Pastor Allen Hince regularly visits the man who burned down his church and is offering him solace while he is in prison.
The Bowen St Baptist Church community centre was torched in January 2011 by Feilding firebug Richard David Elliott, a security guard tasked with patrolling the town’s CBD between 9pm and 3am each night.
Elliott was jailed for seven years after lighting a string of fires, including two at the church, which caused nearly $1.8 million worth of damage.
“Human nature can be quite fickle, and there were circumstances that caused this young guy to do what he did,” Hince said.
“Now what he did was very wrong, and he knows that, but he found he was just doing it, and couldn’t stop, and I think we’re all susceptible to that type of thing.
“What has come out of that is he has shown true remorse for what he has done and, as a church, we have acknowledged our forgiveness towards him.”
Source
- Stuff.co.nz
- Image: Stuff.co.nz
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