Ultimate ForgivenessUltimate forgiveness
Believers choose peace over penalty after daughter’s assault
Eduardo and Angelina are followers of Jesus in a mostly Muslim village. As former Muslims, they have chosen to live there to take Christ’s message of peace and forgiveness to their own people.
So when their young daughter, Marlena, was assaulted by her elementary schoolmates recently, they had a decision to make—to fine the families or to forgive them.
Normally the families of the boys responsible would have been fined heavily for the attack. The boys’ near-rape of Marlena brought disgrace on them and drew the hatred of Angelina’s relatives in the village. As is the custom, the village datu (leader) listened to the details from Angelina’s and Eduardo’s parents. The village elders, as expected, decided to fine the families.
But Eduardo had a different idea: Apologizing to the elders and datu first, he announced that he and Angelina and his father were recommending that the families discipline their sons for their acts but not be fined. Some of the elders disagreed with Eduardo. But the datu, clearly impressed, honored his decision.
Eduardo recalls, “The datu had me speak again, and I said, ‘The purpose of Creator-God to us is that we would help this place know the way to make peace, for that is the example we learned from our friends and is our understanding of the Holy Book [Bible].’”
Eduardo says that the parents of the offending boys were thankful to him. Other villagers, surprised by his decision, said it was a good example to others. “We showed the people of this area that money is not important but that good relationships in the community are,” Eduardo says.
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