– By Mark N. Mengonfia mmenginfia@gmail.com
MONROVIA-It takes the heart of a human to have done what Dr. Philip Ireland has done especially, when it has to do with the taking way of the life of his daughter.
The daughter of Philip Z. Ireland, Precious Ireland, the head of Internal Medicine Unit at the John F. Kennedy Memorial Medical Center, Liberian government’s biggest referral hospital, who was recently killed by little Turay- a situation which is the first in the Liberian school system.
The death news of Precious Ireland took over Liberia like wide fire and a few hours following the official announcement of her death, hundreds of Liberians took to the social media in condemnation of the action of 16-year-old Jovanus Oliver Turay.
They posted photos of little Turay which signifies his love for gun.
Dr. Ireland being a father and a family friend of the Turays’ has put aside his hurts and has taken the path of forgiveness.
Dr. Philip Z. Ireland, said he has forgiven 16-year-old Jovanus Oliver Turay-the child who shot and killed his daughter, Precious Ireland at the Cyber-Ed Christian School in April of his year.
Dr. Ireland in a phone-in conversation with Truth Fm, Monday May 3, 2021, he used the Christian doctrine of the Holy Bible and said, “The Bible teaches us to forgive. It said forgive our trespasses as we forgive those who trespassed against us.”
He said he is a follower of the teaching of Christ, adding that though he is not a perfect Christian, “I have wronged people in the past and might wrong people in the future.”
He said the teaching of Christ is what he and his family have tried to live by, something which has served as an inspiration for them over the years.
According him, whether the action of his kid’s friend was intentional or not, he has found space in his heart to forgive him.
“The teaching is that we should never pay evil for evil, but we should always overcome evil by doing what God requires” he said.
He said in the Bible book of James, “The anger of man does not fulfill the righteousness of God”.
He called on Liberians to use the path of peace by denouncing violence which he said is permeating the Liberian society, a “beautiful and wonderful” country.
According to him, if someone has offended you, give that person water; give them food to eat if they need food.
He said “love covers all and if Liberians can see forgiveness as one of the tools for moving forward, this country will definitely move forward”.
The health worker said, “All I will say is that we go to school as a blessing. We should create that environment for learning. We should make schools safe; and safer for learning.”
He used the interview to call on all those who were hurt by the action of his daughter’s killer to lay aside their anger indicating that the teaching of Christ is against using of anger to settle situations.
Although Dr. Ireland has forgiven little Turay for a lost which he cannot replace, but one thing that is sure is that the law is the law and it is now with the judiciary system of Liberia to decide what happens next.
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