As I sit here at my computer to write to you all, I am
trying to put the right words together after the awful sadness that has just
occurred. In the early hours of the
morning 12.35am (3.35am AEST), a group of eight men were executed by firing
squad on Nusakambangan prison island.
Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran were two Australians among those eight
who lost their life today.
The two men had spent the last ten years rehabilitating and
had repented and been genuinely sorry for what they had done and had recognised
the pain they had also brought upon their family and friends. I am not usually
at a loss for words, but today I am and that is OK as I think most Australians
will be feeling a lot of different emotions racing around their bodies and I
suppose that is the natural process of grief.
Even though we didn’t know these two men we had been on a
journey with them for the past ten years and I think that is why it has
affected so many of us. Numb, that is how I am feeling, numb and exhausted as
it is over. We all have to process this in our own way. Over the past months I
have prayed for these men and cried many tears but today I feel numb and still.
I am grateful that they were at peace with God and with
themselves and I pray for the families who will be suffering right now. I am
thankful for the miracle that occurred with the ninth person to be executed
saved at the eleventh hour. That miracle saving Mary Jane Veloso is amazing and
she is so thankful, it was wonderful news. I am thankful that the person who
actually did the crime spoke up and saved this woman as she was innocent.
A lot of people will be questioning God at this moment and
there will be many angry with Him at what has occurred but I feel that is
wasted energy right now. We can all be thankful that Andrew and Myuran knew God
and were at peace. We can pray that the death penalty will be abolished as
nobody has the right to take a life but God, and above all hopefully we can all
learn from this that taking risks in other countries that have different rules
than we do back home is a risk and you have to think to yourself: ‘Is my life
worth it?’ Something for us to think about.
Very very sad indeed. The sanctity of life is being trampled upon all over the world these days, it seems. I just heard on 2GB that apparently their preferred pastor was with them till the very end after all. She said they had acted with great courage and dignity. X
ReplyDeleteTotally agree, so very sad. I am so glad they were able to have their preferred pastor with them as that would have been some comfort to them. How lovely for her to share those last moments and let us all know they acted with courage and dignity, something we can all learn in our everyday lives ( me included) xx
DeleteSo sad
ReplyDeleteIt is gut wrenchingly sad and so wrong
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