To whomsoever it may concern:
I am pained to inform you that I do not wish to worship with you all as a part of this Outfit anymore.
I am grateful for everything I have learned all these years in this very same outfit of the fellowship and have no regrets or remorse for the same. All that I have learnt and been raised in is but a solid foundation for me and for my children, and I shall always be grateful for the gospel, for Jesus, His way and the redemption.
As some of you may like to say … “I have left the way” or am a lost soul. No, I would like to say there is no monopoly of the way and “the way” does not belong to you.
I continue to worship my Lord and follow Jesus with all true conviction and against all odds; hence I do not wish to be a part of a group that is openly, brazenly involved in immoral acts and criminal behaviour. I am merely distancing myself from what does not fit with my conscience.
I have been conditioned, like most of us, to believe that we should let it go. Over the years we’ve witnessed several acts that do not befit a servant of God among our workers; however, we were conditioned to think we cannot question God’s anointed. But I have realised that I cannot go on like this.
It is no news to anyone that several of our workers have relationships within themselves and some outside, all have witnessed and are aware. We left it to the discretion of the elder workers and God, but it was definitely very disturbing to hear them from the pulpit preaching righteousness. But what disturbed me personally was not any of this but the Sexual Abuse and Child Sexual Abuse (SA/CSA) issues.
The big reveal is that several years ago when David Jeyaraj along with his companions, U. Chris and Freddie, were in my home for a visit from their field Raichur. I was home with the brothers and my parents were away. Several times David Jeyaraj inappropriately touched me. I was confused and also kind of ashamed. I definitely cannot say he sexually assaulted me, but he did touch me inappropriately—and not once or twice or a brush accidentally—but repeatedly. So I never shared this with anyone including my parents. I am sure many women can identify with this kind of behaviour as we are so ashamed to share. Many years went by, and I learnt to forget it.
When the issue of David being sent back to India from US conventions came to my notice, I felt a pressing need to share this with my Dad who alone I trust in this entire fellowship. And just because of that incident, I definitely feel this needs an open, impartial and fair investigation because this shows his tendencies.
Until that point, my parents were feeling extremely sympathetic towards David and felt it was a false allegation. When I shared, they felt betrayed. I had absolutely no intention to ever bring this up in my life—but seeing the shameful coverups, the disturbing lies, the workers being in cohorts with each other and hushing up issues has created an inexplicable anger towards this disgusting behaviour and is the reason I am sharing this now.
Most of them have skeletons in their cupboards because of which no one is standing up for the right. It is unfortunate to note that many other brother and sister workers are involved in similar acts of abuse and surprisingly this is in the knowledge of many friends in the respective fields.
Despite knowing, I wonder why people are unable to speak up—it is merely the fear of being cast out of the meetings and fellowship. Being branded as having a wrong spirit etc.
If I do not speak up now, I will be failing my conscience and will fail the cause of the victims. Hence, after speaking to my children and parents and taking their consent, I am going ahead and sharing with you all. It is now up to you to use this information to do what help or harm to the church as a whole and all those involved.
My sympathies lie with all victims of abuse and also victims of suppression in the name of God.
There have been many things, even though we did not feel convinced, that we followed as a rule much less a revelation. Because there was always a fear of being cast out.
At this juncture, I have no desire to be a part of this massive immoral circus and will pray that not just this, but all unlawful immoral activity, be cleaned up to help those that have genuinely invested their lives, and most importantly, their trust in a group of individuals who are running this church as per their whims and fancies, laying the word of God before us with their own interpretation and convenience.
Ruth Prathibha
Hyderabad, India
March 11, 2024