Forgiven in East Timor

By Andrew Mcchesney

The would-be killer of a Seventh-day Adventist store clerk won’t face punishment after East Timor authorities accepted a decision by the clerk to forgive rather than seek justice in the attack. The case has shocked the East Timor town of Lospalos, where retribution is common, and even the police have expressed disbelief that store clerk Edu Wachumura chose to forgive.

Image © Pacific Press

The attacker, Juvinil Ananias, thrust a spear through a store door in a drunken attempt to kill Edu in 2017. The spear only nipped the tip of Edu’s nose.

Edu met Juvinil at a Lospalos police station in 2019 and signed a declaration to forgive him. Juvinil quietly expressed his remorse for his actions.

“I am sorry”, he said. “Thank you”.

Juvinil offered to slaughter a pig and throw a feast in Edu’s honor, but Edu declined, explaining that he doesn’t eat pork.

Police officers watched incredulously as Edu signed the paper in their presence. “You should at least give a gift or a cow to Edu”, an officer told Juvinil.

The attack, which was featured as a Sabbath School mission story in fourth quarter 2018, occurred after Juvinil drunkenly stumbled into the store and swore at 28-year-old Edu, who was working behind the counter.

Edu, who had joined the Adventist Church after taking Bible studies from the store’s owner, Zelindo João Lay, gently scolded him. Juvinil angrily threatened to kill Edu but backed off when he saw the other customers in the store.

“I’m going to kill you tonight”, he snarled as he headed out the door.

That night, Edu heard a knock on the double metal doors at the back of the shop. He went over to the doors, which were locked and chained together, and looked between them to see who was outside. At that moment, a spear plunged through the doors. In a split second, Edu raised an arm, diverting the course of the spear. The tip of the spear sliced the end of his nose.

Two days later, police came to the store to ask Edu whether he wanted the attacker to go to jail. Edu shook his head. “I’ve forgiven the man”, he said.

The police jailed Juvinil anyway for a week but then released him. The lengthy legal process played out until 2019, when Juvinil was officially declared forgiven by the authorities.

Zelindo hopes that the stunned local community will understand that God wants to forgive them — just as Edu forgave Juvinil. Following the attack, Edu’s brother and sister were baptized, and Zelindo hopes many more people will follow their example.

“Everyone is talking about Edu’s decision to forgive, and no one understands it”, he said. “It is the power of God”.

Produced by the General Conference Office of Adventist Mission. Find more mission stories at adventistmission[dot]org

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