Powerful Witness: Forgiveness in Charleston
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CBN News
CHARLESTON, S.C. – If the Confederate flag is a
symbol of hate, then the families of those killed in last week's
Charleston church massacre are symbols of love.
The world is
taking notice of how they've responded to the tragedy and to Dylann
Storm Roof, the young man who will stand trial for killing all nine
people -- and it's taking some by surprise.
Roof returns to a Charleston court this week in the
next phase of his pending trial for killing nine people at a Bible study
at the historic Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church.
At Roof's bond hearing, the daughter of 70-year-old
Ethel Lance, an employee of the church who died in the shooting spree,
had the following words for the 21-year-old gunman.
"You took something precious from me. I will never
talk to her ever again. I will never be able to hold her again. But I
forgive you," she said.
The mother of 26-year-old Tywanza Sanders, the youngest victim, was at the Bible study the night her son died.
"Every fiber in my body hurts and I will never be
the same," Felicia Sanders told Roof. "Twaza Sanders is my son, but
Twanza was my hero. As we said in Bible study, we enjoyed you. But may
God have mercy on you."
Those same prayers for mercy can be found, with one
person praying, "The world cannot understand why we are not crying, why
we are not bitter," one person prayed.
Outside the church, thousands of people from around the country gathered to show support.
When the church reopened its doors on Father's Day,
the new pastor made a point to note that the victims' families in this
incident were all quick to forgive the shooter.
He said that if people were curious to know why
those victims were so quick to forgive, they need to know their Father,
their heavenly Father.
"We're going to be vigilant," Rev. Norvel Goff told
the congregation. "The blood of the Mother Emanuel nine requires us to
work until not only justice in this case but for those living in the
margin of life, those less fortunate than ourselves, that we stay on the
battlefield until there's no more fight to be fought."
And their prayer is that Roof would find the same peace that sustains them.
"I forgive you and my family forgives you," Anthony
Thompson, whose wife Myra was killed in last week's massacre, said. "But
we would like for you to take this opportunity to repent, confess. Give
your life to the one who matters the most, Christ."
Topic: Powerful Witness: Forgiveness in Charleston
