Christian mission responds

The Rooty Hill Christian mission accused of dismissing a youth worker after discovering his was gay claims it tried to help the young American stay in the country.

In a statement released to the Sydney Star Observer on Thursday, Island Breeze Sydney mission said 22-year-old Shane Stoner left the mission voluntarily.

Mr Stoner was a volunteer with Youth With A Mission from February to May 2008. He left that position of his own accord to seek paid employment outside of the framework of his current visa sponsorship, the statement read.

We sought to assist Mr Stoner in resolving these visa issues but found it wasn’t possible for him to remain in the country under current visa sponsorship conditions.

The statement did not address Stoner’s allegation that he was confronted by mission owners Etienne and Tania Pieterse after discovering his homosexuality in personal text messages on his mobile phone.

Island Breeze Sydney is a part of the international Youth With A Mission voluntary non-profit Christian organisation that runs music and theatre classes with young people aged 15-18 in local schools.

Stoner is now staying with a lesbian couple from Metropolitan Community Church Sydney after spending a night in a men’s homeless shelter.