In Straight Paths
Page 3
Repentant Thief
After six years, a childish mistake has been corrected.
A 23-year-old woman, who said she stole a small amount of money during a summer job with the city of Alexandria six years ago, sent a check in restitution and a letter of explanation to Mayor Ed Randolph.
Randolph was so touched by the woman's words that he agreed to share them with the Town Talk on condition the woman not be identified.
In the letter, the woman said she enjoyed her summer job with the city but because her parents did not have much money, she periodically would take small amounts of cash from a cash box in her charge.
She said she had forgotten about that incident until "something I was reading" reminded her of her past wrong.
"The Bible teaches if you want to be a true Christian, you have to make as many of your wrongs right as possible," she wrote. She said she thought all of hers had been corrected until she was reminded of the event.
"The Lord has a way of telling us things slowly and is careful not to discourage you," she said.
She said she is a Christian and is trying to raise her children to have good values and to "live for the Lord."
The woman said she prayed a lot about how much to send the city because she had no idea how much she took that summer.
"I feel like $40 should more than cover it, so you'll find my check inside this envelope," she wrote.
In a response to the letter, Randolph told the woman he is "very touched by your letter."
He returned the check to the woman with the request that she "void the check and make out another to your church in the same amount. We will then consider the matter closed and all accounts even."