The power of forgiveness

Last week we had the most blessed opportunity to host a few boys from the Watoto Restore tour in our home. Check out their story at www.restourtour.org. I do not exaggerate by a bit when I say it was life changing for me and I think safe to assume it was the same for Gody.
Their story is one of great triumph; not just because they are now physically free from the tyranny of the LRA but because I could sense their spiritual freedom from their past that I could only assume haunts them day and night. Almost every other night, on this tour, they publicly announce forgiveness to those who have slain their families, stolen years of their lives, physically harmed them and cost their country a great deal. How were they able to do that?
How was Ali, one of the boys I got to know better over the couple of days, able to forgive the man who killed his father? How were the young women able to forgive those who gang raped them and forced them in to an early life of motherhood? how were the little kids able to forgive those who took the lives of their parents?
They were a live example to an invaluable lesson of life. When you forgive someone, you are not only letting that person free, more importantly you are freeing yourself from hoarding within you ill feelings of despair, hate, contempt, revenge and thereby losing the power to love. The power of forgiveness!!!
Wow! from the mouths of babes...