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Aloha to everyone who read my long story and especially my ex-TWI ohana (family) who responded. You all know exactly what to say and I am blessed! I told my daughter about GSC, maybe when the dust settles she will come on board and share her journey, ask questions from you "old-timers", and contribute. Thanks so much for the support here!

One of my faves ! The lead singer of this band was once told by his father he would never amount to anything....

I don't know what bible they are using to justify this, but mine says this: "Gen 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh." Nowhere in that verse does it say "unless they aren't part of the way ministry". They have broken apart a "one flesh" union where they had no authority to do that. If that's not evil I don't know what is.

I think there was another thread elsewhere about the purchase of Gartmore. It was no mistake. It is in a stunningly gorgeous setting, a mansion, with classrooms and other facilities. Wouldn't surprise me if he wanted it because it was so much more beautiful than Ohio, or even Gunnison. C'mon, do you think in the British Isles there was only one property for sale? But it would have been cheaper because of its remoteness. And its dilapidation (because it was very dilapidated when it was purchased). Transport is difficult, remote, and a long way from the rest of Europe - the farthest north place, when in fact for Europe a better location would have been France or Germany, easier for all the European believers, more central. BUT that might require CG to learn those languages fluently enough, or to allow control to those who did speak those languages (even though most people there are in fact very fluent in English and probably speak better English than CG). No, NEVER! Never give up control! Whatever, the place was a monument to his ego. And his controlling of volunteers and in particular European Corps, who worked willingly and hard under the abuse meted out to him. Vols and EC flocked to the place to try to help with the necessary works. None of their help was good enough. No, a martyr for his faith. Or his ego. Not a blunder - it was his scheme all along.

An old thread, this, but some may have no knowledge, so it may be of interest. Bear in mind that Gartmore was supposed to be the European HQ. As such - why seek a place in the farthest north, most remote part? Scotland isn't at all close to Italy, Germany, other locations. Not too far from Scandinavia, where there were quite a number of believers, and Ireland, likewise - but England would be just as accessible for those people and MUCH easier for any overland travellers from Europe - and probably cheaper in airfares for those who flew. Europe has, and had at the time, fantastically good overland networks. Great rail through many countries, great wide roads and motorways, no border controls once within the area... You would think somewhere in France or perhaps Germany might be more appropriate. With a national to lead the ministry. But HQ was keen to get rid of CG, and a European HQ anywhere other than the UK would require CG to be completely fluent (rather than just "good") in one or more European languages - or rely on interpreters - heck, he wouldn't like that loss of control Ego. It was all about his ego.

Same was said..... ....when building the BRC at hq ....when 6th Corps went to Emporia Campus ....when Kansas believers worked weekends at Emporia ....when Camp Gunnison needed upgrades and building projects ....when L.E.A.D. at Tinnie, NM had Way Builders sent in ....when young corps worked 80 hrs weeks to get ready for Rock of Ages ....when Word in Business and Profession Conferences were in your state ....when Advanced Class Specials were in Texas during Thanksgiving weekend ....all of this is standard modus operandi And.......THAT is the point. Where DID the money go? WHO pocketed all the money from ALL the FREE labor? Sure, if you're happy to give......give. BUT...it is a punch in the gut to realize that SERIAL SEXUAL PREDATION and EXPLOITATION were part and parcel to the "lying eyes and smiling faces."

Why does twi *insist* on this...1) Cook meals, 2) Housing guests, 3) In-house labor rather than going to a nice conference center or location? BECAUSE....In-house functions garner strategic advantages. ...1) Twi collects monies for housing/meals for "upfront participation fees" ...2) Free labor or cheap labor helps maximize profits for event ...3) In-house location gives them strategic superiority advantage ...4) Isolation from the outside promotes "believer vs unbeliever" concepts ...5) All imagery enhances that twi-leader is IN CHARGE ...6) Nearby believers will rally to help mow grass, wash dishes, clean bathrooms, etc. ...7) Headquarters [in this case, Gartmore] becomes the FOCAL POINT OF ALLEGIANCE ...8) And.....that's the way wierwille did it. For reasons listed, that is why GEER WOULD NOT consider alternative options as suggested above.

A TEACHING MINISTRY was unprepared with the teachers and teaching materials despite the curriculum having been determined years before. A TEACHING MINISTRY was unprepared with their teaching venue despite having had the venue ahead of time and it being obvious they either needed more time, much more onsite workers, or both. This wasn't the first time twi'd run classes onsite. Since this was an insider to vpw, his complete ineptitude in finding and securing a site, in rushing and selecting an inappropriate site, in working with the available personnel to prepare the site, and inability to work with outsiders (not to mention poor incremental decisions along the way like "buy old and used and not new and functional" make it obvious they- and especially he- had no business TRYING to run things.

I continue to be embarrassed that this guy ever impressed me.

Geer's pop paper......there's a pattern of whining ....[PoP paper] "One of the other problems we faced in putting together the multilingual Advanced Class was the production of the syllabi and other materials for the classes, but I am getting ahead of myself at this point, I really need to go back to the period following our acquisition of Gartmore House." ...."One of the challenges that we were faced with during the European WOW Festival and immediately following it was cooking. To start with we needed to get a kitchen equipped and stocked. Both Barbara and I are experienced at cooking for large groups and at menu preparation, etc. It was largely Barbara who prepared the food for the WOW Festival, and then directly following the Festival I personally began handling the responsibilities of cooking three meals a day." Etc. etc. THIS is the whining diatribe that corps were subjected to during the 1986 Corps Week. Corps had traveled in from all parts of the U.S. -- paying all expenses and using valuable 'vacation' time from work -- to hear this pity-party blunderfest. Gee...to put together a multilingual advanced class, you first need the teachers?? Who knew? Or, in other words.......no sh!t Sherlock. Gee...to pull off the European WOW Festival and subsequent schedule, you have a lot of cooking to do and you needed to get a kitchen equipped and stocked? OMG....who woulda thunk it? THIS type of condescension, as if speaking to third-graders.....is the SAME STUFF that wierwille would ramble off during those corps nightowls by the fire. You know, how he worked SO HARD to find the keys to the bible, and the intense lighting when he filmed the 1967 pfal class, and working with inept people who wanted to be committed, and etc. etc. And, lest we forget......GEER was the man who studied and stood by wierwille's side incessantly and was, supposedly, "riding in to save The Way Ministry."

That's why a prudent purchaser always purchases "subject to survey" or gets a survey before committing irrevocably to the purchase. Following the survey, the purchaser can (a) go ahead if the survey doesn't reveal anything costly to repair; (b) negotiate a reduction on account of necessary repairs; © withdraw from the proposed purchase. Either : (a) the leaks should have been known about in advance and the repair cost deducted from (negotiated off) the purchase price (and the price saving immediately utilised to carry out the essential repairs); or (b) no survey was done...which would have been very poor stewardship of the money. If you know these are the problems (because you've had a property survey done), why whinge about what needs to be done? Anyway...probably what caused the holes in the roof was CG's massive ego. It wouldn't fit into a building that size, LOL.