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New Beginnings Girls Academy: Survivor Story Part II
Dec 19, 2008

Were you aware of Mrs. Cameron’s history of trouble with the law in relation to Rebekah, another home she helped run before starting New Beginnings?

From an article by Chris Womack, published in The Observer, “The homes have been the subject of allegations of brutality for decades, and in May 1999 a TACCA-approved Roloff home had its turn. Faye Cameron, supervisor of the Rebekah Home for Girls and the wife of Roloff Homes president and TACCA board member Rev. Wiley Cameron Sr., was convicted of a misdemeanor for unlawfully restraining a child. In fact, Cameron was banned from ever working or being present at any juvenile home in Texas-for duct-taping a girl's wrists together and locking her in a room.”
Link: http://www.isaccorp.org/newbeginnings/n ... ngs.a.html

From The Austin Chronicle, by Emily Pyle (2000): “Texas Protective and Regulatory Services removed Faye Cameron, dorm mother of the home and wife of Wiley Cameron, for abuse and neglect. Wiley Cameron retained both his position at the Roloff homes -- and his membership on the TACCA board, which he did not resign until Simons' mother filed suit against the homes the following year.”
Link: http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase ... id%3A79818

I had heard about it, yes. I was there around a year or a year and a half after the incident happened. By that time, Faye Cameron didn't participate in much of our daily activities inside the actual dorm, but she interacted with us almost any time we were around her outside of the dorm, which was often.

More importantly, was your family aware of this?

I'm not sure; I don't think that many parents are aware of it.

There were other incidents as well.

From the Pensacola Independent News, by Duwayne Escobedo (2004): “New Beginnings has been investigated twice (by FACCCA) and insisting that Faye Cameron quit the boarding school for troubled girls after being questioned for hitting a girl with a curtain rod.” Link: http://www.inweekly.net/article.asp?artID=713

Did you witness the incident, or hear about it?

After we left Texas, Mrs. Cameron was rarely around, even though Wiley Cameron was referred to as the president of the ministry. The Camerons lived in another state then, but they dropped in every few months or so. Mrs. Cameron always seemed to maintain a little bit of distance when on the property. While I was there, she never got involved with any of the discipline, which I assume was directly because of her legal trouble in Texas in 1999. One New Beginnings staff member who has worked with the home since it was still part of "Rebekah" in Texas, occasionally recounted times when Mrs. Cameron slapped girls in the face when she still worked inside the actual dorm.
(I witnessed the same behavior by Mrs. Cameron during my time on the Roloff compound.)

Details of the curtain rod incident got really mixed up somehow, which is probably why nothing ever came of the investigations, but I actually know all about it. Mrs. Mac was the primary physical disciplinarian, and "licks" were usually given with a thin, hard, white paddle. Many girls complained of bruises. The time that I got mine, Brother Mac brought in at least eight of my peers and threatened to have them hold me down. None of the girls looked like they wanted to help. Most of us realized that it was just something they did to prevent us from trusting each other.

There were periods of time when they wouldn't administer licks. It seemed like the McNamara’s would back off for a while after a period of time when they were giving licks, and having girls held down by other girls or junior staff if they refused them, just constantly. It was like they'd decide to ease up after realizing they'd gone for a period of time being totally out of control about it.

Once on junior staff, I learned that during staff meetings Brother Mac actually talked about these "phases." He'd say that the home was going to stop using licks as a punishment altogether so that they couldn't get in trouble with the law anymore. The curtain rod incidents happened during times when the McNamara’s said they were going to limit, or completely stop giving licks out; but they continued anyway just because they were particularly angry, or desperately in need of getting things more firmly under their control. Other times, they used one of these rods, which were more specifically the hard plastic rods used to open and close mini-blinds, if they didn't have the usual paddle on hand.

Numerous girls witnessed this happening plenty of times. I remember two incidences in particular. One time, Mrs. Mac gave licks to a girl named Jamie with one of these rods in a building behind one of the churches we sang in on Summer Tour. Several girls were made to hold her face down on the floor while she struggled, and she was repeatedly struck on the buttocks with one of these rods.

The other time, it was a girl named Kara. Brother Mac and another older staff member took Kara into a staff bathroom area. He was shouting terrible things at her while the rest of us listened from outside the door. We watched as he came out for a second, grabbed one of the mini-blind rods from one of the windows and hurried back into the bathroom. None of us could see what happened, but we could hear the girl screaming and begging for them to stop.

When people came to investigate the subject, Brother Mac tried to dictate which girls talked to the investigators. I think all of them were afraid they would get into trouble if they told the investigators anything about what they had really seen or heard. I was never questioned, but I wish I had been, because at that time I would have had the courage to tell truth.

Additional information this young lady shared with me:

• Redshirt/Discipline: Extremely physically strenuous, humiliating punishment that could last for months on end, most of which time the girl spent standing with her nose against a wall. The idea of standing with your nose against a wall doesn't sound very strenuous, but it can be pretty agonizing when you have to do it while remaining in the same position for hours upon hours without a significant break. I was on Redshirt for a month, and we had to wear red gingham shirts to ward off other girls and show that we were being ultimately punished. If other girls communicated with us, they'd be put on Redshirt, too. Girls on Redshirt had to exercise until the last regular girl was done working off her demerits. Afterward, we'd get a six-minute shower and then we had to go back to stand with our noses against the wall until the next activity, which we'd usually remain standing for. For an hour and a half or so, after the other girls went to bed, girls on Redshirt would have to do a series of different exercises which were designed to hurt a lot more than normal exercises. After that, we'd be permitted to sleep. On Redshirt, girls' diets were restricted to half-portions at one time. Later on, this particular form of discipline was modified. They changed the name to "Discipline" at one point, then girls stood with their noses against their bun kbeds instead of walls, got periodic 10-minute sit-down breaks, and some of the rules weren't quite as harsh.

• Behind closed doors Brother Mac used racial slurs. I believe that many girls were discriminated against because of race.
What slurs do you specifically recall him using? Did other staff use similar slurs?
Brother Mac used the "N-word" when referring to black girls when in his living area, around his family, and around a couple of the staff and junior staff members. At one time, some girls of black and Spanish descent were put on "Separation," (forbidden to talk to certain other girls of their race who were on the punishment of Redshirt/Discipline or licks), he said, so they wouldn't make trouble. It wasn't because these girls necessarily showed interest in befriending each other, it was just because of their ethnicity.

• I believe that we were sexually harassed by Brother Mac, too.
How so?
I've said before that he used to come into the dorm and "openly rebuke" us. In other words, he'd come in and single out specific girls and humiliate them to tears. On a couple of occasions, he would come into the dorm and single out specific girls or make more general announcements saying that he could tell that some were masturbating because he could "smell it" on them. I remember him saying that specifically several times. It was awkward and uncomfortable for all of us, needless to say. He'd also fairly frequently discuss our past promiscuous acts in crudely detailed and degrading ways and openly ridicule some girls for claiming to be homosexual before the home.

• Most girls gained serious amounts of weight (despite all the exercise,) which we were sorely ridiculed for, and a good percentage of girls completely stopped menstruating for the duration of their stay.
The menstruation complaint is common for many girls/women affiliated with the homes. Do you recall ever being given any sort of medication? Did you have a normal cycle as a junior staffer?
I don't remember for sure what I was given, but I was told that they were just vitamins. I tried to refuse to take them, but they insisted. I didn't need to be on any pills prior to the home. When I first got there, there were scores of us, who weren't even on any sort of medications previously, who were required to take these "vitamins." Maybe they were vitamins, though, I don't know for sure if the pills that we were given was what caused so many of us to stop menstruating, but it seemed too common to be purely coincidental. We all thought it was weird, we were assured that it was just something that naturally happened when girls are exposed to large groups of other girls. [Something to do with the theory of Menstrual Synchrony.] Some girls had normal cycles, but a good portion of us just entirely stopped. Some of them stopped for several months and some for the entire time they were there. Mine normalized completely as soon as I left the home the first time.
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Posted: Friday December 19, 2008, 7:34 pm
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Paty V. (0) 		Saturday October 10, 2009, 9:04 am
You're fucken stupid. Keep in mind that all of those false accusations will eventually catch up to you

Renee Turner (0) 		Thursday December 3, 2009, 4:51 pm
It is very sad to think that these things happen to our children. Im not opposed to Homes for troubled teens but I am highly opposed to such abuse...It's obvious why they place these homes out in the middle of no where. If these girls had a fair chance to get away, they would. I know of a young lady that is there now and trust me, I better not ever find out she has been mistreated. It was a desperate father that had no time for his children that chose to send her there. I cant believe anyone would pay these idiots one red cent to so called " look after a child ".....I have read many storys about New Beginnings and believe every word these poor girls have writen. Some of the things said are not things that young girls just sit around dreaming about. It does not take a rocket sciencetist to read between the lines. Just take a look at the big picture. I even called to ask about some general information and were told things I could not believe I was hearing. It is againt the law to threaten a child with food. I was told by Mc that as punishment a girl would get a burger with just the meat and bread ( not a damn thing on it ). I was also told that they do make them wear a different colored shirt when they r being punished as well. This way they r singled out.....What bothers me the most is that they do not let them have any contact with family or friends. Now why do you think this is ? It takes about 6 months for them to brain wash them real good. Thats all this is is a brain washing cult...Well, I have news for you folks. There is one that is smarter then you are and when she gets out of there your asses are grass. Take that to the bank.

Kathy G. (0) 		Tuesday December 29, 2009, 7:14 pm
I was in the Rebekah Home for Girls from 1977-1980 in Corpus Christi, Texas under the direct Supervision of Wiley and Faye Cameron. I can guarantee you they would not nor never be a part of the things that are being said on this Website. I pray for you, and the forgiveness you need for stating the things that have been stated......

Melanie G. (0) 		Thursday June 10, 2010, 7:41 am
I came back from the home last year and the home has only helped make me a better person I know that the home was strict but that is exactly what atroubled teen needs. All the macs have ever done is love us girls even when we were a nightmare. They continually prayed for us and Im so thakful the Lord used them to meet a need in my life.

Mary Ann N. (0) 		Wednesday October 13, 2010, 6:11 am
I was at Rebekah Home for Girls from 1975 - 1977, approx. 2 1/2 years total and played the piano for Bro. Roloff. I was glad to find this article, even though most of this was after I left, but I sure definately relate and have witnessed some pretty horrific details myself. Cruelty has NO PLACE in God's Love, and it has never and will never be a part of His Everlasting Grace and love for us. Thank God I have the wisdom and veracity not to let that influence my personal relationship with my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. How many of Rebekah's Victims can say that? I wonder...
I am interested in finding any records of the girls that were either at Rebekah or New Beginnings for a documentary on the subject. Please contact either myself at maryannwynn@cox.net or Kim Evans at rvansvideo@aol.com

Sarah C. (0) 		Friday November 5, 2010, 1:14 pm
Dear Paty, nothing stated above is false!! I am sorry that you think it is but I was in the girls home for a year and saw alot of terrible things happen and I wish i could take it back because I have that memory forever in my head, but I can't. Girls are leaving this home and developing lots of disorders just because of how extreme they were and how badly we were treated. Such disorders include, Panic Attacks, Agoraphobia, Anxiety disorders, and PTSD, just to name some. I have three of them and know girls who have way more problems then that. They have a hard time living a normal life because of what happened to them there. I am glad that there are some people who made it out of there who aren't completely screwed up. But it was different for me. It was different for almost every girl that i went there with. They will all tell you, this place is no place to send a child with problems...I honestly would have been better off at boot camp. but anyways, you can't just say that people are lying when you dont know anything about it. people have no reason to make anything up about this place or how they were treated while there.

Abby Clausen (0) 		Wednesday November 10, 2010, 8:25 am
i was placed in the home from 2001-2004 and constantly was both a witness to/ submitted to the emotional and physical abuse administered under the guise of "guidance and tough, unbending love" i hope this site becomes a warning to parents who are tempted to think that we are making up the tramatic experiences of the home

Jamie S. (0) 		Thursday November 11, 2010, 7:12 am
I find it a little offensive when you can't even spell 'fucking', and if 100+ girls are making what you call 'false' accusations, does that mean our 100+ are liars and you are the only honest person here? SMFH, you ahve got to be the most ignorant, uneducated person I have ever met.

Cindy K. (0) 		Thursday November 11, 2010, 9:36 am
I was in the New Beginnings Girls Academy in FL from August 2004-July 2005. When I was there, I was not allowed to talk to my friends or family or anybody for emotional support. We would get phone calls every two weeks, but we could speak in our native language. My parents do not speak English very well, and because our phone calls were monitored, I had to speak to them in English. They would cut off my phone calls if I started speaking Chinese. This home is in the middle of nowhere on purpose. If there were in ANY other state, besides FL or Missouri, they would be shut down immediately. THE girls who are sent there are constantly being mentally abused. These people who run the home have no training in working with children. They have no degrees or skills with working with children. LOOK at their history, you will see that there were previous drug addicts. They do not have any credentials at all. The girls were constantly being “reprimanded” for just about anything. We were yelled at for no reason at all, being blamed for things completely out of our control. We were constantly watched and had to read the bible all day. We were brainwashed into memorizing bible verses and being “children of GOD.” I can understand if the home would be a place that taught the Word of God, and the people running it were sincerely good people. However, the NBGA home is nothing close to that. The girls are constantly getting into trouble for every thing imaginable, and these people have pride in watching us suffer. I remember brother mac telling us that if our families didn’t believe in GOD, if they didn’t listen to HIM basically they were going to HELL. These people use the excuse of Christianity to substantiate abusing the girls and this is NOT RIGHT. These people need to be stopped, they have NO RIGHT to work with children.


The girls that have left the home, come out having more problems than going in. I can say this because IT HAPPENED TO ME. I went in at fourteen and left when I was fifteen. When I was sixteen I was doing more drugs than before I went in, trying to find peace within myself and trying to figure WHO I WAS. They brainwashed into thinking we had to believe in GOD, we needed salvation for all our sins, we were horrible people and nobody could love us except them. They brainwashed us into thinking we no mind of our own, we couldn’t think for ourselves because to them we were just dirty little girls who slept with every man imaginable. They attack our minds and constantly tell us what to believe, and they do not allow us to talk to our families when we went to (even when we really needed to). There is a reason why we COULDN’T call our families -- NONE of the girls had access to a phone. Now tell me, Could this possible be LEGAL? Even in JUVENILE HALL, they allow you time to call, whoever that may be your friends or family. The macs treated us as dogs, fed us the worse food imaginable and when the girls said they were having health issues -- were constantly ignored. The macs have no right to help girls, they lie to parents telling them that they will help your son or daughter... ‘we will get them right with God, we will help you help your kids’ when in all reality, they are only hurting them more and more to an extent where your child will not even know what is right or wrong. In this place, we have no mind of our own, we are constantly being told what to do, when to do it, and how to do it. Girls cannot talk to each other, they could not even SMILE without getting into trouble. We had to ask to use the bathroom, even HOW LONG to use it, or HOW MANY TOILET PAPERS TO USE. We could not decline going to church, we could not even ignore them if we wanted to. They were constantly there, listening to ALL of our phone calls, reading all of our mail. We could not ask our parents when we were going home, if we did, our phone calls would be cut off or our letters would not be mailed. We could only talk about how good the place was, and how much fun were were having. If we didn’t say these things or a variation of these things we were not to talk to our families. They would not allow us to mention what REALLY was going on there.


Let me just tell you that nobody is making anything up about what went on in the home. That makes me really angry and upset that our experiences that we will never forget and the nightmares we have about what went on there is being “made up.” None of the best stories I will ever tell in my life would come to what went on in the home. I mean honestly, who would have the TIME and the EFFORT & sit here with you today to make up false accusations that never happened? Who would have the time to do that? WHY would it benefit anybody to do that, WHY would anybody make up something that never happened? I mean honestly, if you use logical sense, that makes COMPLETELY NO SENSE. It makes me very upset to think people think we are making this stuff up. The only people who I can imagine saying this must be people affiliated with the NBGA Homes themselves saying this. There is no reason why we would make these things up. NO REASON.

Cindy K. (0) 		Thursday November 11, 2010, 9:37 am
I meant to say, we could NOT talk in our native language, if it was not English.

Jeanette B. (0) 		Friday January 28, 2011, 7:48 am
What a sad moment in my life, where I have to testify that what these girls are saying is truth.
From the heart breaking experience of my own little girl. there is no joy in what has happended to these daughters, but what comes, is freedom from sharing therir testimonies.
The comments which would want us to deny these truths, are still under the power of fear, which breeds anger, which breeds hate.You are not set free.
These girls give honest facts, events which have occured in their own lives, we see the common thread of their heart cries, to reach out to daughters across America, that this in not right.
I stand behind these daughters, and my own, who also, has tear stained cheeks...from crying in the darkness.
Now we speak truth, and the light comes with the truth, and the truth has set these beautiful young ladies free from the chains and bodage of fear, abuse , abandonement, rejection....all the things the woman at the well had to face..
All could write a book of their own story.

Eliana R. (0) 		Wednesday April 20, 2011, 5:00 am
that home was nothing but a joke. physical, emotioanl and mental abuse was a constent in that home. if you for once think that this home has helped me in any form of way, your hightly mistaking. i was in the home2002-2003.it was nothing but a nightmare, from the day i walked on till the day i left. i was told that i would regret telling my mother i loved her because i was so disguested with her for abandoning me there just like she had done to my brother in Anchor home.i was on the wall for 13 months out of the 14 months i was there, why simply because either there daughters would run there mouths to there mommy and daddy,or because i would have one demerit over or because the mr. would forget why he put me on the wall. i was called a whore, when in fact i went in a virgin and walked out as one. i was told that i would be just like my bio mother who slept around for money and was a dope head. i saw girls try to kill each other to get the hell out of there. i saw girls just finally after hours and hours of being ignored drop to the floor. girls get sick because they didnt want to eat the food given to them because it was entirely to much for them. i know for a fact what emotional and physical abuse was for years before this home, but never knew what mental abuse was until after i left. and if they didnt wear you out emotionally or physically, they would mentally. so for those of you who believe the home helped you, im happy for you, but remember now that there are girls who are coming out, not for the hell of it, but because they were honestly affected somehow by this torture chamber. we arent making this shit up. i could go on and on about things i saw, and of course for those of you who are closed minded. let me tell you how fucked up that home and those people are, when i ran away from that hell whole, i saw the mrs. the very next day at walmart, she and i locked eyes, she then turned around and continue to pay for her groceries, as if she never saw me. a few years later i found out that they had said that i was either dead or i was found a week or so later and placed in another home. they didnt care for me. all they cared about was somehow filling up my spot so they could benifit from it.anyways, we girls and boys willl continue to spread the word about homes such as NBGA and pray that they will be shut down for good. stop using God as a crutch to beat young teens down. and actually find a better way to help out troubled teens.

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