The following is meant to share some of the history of the disciplinary philosophy of spanking used by the Advanced Training Institute (ATI) in their orphan ministry. Spanking at the Moscow Training Center (MTC) was used too often for offenses that were only minor and as a cure-all and spirit-breaker. The lack of a coherent, consistent policy on corporal punishment led to confusion and, in some cases, abuse. It also contributed to the eventual failure of the orphan ministry in Russia.
Many of those who were involved with the vacillating policies had decisions forced upon them by Mr. Gothard or other authority figures. Even “Directors” in IBLP and ATI circles were not autonomous. A lot of mistakes were made, and, under different circumstances, many of them would probably have acted differently. This is not meant to be an accusatory article, but a cautionary tale.
Beginnings: 1995
When the Moscow orphan program began in 1995, spanking was not allowed. Of the three families that served at that time, one of them chose to “rebel” against the direction of the Institute–they spanked. They had some success with the children, and one of the worst-behaved accepted Christ and became one of the best-behaved. However, during the summer this family was “asked” to leave.
In the autumn of 1995, the first group of orphans returned to the MTC from their summer vacations in America. Most of the families that had agreed to work with the orphans had refused to take them into their homes unless spanking was allowed. After some negotiation, spanking was authorized. The family that was sent home during the summer was invited back.
When the orphan program had stabilized somewhat, student leaders and families both had sole care of children. Student leaders were allowed to spank, though only in the presence of a father. Over the next few months, the number of families increased, and student leaders were no longer needed.
No Spanking: 1996
During the summer of 1996, most of the orphans were in America when it was decreed that spanking was no longer allowed. This probably resulted from an article in a Russian paper detailing the methods of spanking used at the MTC.
During the summer of no-spanking, one of the orphans had a sudden and dramatic decline in behavior. He began “praying” to Satan and tormenting an older, but more sensitive orphan who was with the same family. The family who was keeping them both was highly stressed by the situation.
Yes Spanking: 1996-1998
Beginning with the fall term of 1996, spanking was allowed again.
For the next year the situation was stable, without political controversy. In 1998, when the South Campus opened, spanking was still allowed, but not by student leaders. All spanking was done by one of the three fathers. This was one of the least abused methods, as both the father and leader had to agree that an offense was worthy of punishment before any physical discipline took place.
No Spanking: 2000 and Beyond
In 2000, things once again deteriorated. (This was after I had left the Institute, so I do not have any firsthand knowledge.) From what I have pieced together, spanking was once again forbidden. The children’s behavior crumbled, and the lead orphan father was asked to leave. Some of the children even decided that they should act especially bad, so that the Institute would be forced to bring the lead orphan family back. This family had been the only steady presence in many of the children’s lives.
I am not sure when the orphan ministry finally and decisively crumbled, but from the very beginning it was obvious that the Institute had no clear idea about child discipline, especially as it applied to the orphans, who often had special needs due to prior mistreatment or neglect. The Institute’s policy changed frequently, apparently based on political pressure from either ATI families or the Russian government. Maintaining their ability to minister seemed more important than the fruit from the ministry, and the children suffered because of it.
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Robert Moore II was homeschooled from sixth grade through high school. He joined the Advanced Training Institute (ATI) in 1991, at the age of 17. He participated in many Children's Institutes and served in IBLP's Russian and orphan ministry from 1994 to 1999. Since then, he has worked in Chinese orphanages and as a foster father in America. He is married and currently resides in his native state of Mississippi.
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I have read through this a couple of times and am a little confused. Did you find that the corporal punishment caused good behavior? That has not been my experience, so it puzzles me. Inward strugles are typically stifled by spanking. You never get to figure out what the real problems are so that they can be worked out in a creative and healthy manner. It's just all quite bizzarr... Maybe I'm misundertand things. ???
Sorry for the confusion. Actually, the situation was pretty messed up all around, but here is one more piece of info that might explain: The kids pretty much knew what was going on, and when we were or were not allowed to spank. Most families had been pretty vocal about their belief in spanking, and some knew little about child discipline without it. When spanking was not allowed, the children noticed quickly. As this was usually the only method of "control" some of the family could/would use, there were suddenly very few limits, and the children knew and took advantage of it.
The combination of a frequently changing policy, families who insisted on spanking as the only "Godly" method of child training and a "fish bowl" type atmosphere where everyone knew everyone else's business meant that when spanking was not allowed, things fell apart pretty quickly, regardless of whether spanking had been very effective before.
"The lack of a coherent, consistent policy on corporal punishment led to confusion and, in some cases, abuse. It also contributed to the eventual failure of the orphan ministry in Russia."
I'm so glad this program failed. It saddens me to think of how those poor orphans were treated. Proper (not abusive) discipline reinforced with GENUINE love will often (not always) produce beautiful results. It's obvious that there was a lot of improper discipline taking place. Also, God is not the author of confusion. Satan was definately at work there.
I will say that I believe most of the families who worked with the children, really did love them and care about them. However, I still believe the methods were questionable, fragmented, and inconsistent. Also I do not feel the organization as a whole cared about the kids, nor were prepared to deal with their unique issues.
ok, Robert. this makes sense to me. yeah, i'm not 100% anti-spanking. but i DO believe that it is rarely necessary. the problem is that creative parenting (bio children and adopted/foster children alike) takes lots of effort and listening to the real needs of the child. creative parenting works WITH the child to solve issues and teach obedience and respect. spanking [typicaly] teaches manipulation and how to hide true, painful issues. devastating. but i guess that's another article for another day, huh? =)
I personally believe that spanking foster children (as these were, essentially) is very shaky ground, of questionable validity to start with.
Hannah, in America, you cannot spank a foster child. It is absolutely forbidden by the state (in Texas, at least). Because they come from abusive, neglected backgrounds, spanking is not allowed. To them it would be the same as the abuse they experienced.
There are so many resources for non-physical ways of discipline that there is no reason for anyone to think spanking is the only way. There are countless stories of orphans and foster kids whose behavior has changed because they received love and consistent discipline that didn't involve spanking.
I'm not against spanking, but I am against spanking orphans and foster kids who come from abusive and let's face it, crappy, backgrounds.
At one time I really wanted to go to Russia and work with the orphan ministry, but after reading several stories on this site about the experience of others who did this, I'm glad I never went over. I've had a love for foster kids and orphans since I was a teenager, and I know I would have been heartbroken for the kids had I experienced ATI's version of orphan care.
I'm with you, there. I was involved in the orphan ministry for a short time, and have many regrets about it. Yet, we were dealing with workers from the ATI program, who had been indoctrinated to think that spanking was the *only* Biblical way.
Robert, thanks for sharing! And things that happened in South Campus, where one of the fathers spanks 16 year old girl, its just strange and not acceptable I think, they should be some limitations!
And close kids in basement and feed them with oats not the best idea( And whos knows what else was going on with orphan ministry.
Were Bob and Aileen Bair there during the spanking times?