Amish Grace Page #4

for some angry folks to make you

feel worse than you already do.

- I'll talk to them.

- No. They have the right to be angry.

- They have every right in the world.

- Not at you, they don't.

- You didn't do a thing wrong.

- Neither did they. Just let them in, Dad.

- Amy, you're not thinking clear-headed about this.

- Fine. I'll do it myself.

May we come in, Mrs. Roberts?

- Like they were going in for tea.

- (Door Closes)

- Have you ever seen anything like that?

- No. Never.

I didn't know what Charlie was planning.

I swear to God, I didn't know.

That never once entered our minds,

Mrs. Roberts.

I just... I don't know what happened to him.

I'm horrified. and I'm so sorry.

I would give anything...

I would give anything... my life...

to get those girls back.

Were any of you rel... related to them?

My daughter Mary Beth...

died this morning.

I'm sorry. You must be suffering deeply.

It is a deep wound, yes.

But she is in heaven...

with her Father now and...

(Inhales)

She is at peace.

I'm so sorry. So sorry.

We're sorry for your loss too.

My loss?

You lost a husband.

Your children have lost their father.

We grieve for you as well.

We will harbor no anger at Charlie.

He was known to most of us.

We come here

to tell you that we forgive him.

You forgive him?

"For as ye forgive men their trespasses..."

"your heavenly father

will forgive you also".

(Gasps)

Matthew 6:
14.

We will not allow hatred into our hearts.

We know that you will be

facing harsh judgments...

and we would like to offer our help.

We are your neighbors...

and if you or your children

should need anything...

we hope that you will let us know.

(Sobbing)

We came to tell Mrs. Roberts that we carry

no grudge against her husband.

(Beeps)

I don't even know what to do with that.

How to frame it.

I mean, how do you forgive

someone who did something like that?

I have two nieces. There's no way I could...

I raised three girls, and I...

Do you think he was being on the level?

They went into the house.

They talked to the wife.

Why would they do that

if they weren't serious about it?

All right.

We'll run the clip. No commentary.

We'll let people make up their own minds.

But tomorrow I want the both of you

out there again, talking with the Amish.

Find out if this is just a deacon

doing his job...

or if the families who lost children really

buy into all that forgiveness stuff.

She'll never sleep here again.

She's sleeping in a better place now,

little one.

(Sniffles)

(Footsteps)

(Door Opens)

They're taking Mary Beth

to the mortuary tomorrow.

I want to get up early

and sew her burial dress.

I'm sure that there are others that would

be happy to do that for you.

I want to do it. I want it ready tomorrow.

I don't like thinking about her lying there

without a clean dress to wear.

Do you plan to come with me tomorrow?

I'll be there.

You weren't with me today.

You were at the house of her murderer.

I was doing my duty.

According to whom? Levi?

According to God.

God!

God had a plan for her, Ida.

He sent her to us.

He has the right to call her home.

Oh.

To question that will do us no good.

But I don't know how to be without her.

(Panting)

(Shatters)

(Baby Crying)

Gideon is up.

(Sighs)

You should not blame him for what he did.

He was right to go with Levi.

You can say that even now?

Charlie Roberts is dead.

To forgive him makes it easier.

We don't have to see him.

We don't have to talk to him.

His fate is in God's hands.

Rachel, how are your girls?

God called Sarah home during the night.

I'm sorry.

I was hoping...

Both of Judith's daughters died.

Anna and Lydia.

That's five girls killed.

And Rebecca... how is she doing?

Still in the coma.

Well, we will pray for her.

You were up all night.

Sewing this dress is the last thing

I will ever do for Mary Beth.

Why were you showing Rachel

photographs of Emma's boys?

Rachel asked to see them.

We agreed that God probably wouldn't have

found us overly proud...

if we had just one photo

to remember our daughters by.

You do not need a graven image

to remember Mary Beth.

No.

But it would comfort me.

But you do not need comfort, do you?

Of course I do.

I loved Mary Beth more than my life.

And yet you went to the house

of the man who killed her...

and you put out your hand to his wife.

Because it was the right thing to do.

God commands it.

We must trust God's wisdom.

What wisdom?

Why would God want a beautiful,

innocent girl to be slaughtered? Why?

I don't know!

All I know...

is that if we forgive,

God promises that peace will follow.

God has shattered my heart.

And I will not betray my daughter...

by forgiving the man who killed her.

I will not do it, Gideon.

I cannot.

Whoa, whoa, whoa.

I need to move the horse off the street.

You're Charlie Roberts's wife.

Is this where...

- Is your husband here?

- No.

No, I was just seeing if they...

I can take his body somewhere else.

Our deepest condolences on your loss.

Mr. Taskey.

Mr.... Graber.

- I'm so sorry for your loss.

- And I for yours.

(Gideon)

Good day.

Mama...

is Mary Beth wearing her new dress now?

Does she look pretty?

Yes.

Yes, very pretty.

There's no need for you to cook.

Why not let our friends bring us food?

I don't want to see anyone else right now.

Ida...

We are a people that share our burdens.

We are a people

that come to each other's aid.

When I picked Katie up,

they told me that there would be a...

grief counselor at the firehouse later on.

That she was willing

to meet with the families...

and help them work through their grief.

I prefer not.

But you need to...

perhaps more than anyone.

(Sniffs)

Why? Because I'm so unreasonable?

- Those are not my words.

- No.

But you are disappointed in me...

because I dare to hate the man

who took our daughter's life.

If you want me to go, I'll go.

I'll change my dress.

(Katie Crying)

I hate that man too.

He did a bad, evil thing...

and I hate him more than anything.

He did do an evil thing.

And... I don't blame you for hating him.

And you can hate him...

for as long as you like.

(Sniffs)

But tell me, this hate that's...

that's inside of you...

how does it feel?

Does it feel good?

Not very good.

No.

Hate is a very big...

very hungry thing,

with lots of sharp teeth...

and it will...

eat up your whole heart...

and leave no room left for love.

We are lucky...

that God understands this.

He is the one that will

hand out the punishments...

so that we don't have to carry all this

terrible hate around inside of us...

if we don't want to.

If we're willing to forgive.

Maybe I could forgive him...

and still hate him just a little bit.

Ho. Ho!

Excuse me. Jill Green, WEBG News.

I wonder if I might

speak to you for a few minutes?

Uh, we don't have to talk on camera...

but a lot of people are wondering

about your unique way of coping...

with this terrible tragedy.

Excuse me. Jill Green, WEBG News.

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