Ministers launch forgiveness campaign
THE MeadHaven Ministers’ Fraternal yesterday launched a ‘Forgiveness Campaign’, which urges Jamaicans to let go of issues and to be less confrontational in a bid to reduce violence in the society.
“We are not asking you to let someone off the hook… but just not to keep in the resentment and bitterness against the person who has wronged you,” said Rev Devon Dick, who pastors the Boulevard Baptist Church in Kingston.
The fraternal – made up of about 16 churches in the Meadowbrook and Havendale area – argued that forgiveness was especially needed now in light of recent surveys showing that reprisals accounted for 32 per cent of the murders in 2002, while domestic violence accounted for another 27 per cent.
“The fraternal is of the view that over time the campaign on forgiveness could have a positive impact on the nation. This would undoubtedly result in less violence arising out of an unforgiving spirit,” it said in a press statement.
The campaign which starts today – Ash Wednesday – will include:
. a hotline (755-2807) manned by students at the Jamaica Theological Seminary and Caribbean Graduate School of Theology on West Avenue. The students are expected to field questions and deal with persons struggling with forgiveness;
. public service announcements showcasing different situations that inflict hurt and encouraging persons to forgive;
. real life stories from ‘heroes of forgiveness’;
. endorsements from health professionals, high -profile members of the public and private sectors highlighting the importance of forgiveness to good health;
. a symposium for ministers from Kingston, St Andrew and St Catherine to formulate strategies for community outreach with the message of forgiveness as well as to get feedback on the programme;
. a national church service on August 24; and
. a National Day of Forgiveness on August 27.
At the press conference held at the Grace Missionary Church on West Avenue, another pastor, Rawl Tyson shared about his struggle with forgiveness after being robbed and shot by gunmen a couple years ago.
“I was involved in an armed robbery situation. My good friend was shot and killed. I was shot and now have a spinal injury. Another co-worker was also injured,” said Tyson, who pastors the Christian Life Fellowship Church in August Town. “When I realised that my friend, who was a caring father and a hardworking citizen was killed by a 19 year-old boy who refused to work and was wanted for eight murders, I found it hard to forgive.”
“It was a major struggle for me to forgive those boys even as I was going through rehabilitation but my faith in God helped me,” said Tyson, who is paralysed from the waist down and uses a wheelchair.
The theme for the campaign is ‘no forgiveness, no future’.
According to the minister’s fraternal, the campaign will also bolster the national values and attitudes programme being run by the government.