About 5 years ago my husband and I stopped at a convenient store on Christmas morning to get a cup of coffee and a newspaper on the way to my Mom's house. We arrived and had breakfast together. I opened the paper and read a story about an elderly gentleman who had played his fiddle in the neighboring county at several nursing homes and about how his daughter, who was a missionary, had brought the fiddle back from overseas. Then, there is was. Someone had broken into this man's home and taken his fiddle (among other things) while he was out delivering food from the food pantry to others in need. He didn't have money to replace the violin and was worried about how his friends in the nursing home would be entertained. I sat at the kitchen table and cried my eyes out. I love my fiddle. It's just part of me and I couldn't imagine how sad and lonely this gentleman must be.

It took me a few weeks to get the newspaper to respond to my requests for information about how to contact this man (I gave them my contact info to pass on) but eventually his daughter called me. I had had a conversation with the man who owns a violin shop and he agreed to give me a deep discount on a violin and case. I was able to scrape up enough cash and I bought that violin! Along with my family, I delivered it to him at a church breakfast....he was so happy he cried!   I will never forget how good that smile made me feel. :)

The newspaper printed the story...front full page of the local
section...there we were...my new friend, his fiddle, that incredible smile and me. :)

Michelle