Restored and Forgiven: The Power of Restorative Justice - Softcover

Donovan, Ray; Donovan, Vi

Softcover

ISBN 10: 161036970X ISBN 13: 9781610369701

Publisher: Bridge-Logos Publishers, 2018

Synopsis

When Ray and Vi Donovan were awoken in the early hours of the morning to the horrific news that their two sons had been attacked by a gang while returning home that night, they felt as though their world had ended.

The couple discovered that one of their sons, Christopher, was fighting for his life. He later died from the injuries he sustained in the brutal attack.  The Donovans would have been forgiven for holding onto the anger they felt at the perpetrators forever.

Ray and Vi found it in their hearts to forgive the men who killed their son.

They not only let go of their anger - but in an extraordinary show of compassion, they have managed to forgive the thugs that beat their son to death.  The couple say they could not have done it without their faith and the help of the restorative justice scheme, which allowed the couple the opportunity to come face to face with the men who killed Christopher.

This touching and often heart wrenching testimony shows how through their faith in God and the restorative justice system, they have been able to forgive the people who murdered their son.
They have gone on to help many families, victims and also offenders.

Their powerful story will challenge anyone who is struggling to forgive and to discover the peace that comes with being able to do so.

About this title

About the Author

Ray and Vi have become prolific campaigners for restorative justice, giving talks in prisons, schools, probation services, YOTs and youth clubs across the country. They also take part in face to face meetings with gang members, and run workshops on the benefits of restorative justice for victims. Ray and Vi's own charity, the Chris Donovan Trust, was set up in memory of their son, and aims to educate prisoners and young people on the impact of violent crime.

Review

“I met Ray and Vi around two years after the tragic death of their son, Christopher, when the pain of his death – and manner in which he died was freshly burned in the hearts and minds. Something about their experience – and their reaction to it impacted my life – and I immediately knew that God was going to take them into places they would never have dreamed of going – where they would impact many thousands of people’s lives as they shared their story with hurting people everywhere.
 
The Bible tells us that God himself chose to send His only Son, Jesus, to die upon the cruel cross of Calvary to take the punishment for the wickedness of all mankind. As a result of the sacrifice Jesus made in laying down His life for us.
God chose not to remember our sins any longer, but to banish them from His mind as far as the East is from the West.
 
Needless to say, Ray and Vi are not God – but I have always been aware that both of them make a daily decision, a choice, to forgive those who so callously murdered Christopher. They do this despite the pain and the loss they still feel – and they do it because they make a daily choice to show the love and the forgiveness of our Heavenly Father to those they meet across the world – to the men and women who have a desperate need to receive the forgiveness that, in finality, Only God can Give.
 
Ray and Vi’s story is an ongoing one. Their story will impact and challenge you as you read it. I hope and pray that as you do so, you will receive the love and forgiveness which God offers you today.” - Bill Partington, Head of Affiliate Development UCB Radio
 

“Christopher Donovan’s tragic, senseless, death was one of the earlier cases into which I led the investigation.  At that time I had less experience of how the recently-bereaved reacted.  Years later, when I had dealt with scores of murders, I was none the wiser. 
There is no ‘correct’ or normal way of responding to the loss of a loved one, every family will take the dreadful news differently and the role for the police is consistent in that it is to support the family as best they can – but that will require different action in every individual case.

It was clear to us that Vi and Ray and Phil were utterly devastated but that their faith – and the support from their congregation – was to be their guiding light.  The absence of anger or talk of revenge was striking.

When Christopher’s murderers were convicted the feelings I had are still with me.  Vi and Ray were so grateful to me and my team and I was proud of that.  Yet my overriding emotion was sadness; that, for all we had achieved, despite us doing the very best we could, Christopher was still gone.  I never, thereafter, spoke of ‘closure’ for families after a trial.  I knew that, no matter how well the legal process went, their loss would never be forgotten.

Vi and Ray have managed though to create a real force for good from the desolation of Christopher being taken from them.  They have channeled whatever emotions they had into spreading the word and showing the world that losses like theirs can be avoided.  By their tireless campaigning they are ensuring that Christopher is helping others and changing lives just as I am sure he would have done if his life had not been cut so short.

These two decent and compassionate parents are of course most wonderfully unusual in how they have reacted and what they have done. They are always most complimentary about how my team and I dealt with their tragedy and I find it utterly humbling to have that level of regard from two such remarkable people. They have my complete admiration.” Colin Sutton, former Senior Investigating Officer.
 

Edition details

• Publisher: Bridge-Logos Publishers
• Publication date: 2018
• ISBN 10: 161036970X
• ISBN 13: 9781610369701
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 112