“If this amount is not paid within 24 hours, the court will order the store to be closed.”
The store owner stood silently, unable to believe what he had just heard.
Then the judge looked around the courtroom.
The Boy Who Stole Bread and the Judge Who Changed His Life wrk
“And now, I have one more announcement.”
Everyone became quiet.
“Every person sitting in this courtroom will contribute whatever they can to help this boy and his mother.”
A man in the back stood up.
“But Your Honor, why should we be responsible for his crime?”
The judge looked at him and replied:
“Because a hungry child does not appear out of nowhere. Hunger is created when a society stops seeing people who are suffering.”
The man lowered his head.
The judge continued:
“Today, this boy stole bread. Tomorrow, another child may do the same. We can keep filling our prisons with hungry people, or we can start filling their homes with food.”
Nobody said a word.
One by one, people began putting money on the table.
Five dollars.
Ten dollars.
