A Random Act of Kindness

By: Caroline Franks

A random act of kindness can be a generous act or something as simple as a kind gesture like a smile or an offering of encouragement and comfort.  It’s something we can do all year round.  Over the holidays a Salvation Army employee went above and beyond.

“God puts us in certain situations so we can see the need and continue the mission,” said a Salvation Army employee volunteering during the 2018 Christmas Kettle Campaign in Kingston.

The employee, who would like to remain anonymous, said while he was doing a shift as a Christmas Kettle attendant in a grocery store, he saw a couple who were very upset after realizing they had misplaced a bank card.  They were about to pay for their groceries when they realized the card was missing.

“I gather they told the cashier they were going to retrace their steps and look for the card and after about 10 minutes the woman returned still upset and crying,” he said. “I stepped up and offered to pay for her groceries, to which she declined saying she needs to get a taxi home with the groceries too.”

It was just then that the next Christmas Kettle volunteer showed up for his shift a little early.

“The volunteer was already acquainted with the couple and he said to them ‘This person is just trying to do what God told him to do.’”

The couple accepted the employee’s generosity to pay for their groceries and taxi ride home. They insisted on paying him back, but the employee refused.

“We work at Christmas Kettles to raise funds for Salvation Army programs but we’re also observing the world and seeing people struggling.  I’m just glad I could be there to help.” he said.