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How Missionaries Were Affected

By August 10, 2013June 20th, 2014No Comments

Loss of support and ministry funds. EBM missionaries lost an average of $18,500 when EBM administrators diverted their designated donations. Some lost nothing, others as much as $100,000.

Loss of insurance. All EBM missionaries and staff lost their health insurance and life insurance. Because the entire group contract was terminated at dissolution, the missionaries did not qualify for a COBRA extension or life insurance transfer.

Loss of ministry time. Missionaries and sending churches spent a great deal of time searching for a new agency, somewhat like an additional full-time job during the transition months.

Loss of a missionary network. Missionaries greatly valued the professional and social benefits of an extended network. In the aftermath, what was once called a missionary family disbursed into several other organizations.

Loss of retirement funds. Some EBM missionaries had been using EBM to save money for retirement—an informal fund that was neither a defined benefit plan (such as a pension) or a defined contribution plan (such as a 401b). These funds were unsecured.

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