A Splash of Love….

Generally, I no longer write, and definitely don’t do blogs, due to severe issues with my left hand and arm when doing so, and consequences I suffer for sitting. But today, I am resurfacing to do an update on Jeriah Mast’s crimes in Haiti.

On December 2, 2025, Jeriah Mast was charged on four counts of engaging in illicit sexual conduct with minors. (Read the article here: Ohio Missionary Indicted for Child Exploitation Crimes in Haiti) The question many have is, why only four? The answer is simple. Christian Aid Ministries – and God forbid we call it what it is and say they “paid off the victims in exchange for silence” – paid victims. Whatever justification or excuse for offering those funds, it effectively silenced most victims. Let me say this, I will thank God for the four. And I will celebrate Mast’s arrest. 

In the past I have been accused of ‘finding joy when one more Mennonite man is arrested.’ If that is how you read that last sentence in the first paragraph, let me break it down in simplest of terms. 

I. Thank. God. When. Any. Predator. Is. Brought. To. Justice. 

I do not care if religious or other. I do not care if male or female. I do not care if Mennonite, Amish, Catholic, Protestant, atheist, gay, straight, political, advocate, or any other affiliation or lack thereof. 

I never celebrate that there are predators. I have never thrilled at exposing them because of their culture. But, in any culture, I will always celebrate when truth is brought to light and when children are protected. 

I thank God because one child, somewhere, or maybe a 100 or more, will not be abused by that predator. At least not while they are locked up. Because most reoffend when they are released. 

Today, years after flying to Haiti in June of 2019 – which I did because there were signs of extreme coverup by Christian Aid Ministries – today, I thank God that Jeriah Mast will face the law for what he did to at least four of the countless children he is alleged to have harmed.

I will never forget being told, in semi-whispers, about Mast’s alleged crimes in Haiti. The individual who told me about it knew I was an advocate who would not be silent, and did not tell me his name, or any information to easily find him. What they did not account for, was my uncanny ability to piece things together, and in a child sex assault case with current minors, you better believe I gave all I had, regardless of relational fallout. 

I had no name. Not a first name. Not a last name. I only had several tiny snippets of information. He had worked for Christian Aid Ministries for years. He was conservative Anabaptist. I was quite sure I knew what state he was from. And I knew some basic family ties of in-laws, though not many names. With that I sat down at the computer and began digging. There was no way that any person – especially religious – would go abroad and harm children without being brought face to face with the law, if I could help it. Not on my watch. I found his name after much sleuthing. And somehow I knew. 

I messaged the individual who spoke with me about a couple fleeing Haiti because of allegations that he had done terrible things. Do you know Jeriah Mast? I asked. And that was the beginning of the end. They were shocked that I had found him. From there, I told them I would give Christian Aid Ministries several weeks to do the right thing. If they chose not to report, or chose to cover in any way, I would personally go to Haiti and look into the allegations. (To this day, I have recorded testimony of 9 victims that I sent to an FBI liaison). It was one of the most tragic things, to see these young lives devastated by a man who professed to represent God, on the one hand, and destroyed lives in God’s name on the other hand, even praying with his victims.

Upon my return, I wrote a thorough blog, exposing what was being hidden. I reached out to countless Ohio news stations and papers. Most ignored me. I reached out to law enforcement at federal and local levels, as several others also did.

For some years it looked as though he got away with it. I knew Homeland Security was working on it, but with victims paid off, it looked impossible for truth to of his wickedness to be exposed.

So, yes, today I celebrate that the truth is brought to light. I celebrate that one child, or many, somewhere in time, will be spared because he has no access to them. I do not celebrate that such predators exist. I do not celebrate that they are among my people – the Mennonites. But, yes, I do celebrate that it is no longer hidden, and that it will hopefully spare other children from harm. 

In a quote from the article linked above, the law states what the religious community doesn’t seem to grasp, in spite of Jesus’ words in Matthew 18 about harming children. “Crimes against children, like those mentioned in these allegations, are reprehensible. Such appalling and morally corrupt behavior will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said U.S. Attorney David M. Toepfer for the Northern District of Ohio. “We commend the work of Homeland Security Investigations and the Holmes County Sheriff’s Office, whose thorough work led to these federal charges being filed today.”

We, the people of God, should be saying this, loud and clear. The state should not need to say it for us. We should be helping them deal with this corruption, not hiding them among us. Not being more concerned for the predators’ protection from the law, than the children’s protection from the predators.

The cry for mercy on Jeriah Mast’s behalf is strong among those who wish to see him off the hook. In my opinion, whatever mercy Jeriah Mast needs is between him and God. I will let the Highest Power in the universe work those things out with him, spiritually. 

The duty of adults in this life is to protect children and the vulnerable, not cry for mercy for someone who so vilely misrepresented God on the ‘mission’ field that those children may struggle for life to even grasp any kind of loving God.

Shame on us, if the children are forgotten and the predators’ names are whispered in our prayers, through tears.  God’s place among has long been replaced, if that is what ‘church’ and religion have become. 

Because Jesus sits with the bleeding children. He does not have a place to sit in a religious community like that. 

Remember the children. Remember Haiti. Remember Jesus.

And, dear God, bring this wickedness in Your name to an end! Expose every single one. Bring down the systems that cover, harbour and perpetuate this evil. Oftentimes because their high places have their own hidden wickedness.

As always…
Love,
~ T ~

© Splash4Ripples 2025