December 2002 Call to Action News

Sister says: I had to forgive her murderer

Jennifer Bishop and her husband, Bill Jenkins, belong to Murder Victims' Families for Reconciliation. Jennifer's sister, brother-in-law and their unborn child were murdered in their home in 1990. Bill's son William was murdered during a holdup in 1997.

Nancy, Jennifer's sister wrote "Love you" in her husband's blood just before she died. "That message was a greater truth than most people learn in a lifetime," Jennifer said. "I was obligated to carry out her message of

Even before William's funeral, Bill realized that he had to forgive the killer or else he'd never be able to say the Lord's Prayer again. "I'm simply someone who knows what I believe. We must love people the way God loves us." Bill found that forgiving his son's killer made bigger news than his son's murder.

The couple believe that whenever tragedy happens, God is always there to redeem it. They often meet family members who believe one can't have justice without killing the murderer. But as they told their CTA audience, "Grief can't be linked to the outcome of a trial. The only thing that happens if we kill a murderer is that we lose the opportunity to reconcile with him/her."

Bill said, "Forgiveness doesn't mean you are declaring the offender innocent; it simply means they owe you a debt they cannot repay and you will no longer hold that debt as something due. Sometimes you have to say you forgive even if it feels like you're faking it. As Kirkegaard taught, 'Your heart will follow your actions.'"