Benevolent Stranger Spreads Christmas Kindness

A kind stranger is on the loose in Moorpark and he's handed out at least one gift of $50 and a note proclaiming God's love.

If Kelli Augustine weren't already in the Christmas spirit, she would be after Wednesday morning, when she was on the receiving end of the stranger's kindness.

But Augustine is one of those year-round cheerful souls whose daily ensemble since the beginning of the month has included a large sparkly poinsettia—what she refers to as her festive holiday bling—on her work apron. Perhaps it's because she embraces the Christmas spirit so whole heartedly that the stranger chose her upon whom to bestow his kindness, but nobody knows for sure because the stranger came and left before anyone realized what he'd done or had a chance to ask him about it.

Augustine said the customer, who neither she nor her colleague at Kate's Bakery recognized, came in and ordered a coffee, paid and then handed her an envelope and left.

"He just said, 'I have a Christmas gift I'd like to give to someone and I think I'm going to give it to you,' and he gave me this envelope," she said. "At first, I figured it was a Christmas card."

But when she opened the small green envelope, she was shocked to find a $50 bill and a hand-written note that said, "Merry Christmas! God really loves you! He hasn't forgotten you. You have favor with God."

While Augustine isn't religious, she is appreciative of the message and has a message for the benevolent stranger as well.

"I'd like to tell him thank you and wish him a merry Christmas as well," she said.

But the stranger was gone before she'd even had a chance to open the envelope.

"You hear about something like that happening each year," said Christian Yassan, who was at the bakery with his friend Greg Semerdijian when the event took place. "But at the same time, it's refreshing to see it."

"Especially in times like these," added Semerdijian. "It gives you hope."