Closure

Well it has been quite some time since I've updated my blog.  Lots of things have happened both personally and professionally to cause me to be delayed in updating this blog.  In an attempt to update what has happened over the last year I will try to methodically go through as much as I can recall with as much detail that I see fit to share.

My recollections may be a bit foggy because so much has happened and it's hard to bring it all together.  I'm sure most can relate.

Last spring after much communications with ASIJ and the Japan Times, a group of women, thirteen to be exact, hired the law firm of O'Donnell Clark and Crew (now Crew Janci) out of Portland, Oregon.  These incredibly competent and compassionate lawyers agreed to take our case without really knowing much about Japanese law and our case.   They were willing to take a risk on us.  And that they did.

In September, 2014, twelve of us traveled to Portland (the thirteenth was unable to join us) and we shared our stories with attorneys from Ropes and Gray (the firm ASIJ hired to conduct an "independent investigation" of the 50 year sexual abuse case beginning in the 1960's and finally acknowledged by the school.)  ASIJ announced that they hired Ropes and Gray to conduct the "independent" investigation during the spring of 2014.  The problem with the "independent" investigation was that Ropes and Gray never contacted anyone. They waited for students, faculty members and administrators to contact them.  There was never anything "independent" about the investigation.  It was highly biased and if I were to hire a firm to represent me, it surely wouldn't be Ropes and Gray. Their competency is questionable.

After a year long battle with the board with some unbelievable things that happened (which I hope to come back and share later) we finally got some closure.

http://asijsurvivors.org

I will attempt to come back and flesh this out at a later date but long story condensed, we finally settled with the school for an undisclosed amount.  During 2014 and subsequently in 2015, the ASIJ board split and my understanding is that one side out ruled the other, upset the apple cart and basically fired those who were in opposition to us.

We found the new board to be very compassionate and willing to listen.  Three representatives from the new board traveled to Portland and listened to our stories.  We then spent a week in negotiations with the incredible mediator Paul Finn.

http://asijsurvivors.org/about/

You can read all about the outcome on the above linked site.

Change.org Petition

https://www.change.org/p/asij-board-of-directors-take-responsibility-for-the-sexual-abuse-of-children-at-asij 

asijsurvivors.org 

Resources for Sexual Abuse Victims and Survivors

Resources

If you are a survivor of sexual abuse, know that you are not alone, and there are many wonderful organizations, articles and publications that can help you on your path to healing. If you are the family member, friend, or loved one of person who has experienced sexual abuse, thank you for supporting them.

This page is dedicated to identifying resources for survivors and loved ones seeking information and resources about preventing, identifying and dealing with the trauma of sexual violence.

Victim Service Organizations

National

• Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN)

RAINN provides services, resources, and information aimed at addressing the needs of sexual abuse survivors. Their website includes information regarding the prevalence and occurrence of sexual violence, advice for loved ones seeking to support a friend or family member, and articles for victims on how to cope with the trauma of sexual assault.

RAINN also operates the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline, which allows victims to be connected with a trained staff member from a sexual assault service provider in your area. The hotline may be accessed by calling 800.656.HOPE (4673).  In addition, RAINN offers an online hotline, in which survivors can chat one-on-one with a trained RAINN support specialist to help seek services like counseling and mental health treatment.

• Darkness to Light

Darkness to Light provides crisis intervention and referral services to people affected by sexual abuse of children, either as survivors seeking resources or individual seeking information to help a loved one. Calls to the Darkness to Light Hotline are automatically routed to a local call center. Their Hotline phone number is 866-FOR-LIGHT (367-5444).

• National Center for Missing and Exploited Children

The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children operates a Cyber Tipline , which can be used to communicate information to law enforcement about child pornography or child sex trafficking. You may reach their 24-hour Hotline number by dialing 800-THE-LOST (843-5678).

• The National Child Abuse Hotline

The National Child Abuse Hotline number is 800-4-A-CHILD (422-2253). The hotline can provide local referrals for victims of childhood sexual abuse seeking services in their area. Their centralized call center allows the caller to speak with a counselor, and the hotline also features a language line that can provide services in over 140 languages.

• National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV)

NCADV works to raise awareness about domestic violence, educate and create programming and technical assistance materials, and assists survivors and other persons impacted by domestic violence. The website provides links to domestic violence programs in your area, and also has information regarding the National Domestic Violence Hotline, accessible at 800-799-SAFE (7233).

• Pandora’s Project

Pandora’s Project provides a list of crisis support and resources for survivors of rape and sexual abuse. The website also provides links to articles and essays about sexual assault victimization and prevalence.

• United States Office of Victims of Crime

OVC operates the Online Directory of Crime Victim Services, a searchable database dedicated to helping crime victims identify service providers and agencies in the United States and abroad.  In addition, CrimeVictims.gov provides referrals for crime victim services and victim assistance programs for survivors seeking assistance.

International

• Americans Overseas Domestic Violence Crisis Center

The Center provides services to Americans in civilian and military populations overseas who are suffering from domestic violence. In addition to providing advocacy, safety planning and case management, the center assists victims with relocation, emergency funds for housing and childcare, and funds for payment of legal fees.

• Department of Defense Safe Helpline

The Department of Defense (DOD) operates the Safe Helpline, which is a groundbreaking crisis support service for members of the DOD community affected by sexual assault. The hotline provides live, one-on-one support and information to the worldwide DOD community. The service is completely confidential, anonymous and available worldwide, 24/7, by click, call or text. The Hotline number is 877-995-5247.

• The International Domestic Violence and Abuse Agencies List 

This website provides an inventory of hotlines, shelters, refuges, crisis centers and women’s organizations, searchable by country, in addition to an index of domestic violence resources in over 70 languages.

• Tell Japan

TELL is dedicated to providing effective support and counseling services to Japan’s international community. Services include free phone counseling, professional face-to-face evaluations and therapy, and community-wide programs.

• Tokyo Rape Crisis Center

The Tokyo Rape Crisis Center was established in 1983 to provide telephone counseling services to victims of sexual violence. The Center also provides medical referral information as needed. The center has a webpage in English [http://www.tokyo-rcc.org/center-hp-english.htm] as well as one in Japanese [http://www.tokyo-rcc.org/].

• United States Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs

The Bureau of Consular affairs has a section of their webpage dedicating to helping United States citizen victims of crime overseas. The site lists resources, referral information and services for victims of crime abroad, coordinated through the office of Overseas Citizens Services.

Other Informational Resources

• The Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

The CDC’s Division of Violence Prevention offers informational links, articles, sample policies and procedures designed to prevent child sexual abuse within youth-serving organizations.

• National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN)

Established by Congress in 2000, the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) brings a singular and comprehensive focus to childhood trauma. NCTSN is dedicated to improving access to care, treatment and services for children and adolescents exposed to traumatic events. The website’s Sexual Abuse page provides information on ways to identify sexual abuse, policies for creating safe places for children, and the benefits of trauma-focused therapy for survivors of childhood sexual abuse.

• National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC)

NSVRC seeks to provide leadership in preventing and responding to sexual violence through collaboration, research and promoting resources. NSVRC’s “Resources” page provides links to publications, news outlets, and articles regarding sexual assault victimization.

• United States Office of Justice Programs 

The U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs operates the Office of Victims of Crime (OVC). OVC offers information and resources for individuals seeking research, technical assistance and publications relating to victims of crime.

• The World Health Organization (WHO)

The World Health Organization provides publications, research, information and studies pertaining to sexual violence internationally, including the Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI), a consortium established to promote research on sexual violence and generate empirical data ensuring that sexual violence is recognized as a priority public health program.

Suggested Books

• Letters to Survivors, by Matt Atkinson

Letters to Survivors: Words of Comfort for Women Recovering from Rape compiles letters from survivors around the world who want to share their personal message of hope after rape. Each woman’s letter addresses a different aspect of recovery from rape, such as recovering trust, coping with depression and suicidal thoughts, self-injury, spirituality/God, how to find support, how to recognize toxic so-called “helpers,” how to work effectively with your therapist, how to handle discouragement, and how to find hope again.

• The Courage to Heal, by Ellen Bass and Laura Davis 

The Courage to Heal is a critically acclaimed guide for women survivors of childhood sexual abuse. The book offers a hope and a map of the healing journey from victim to survivor. Weaving together personal experience with professional knowledge, the authors provide clear explanations, practical suggestions, and support throughout the healing process.

Bass and Davis also offer other books on sexual violence, including Allies in Healing: When the Person You Love Was Sexually Abused as a Child , which was designed to provide practical advice to loved ones trying to support the survivors in their lives while tending to their own needs along the way, and Beginning to Heal: A First Book for Men and Women Who Were Sexually Abused as Children, which offers hope and guidance to all survivors starting the healing journey.

• Recovering from Rape, by Linda Ledray

This comprehensive handbook offers readers emotional support and practical guidance in overcoming the trauma of rape. The book seeks to help readers learn the most effective ways of dealing with their feelings immediately following an assault, during the subsequent months, and years beyond.

• Victims No Longer, by Mike Lew

Victims No Longer: The Classic Guide for Men Recovering from Sexual Child Abuse was the first book written specifically for male survivors of childhood sexual abuse. The resource combines practical advice as well as personal stories from male survivors in order to explore strategies for survival and healing.

• The Rape Recovery Handbook, by Aphrodite T. Matsakis

The Rape Recovery Handbook: A Step By Step Help for Survivors of Sexual Assault provides victims with an effective framework by which they may begin their healing process, and offers insight into how sexual assault can affect many different areas of a person’s life.

• The PTSD Workbook, by Mary Beth Williams and Soili Poijula

The PTSD Workbook: Simple, Effective Techniques for Overcoming Traumatic Stress Symptoms was written by psychologists and trauma experts Mary Beth Williams and Soili Poijula. In the book, the authors identify techniques and interventions used by PTSD experts around the world to offer trauma survivors – including victims of rape and childhood sexual abuse – effective tools to help conquer their most distressing trauma related symptoms.

Links to News about ASIJ

News About ASIJ

The Japan Times

June 23, 2014 – ASIJ Abuse Scandal Stirs Dark Memories Among Readers

June 9, 2014 – ASIJ Announces Investigation into Sex Abuse

June 2, 2014 – Letters: What Did ASIJ Know of Moyer Sex Abuse and Why Was Nothing Done?

May 12, 2014 – After ASIJ Admission that Teacher Abused Kids, Ex-Students Demand Inquiry

March 20, 2014 – ASIJ Admits Honored Teacher Sexually Abused Students

September 1, 2014 – St. Mary’s International School in Tokyo Rocked by Sexual Abuse Claims

The Oregonian

June 12, 2014 – American School in Japan Told Pedophile Teacher Abused Girls for Decades, Portland Firm Says

The English Language Gazette

June 2014 –  Vahey preyed on US-funded school network

BULLSHIT response full of lies and inaccuracies.

BULLSHIT response full of lies and inaccuracies.

April 2, 2015 Letter from ASIJ Regarding Investigation Status

April 10, 2015Blog

April 2, 2015

Dear ASIJ Parents, Trustees, Alumni, Faculty and Members of the ASIJ Community,

We write to update you on the status of our investigation into reports of sexual abuse at ASIJ by Jack Moyer, a teacher and consultant affiliated with the school from 1963-2000.

As you are aware, after hearing of the deeply troubling allegations, the current Board of Directors took action last June to retain an independent law firm to conduct a thorough investigation. The investigation, involving extensive interviews in multiple countries, is nearing conclusion.

While we had anticipated concluding the investigation sooner, it is important to note that, shortly after announcing our process, we received a demand letter from a law firm that has been retained in the U.S. by a number of victims. The firm made significant financial and other demands on the school, which we have been working through. In December, we and the law firm hired by the victims mutually agreed to engage a respected mediator with relevant experience to help find a responsible way forward. Those discussions are ongoing.

We recognize that everyone in our community is eager for a resolution to this dark chapter in ASIJ’s history. We want to assure you that we continue to work diligently to get the facts and to do all we can to achieve a fair resolution consistent with our obligations to the victims, for whom we have great sympathy, as well as our school, including current and future students.

We appreciate your continued patience and support.

Sincerely,

The Board of Directors
The American School in Japan

March 2014 Letter from ASIJ Admitting Jack Moyer's Abuse

March 2014 Letter from ASIJ Admitting Jack Moyer’s Abuse of ASIJ Students

April 9, 2015Blog

March 17, 2014

Dear ASIJ Alumni and ASIJ Community,

This past November, we received a letter from a former ASIJ
student detailing sexual abuse by a former ASIJ teacher, Jack
Moyer. Moyer was employed as a middle school teacher from
1963 – 84. Based on other information we have been able to
gather, as well as an acknowledgement made by Moyer to
another affected student prior to his death in 2004, we believe
he engaged in inappropriate sexual contact with students
during his teaching tenure at ASIJ. Following his retirement
from teaching at ASIJ in 1984, Moyer continued as a
consultant for ASLFs off-campus marine science programs
until 2000.

The current Board of Directors and leadership team take these
circumstances very seriously and recognize the disturbing
implication for our students and families, past and present. By
openly acknowledging this sad part of our history and by
offering our sincere sympathy to those who were impacted by
these events, we hope to assist in the healing process. We
encourage anyone who desires to share his or her experience
with us to reach out. Please contact Board Chair, Mrs.
Stephanie Howe Toppino by either calling the school directly
(0422-34-5300 ext 201) or via email at stoppino@asij.ac.jp.

We also take this opportunity to assure our community that
ASIJ is a school committed to sustaining an environment that
does not permit or condone any form of sexual abuse, sexual
harassment, or any abuse of children by adults. To this end,
we will continue to review policies and practices as they
relate to the protection of students. Currently our counseling
programs at each division address with our students about
their responsibility to treat others with respect, their parallel
right to be treated with respect and be safe in their person and
how to report inappropriate behavior. Counselors at each
division will continue to reinforce these messages.

We would like to also announce an ASIJ donation to TELL
Counseling. TELL offers counseling services throughout
Japan as well as a Lifeline School Awareness Program and
the Child Protection Awareness Program. All of these worthy
programs address the needs and rights of children in Japan.
We encourage those in the community who would like to join
us in our pledge to do so by contacting TELL directly at
http://www.tellip.com/index.php7/how to donate/

One of our core stated values at ASIJ is to provide for the
social, physical, and emotional well being of our students. We
believe that a culture of trust and respect is the very
foundation on which all of our educational efforts as a
community are based. As we look forward, the school will
work to continually ensure that this foundation remains
strong.

A recent visitor to ASIJ remarked that our students look out
for one another and are gentle in their interactions with each
other. We are proud of this observation and will continue to
ensure that this culture endures and is the standard by which
we judge our success.

In this day when social media is so prevalent and concerns
with cyber-bullying so paramount, we ask you to be
especially sensitive to the impact your words and posts (and
those of your children) can have on our community.

To ensure that any communications are both accurate and
respect the privacy of our community, we ask that you refer
any inquiries you may receive directly to either of us, rather
than responding yourself.

ASIJ, its leadership team, and its Board of Directors, thank
you in advance for your understanding and cooperation.

Sincerely,
Stephanie H. Toppino
Chair, Board of Directors
Edwin V. Ladd
Head of School

April 2014 Letter from Alumni to ASIJ Calling for Investigation

April 9, 2015Blog

April 6, 2014

Mr. Ed Ladd, Head of School
Ms. Stephanie Toppino, Board Chair, Board of Directors

The American School in Japan
1-1-1 Nomizu, Chofu-shi,
Tokyo, 182-0031, Japan

Dear Mr. Ladd & Ms. Toppino:

We are writing in response to your communication of March 2014 regarding Jack Moyer. To say that we are broken-hearted at this terrible news is a monumental understatement. It is almost impossible for us to believe. Many of us spent our entire formative years at ASIJ. The school, the relationships we forged there, and the memories we made are as beloved to us as our own families. It is shocking and heartbreaking to us that such evil could have befallen any of our classmates and friends. That the evil acts were not only known to the administration of the school but appear to have been sanctioned by it (through continuing to associate with the perpetrator for years after the knowledge of his deeds was brought to the attention of the school) is entirely beyond our comprehension. It is, in a word, outrageous.

As a result, respectfully, as a class, we are not satisfied with your letter. As alumni of the school, many of us have made significant financial contributions to ASIJ over the 27 years since our graduation, and in some cases have sent our own children to become students at the school. We respectfully, but firmly, ask for answers to the following questions:

1. What actions have been and will be taken to protect future students from befalling a similar fate?
2. What specific actions have been taken to understand how this could have happened under the watch of prior administrations, and why nothing was done when the allegations were initially brought forth?
3. Are there any current administration/board members who were present during the years Jack Moyer was associated with the school during and after employment? If so, are they being asked for a full accounting of what might have been known?
4. What plans does ASIJ have to support Jack Moyer’s victims, a number that may well exceed several dozen?

As we know you are aware, one of the overriding purposes of any institution that is entrusted, as ASIJ was and continues to be, with the welfare of children, is to protect those within its care. The unfortunate impression we are left with after reading your letter is that ASIJ cares more about ‘circling the wagons’ than fulfilling the trust bestowed upon it by parents. We are certain that this is not your intent.

A full airing of the past, including who knew what and when they knew it, is the only way forward. If ASIJ chooses to be proactive in allowing 3sunshine2 to prevail, our community will have a far better chance of healing, as Penn State recently learned (and the parallels with Penn State here are deeply troubling, both in terms of the likely number of victims and the culpability of former administrators who looked the other way).

We send this letter in the spirit of caring deeply for ASIJ, and look forward to your response.

Signed: Members of the Class of 1987

ASIJ June 2014 Letter Announcing Ropes and Gray Investigation

June 2014 Letter from ASIJ Announcing Ropes & Gray Investigation

June 4, 2014

Dear ASIJ Parents, Trustees, Alumni, Faculty and Members of the ASIJ Community,

Since ASIJ publicly acknowledged in March the allegations of abuse on the part of JackMoyer, a teacher and consultant affiliated with the school from 1963-2000, the Board of Directors and the administration have engaged with students, parents, trustees, alumni, and our regulatory authorities as well as affected former students. We appreciate the many expressions of support, as well as constructive input from a number of you in our broader community.

The loss of a child’s innocence in a school setting is inexcusable, and the Board has received these allegations with humility, sympathy and the utmost seriousness. It is in that spirit, and after extensive work on this matter, that we have concluded the need for an independent investigation into the facts of this case. We see this as an essential step toward continuing to minimize or eliminate the risks that something of this nature would ever happen to current or future students. We also hope this will help provide a measure of closure for those who have been directly affected.

We write today to let you know the Board’s Statutory Auditors have engaged the respected law firm of Ropes & Gray to lead the independent investigation. Based in Boston, but with offices in Tokyo, Ropes & Gray has no prior involvement with ASIJ and has extensive experience with similar investigations, involving schools in the U.S. and internationally. Ropes & Gray is tasked with ensuring the investigation is thorough, fair and appropriate with respect to all concerned.

The investigation, which we expect to be completed by sometime this fall, will be completely independent. The school’s Statutory Auditors, Katherine Hall and Fred Morgenstern, identified Ropes & Gray, set the terms of engagement, and will oversee all matters regarding the progress of the investigation. Their oversight will be based on the standards set out under the school’s governance procedures and Japanese law, which requires ASIJ to appoint independent Statutory Auditors to monitor the Board as non-Directors.

The investigation will examine all school records regarding Jack Moyer. It will involve
interviews with former students who elect to come forward, as well as current and former
board members, administrators, faculty, alumni, parents and others who may have relevant information. It will address the allegations against Moyer, and assess how ASJI faculty, staff and administrators responded. It will also examine any other allegations of sexually inappropriate behavior at ASIJ that might surface as part of this investigation. It will cover the period from Moyer’s employment up to and including today.

Anyone wishing to come forward with information that may be pertinent to this independent investigation may do so under full confidentiality at 617-235-4397 in the US, and 03-6259-3566 in Japan.  Those who wish to contact the Firm via email may do so at:
ASIJReportline@ropesgray.com.

Ropes & Gray will present its report and findings to the Board once the review has been
completed.  A summary of the report and its conclusions will be made public thereafter, taking into consideration victim privacy and Japanese privacy laws.

While we wait for the report and its recommendations, we want you to know that we have
already moved forward with a number of initiatives to protect students. Criminal background checks are now mandated for all employees, both new and existing. ASIJ is also studying best practices at other schools and we are working with the organization Keeping Children Safe to devise and introduce new measures that will go even further in addressing the needs of our students.  Further information on these steps will be shared in due course.

We thank you for your continued support, and encourage participation in the Ropes & Gray
investigation if you have information to share.

Sincerely,

The Board of Directors
The American School in Japan

Survivors Letter to ASIJ April 8, 2015

http://asijsurvivors.org/april-2-2015-letter-from-asij-regarding-investigation-status/  Read this first and then read our response below.

April 8, 2015
Dear ASIJ Community:
We are thirteen ASIJ alumni, just like you. We are thirteen women who are your friends, family members, former classmates, acquaintances, colleagues, sisters, wives, and daughters. We write to you today because we
are also thirteen victims of Jack Moyer's abuse – and ASIJ's complicity in that abuse – who are deeply hurt and
saddened by ASIJ’s April 2, 2015 “update” to the alumni community.
Last June, in response to the outrage which swept through the ASIJ community following ASIJ’s “recent”
realization of Moyer’s decades-long history of abuse, ASIJ was shamed into announcing an independent,
“thorough, fair and appropriate” investigation into this dark chapter of the school’s history. This investigation
was to have been released in the fall of 2014. Now, community uproar has again pressured ASIJ to provide an
explanation as to why, a year later, no report has surfaced.
According to ASIJ’s most recent “update,” the reason for this delay is, apparently, the victims’ fault – our fault –
because we retained counsel to ensure we had a voice in this process after being ignored for decades. This
deeply hurts and offends us.
In June of 2014, our lawyers wrote a demand letter to ASIJ in which they conveyed our requests for
transparency, a full and complete investigation, changes in policy, fair compensation for what we suffered,
and an apology for the role the school played in our abuse. These requests – that the school take steps to honor
its purported commitment to community, integrity, honesty, and accountability – are ostensibly what the
Board’s recent “update” refers to as “significant financial and other demands on the school.”
Every step of the way, we and our lawyers have fully cooperated with Ropes & Gray (the law firm ASIJ hired
to conduct an independent investigation into Moyer’s abuse). Many former ASIJ faculty, staff and alumni have
reached out to our lawyers and provided them with information, which – with consent from the individual – our
lawyers have dutifully provided to both ASIJ and to Ropes & Gray to aid in their investigation. We participated
in the Ropes & Gray interviews, revealed and relived our abuse before complete strangers, and shared our
personal and painful stories. We did this because we, too, want the report to be as thorough and complete as
possible. ASIJ’s implication that we or our lawyers somehow caused the delay in completion of the report is
simply not true.
Over the past year, we and our advocates – the law firm of O’Donnell Clark & Crew, in Portland, Oregon – have
been conducting our own investigation into this dark chapter of the school’s history. During the course of our
investigation, we have uncovered concrete evidence (and provided this evidence to ASIJ and Ropes & Gray) of
the following:
• ASIJ learned of Moyer’s inappropriate behavior with young female students by at least 1968 and yet
denied any knowledge of such for decades, extending as recently as its March 17, 2014 community
announcement.
• In the years that followed, ASIJ leaders – including but not limited to former Headmasters William
Ricketson, Ray Downs, Peter Cooper, and Tim Carr, as well as former Principals Jack Collins, James
Juergensen, and Robert Winer – received more than four dozen reports of Moyer’s ongoing sexual
misconduct and abuse of ASIJ students.
• Moyer confessed in writing to sexually abusing ASIJ students and specifically identified seven of us
by name among the ranks of his victims.
• ASIJ leaders concealed Moyer’s sexual abuse for more than forty years, and even after repeated
warnings, did not take steps to remove Moyer or safeguard ASIJ students.
2
Please understand that this is not an exhaustive list. Leaders at the school had knowledge of Jack Moyer’s
sexual abuse of ASIJ students for decades. We know this because many of us (and our parents, friends and
family members) summoned up the courage to go tell ASIJ administrators and faculty about Jack Moyer’s
sexual abuse during the time he was abusing us, in the 1970s and 1980s. We believed the school when they
told us they would do something, and that it would never happen again. Each of us believed we were the only
one, for we thought that had our beloved school known – and certainly, once it knew – of Moyer’s sexual abuse
of ASIJ students, it would have taken steps to ensure there would be no others. We shared our pain and
humiliation because we wanted to protect then-current and future students from suffering as we suffered.
Imagine how we felt when, in March of 2014, the school announced that it only “recently” learned of Moyer’s
decades-long abuse. Imagine how we felt when we learned that our school knew of Jack Moyer’s misconduct
as early as 1968 – long before any of us were ever abused – and that many more children were made to suffer
needlessly, all because the school failed to live up to its promises and did not do anything to protect future
victims – including many of us.
The abuse Jack Moyer committed against us included forcible rape, sodomy, and extensive, repeated sexual
abuse. In some cases, the abuse began when we were 11- and 12-year old children; in others, it spanned across
years of our lives. Decades later, we still feel that pain. But Jack Moyer was not the only one who hurt us and
betrayed our trust – ASIJ did, too. High level ASIJ personnel have even admitted to the role they played in
failing to stop the abuse.
For example, in an April 4, 2014 email exchange between former ASIJ High School Principal Dr. James
Juergensen and one victim’s family member, Dr. J spoke of the actions he took in the late 1970s after receiving
detailed, formal reports of Jack Moyer’s abuse of two of us in 1977 and again in 1979. In that April 2014 email,
Dr. J stated:
“[I] went to Bill Ricketson [Headmaster, 1970 – 1977] and then Ray Downs [Headmaster, 1977 –
1991], who told me they were going to investigate further, and take action. … I thought those two Head
guys would follow up, I was too naïve. They must have thought that ASIJ’s reputation was a higher
calling somehow. Boy did that backfire on all of us!!!”
When we, the victims, reached out to ASIJ one year ago, we made our goals very clear: truth about the past,
justice for the victims, and changes to ensure the safety of all current and future students. ASIJ says it has
“great sympathy” for us. But actions speak louder than words. For the last year, ASIJ has not focused on what
happened to us, nor worked with us to develop a process to encourage a fair and reasonable resolution to this
terrible chapter of our collective history.
Despite all of this, however, we remain hopeful that ASIJ will rise to meet our demands. But, to achieve that,
ASIJ needs to show us, not just tell us, that it will honor its core values: community, honesty, integrity, respect
and accountability. ASIJ needs to take responsibility, release the full and complete Ropes & Gray report, and
put an end to the victim blaming. Put simply, ASIJ needs to do the right thing. The truth must come out, for
only then can we – the entire ASIJ community – begin to heal.
We are thirteen of the untold number of survivors of Jack Moyer’s sexual abuse, and of ASIJ’s role in that
abuse. We are thirteen alumni who are deeply and endlessly grateful for the ASIJ Community’s continued
support, and who hope that our school will live up to the honorable goals it promised to embody. Together, we
are ASIJ.
With Hope,
Thirteen ASIJ Sisters

Quick Update

For current and previous readers, I'm hoping to update the information in the next few days.  There is a lot that has happened in the last year and hopefully, I will find time to share with you all some of what has been going on.  Stay tuned........

Begin at the End

If you have just started reading this blog, please start from Day one to get the entire story.  Because of the way the blog is laid out, you will have to go the back to get to the beginning.  Follow the dates to the right side of the page.  The first post was on September 6, 2009.  Thank you.

Japan Times Article 3/20/14 and 5/12/14

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/03/20/national/asij-admits-honored-teacher-sexually-abused-students/



http://www.japantimes.co.jp/community/2014/05/12/issues/asij-admission-teacher-abused-kids-ex-students-demand-inquiry/#.U3DCVC_waG-

Dream

I want to share my dream I had last week with you.   

We were heading to a reunion. It was my sister, Cherryl, and me. On the way we met another ASIJ alumni who had three children with her. We met on a random place on a very high trafficked multi-lane road. There were no buildings around and we just pulled onto a spot off the road. When we got into the car, the lady and the three children were all sitting in the back seat so I asked her if she wanted me to drive since I knew the way. 

I got in the car but the seat belt wouldn't buckle and I couldn't reach the pedals properly. I pulled into a huge lane of traffic and had to back into the center lane because cars were coming fast in the other lanes. I was using my left foot to brake and my right foot to quickly accelerate but couldn't seem to get it all working together. My toes were reaching the pedals but I felt very vulnerable and at risk. 

The next thing that happened was that all three children were sitting in the front seat with me. One was sitting in my lap and the other two next to me unbuckled. I kept on trying to drive while they were sitting in the front but I was scared because I couldn't protect them. 

Then all of a sudden the car I was driving was attached by a long string that was attached to another car about four car lengths in front of me. The car in front didn't appear to be aware that I was attached to it. It was driving erratically and I was trying to keep up with it because I was attached to it. I was crossing multiple lanes of traffic with three children in the front seat not buckled up. We finally were able to pull over because the car in front stopped. I jumped out to cut the string and couldn't find anything to cut it with. 

The next thing that happened was Cherryl, the other person and I walked into a restaurant to go to the bathroom. The children stayed in the car by themselves. We went into the restaurant and I became increasingly worried about the children. I wanted to leave and go get the children but the owner of the restaurant wouldn't let me leave. Cherryl and the other person were allowed to leave but I couldn't leave. The owner of the restaurant was a very strong and powerful man who apparently had many under his authority. All the women in the restaurant were women who he abducted and were not able to leave. 

I tried to be really nice to everyone. There were quite a few men in the restaurant who also worked there. It appeared to be a sex ring and they all worked together. I tried to find sympathy from any one of the men and thought I did from one of them. He quietly said, "follow me". I thought he was going to get me out of there but instead he took me into the basement. There were other men in the basement and some of the women who had been upstairs and been there for a while were down in the basement too. 

There was one other woman who had been abducted around the same time as me. We tried to console each other. The other women (who seemed to all be Japanese or Asian) hated us. Then the other woman who I was with said, "Your friends are trying to reach you." I turned around and the basement was open to the outside. There was a train track right next to where I was being held. All the people who were going to the reunion were on the train, looking out at me, wishing that they could help me but couldn't. Then the train went down the tracks as i watched them leave. 

 That's the end of my dream

Update # 1 3.30.14

Thank you to everyone who reached out to me during the last several weeks. We had our fundraiser for HOPE and it was a huge success!! Thanks for all your gambate's. Ok. Here goes. I will attempt to get all the facts, dates etc. straight but probably won't so please forgive me for any inaccuracies. The names stated from here forward are used with permission. In November 2011 the Penn State atrocities came to light. I wrote earlier in my blog about my thoughts about that. In December of 2011 I received an email from '68 ASIJ Alum, David Bruns. He came across my blog and read it in full before contacting me. His initial contact with me included a draft letter to the ASIJ administration asking for accountability from the administration for the Jack Moyer victims and for those possibly yet identified primarily in the Japanese community. David mailed his first letter to ASIJ Chairman of the Board on December 9, 2011. By the end of January he had not heard or received a response from ASIJ. It wasn't until February 20, 2012 that he received a letter from the Head of School. The letter stated that the board chair had received the correspondence and that both the Head of School and the board chair were not in their current positions in 2004 when this all came to light. The letter also stated that,

"ASIJ continues to monitor, through practice and policy, vigilance to provide an appropriate level of education, protection, and proactive measures to insure the safety of our students."

This response was pretty much the same that Michele and I received from the previous administrations. I can understand why, however, because I'm sure their attorneys are keeping their hands tied and from what I have gathered it has worked so far. Read this latest article about Jerry Sandusky's wife to see how far reaching this is for so many people. http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/26/justice/dottie-sandusky-interview/index.html"
http://www.cnn.com/2014/03/26/justice/dottie-sandusky-interview/index.html And look at how it has impacted Penn State.

"Since the trial, 26 men have settled claims with Penn State totaling $59.7 million in connection with the Sandusky scandal, the university announced last fall. A few other claims have not yet been settled."

In the meantime, on Oct. 2, 2012 I received an email from another one of Jack's targets, Jennifer Vogel Laurie class of '87. While on her own journey to find out what happened to her personally, she ran across my blog and found that she wasn't alone. She shared her personal experience with me and shared that she found it very difficult to read the blog because she found herself listed in the horrible numbered admittance by Jack. She went on to say,

"When I read in your blog about ASIJ's lack of willingness to protect it's students, it was as if the scab was freshly ripped off again. I am absolutely furious....To discover that what happened to me in the summer of 1982 could have been prevented if they had taken action after being made aware of his behavior in 1977, and again in 1982 (the same year!!), I feel incredibly let down and disgusted."

Let me state right here that all of a sudden I felt thrown back into all the emotions and feelings I had while originally writing my blog in 2009 and 2010. I didn't want to revisit it, I didn't want to have to answer questions. I really wanted to lay it to rest. I have to admit that this new request was difficult for me to handle. HOPE experienced a devastating fire in October of 2012. I had recently been promoted to President/CEO and I had a lot on my plate. Additionally, after the fire (possibly due to vandalism) we had 15 more cases of vandalism. It seemed like every day I arrived at the office another crisis happened and my life was spinning out of control but I couldn't let go. I find it interesting too that the announcement from ASIJ this year came right before a huge event. Timing for me for all of this was very off. I didn't handle this new request and information very well. I was done. Over. But, it wasn't at all over for Jennifer. Jennifer continued to ask me questions via email and I responded the best way I could but not very well. I received a long correspondence from her in February 2013. I was still in the throws of recovering from the fire. We still had not settled with the insurance company. Half of our building was gutted, we moved all of our offices into a small space. We were working on top of each other still trying to meet the needs of our community. It just wasn't a good time for me all the way around. Meanwhile, being disappointed in the school's response to his letter, David wrote another letter to the Chairman of the Board in November of 2012. One paragraph of that letter read,

"I attach my previous letter and urge you to reconsider your silence and apparent inaction. It can seem unfair that the previous boards have failed to deal appropriately with this case and that it ends up in your laps. However, the fact remains that the school has not fulfilled its obligation to deal with this publicly. It is now your responsibility."

On December 1, 2012 he followed up with an email to the Head of School calling again for public action. He received another response in February basically saying,

"We are looking into it and I can't say anything else at this time."

Being the leader of a nonprofit organization, I can completely understand the administration's dilemma. If you publicly announce your knowledge of the activity, you are opening yourself up for a huge lawsuit. I get it. That's why the letter to the alum this year in March was still very vague. In May of 2013, I received another email from David stating that he was heading to an ASIJ 1968 reunion in San Diego in June and was hoping to talk with some of his fellow classmates about this. My brother, Stuart, was at the reunion as well as some other people who he spoke with about the school's obligation to publicly acknowledge Moyer's abuse. During the summer of 2013 I was not privy to any activity going on with either David or Jennifer. In late October I received an email from David asking if he could call me. I must say that I was hesitant and really at this point in time didn't really know his motive. I wasn't sure I could trust him and felt very reluctant to take his call. However, never being one to run away from difficulty I accepted his request and he called me. It was very difficult at first for me to speak with David. I expressed to him my distrust and my reluctance to speak with him. I asked him why he was so adamant about pursuing this when he really didn't have any skin in the game. He shared some information with me that would indicate he was genuine and he also shared a concern that no one was reaching out to the Japanese students who possible were subjected to Jack's abuse. After our conversation, I felt better about David's work but explained to him that I just wasn't up to the task. I begged forgiveness and gave him my gambate. I also let him know that Jennifer was also pursuing the same thing with ASIJ and introduced the two of them to each other. In November and December of 2013 both David and Jennifer were corresponding with the school. In November of 2013 Jennifer sent the letter written below.

My name is Jennifer (Vogel) Laurie. I was a student at ASIJ from 1979 through 1983, as part of the class of 1987. I left after I completed the 8th grade, when my family returned to the US, so I didn’t actually get to graduate from ASIJ with my classmates. I was very sad when my parents moved us back to the states as I truly love Japan and wanted to stay at ASIJ for the remainder of my school years. My sisters & brother also attended ASIJ over the years, and my sister Sandra graduated from there in 1980. Our family had always been very proud of our ASIJ ties. This letter has taken me over a year to write and it’s very difficult for me to do even now. When I was in the 7th grade in 1981-82, Jack Moyer was one of my teachers. I thought he was a wonderful teacher, and so did all of my classmates. When he started to give me special attention, I really felt like he cared about me and was interested in my learning and in supporting my interest in science. He would give me gifts, ask about my family and my home life, and give me advice about dealing with my parents. I felt so honored that he took an interest in me, and had a wonderful time talking to him about biology and oceanography, and what I wanted to do with my life when I grew up. I loved our school trip to Miyake and really wanted to learn how to SCUBA dive. He treated me like a grown-up. At that time, my 11 - 12 year old brain didn’t understand his motives. Right before the end of my 7th grade year, he called my home and asked me to go to Miyake with him (alone) that summer (1982). He came to my house and spoke with my parents, telling them that he knew that I wanted to learn to scuba dive, and he wanted to teach me. He must have been convincing because my parents allowed me to go with him. I’m sure that you can imagine what happened to me on that trip, because it’s widely known now that Moyer was a serial pedophile. Needless to say, the experience was very difficult and painful for me. As a child, I wasn’t capable of understanding or dealing with what happened to me, so for many years, I tried to put it out of my mind. I thought that I must have done something wrong and I didn’t want to get in trouble, so I didn’t tell anyone. Later in my 8th grade year, he asked me to go to Miyake again (I believe it must have been spring break, although I can’t recall now). Despite what had happened to me previously, I really wanted to go again, so this time I asked him if I could bring a friend with me, and he allowed it. He didn’t assault me on that trip, and shortly after that he stopped his pursuit of me. In my late teens, I began to experience depression and paralyzing anxiety, and as the years went on, the symptoms seemed to worsen. In my early 20s, I finally told my parents about what he had done to me. My father was furious and wanted to contact ASIJ, but at that time, I was buried in shame and didn’t want anyone to know, so I begged him not to and he respected my wishes. My anxiety and flashbacks were so severe that for years it was extremely hard for me to work. Over the years, I have been to many therapists, and have tried all sorts of treatments, including one-on-one counseling, group therapy, different medications, acupuncture and even hypnosis. I suffered for many years with only a modicum of improvement, until I found an excellent therapist in 2011 who specializes in trauma related issues. She has been slowly helping me deal with the flashbacks and the feelings of shame and helplessness that I had been dealing with for the last 30 years. One day, we were talking about Moyer and she asked me what year he had died. I couldn’t remember, and when I got home that night, it was bugging me so I went online to see if I could find out, and that is when I came across Janet Calcote Simmons’ blog, which I hope that you are by now familiar with. To say that it was a shock is a huge understatement. I was sitting in my home in Oregon, finding out that this man who had abused me so savagely 30 years prior had many other victims (I never knew there was anyone else for sure), and reading a very explicit account of my abuse that Moyer himself had written. Please refer to Janet’s blog, www.asij-holdingmyhand.blogspot.com . On day #58 “Moyer’s Response”, I am number 11 on the list. He left a few things out of his lurid description, but when he said that I was scared and didn’t want to touch him, he was right. Unfortunately, he didn’t give me a choice; he forced himself on me. As weird and awful as it was to read all of that, the most upsetting thing of all was finding out that ASIJ knew, as early as 1977 (if not earlier), that Moyer had been inappropriate with young girls and had failed to take action to protect other students. In fact, from what Janet Calcote Simmons reports, by the time I was abused by him in the summer of 1982, the ASIJ administration had been notified at least 2 times of his actions. How could that be true? It’s hard for me to come to grips with the fact that a school that was so loved by myself and my family actually KNEW that they had a pedophile on their faculty and didn’t deal with it. As a direct result of that inaction, he was still employed and able to assault me in 1982. I was (and still am) devastated. I have been in contact with Janet Calcote Simmons and Michele Connor, the two women who confronted Moyer and tried to make sure that no other children were abused by him. Michele has sent me copies of documents and letters that were sent between themselves and Mr. Moyer, and between the previous Headmaster (Tim Carr) and Janet. I have also received copies of letters that were sent to the ASIJ Board and you, Mr. Ladd, by Mr. David Bruns, a concerned alum from the class of 1968. I am deeply upset about what appears to be a complete lack of action and interest in bringing this situation to light and working on righting the wrongs of the past administrations. In a letter that was written by you, Mr. Ladd, to David Bruns on the 20th of February, 2012, you said, “As a school, we remain committed to our continued support for any victims in this matter”. This statement would indicate that there has actually been some support of victims, and that you were committed to continuing it. As a victim myself, I would very much like to know what types of support have been given and why no one has ever contacted me? I know that Janet Simmons had informed ASIJ in 2003 that she and Michele had spoken to and uncovered many more victims. What effort has ASIJ made to contact all of his victims and offer support or reparations? Did anyone there ever ask Ms. Calcote Simmons to provide names of victims that Moyer listed so that they could be contacted? I believe that I deserve to have answers to these questions as my name is on that list. I have spoken out to all of the classmates that I am still in touch with, and have received a lot of support from them. However I was very distraught to hear from one classmate who told me that Jack Moyer was not the only pedophile teacher at ASIJ, and that not only young girls were affected, but young boys also. However, he was not willing to go public with this information yet so I will not name him. I am assuming, as he was also in the class of 1987, that his abuse also occurred in the early to mid-1980s. He told me that he was not the only one. ASIJ has failed in every way regarding this matter, and I am deeply saddened by this. If someone had actually done something regarding Mr. Moyer and had made it right when it was first reported, maybe victims of other teachers would have felt safe to speak out and receive help. Regardless of whether anyone in the current administration was working there when the abuse was taking place, you still have the responsibility to bring this issue into the light, publicly, and make a concerted and true effort to make sure that all of the victims are helped. There could still be other unidentified victims out there who need assistance. The current administration has the opportunity to do the right thing. These are some of the things that I (and others) feel need to happen, as soon as possible: • Use school publications and websites to publicly talk about what happened and start a campaign to locate all female and male victims of sexual abuse at ASIJ. • Acknowledge what has happened and personally contact all victims and offer sincere apologies and assistance. • Establish a fund to help pay for professional counseling and treatment for victims. • Provide a link to assistance and support on your school and alumni web pages that victims can click on to be connected with help. In addition, there should be a place where those who have been molested by Moyer (and any other faculty or staff) can receive confidential assistance, perhaps through Tokyo English Life Line (TELL) or a school counselor at ASIJ. • Contact the Ministry of Education to alert them that to the fact that Mr. Moyer had approximately 18 years of contact with Japanese school children and could have had many victims during that time. Share what the school is doing for its own victims as ideas for how the Japanese victims (if they exist) could be helped. It is very disturbing to me that all of the victims have been living with so much pain and suffering for so many years and Mr. Moyer never had to deal with any consequences of his actions, at least until Janet Simmons and Michele Connor confronted him. I also found out that Mr. Moyer left ASIJ in 1984 voluntarily, and even after that continued with the Miyake program until the volcano erupted in 2000. I would very much like to know why this was allowed to happen. All of this has been very humiliating and painful, but the worst thing for me is the heartbreaking realization that the school neglected to stop him and has been indifferent to the needs of victims. I have sought the advice of a lawyer who has given me some suggestions on how to move forward, due to the fact that there is evidence that the school knew about Mr. Moyer’s behavior prior to the date that I was molested. Of course, it would be ideal if the school took a proactive approach and did what is right on its own. I look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, Jennifer Vogel Laurie, ASIJ class of 1987

In December of 2013, I received a request to speak with one of the administrators from ASIJ via phone. I spoke with the administrator at length and felt like they (ASIJ) were attempting to do the right thing. The next time I received correspondence from ASIJ was on Friday, March 14 stating that an email would be sent out to all ASIJ alumn. Following is the email I received from the school.

March 17, 2014 Dear ASIJ Alumni and ASIJ Community, This past November, we received a letter from a former ASIJ student detailing sexual abuse by a former ASIJ teacher, Jack Moyer. Moyer was employed as a middle school teacher from 1963 - 84. Based on other information we have been able to gather, as well as an acknowledgement made by Moyer to another affected student prior to his death in 2004, we believe he engaged in inappropriate sexual contact with students during his teaching tenure at ASIJ. Following his retirement from teaching at ASIJ in 1984, Moyer continued as a consultant for ASIJ’s off-campus marine science programs until 2000. The current Board of Directors and leadership team take these circumstances very seriously and recognize the disturbing implication for our students and families, past and present. By openly acknowledging this sad part of our history and by offering our sincere sympathy to those who were impacted by these events, we hope to assist in the healing process. We encourage anyone who desires to share his or her experience with us to reach out. Please contact Board Chair, Mrs. Stephanie Howe Toppino by either calling the school directly (0422-34-5300 ext 201) or via email at stoppino@asij.ac.jp. We also take this opportunity to assure our community that ASIJ is a school committed to sustaining an environment that does not permit or condone any form of sexual abuse, sexual harassment, or any abuse of children by adults. To this end, we will continue to review policies and practices as they relate to the protection of students. Currently our counseling programs at each division address with our students about their responsibility to treat others with respect, their parallel right to be treated with respect and be safe in their person and how to report inappropriate behavior. Counselors at each division will continue to reinforce these messages. We would like to also announce an ASIJ donation to TELL Counseling. TELL offers counseling services throughout Japan as well as a Lifeline School Awareness Program and the Child Protection Awareness Program. All of these worthy programs address the needs and rights of children in Japan. We encourage those in the community who would like to join us in our pledge to do so by contacting TELL directly at http://www.telljp.com/index.php?/how_to_donate/ One of our core stated values at ASIJ is to provide for the social, physical, and emotional well being of our students. We believe that a culture of trust and respect is the very foundation on which all of our educational efforts as a community are based. As we look forward, the school will work to continually ensure that this foundation remains strong. A recent visitor to ASIJ remarked that our students look out for one another and are gentle in their interactions with each other. We are proud of this observation and will continue to ensure that this culture endures and is the standard by which we judge our success. In this day when social media is so prevalent and concerns with cyber-bullying so paramount, we ask you to be especially sensitive to the impact your words and posts (and those of your children) can have on our community. To ensure that any communications are both accurate and respect the privacy of our community, we ask that you refer any inquiries you may receive directly to either of us, rather than responding yourself. ASIJ, its leadership team, and its Board of Directors, thank you in advance for your understanding and cooperation. Sincerely, Stephanie H. Toppino Chair, Board of Directors Edwin V. Ladd Head of School

And now you know some of the rest of the story.

Post - ASIJ Letter to Alumni and Japan Times Article March 2014

Please forgive me for not having any information up yet about what transpired over the last several months. Again, I promise to have as much as I know up by the end of March. Please think about me as we are hosting a huge fundraiser for HOPE Ministries on March 27. Our goal is to raise $150,000. After I'm finished with the fundraiser then I can rest a bit and begin the REST OF THE STORY. I'm not sure anyone will be totally happy with the outcome. Please continue to advocate for those who can't advocate for themselves. Everyone has their own story. If nothing else, listen to others before you make a judgment. They have their story too. Thank you to everyone who reached out to me. It means a great deal.

March 2014

In light of all the activity that has gone on over the last few days I will attempt to let you all know what prompted the current administration to release the information. However, I am currently preparing for a large fundraiser next week and don't have a lot of free time. Hopefully, this weekend will afford me some time to write. Thank you to all of you who have reached out to me during this time. I'm doing very well and am glad it is finally out in the open. God's grace and mercy to all.

Anonymous from Day Seventeen

Anonymous from Day Seventeen. I would love to talk with you further. Please contact me either via email jsimmons@hopebr.org or via facebook at:
http://www.facebook.com/jkcsimmons

I look forward to hearing from you. Janet

Read from the bottom up

If this is your first time to this blog. Please start at day one and read from the bottom up. Evidently, I am unable to change the chronology. Sorry for the problems. Thanks for reading. Janet

Day Sixty - two

Jack returned from the Philippines after the Christmas and New Year holiday, and we put on the pressure. He was still resistant, not wanting to admit that working with children was not okay. He was concerned about his reputation. We sent several correspondences requesting that he stop working with children through his schools through-out Japan. He continued to try to convince us that he didn't have anything to "do" with the children and that the only reason his picture was on the website showing him working with children was for a photo op. We began putting on the pressure for him to cease and desist. He continued to resist. We continued to pressure.

On January 10, 2004, roughly 5:30p.m.EST, as I was getting ready to go out for the evening with my husband, I received a call from a friend and fellow SBMK. She said, "Janet, I don't know if you heard or not, but Jack was found dead in Tokyo. They think he committed suicide."

I remember sitting on my bed, letting the realization sink in. My biggest fear, the thing I did not want to happen, just came to realization. As I sat on my bed, many different feelings came to pass. Some feelings of relief, others of guilt, and then those of quiet contemplation. I remembered wanting Jack's approval. I remembered wanting to fit in and he provided that. I remembered wanting to be one of the "cool" kids. I remembered the confusion. I remembered wanting to be accepted for me, not for just some - body. I remembered being vulnerable and gullible (I still am to a certain degree). I remember being called TH&H - totally helpless and hopeless, I remembered telling him "no" and then being an outcast, non-entity, a reject. Then I remembered picking up the pieces and making it on my own. Returning to my "homeland" at 17 - just turned 17 - and my "homeland" wasn't my own. I was still so young. Still so vulnerable. Still so susceptible. But, GOD, in His incredible grace and sovereign knowledge,and infinite mercy placed me in His arms and made me strong. He helped me get through it. I was going to be okay. I made it this far didn't I?

I called Michele. She found out early that morning. She didn't want to tell me. I understood why. But, I was a lot better than even I thought I would be. I was determined not to let him overcome me or over power me, even in his death.

My husband and I continued with our plans that night. Both Michele and I realized we had to address this the next day. But, life would go on. Our horrible past would still live. And we all were NOT better for the outcome. But somehow, we were able to persevere.

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2004/01/12/national/american-environmentalist-dead-in-suspected-suicide/

http://www.chanpon.org/archive/2004/01/25/18h09m21s#more

http://www.nytimes.com/1987/02/15/travel/japan-s-getaway-islands.html?pagewanted=all

Day Sixty-one

I have promised that I would complete this blog. There is still a lot of stuff that I haven't had a chance to review, however, in order to end the story, I believe it's important to continue.

After Jack responded to our request. He went to Singapore to see his family. I assume he spoke with his wife during that time and explained to her what was going on. We sent several more emails, insisting on his admission of his proclivities.

On Saturday, January 10, 2004 that morning, I was reading the Psalms. The following words laid before me.

Psalm 10:

Why O Lord, do you stand far off?
Why do you hide yourself in times of trouble?
In his arrogance the wicked man hunts down the weak,
He boasts of the cravings of his heart;
He blesses the greedy and reviles the Lord.
In his pride the wicked does not seek him;
In all his thoughts there is nor room for God.
His ways are prosperous; he is haughty and your laws are far from him;
He sneers at all his enemies;
He says to himself, "Nothing will shake me. I will always be happy and never have trouble." His mouth is full of curses and lies and threats; trouble and evil are under his tongue. He lies in wait near the villages; from ambush he murders the innocent, watching in secret for his victims. He lies in wait like a lion in cover; he lies in wait to catch the helpless; he catches the helpless and drags them off in his net. His victims are crushed they collapse; they fall under his strength.
He says to himself, "God has forgotten; he covers his face and never sees."
Arise, Lord! Lift up your hand, O God.
Do not forget the helpless. Why does the wicked man revile God? Why does he say to himself, "He won't call me to account"?
But, you, O God, do see trouble and grief; you consider it to take it in hand. The victim commits himself to you; you are the helper of the fatherless.
Break the arm of the wicked and evil man; call him to account for his wickedness that would not be found out. The Lord is King for ever and ever, the nations will perish from his land. You hear, O Lord, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, defending the fatherless and the oppressed, in order that man, who is of the earth, may terrify no more.

I read this the morning of Saturday, January 10, 2004.

Day Sixty

I promise I will get back to writing as soon as my life settles down. I do have a request, though, will someone please translate the comment on Day 59. It looks like it might be in Chinese. I can't begin to start translating it myself. Thanks so much for your help!!

The comment was spam so I deleted it. Sorry to bother you guys!!