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A "NORTHERN
LIGHTS" MAGAZINE ARTICLE
(from Issue #508)
THE AMAZING POWER
OF FORGIVENESS
by Len
Breen
I first
met Pat in 1987 when I became a volunteer in the chapel program at
Saskatchewan Penitentiary in Prince Albert. Pat had begun serving a
25-year life sentence when he was just 17. He was 21 when we first met
at a "Genesis Group" seminar for inmates led by Chaplain
Orville Andres.
As Pat and
I visited during our first meeting, we agreed that I would begin
visiting him on a weekly basis and study God's Word together. My
wife Lorrayne also became a volunteer and was introduced to Pat. That
initial meeting resulted in a friendship which has lasted to the
present.
We met Pat's
parents and brother when they came to P.A. from Alberta to visit Pat.
On a few of those visits we had the privilege of having them stay in
our home. One memorable visit was Christmas of 1990 when Pat's
family came for a "trailer visit" at the institution. It was
Pat's first Christmas with family since his incarceration.
In 1993
Pat witnessed the amazing power of forgiveness. He received a letter
from some members of his victim's family, saying they were
Christians and they forgave Pat for what he did. The letter was
followed by a personal visit from his victim's immediate family.
What a tremendous blessing and encouragement that event was in Pat's
growth as a child of God!
During his
years at Saskatchewan Penitentiary Pat learned a number of trades, and
took his high school education.
Pat and I
continued our visits and Bible studies until the mid-1990s when he was
transferred to a federal institution in BC, and then to a minimum
security facility, also in BC. Our correspondence continued during
those years through letters and monthly phone calls which Lorrayne and
I always looked forward to receiving. It was always such a blessing to
hear Pat tell us what the Lord had been doing in his life during the
previous month. He would often share a verse of Scripture which had
affected him in some way, and most times he would ask us if we had any
prayer requests that he and the other Christian brothers in his house
could pray for.
After Pat
was transferred to the minimum security facility he applied for
escorted passes to attend church and other functions in the community.
On his first escorted pass he followed the Lord in believer's
baptism.
In March
of 2008, after serving his 25-year sentence, Pat was granted parole.
He is presently living at a half-way facility in BC where he is
adjusting to his freedom and integrating back into a society far
different than the one he left at the age of 17.
It has
been a joy and privilege to know Pat as a friend and brother in the
Lord over the past 22 years. We continue to pray for him regularly and
look forward to receiving his phone calls.
The
Breens now live in Queensville (ON) with responsibilities for Len's
elderly parents. Len recently took on directorship of NCEM's
Eastern-Field.
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