Article January 31, 2005 Issue

JOURNEY TO PEACE

By Clementina M. Chéry

Many readers' hearts were stirred by the Sentinel's story about Clementina Chery's work on behalf of other families of homicide victims (see "A journey toward peace," December 13, 2004). The report included a montage of photos from "A Celebration of Life," held November 17 at The First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Boston, in support of Survivors of Homicide Victims Awareness Month. This community-wide event followed the Church's weekly testimonial meeting. In the following Christmas message to the Boston community, Tina Chery recounted her struggle to find peace within, and explained what that November gathering meant to her.

Monday, December 20, 2004, marked the 11th anniversary of the murder of my 15-year-old son, Louis. On that day, instead of organizing the Peace Vigil that has been a part of this community for over ten years, I spent the day with the young people at the Academy for Public Service at Dorchester High School. I shared with them not only the pain that I have endured since the murder of my son, but also the many blessing that I have received on my journey to healing and reconciliation.

I want to share some of the things I have found on this journey toward peace. It is by no means an easy journey, and I often compare what we (survivors) go through to what many of us witnessed with the late Christopher Reeve. We saw his struggles, his progress, and his commitment, and we were inspired by his determination and will to live as he was surrounded by the many people who loved and prayed for him. It was a slow yet necessary process that showed how far one man could come in the face of adversity, as long as he had faith. And for this, he was held in the highest esteem by people all over the world.

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