'Bring back our lucky
Buddha'
By Sally-Anne Johnson, This is
Hertfordshire, Nov 13, 2006
Hertfordshire, UK -- A BUDDHIST mother and her
daughters are desperate for a stone Buddha stolen from their garden
to be returned safe and sound.
Beverley Lewis with some of her other Buddha
statues
Beverley Lewis, 33, who lives in Maryland, Hatfield, believes the
foot-high green stone statue, named Shyakamuni, was probably stolen
from her front garden on Hallowe'en.
Beverley, who has been a Buddhist since the age of 21, says the
statue had had a spell put on it to protect the family's home and
health.
She said: "I've been collecting all sorts of buddhas from around
the world for years and I bought Shyakamuni while I was on a break
in the Isle of Wight.
"The woman who had the stall that I bought it from was a white
witch who could enrich and put spells on the things you bought from
her.
"She put a spell on him to protect our home and property and bring
us health and wealth.
"Money's not been too bad and we're all healthy and I do feel we've
been protected.
"But she said he would protect us as long as he stayed in the
position we put him in and he's been there for two years.
"I'm not too worried about the spell being broken, as being
a Buddhist I know he is just a symbol, but I wouldn't like
to be the person that had taken him."
Beverley said her daughters Carly, 12, Megan, ten, and Krista,
seven, were upset at Shyakamuni's disappearance.
She said: "I reported it to the police but because it's a garden
ornament there's not a lot they can do.
"I'm just hoping that maybe he's been thrown in someone else's
garden and maybe we can get him back.
"I know they're replaceable but they mean a lot. You wouldn't go
into a church and steal a crucifix would you?"