After years of fighting with his brother, Patrick was determined to seek revenge—until he found the power of forgiveness in Jesus Christ.
Patrick’s relationship with his younger brother, Moses, became tense in the throes of a domestic dispute. Moses accused Patrick of destroying his marriage and family, and rumors spread. The brothers’ five-year-long conflict divided their entire community of Tienpo Warliken in Liberia as friends and family took sides.
As Patrick desperately tried to protect his reputation, the feud between him and Moses only intensified. Patrick truly hated Moses and, in his rage, he began plotting to kill Moses and his family.
But at the height of his anger, Patrick heard about the SPICE (Samaritan’s Purse Integrated Community Empowerment) program. The project offers leadership training, empowers churches, and facilitates relationships by sending staff members to live and work in a community for a two-year implementation period. The goal is to equip local churches to care for their community physically and spiritually.
The people of Tienpo Warliken started attending SPICE training programs, and Patrick slipped into a session to see what the excitement was all about. He was surprised to hear Biblically based teaching on healthy relationships. The message resonated deeply.
“This project changed my life. My relationship with God builds all the other relationships.”
For the first time in years, Patrick felt hope for his relationship with his brother, and he decided to return to the ongoing trainings to learn more. In the midst of these trainings, God began to transform Patrick’s heart. He halted his violent plot against his brother.
“Patrick learned the four important relational areas of life; our relationship with God, ourselves, our neighbors and our environment,” said Ben Kollie, one of our staff members in Liberia. “He learned that in order to be at peace with himself, he must first of all be at peace with God, because when peace with God is established, then that peace will flow to the rest of the other relationships.”
Patrick realized that his relationship with the Lord was broken and that his life lacked peace. His separation from God was the root of his anger toward his brother. Patrick repented and asked Jesus Christ to be his Lord and Savior. He forgave Moses completely, even as God in Christ forgave (Ephesians 4:32).
Moses was shocked by Patrick’s sudden change of heart. He knew he had treated Patrick disrespectfully for years. He knelt in front of Patrick and thanked him for showing him grace. While Moses was still on his knees, Patrick approached him, lifted him from the ground, and embraced him. The brothers’ reconciliation brought their family and community to tears, and it was an example of the forgiveness that God freely gives all who put their faith in Him.
God completely transformed Patrick’s hardened heart. What he learned about Godly relationships saved Moses’ life. And God used the estranged brothers to make the Gospel known.
“This project changed my life,” Patrick said. “My relationship with God builds all the other relationships.”
He said he loves Romans 5:8, which says, “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8, ESV).
Please join us in prayer for our SPICE project in Liberia. Ask that God would continue restoring broken families and strengthening communities as people make decisions for Christ.
