Reach Lesotho

Faith Restored

Posted on 16. Jun, 2010 by Ieva in Ieva

Faith Restored

A couple weeks ago I was at the Guelph farmer’s market with my sister, Alison and my dad, Arni. We had spent the entire morning going from booth to booth picking up food for the week and filling our big cloth bag.  It was around 11:45 when we sat down to eat our breakfast sandwiches with juice or coffee. We put our bag beside the table as we usually do, thinking nothing of it, and chatted with various people around us.

After half an hour of socializing in the relaxed market atmosphere, we got up and confidently reached for our bag. Much to our amazement and chagrin, the bag was not there. We had mixed reactions. Surely it was stolen. Who would pick up a big heavy bag with teddy bears on it and the proclamation, “Old friends take a lifetime to grow” by mistake?

My sister and father were convinced that someone had stolen it but I argued that it had been taken by accident. My dad and sister went on a search expedition, leaving me sitting at the bench. The market was closing so most people had left. After a ten-minute search we sat at the table together trying to figure out what to do and exploring our options.

My sister repeated over and over that this impacted so much on her faith in people.    As we debated, and I started to see her point, a man walked through the door beside where we were sitting carrying a large cloth bag with teddy bears and the words, “Old friends take a lifetime to grow.” He rushed in repeating, “I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry. I’m so glad you’re still here.” He looked really apologetic and we left with our faith in people restored, eating a market apple on the way home.

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