ANONYMOUS | Australia

The Sycamore Tree Project: Justice and Peace helps victims heal from the harm caused by crime, and helps offenders claim responsibility for their acts, and to seek forgiveness and reconciliation. Understanding that crime has a ripple effect and hurts more than just the victim is the beginning of change from the inside out. A Western Australian inmate shares his Sycamore Tree Project experience:

“I was apprehensive at first about joining the Sycamore Tree Project when I heard it might be religious based, but that quickly dissipated after meeting all of you.

“Meeting you has put humanity back in my dictionary.

“And the method of teaching has given me the opportunity to actually take on the subject we were learning that day in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere. No pressure was put upon me—not like most of the other courses I’ve done where the pressure of failing and not receiving parole was far more important than actually learning the material.

“This course has given my moral compass a solid, stable, and fixed position to aim for with my Father and family being my goal. By putting the victims and their stories right in my face, it has also made me confront my fears of confession, forgiveness, repentance, and reconciliation.

“These people leading the course have shown me through their belief in God what actually can be achieved with an honest and forgiving heart, and not letting hate rule our lives.

“I want to say one more thing: saying ‘thank you’ isn’t good enough for me—the way I am going to show you my gratitude is to never offend again.”

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Story credit: Martin Howard, Sycamore Tree Project: Justice and Peace^®: Justice and Peace, Queensland, Australia