Quick Review of Background Story
The only reason I am daring to present my ten-step view of forgiveness is because of my story. It is considered unforgiveable by some researchers which makes it of particular interest since we innocently declared our forgiveness the day her body was found. Could we forgive - and if so How? That is the question that has followed us.
This is a review of the story again.... none of it was easy to forgive.
It all started on November 30, 1984 when our thirteen-year-old daughter, Candace, did not come home from school as expected. This led to a seven-week search for her.
We were desperate. Our daughter was in danger and we needed help immediately. First of all, we asked her friends for help. Had they seen anything? Did they know anything? Then we asked the police for help. Finally, we looked to the organizers of our community for help. Each one did their part and each helped - but we all failed.
Seven weeks later her body was found in the shack not that far from our place. Her hands and feet had been tied and it was obvious that a stranger had taken her to the shack for sexual purposes and left her to die in the plunging, freezing temperatures of a Winnipeg winter. That’s the beginning of the story. A seven-week nightmare!
Then we lived with this mystery - trying to make sense of our lives for the next 22 years until in 2007 a man - unknown to us but who had a sexual assault criminal record - was charged with her murder. In 2011, after a five-week trial, he was found guilty and sentenced to 25 years without parole.
The first trial had been based on DNA evidence which was convincing enough to convict - but it was the circumstantial evidence that convinced us that he was guilty.
That’s why we were so surprised that the case went through an appeal process that found its way right to the Supreme Court of Canada resulting in a retrial that ended with an acquittal, October 18, 2017.
Never forget the three powerful resources you always have available to you: love, prayer, and forgiveness. - H. Jackson Brown Jr.
This is a review of the story again.... none of it was easy to forgive.
It all started on November 30, 1984 when our thirteen-year-old daughter, Candace, did not come home from school as expected. This led to a seven-week search for her.
We were desperate. Our daughter was in danger and we needed help immediately. First of all, we asked her friends for help. Had they seen anything? Did they know anything? Then we asked the police for help. Finally, we looked to the organizers of our community for help. Each one did their part and each helped - but we all failed.
Seven weeks later her body was found in the shack not that far from our place. Her hands and feet had been tied and it was obvious that a stranger had taken her to the shack for sexual purposes and left her to die in the plunging, freezing temperatures of a Winnipeg winter. That’s the beginning of the story. A seven-week nightmare!
Then we lived with this mystery - trying to make sense of our lives for the next 22 years until in 2007 a man - unknown to us but who had a sexual assault criminal record - was charged with her murder. In 2011, after a five-week trial, he was found guilty and sentenced to 25 years without parole.
The first trial had been based on DNA evidence which was convincing enough to convict - but it was the circumstantial evidence that convinced us that he was guilty.
That’s why we were so surprised that the case went through an appeal process that found its way right to the Supreme Court of Canada resulting in a retrial that ended with an acquittal, October 18, 2017.
Never forget the three powerful resources you always have available to you: love, prayer, and forgiveness. - H. Jackson Brown Jr.
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