Rev. John De Vries, a retired CRC minister from London who has served as a chaplain in both penal and psychiatric institutions, promoted restorative justice at Tuesday’s Classis Quinte meeting in Bowmanville. As part of his presentation he told the delegates a personal story involving himself and a seventeen year old driver who struck and injured him two years ago.
The police said he could charge the young man with careless driving. The injuries had really impacted his life. But did he really want to take the driver to court or even sue him?
After an internal battle, he chose the restoration route and met with the young man in a Tim Horton’s. There, John talked about the accident’s impact on his personal goals, the young driver expressed his remorse, and they agreed on a fair resolution.
John de Vries is not the kind of person who draws attention to his achievements, so in his address to Classis Quinte he did not elaborate on his blocked personal goals. But I think that I know at least one.
John, you see, is an exceptional Masters marathoner with an amazing running streak. Between 1994 and 2009 he ran the Boston Marathon an unbelievable sixteen times in a row.
Imagine his personal frustration when his streak at the world’s oldest and most prestigious marathon came to such an abrupt and unfortunate halt. Nevertheless, he chose the restorative practices route over the legal route. And today he is glad that his new “friend” will be able to submit a record-free application to medical school, thanks to God’s restorative ways.
But what about the Boston Marathon and his running streak?
This spring, John De Vries placed fourth in the 65-69 age category. His time was a phenomenal 3:22:19. According the The Banner, “this was De Vries’s 17th year running the marathon since 1994. He missed only the 2010 race because of injury. This year’s training included running the hills of Rwanda while on a trip there with his restorative justice work.
“As the Bible says, it is important to ‘finish the race,’” says De Vries, “Running is a metaphor and picture of life—it is important to endure and finish well.”
How true, whether you’re struggling through a marathon or trying to repair a relationship.
- Pastor Peter
The police said he could charge the young man with careless driving. The injuries had really impacted his life. But did he really want to take the driver to court or even sue him?
After an internal battle, he chose the restoration route and met with the young man in a Tim Horton’s. There, John talked about the accident’s impact on his personal goals, the young driver expressed his remorse, and they agreed on a fair resolution.
John de Vries is not the kind of person who draws attention to his achievements, so in his address to Classis Quinte he did not elaborate on his blocked personal goals. But I think that I know at least one.
John, you see, is an exceptional Masters marathoner with an amazing running streak. Between 1994 and 2009 he ran the Boston Marathon an unbelievable sixteen times in a row.
Imagine his personal frustration when his streak at the world’s oldest and most prestigious marathon came to such an abrupt and unfortunate halt. Nevertheless, he chose the restorative practices route over the legal route. And today he is glad that his new “friend” will be able to submit a record-free application to medical school, thanks to God’s restorative ways.
But what about the Boston Marathon and his running streak?
This spring, John De Vries placed fourth in the 65-69 age category. His time was a phenomenal 3:22:19. According the The Banner, “this was De Vries’s 17th year running the marathon since 1994. He missed only the 2010 race because of injury. This year’s training included running the hills of Rwanda while on a trip there with his restorative justice work.
“As the Bible says, it is important to ‘finish the race,’” says De Vries, “Running is a metaphor and picture of life—it is important to endure and finish well.”
How true, whether you’re struggling through a marathon or trying to repair a relationship.
- Pastor Peter
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