In article first published by ASSIST News Service, LISA GIBSON, whose 20-year-old brother Ken was among the 270 people killed in 1988’s Lockerbie bombing, writes of her reaction to news of the death of the only man ever convicted of the bombing, Abdelbaset al-Megrahi…
I got the news early Monday morning that Abdelbaset al-Megrahi had finally succumbed to his battle with terminal prostate cancer. By some of the Lockerbie family members, his death was met by cheers that justice was finally served. Others espoused more vengeful statements. My response was far more sobering. When I heard the news I simply thought, “Today is Megrahi’s day of reckoning.”
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LISA GIBSON “Maybe now the Lockerbie family members can finally close this chapter of our lives. Hopefully now the victims’ families can finally have peace. For the family members of the Lockerbie victims this has been a 24 year journey of loss, pain, anguish, disbelief, and constant fighting for the truth to be known. It has consumed the lives of many of the victims relatives as we have ridden the tied of ups and downs while all along just trying to find resolution.” |
Maybe now the Lockerbie family members can finally close this chapter of our lives. Hopefully now the victims’ families can finally have peace. For the family members of the Lockerbie victims this has been a 24 year journey of loss, pain, anguish, disbelief, and constant fighting for the truth to be known. It has consumed the lives of many of the victims relatives as we have ridden the tied of ups and downs while all along just trying to find resolution.
This tragedy has destroyed more lives than just the victims. There have been suicides, mental breakdowns, and families destroyed. Imagine fighting a war for 24 years? That is what it has felt like. For many, the effects of post-traumatic stress disorder were very real in their lives. With every anniversary came new information or alternate theories of what may have really happened. There was never any closure, only the constant reminder that we may never really know the truth. Every family member tried to cope the best way they knew how. For me, my entire adult life has been impacted by this tragedy.
I was 18-years-old when my 20-year-old brother Kenneth Gibson was killed in the 1988 terrorist bombing of Pan Am 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. It turned my life upside down and nearly destroyed me during my freshman year of college. I wasn’t equipped to handle something like this on my own. So, I did the only thing I knew how to and that was to cling to the Rock. Because I have held fast to God during this journey peace came more quickly for me.
It has truly been a peace that passes all understanding. I have been able to rest in the knowledge that even though I don’t understand everything, God does. I have simply followed him as a lonely sojourner walking by faith in a canyon with high walls where I couldn’t see what was ahead. I simply took God at his word that “He makes all things work together for the good of those who love him and are called according to his purposes.” I even allowed him to direct my life course by thrusting me into a life mission to try to overcome this act of evil with good.
Out of this tragedy, I have gained a wisdom and insight into life and God’s heart that I would never have had without it. Losing a loved one in such an act of hate, causes you to either succumb to disillusionment about the world, become bitter, or apathetic. Or in it there is an opportunity to gain God’s perspective of the redemptive power of allowing God’s love to compel you to be a reconciler. There is no better testimony of who Jesus is and what he did then us living this way. It is the picture of Jesus hanging on the cross and looking down at the very people responsible and saying “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.”
Because of my loss, I gained this perspective and it has been revolutionary. This is the revolutionary life all Christians are called to live. Because of this, I was honestly able to forgive Megrahi, leaving him to God’s hands and trusting in his ultimate justice. I know that Megrahi was a religious man who shared some of his faith with me when he replied to my forgiveness letter in 2004.
He quoted both from the Bible and Koran and holding fast to the belief that God would one day bring him justice. Although we come from different religious beliefs, the one thing we had in common is a belief that if he is guilty, God will judge him. So, now that all the dust has settled, I choose to simply trust God with it. With that, I have complete peace.
Lisa Gibson’s 20-year-old brother Ken was among the 270 people who died when Pan Am flight 103 exploded over Lockerbie, Scotland, on 21st December, 1988. She is the founder and director of the Peace and Prosperity Allianceand author of the award-winning book, ‘Life in Death: A Journey From Terrorism To Triumph’. This article was first posted on Assist News Service.
