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	Bishop Verryn Lashes out at Aid Groups By Micel Schnehage Eyewitness News September 16, 2009 http://www.eyewitnessnews.co.za/articleprog.aspx?id=22038 Eyewitness News has learnt that caregivers trying to assist children at the Central Methodist Church have been accused, by Bishop Paul Verryn, of stealing them. Aid workers tried to provide alternative accommodation for some of the children, living at the church, after allegations of sexual abuse first surfaced last year. Earlier this week, EWN reported that girls were being sexually abused by male teachers in return for toiletries, food and clothes while young boys were being recruited into a life of crime. Social workers claim the youngsters were accused of lying. "When children are told that they're lying they later tell us, that in that context, we have no voice and we cannot be believed," explained Clinical psychologist Johanna Kistner. Kistner said not only were aid organisations and workers later denied access to the children they were also accused of removing kids without permission. "Organisations that tried to get the kids to better living conditions were accused of stealing children," said Kistner. However, aid workers insist the children were removed to protect them from further abuse but the church's Bishop Verryn responded saying aid workers removed the children without permission.
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