In 1995, my 15th year of regular pioneering, I was asked by an elder to consider getting the State training necessary to take a couple of troubled teens in the congregation who were now in the Foster Care system. I did not really want to do it, however since I just bought a new home and I was a single sister---it was felt by the body of elders that I was the perfect sucker candidate for the job and that if I did not do it, then I really did not deserve to have a house that was nicer than most of the carpet-cleaning elders. So I did it at my own expense, including fixing the basement to be the teen age boys' room as was required by the State regulations. The mother of these two teens was a nutcase in the same congregation, and soon it was obvious that the elders' agenda was to dupe the State and get around the law. Visitation was impossible to enforce, since the kids' had to go to the Hall and in service with me. The mother started making trouble when she got embarassed that her children admitted they lived with me and were apparently doing a thousand times better in my care than hers--and I was only a single sister with 'no experience'--except of course the rigorous parental training I had from the wicked State that belonged to Satan's world...
Needless to say, after 6 months, and many committees later...I was told by the elders to 'get rid' of the kids, since they were incorrigible and they were never going to tow the line and be good little dubbies and go home with their abusive and neglectful froot-loop of a mother. This was on Dec. 15th. When I explained to the elders that even if I wanted to 'get rid' of the kids, it would have to wait until after the holiday, I was told to take them to the local Police Station and drop them off with some story of how I was afraid of them or something because they threatened me(which they never did.) When I refuesd to do this, I was accused of 'defying the elders' and another committee was set.
I went to that meeting with no concept of what was going to happen. I was incredulous that it had gone that far and felt that surely right would prevail and they would see how completely unreasonable they had been. Right up until they left the room and I heard the loud and angry shouts in the next room as the elders debated...I did not expect any kind of 'discipline' since it was so obvious the mother, who was there and had to be restrained for violence during the meeting, was a total psychopath. Instead the elders came back in, a couple with tears in their eyes, and told me that because 'the whole congregation knew about this'(which no one did-after 6 months not even everyone knew the kids lived with me) that I was removed as a regular pioneer. I was told there would be no announcement, to spare me embarrassment---which I figured out later was so they would not have to explain to anyone because no one did know about any of the shit going on---and that I could appeal the decision---however I was told by one very smug elder that if I did and I lost it--which he said I surely would--it would 'look bad on your permanent record'. I was in shock. I was told the reason I was removed was because of 'gossip' (against me) and that I showed a Jezebel attitude(because I told the elders I was obligated to the State to do things by the rules). (Incidentally, the Legal Dept at brooklyn told me I was right in this, and the elders and the mother all lost it and told me I could not call Bethel ever again!)
The kids were crying the mother was foaming at the mouth in victory and both kids were taken out of my home--because its integrity had been compromised. The kids were separated and the boy was sent hundreds of miles away and as far as I know the girl was returned to her mother because she was close to 18 anyway. That was December 17th, 1995 in the Brattleboro, VT congregation. (Peek-a-boo! Ron McTaggart!)
I was now out of work and removed as a pioneer. The Circuit Overseer came about 4 months later and apologized for the elders' behavior admitting it was wrong and told me I could reapply for regular and he would appprove it. Too late. I had already been on the Internet by then.
There is more to the story, but it does not go with the topic. Perhaps I will share the rest some other time.
Ravyn