in Atlanta
Shary Hauber (seated, second from the left) attended the SNAP Leadership Conference in Atlanta in February to represent MKSN. MK Safety Net has been a SNAP Chapter since 2010.
2019 – MKSN at SNAP Conference in Washington, D.C.
MK Safety Net led a breakout session at the SNAP Conference in Washington, D.C., the weekend of July 26-28, 2019. Those pictured represent some of the 15 MKs and MKSN-related folks who attended. Our session was titled “Cross-Cultural Victims of Abuse.”
Dianne Couts spoke about the issues TCKs face in general and that MKs face in particular, Shary Hauber shared what MKSN does to help MKs on their healing journeys and Boz Tchividjian wrapped up the session with the challenges of addressing abuse in evangelical settings.
2020/2021 – MKSN 25th/26th Anniversary Gathering in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
CANCELED due to the COVID-19 pandemic
In May of 1995, six adult missionary kids went public in Pittsburgh to expose the abuse they had suffered at their boarding school in Guinea, West Africa. Their historic stand was the first public protest of abuse in a Protestant denomination. Come stand with them more than a quarter of a century later to celebrate positive changes that have occurred and learn about the challenges that lie ahead.
“It is with great sadness that we announce the canceling of our Pittsburgh conference scheduled for next month. Please realize this was not an easy decision, as much time and preparation has gone into planning this special event. We recognize that these conferences are important connecting points for our MKs. Unfortunately, the Covid-19 cases continue to rise in communities all around the country, and many of us have recently been personally affected by the virus, either in our families or in our friend circles. Traveling from all over and gathering with people is a risky thing to do at this time, even for those who are fully vaccinated. As we weighed the risks, our board determined the wise thing to do would be to cancel the conference and look to gather again in the future once the dangers of Covid have passed.”
May 8, 2021 MKSN at A Better Way Conference in Cambridge, Ohio
MKSN Board President, Dianne Couts, presented on “Understanding the Effects of Abuse and Trauma.” Faith and Dale Ingraham (MKSN board member) presented on “What Does God Say about Abuse?” Then they both participated in a panel discussion, doing a Q&A with attendees.
April 16, 2022 – MKSN at the Kenmore Library Book Discussion in Akron, Ohio
MKSN Board President, Dianne Couts, spoke at her local branch library in connection to Child Abuse Prevention and Sexual Assault Awareness Month. She spoke from her own experiences about the lifelong impact of abuse and how resilience & the loving responses of parents mitigated the effects. She also shared about her book, Things Fell Apart but the Center Held.
April 29-30, 2022 – MKSN at A Better Way Conference in Lancaster, Pennsylvania
We are so appreciative of our partnership with A Better Way and enjoy the opportunity to participate in their conferences. Our board member, Dale Ingraham, and his wife, Faith, were keynote speakers at this event, and Dianne Couts, Board President, spoke in four different breakout sessions. Shary Hauber networked with people who visited the MKSN information table.
Learn more about the conference here.
Post-conference Dianne and Shary also enjoyed connecting with other MKs and advocates. They had a great visit with MK friends, Tracey Cullers and Nicki Davis Diffin, as well as SNAP advocate, PK Hill.
