Hi, I'm Wintley Phipps,
and welcome to our program,
00:00:27.76\00:00:31.19
Perfecting Me,
Becoming More Like Jesus.
00:00:31.23\00:00:35.56
I'm so glad you joined us.
00:00:35.60\00:00:37.27
My guests today
00:00:37.30\00:00:38.63
on our program are J.D. Quinn,
00:00:38.67\00:00:40.04
3ABN Pastoral
Ministries Manager.
00:00:40.07\00:00:42.60
George Fleurimond,
00:00:42.64\00:00:43.97
Pastor of the West Park
Seventh-day Adventist church.
00:00:44.01\00:00:46.47
And Mrs. Adly Campos,
00:00:46.51\00:00:48.31
Speaker and President of
Family Wellbeing International.
00:00:48.34\00:00:51.98
You'll hear from
them a little later.
00:00:52.01\00:00:54.28
Who can forget when the
Boston Marathon Bombings rocked
00:00:54.32\00:00:57.32
the nation in April 2013.
00:00:57.35\00:01:00.49
The images that emerged
form that scene of bloody chaos
00:01:00.52\00:01:03.53
we're powerful,
00:01:03.56\00:01:04.89
and yet even more powerful
than the evil that took place
00:01:04.93\00:01:08.23
with the stories
of powerful kindness
00:01:08.26\00:01:10.13
that began to
rise out of the dust
00:01:10.17\00:01:12.13
and despair to lift our spirits.
00:01:12.17\00:01:14.97
I want to tell you
about Carlos Arredondo.
00:01:15.00\00:01:17.27
He made the
national news twice actually,
00:01:17.31\00:01:19.81
the first time was
when he found out his son
00:01:19.84\00:01:22.24
had been killed in Iraq.
00:01:22.28\00:01:24.28
Shocked by grief, he
was devastated and reckless.
00:01:24.31\00:01:27.38
He took, in his van,
00:01:27.42\00:01:29.12
he took a gas
can and propane torch
00:01:29.15\00:01:31.89
and began splashing
gasoline everywhere.
00:01:31.92\00:01:34.86
The marines who had delivered
the news of his son's death
00:01:34.89\00:01:38.79
tried to helplessly
talk him out of his frenzy,
00:01:38.83\00:01:42.06
but the van exploded in flames.
00:01:42.10\00:01:44.30
Carlos was
pulled out of the van,
00:01:44.33\00:01:46.60
but spent the next
part of his life strapped
00:01:46.63\00:01:48.70
to a hospital bed,
unconscious at first,
00:01:48.74\00:01:51.71
and then awake
to this experience
00:01:51.74\00:01:54.08
of the agony of a
burn victim, the bandages,
00:01:54.11\00:01:57.88
the feeling of his
dead skin being pulled off.
00:01:57.91\00:02:01.58
After he
recovered from his burns,
00:02:01.62\00:02:04.25
he also lost
another son to suicide.
00:02:04.29\00:02:08.69
The second time
Carlos made the national news
00:02:08.72\00:02:11.13
was after the
Boston Marathon Bombings.
00:02:11.16\00:02:13.83
In the desperate
seconds following the attack,
00:02:13.86\00:02:16.60
Carlos acted on instinct,
00:02:16.63\00:02:18.53
tearing up pieces of his sweater
00:02:18.57\00:02:20.34
he found on the ground.
00:02:20.37\00:02:21.77
He began to use
them as tourniquets
00:02:21.80\00:02:23.64
on the bloody
stumps of amputees,
00:02:23.67\00:02:26.71
even retying them
when they fell off.
00:02:26.74\00:02:29.68
He did his best to
minimize the horror
00:02:29.71\00:02:32.01
by reassuring victims
that they would all be okay,
00:02:32.05\00:02:36.02
and he was hiding the
worst of their injuries
00:02:36.05\00:02:38.45
from them while
he got them help.
00:02:38.49\00:02:41.29
Though carrying
his own burden of pain,
00:02:41.32\00:02:43.06
Carlos forgot about
himself, his acts of kindness,
00:02:43.09\00:02:47.00
and in the
process he saved lives.
00:02:47.03\00:02:50.13
Such is the power of kindness,
00:02:50.17\00:02:54.87
a dimension of God's character.
00:02:54.90\00:02:57.01
There's something
about us as human beings
00:03:01.78\00:03:04.81
that responds to
an act of kindness
00:03:04.85\00:03:07.58
like nothing else.
00:03:07.62\00:03:09.75
After all we are only
flesh and blood, aren't we?
00:03:09.78\00:03:13.42
We're not steel and iron.
00:03:13.46\00:03:15.89
We are for the
most parts, soft tissue.
00:03:15.92\00:03:18.23
We are fragile, so fragile,
00:03:18.26\00:03:20.40
in fact, that
sometimes as simple
00:03:20.43\00:03:23.73
as a kind word, a kind act,
00:03:23.77\00:03:26.67
a kind gesture can make
00:03:26.70\00:03:29.07
all the difference in the world.
00:03:29.10\00:03:32.34
A man told a story about
00:03:32.37\00:03:33.71
how, not long after
he graduated college,
00:03:33.74\00:03:37.05
a man approached
him in a restaurant.
00:03:37.08\00:03:39.81
He had known the
man from high school,
00:03:39.85\00:03:41.72
well enough to
remember his face,
00:03:41.75\00:03:44.79
If not his name,
but he remembered him.
00:03:44.82\00:03:47.69
The man walked up
and extended his hand,
00:03:47.72\00:03:49.29
"Hi, Jack."
00:03:49.32\00:03:50.66
He said, "Remember me,
00:03:50.69\00:03:52.96
Joey Smith from
the tenth grade."
00:03:52.99\00:03:55.20
"Yeah," Jack said,
"Now I do, "How are you?"
00:03:55.23\00:03:59.60
"I'm doing okay," Joey said,"
00:03:59.63\00:04:02.84
And that has a
lot to do with you."
00:04:02.87\00:04:05.77
"With me, what do you mean?"
00:04:05.81\00:04:08.54
"Yes," Joey said,
00:04:08.58\00:04:10.41
"In fact, I can honestly
say that if were not for you,
00:04:10.45\00:04:15.68
I doubt I would
even be standing here.
00:04:15.72\00:04:18.65
No, I know, I wouldn't be here,
00:04:18.69\00:04:22.26
I wouldn't even be alive."
00:04:22.29\00:04:25.83
Jack was stunned
00:04:25.86\00:04:27.20
and he looked at him and asked,
00:04:27.23\00:04:28.56
"What are you talking about?
00:04:28.60\00:04:31.17
I grew up in a
dysfunctional family."
00:04:31.20\00:04:33.70
Joey said,
00:04:33.74\00:04:35.30
"My father was
manically abusive,
00:04:35.34\00:04:37.57
left my mother
with three children,
00:04:37.61\00:04:39.27
we never saw him again.
00:04:39.31\00:04:41.51
I was the oldest of three,
00:04:41.54\00:04:44.01
and though I often
caught the brunt of his abuse,
00:04:44.05\00:04:46.92
I still felt something lacking
00:04:46.95\00:04:49.08
in my life without him there.
00:04:49.12\00:04:52.95
Meanwhile, my mother
struggled to make ends meet,
00:04:52.99\00:04:57.43
and she was always
stressed and out of sorts.
00:04:57.46\00:05:01.46
Home life was miserable.
00:05:01.50\00:05:03.30
I was struggling
with drugs and alcohol,
00:05:03.33\00:05:07.04
and I was on the verge
of dropping out of school.
00:05:07.07\00:05:10.27
The thing was I
really didn't care,
00:05:10.31\00:05:12.24
in fact, I didn't care
about much of anything,
00:05:12.27\00:05:15.04
I was constantly depressed.
00:05:15.08\00:05:17.58
From the time I was 15,
00:05:17.61\00:05:19.91
barely a day went by
00:05:19.95\00:05:21.32
when I wasn't
thinking about suicide.
00:05:21.35\00:05:24.75
I was a mess.
00:05:24.79\00:05:27.22
Then, well, a whole train
of bad things happened to me
00:05:27.26\00:05:31.39
and I just
couldn't take it anymore."
00:05:31.43\00:05:33.26
He said, "I
wished that I were dead,
00:05:33.29\00:05:34.83
and I finally
decided to go ahead
00:05:34.86\00:05:36.90
and do it and kill myself.
00:05:36.93\00:05:39.20
I really meant it this time,"
00:05:39.23\00:05:40.57
he said,"
00:05:40.60\00:05:41.94
And I went to a hardware store
after school, bought a rope,
00:05:41.97\00:05:45.51
threw it in my
backpack, and was headed home.
00:05:45.54\00:05:49.18
I was determined to
hang myself in my room
00:05:49.21\00:05:52.51
so that my mother would walk in
00:05:52.55\00:05:54.22
and be the
first to see me dead."
00:05:54.25\00:05:57.15
"Ouch," Jack said listening.
00:05:57.19\00:06:00.12
"Well," Joey continued,
"Here is where you come in.
00:06:00.16\00:06:05.76
I don't even
know if you remember,
00:06:05.79\00:06:08.43
but I was walking
home past the school,
00:06:08.46\00:06:12.70
and you came up to me
and just very kindly said,
00:06:12.73\00:06:17.21
'Hi Joey, how are you?'
00:06:17.24\00:06:20.68
I don't even think you knew
00:06:20.71\00:06:22.78
who I was, much less my name.
00:06:22.81\00:06:27.18
But we chatted
00:06:27.22\00:06:28.55
and you invited me
over to your house.
00:06:28.58\00:06:31.45
We hung out in your room
00:06:31.49\00:06:32.82
for a couple of
hours playing video games.
00:06:32.85\00:06:35.79
You probably don't even remember
00:06:35.82\00:06:37.16
any of this, do you?"
00:06:37.19\00:06:38.99
Jack kind of shrugged,
00:06:39.03\00:06:40.36
"Well, I think,
00:06:40.40\00:06:41.73
well I do, maybe,
vaguely a little."
00:06:41.76\00:06:45.20
It doesn't matter,"
00:06:45.23\00:06:46.94
he said,
00:06:46.97\00:06:48.30
"What matter's is that
00:06:48.34\00:06:49.67
my mood
completely changed that day.
00:06:49.70\00:06:53.81
I walked out of your house,
00:06:53.84\00:06:56.34
and I threw the rope
into the first dumpster
00:06:56.38\00:07:01.05
I came to, and I moved on."
00:07:01.08\00:07:04.59
He said,
00:07:04.62\00:07:05.95
"I never again
contemplated suicide."
00:07:05.99\00:07:10.83
He said, "I can't say
my life has been great,
00:07:10.86\00:07:13.29
but things have
gotten better for me.
00:07:13.33\00:07:15.43
The thing is I
always wanted to thank you
00:07:15.46\00:07:19.83
for the kindness
you showed me that day.
00:07:19.87\00:07:24.84
It saved my life."
00:07:24.87\00:07:28.74
Well, we might not
all be suicidal teenagers,
00:07:28.78\00:07:31.18
but we have flesh and
blood and even more so,
00:07:31.21\00:07:34.12
we are all emotional creatures,
00:07:34.15\00:07:36.62
our emotions
easily drive us to action
00:07:36.65\00:07:39.22
even more than our reason does.
00:07:39.25\00:07:42.22
Maybe you can think to a time
00:07:42.26\00:07:44.36
someone did
something kind for you
00:07:44.39\00:07:47.16
and you've never
forgotten about it.
00:07:47.20\00:07:50.10
Think back to a time
when someone was unkind to you
00:07:50.13\00:07:53.27
and you've forgotten about that.
00:07:53.30\00:07:56.74
Now think about a time,
00:07:56.77\00:07:58.74
if you can,
00:07:58.77\00:08:01.04
when you were
kind to someone else
00:08:01.08\00:08:05.38
just for the sake of being kind.
00:08:05.41\00:08:09.25
You weren't trying to
get something from them,
00:08:09.28\00:08:11.39
you were just being kind
for the sake of being kind.
00:08:11.42\00:08:18.09
Remember how that
kindness made you feel?
00:08:18.13\00:08:21.06
Everyone has heard
of The Golden Rule,
00:08:21.10\00:08:23.23
do unto others as
you have them do to you.
00:08:23.26\00:08:28.60
Oh, what kind of
world would we live in
00:08:28.64\00:08:30.64
if everybody lived that way,
00:08:30.67\00:08:33.88
if everybody was kind?
00:08:33.91\00:08:37.45
There'd be no such thing
as all the drugs and wars.
00:08:37.48\00:08:42.85
You could leave
your doors unlocked.
00:08:42.88\00:08:46.02
Always seek to be kind.
00:08:46.05\00:08:49.89
Want you to watch this video
made possible by our friends
00:08:49.92\00:08:54.06
at CBN News
showing kindness in action.
00:08:54.10\00:08:58.53
No matter how strong your faith
or how positive your outlook,
00:09:04.84\00:09:08.64
when a family welcomes a child
00:09:08.68\00:09:10.15
with disability
into their lives,
00:09:10.18\00:09:12.25
it's common to
feel overwhelmed, sad,
00:09:12.28\00:09:14.98
even to question God.
00:09:15.02\00:09:16.58
If and when that
initial reaction fades,
00:09:16.62\00:09:19.12
we live in a country
with resources available
00:09:19.15\00:09:21.39
to provide children
with disabilities a full life
00:09:21.42\00:09:24.53
and parents the
necessary support
00:09:24.56\00:09:26.39
and education to care for them.
00:09:26.43\00:09:28.36
But what if you have that
child in a part of the world
00:09:28.40\00:09:30.60
where you have no
support, no idea what's wrong,
00:09:30.63\00:09:33.84
and no idea how to help.
00:09:33.87\00:09:36.94
I take care of him
00:09:36.97\00:09:38.31
and later he should
help me learn a skill,
00:09:38.34\00:09:39.67
become a man normally.
00:09:39.71\00:09:41.48
But this isn't normal.
00:09:41.51\00:09:43.08
In Haiti, parents
often view a disabled child
00:09:43.11\00:09:45.85
as a problem to be fixed.
00:09:45.88\00:09:47.78
They go from
hospital to hospital,
00:09:47.82\00:09:49.75
trying to find the doctor
00:09:49.78\00:09:51.12
who can make their
child like all of the others.
00:09:51.15\00:09:54.02
Patient doctors often
00:09:54.06\00:09:55.39
don't want to
give parents the truth
00:09:55.42\00:09:57.09
because they know
what's likely to happen next.
00:09:57.13\00:09:59.36
No doctor wants to tell you
00:09:59.39\00:10:00.73
because they know in
Haiti how bad our situation is.
00:10:00.76\00:10:04.17
If they tell
these parents the truth,
00:10:04.20\00:10:05.73
they're going to drop those kids
00:10:05.77\00:10:07.70
in a hospital or anywhere.
00:10:07.74\00:10:09.40
They're not going
to love them anymore.
00:10:09.44\00:10:11.37
But Pepito knows firsthand
00:10:11.41\00:10:12.74
the challenges
of raising a child
00:10:12.77\00:10:14.24
with a disability here.
00:10:14.28\00:10:15.84
In 2009 his son Chris Jerry
00:10:15.88\00:10:17.95
was born with
severe cerebral palsy,
00:10:17.98\00:10:20.55
but Pepito's wife died
in childbirth leaving him
00:10:20.58\00:10:23.59
with three pound
incredibly sick baby boy
00:10:23.62\00:10:26.55
to raise on his own.
00:10:26.59\00:10:28.29
Two and half years
passed before he truly learnt
00:10:28.32\00:10:30.79
when he needed to know
about taking care of his son.
00:10:30.83\00:10:33.73
I have never worked
with a widowed father before,
00:10:33.76\00:10:36.56
and here he was with
his two and half year old,
00:10:36.60\00:10:39.03
with no intention of
wanting to give him away
00:10:39.07\00:10:41.00
to an orphanage
00:10:41.04\00:10:42.37
and that would've
been so easy for him.
00:10:42.40\00:10:44.04
A lot of
orphanages would've said yes
00:10:44.07\00:10:45.77
because he was a widowed father
00:10:45.81\00:10:47.54
and Chris Jerry's
disabilities are so severe.
00:10:47.58\00:10:50.41
He wanted to raise his son,
00:10:50.45\00:10:51.85
he wanted to
provide for his son,
00:10:51.88\00:10:53.42
he wanted to take
care, and be there,
00:10:53.45\00:10:55.28
and love his son forever.
00:10:55.32\00:10:58.19
Heather Meyer Gabaud
moved to Haiti in 2010
00:10:58.22\00:11:01.09
with a
background in special needs.
00:11:01.12\00:11:03.22
She was helping at an orphanage
00:11:03.26\00:11:04.79
when Pepito showed up
seeking answers about his son.
00:11:04.83\00:11:08.46
They two worked
together to find Chris Jerry
00:11:08.50\00:11:10.53
the right medical care.
00:11:10.57\00:11:11.93
They grew so close
that they married in 2012.
00:11:11.97\00:11:15.44
The following year
00:11:15.47\00:11:16.81
they took their combined passion
00:11:16.84\00:11:18.17
for the special needs community
00:11:18.21\00:11:19.91
and started
Footprints of the Son.
00:11:19.94\00:11:22.11
Our mission is educating
00:11:22.14\00:11:23.91
these parents
to love their kids,
00:11:23.95\00:11:26.28
help them, and
do what they need.
00:11:26.31\00:11:28.32
I believe it's a rescue mission
00:11:28.35\00:11:29.68
especially for
the little children.
00:11:29.72\00:11:31.82
The babies that we get,
00:11:31.85\00:11:34.72
I just feel as though
00:11:34.76\00:11:36.42
the parents are
that turning point of
00:11:36.46\00:11:38.86
they don't know what
to do with their child,
00:11:38.89\00:11:41.26
and I feel like sometimes
we get to them just in time,
00:11:41.30\00:11:45.43
just in time before
they're losing hope,
00:11:45.47\00:11:47.34
before they're so
desperate that they'll leave
00:11:47.37\00:11:49.54
that child at a hospital
00:11:49.57\00:11:51.87
or they'll leave that
child with a grandparent.
00:11:51.91\00:11:55.54
Haiti's voodoo culture
often works against Heather
00:11:55.58\00:11:58.08
and Pepito's efforts.
00:11:58.11\00:11:59.68
That's because
families often turn first
00:11:59.71\00:12:01.92
to voodoo priests for help
00:12:01.95\00:12:03.55
because of their own
beliefs or pressure from family.
00:12:03.59\00:12:06.49
Some families judge them
00:12:06.52\00:12:07.86
because they
don't want to do it.
00:12:07.89\00:12:09.22
But some of them did
it, and when everybody sees,
00:12:09.26\00:12:11.53
oh, there's no answer
for this, they just give up,
00:12:11.56\00:12:15.53
because they way
they tell them to go
00:12:15.56\00:12:17.40
is not the right
way so they come back.
00:12:17.43\00:12:20.37
When we come in, we
were like just embrace it.
00:12:20.40\00:12:22.64
Let's do this together,
let's educate your child,
00:12:22.67\00:12:26.81
let's get
therapy for your child,
00:12:26.84\00:12:28.81
but most importantly,
00:12:28.84\00:12:30.18
let's just create a
family that loves this child.
00:12:30.21\00:12:32.51
It's sad, and it's a
really, really slow process.
00:12:32.55\00:12:36.42
It's a slow
process for them to give up
00:12:36.45\00:12:39.15
and, like, fixing
and go to raising.
00:12:39.19\00:12:41.69
Footprints of the Son
00:12:41.72\00:12:43.06
is breaking new
ground this year.
00:12:43.09\00:12:44.69
They built a school
to provide education
00:12:44.73\00:12:47.03
for children with disabilities.
00:12:47.06\00:12:48.86
This year, we're going
to have three classrooms.
00:12:48.90\00:12:51.47
We'll have a two
00:12:51.50\00:12:52.83
to three year
old level classroom,
00:12:52.87\00:12:54.44
that doesn't
mean all the children
00:12:54.47\00:12:55.80
will be two to three years old.
00:12:55.84\00:12:57.31
And then we're going to have
00:12:57.34\00:12:58.77
a three to four
year old classroom,
00:12:58.81\00:13:00.54
and then one unique classroom
00:13:00.58\00:13:02.64
that we're gonna open this
year is the sensory classroom.
00:13:02.68\00:13:06.05
And that's geared for
the children with autism,
00:13:06.08\00:13:08.98
and severe
autism, and severe ADHD.
00:13:09.02\00:13:12.25
Heather and Pepito
don't plan to stop there.
00:13:12.29\00:13:14.89
Their land gives
them room to grow,
00:13:14.92\00:13:16.83
and one day hoped
00:13:16.86\00:13:18.19
to reach child in the community.
00:13:18.23\00:13:20.10
This has been mine, like,
00:13:20.13\00:13:21.46
biggest dream
since I moved to Haiti,
00:13:21.50\00:13:23.20
is to have an inclusion school
of typical functioning children
00:13:23.23\00:13:28.07
and children with
disabilities learning together
00:13:28.10\00:13:30.77
in the same environment.
00:13:30.81\00:13:32.14
Until that
dream becomes reality,
00:13:32.17\00:13:33.98
heather and Pepito will work
00:13:34.01\00:13:35.34
among Haiti's
special needs community
00:13:35.38\00:13:37.58
through education,
encouragement and support,
00:13:37.61\00:13:40.45
taking it one family at a time.
00:13:40.48\00:13:42.98
Caitlin Burke, CBN
News, Terrier rouge, Haiti.
00:13:43.02\00:13:46.19
Joining us again are my
guests, J.D. Quinn, Adly Campos,
00:13:50.63\00:13:54.90
and Pastor George Fleurimond.
00:13:54.93\00:13:57.63
You know,
kindness is a dimension
00:13:57.67\00:14:00.74
of the character of God.
00:14:00.77\00:14:03.17
His loving kindness is something
00:14:03.20\00:14:05.37
that we all desperately
need and are grateful for.
00:14:05.41\00:14:09.74
But we also are blessed
to have kindness shown to us
00:14:09.78\00:14:13.45
all through our lives,
little acts of kindness,
00:14:13.48\00:14:15.55
sometimes, big acts of kindness.
00:14:15.58\00:14:18.82
I always tell
people that probably,
00:14:18.85\00:14:21.32
the biggest act of kindness
00:14:21.36\00:14:22.69
I've ever experienced
is when my wife said,
00:14:22.72\00:14:26.70
"Yes, I will marry you."
00:14:26.73\00:14:29.20
To me that was
an act of kindness.
00:14:29.23\00:14:32.73
But JD I wanna start with you.
00:14:32.77\00:14:35.57
What is kindness to you,
00:14:35.60\00:14:37.04
and do you have any experiences
00:14:37.07\00:14:40.08
that you can recall of
special acts of kindness
00:14:40.11\00:14:43.48
or a special act of
kindness that was shown to you?
00:14:43.51\00:14:48.45
Well, I just, it
puts joy in my heart
00:14:48.48\00:14:52.39
whenever the
word kindness comes in
00:14:52.42\00:14:54.12
because I love that word.
00:14:54.16\00:14:57.69
I just, and I was thinking
is, we we're thinking earlier,
00:14:57.73\00:15:03.43
the first act of kindness
that I really experienced
00:15:03.47\00:15:07.60
is when I was probably
about 12, 13 years old.
00:15:07.64\00:15:11.21
I was raised on a
farm, and all, on the farm,
00:15:11.24\00:15:14.18
all you want to do is drive.
00:15:14.21\00:15:15.54
So I already learned
how to drive with tractor,
00:15:15.58\00:15:17.51
but now it's
time to drive a car,
00:15:17.55\00:15:19.95
and I went to my
Grandfather and he said,
00:15:19.98\00:15:21.82
"We'll, not yet son,
00:15:21.85\00:15:23.18
you're just not
quite old enough,
00:15:23.22\00:15:24.55
you're not mature enough."
00:15:24.59\00:15:26.19
So that didn't work,
00:15:26.22\00:15:27.56
so then I go see my grandmother,
00:15:27.59\00:15:30.46
and my grandmother
from my mother's side,
00:15:30.49\00:15:32.93
she had a brand new Buick.
00:15:32.96\00:15:35.33
Oh, it was long,
and it was sleek,
00:15:35.36\00:15:37.47
and it was just so shiny.
00:15:37.50\00:15:39.83
Oh, I could see
myself behind that wheel.
00:15:39.87\00:15:43.54
And I just wasn't begging,
00:15:43.57\00:15:47.28
but I was
pulling all the tools out
00:15:47.31\00:15:48.98
of the box in trying to get...
00:15:49.01\00:15:50.65
And bless her heart,
00:15:50.68\00:15:52.41
"David, would you
like to drive my car?"
00:15:52.45\00:15:56.08
Oh, I'll never forget.
00:15:56.12\00:15:58.72
As I sat behind the
wheel not knowing what to do,
00:15:58.75\00:16:02.62
felt that I should just pull it,
00:16:02.66\00:16:04.63
put in gear, and go.
00:16:04.66\00:16:06.70
But bless her little heart,
I was starting and stopping
00:16:06.73\00:16:09.83
and starting,
swiggling, and everything,
00:16:09.86\00:16:12.43
but that precious face of
hers as I keep looking over her,
00:16:12.47\00:16:15.27
I was scared she
was gong to tell me
00:16:15.30\00:16:16.97
to stop and get out.
00:16:17.01\00:16:18.81
There was this
beautiful kindness in her eyes.
00:16:18.84\00:16:22.04
That was a tangible moment.
00:16:22.08\00:16:24.15
Well, JD, I'm glad...
00:16:24.18\00:16:26.11
Go ahead.
00:16:26.15\00:16:28.15
And I just, I think
00:16:28.18\00:16:29.62
that put
something instilled in me.
00:16:29.65\00:16:32.12
"cause I thank that kindness
00:16:32.15\00:16:36.06
is one of those
gifts that's reciprocal.
00:16:36.09\00:16:37.89
Yes.
00:16:37.93\00:16:39.26
If you're kind,
00:16:39.29\00:16:40.63
then other people
will be kind to you.
00:16:40.66\00:16:42.56
Well, I really thought
you we're going someplace else
00:16:42.60\00:16:45.70
with this story, JD.
00:16:45.73\00:16:47.07
I thought the car
was gonna be a wreck,
00:16:47.10\00:16:48.60
and she was going
to be nice anyway.
00:16:48.64\00:16:52.47
Well that's...
00:16:52.51\00:16:55.04
Because hey,
00:16:55.08\00:16:56.41
that's probably
happened to some of us,
00:16:56.44\00:16:57.91
I know it's happened to me
00:16:57.95\00:16:59.65
when a nice person
lent me their nice car
00:16:59.68\00:17:02.88
and I wrecked,
you know, scraped it.
00:17:02.92\00:17:05.35
But they were
gracious and they were kind.
00:17:05.39\00:17:07.86
Praise the lord, you
know. Adly, how about you?
00:17:07.89\00:17:11.59
Can you think of
an act of kindness
00:17:11.63\00:17:13.63
that really taught you
what kindness was all about?
00:17:13.66\00:17:19.13
Yes, when I was working
at the General conference
00:17:19.17\00:17:22.20
in the Ministerial Association,
00:17:22.24\00:17:25.47
we traveled to India.
00:17:25.51\00:17:28.18
And in India, I
like to try everything
00:17:28.21\00:17:31.51
that is offered to me,
00:17:31.55\00:17:33.21
I tried a peeled mango,
00:17:33.25\00:17:36.22
and that made
me very, very sick.
00:17:36.25\00:17:39.79
I was dying in
a matter of hours.
00:17:39.82\00:17:43.32
And the pastor's wife,
00:17:43.36\00:17:47.00
he was one of
the vice presidents
00:17:47.03\00:17:49.03
at the general conference
00:17:49.06\00:17:50.47
at the time of
traveling with us,
00:17:50.50\00:17:52.27
Mrs. Cooper,
00:17:52.30\00:17:53.80
she stayed by my
bed side all night long.
00:17:53.84\00:17:59.77
Taking care of me, she
didn't have to do that,
00:17:59.81\00:18:03.81
but out of the
kindness of her heart,
00:18:03.85\00:18:06.31
she spent a whole night with me,
00:18:06.35\00:18:08.32
and I was able
to return home well.
00:18:08.35\00:18:11.39
Praise the lord.
00:18:11.42\00:18:12.75
That is something
you'll never, ever forget.
00:18:12.79\00:18:14.52
You don't forget.
00:18:14.56\00:18:15.89
My voice breaks
00:18:15.92\00:18:17.26
whenever I
think of that kindness
00:18:17.29\00:18:19.66
that she showed to me at a
time when you needed the most,
00:18:19.69\00:18:23.80
when you're not feeling
well, and you're away from home.
00:18:23.83\00:18:26.94
Yes.
00:18:26.97\00:18:28.30
How about you Pastor George?
00:18:28.34\00:18:31.84
You know, I've
been blessed by God
00:18:31.87\00:18:33.88
to have some wonderful
acts of kindness done to me.
00:18:33.91\00:18:37.61
But the ones that
stick out the most in my mind
00:18:37.65\00:18:40.28
are the ones that
you didn't ask for
00:18:40.32\00:18:43.49
or you didn't even know
who performed them for you.
00:18:43.52\00:18:46.45
I remember when I
was an undergraduate.
00:18:46.49\00:18:49.92
this is the one, the one
00:18:49.96\00:18:51.29
that sticks out
the most in my mind,
00:18:51.33\00:18:52.73
I was getting ready to,
00:18:52.76\00:18:54.90
try to financially clear
for one of the semesters,
00:18:54.93\00:18:58.80
and the school I went to,
00:18:58.83\00:19:00.50
usually at the
beginning of the year
00:19:00.54\00:19:02.10
that the lines are long,
00:19:02.14\00:19:03.47
and by the time you get
to the front of the line,
00:19:03.51\00:19:06.47
you know, if you have
all your things together,
00:19:06.51\00:19:08.81
they usually send you
to the back of the line.
00:19:08.84\00:19:10.71
And so here I was
trying to clear financially,
00:19:10.75\00:19:13.38
and I knew that I
was missing some funds.
00:19:13.42\00:19:15.95
And so when I get to
the front of the line
00:19:15.98\00:19:18.72
I gave the lady my
name and she kept saying,
00:19:18.75\00:19:21.26
"There's something
funny about your last name."
00:19:21.29\00:19:23.53
I said to her,
00:19:23.56\00:19:24.89
"I know, my last name
is a long funny name,"
00:19:24.93\00:19:26.29
but still she kept saying,
00:19:26.33\00:19:27.76
"There's something
funny about your name."
00:19:27.80\00:19:29.30
she couldn't put
her finger on it.
00:19:29.33\00:19:31.13
And eventually she came back,
00:19:31.17\00:19:32.63
and it was an
envelope with my name on it,
00:19:32.67\00:19:34.60
didn't know who it came from,
00:19:34.64\00:19:35.97
to this day I
don't know who came from.
00:19:36.00\00:19:37.41
But that was enough for
me to, 70, to clear by 70%,
00:19:37.44\00:19:41.44
and to get into that
semester for that year,
00:19:41.48\00:19:44.28
and so, you know, that taught me
00:19:44.31\00:19:46.95
that God requires of us,
00:19:46.98\00:19:49.65
requires of us to
show acts of kindness,
00:19:49.68\00:19:53.36
even when you don't know,
00:19:53.39\00:19:54.82
when the other person
that don't know, I'm sorry.
00:19:54.86\00:19:57.89
Yes.
00:19:57.93\00:19:59.26
Who it is that is
doing that for them,
00:19:59.29\00:20:01.83
and so that was my experience.
00:20:01.86\00:20:04.53
Well, kindness is necessary,
not only for our salvation
00:20:04.57\00:20:10.67
because it was an
act of kindness for Jesus
00:20:10.71\00:20:13.84
to come this earth.
00:20:13.88\00:20:16.21
And kindness is necessary for us
00:20:16.24\00:20:19.55
to have in our
character to be saved.
00:20:19.58\00:20:23.69
If we wanna resemble Christ,
00:20:23.72\00:20:26.52
we are going to
have to learn to be kind.
00:20:26.55\00:20:30.99
JD, we live in a world
where kindness is at a premium.
00:20:31.03\00:20:35.80
It is hard to
find it these days,
00:20:35.83\00:20:37.80
especially, oh my goodness,
in the, on the news today
00:20:37.83\00:20:42.80
all we see is sometimes
00:20:42.84\00:20:44.21
are these terrible
acts of unkindness.
00:20:44.24\00:20:49.18
Do you see that it is a time,
00:20:49.21\00:20:52.28
we are living in a time
when we need to try to project
00:20:52.31\00:20:55.55
and teach people
how to be more kind.
00:20:55.58\00:20:58.85
Even in churches, my prayer
is that churches will be a place
00:20:58.89\00:21:03.83
where people will see kindness
all around but sometimes,
00:21:03.86\00:21:07.46
sometimes it isn't, you know.
00:21:07.50\00:21:09.73
Sometime people sit in
the seat in the church,
00:21:09.76\00:21:12.83
and a visitor comes in,
and they're not really kind.
00:21:12.87\00:21:16.97
You know, do you think
we need to do more, JD,
00:21:17.01\00:21:20.88
to really help people
learn and grow to be more kind?
00:21:20.91\00:21:26.35
Oh I certainly do,
00:21:26.38\00:21:27.98
I mean, I love being able
to be the first one to go up
00:21:28.02\00:21:32.45
and hug someone's neck
in welcome to our church.
00:21:32.49\00:21:36.09
And our church
here in Thompsonville
00:21:36.12\00:21:38.39
is a loving church.
00:21:38.43\00:21:39.89
And we love to have prayers,
00:21:39.93\00:21:41.40
and we can't wait to
go up and welcome them,
00:21:41.43\00:21:44.87
learn something about them.
00:21:44.90\00:21:46.63
But, yes,
00:21:46.67\00:21:48.00
I do believe we're
living in the latter times
00:21:48.04\00:21:49.80
of this earth's
history, and now more than ever,
00:21:49.84\00:21:53.84
we need to be kind,
00:21:53.88\00:21:56.08
and I think that's
something that's just in you.
00:21:56.11\00:21:58.65
Now there's people
that probably can use
00:21:58.68\00:22:01.38
that word of kindness
00:22:01.42\00:22:03.08
that will
hopefully let them see,
00:22:03.12\00:22:06.52
you know, the
product of your church.
00:22:06.55\00:22:09.32
And that they would want
to be a part of your life.
00:22:09.36\00:22:11.69
But, you know, I believe,
I believe firmly in kindness.
00:22:11.73\00:22:14.56
I have a story
that I often tell,
00:22:14.60\00:22:17.43
about Captain John Smith.
00:22:17.47\00:22:20.24
You remember Captain John Smith?
00:22:20.27\00:22:23.14
I presume it's a true story.
00:22:23.17\00:22:25.41
Apparently John Smith
00:22:25.44\00:22:27.84
took Pocahontas
back with him to England,
00:22:27.88\00:22:32.78
to show off this
beautiful Native American woman,
00:22:32.81\00:22:37.99
and everyone was so
taken with Pocahontas.
00:22:38.02\00:22:42.02
And Pocahontas was approached
by Captain John Smith,
00:22:42.06\00:22:46.13
and he actually
asked her to marry him.
00:22:46.16\00:22:51.43
And she said,
00:22:51.47\00:22:52.80
"Give me a little
time to think about it."
00:22:52.83\00:22:55.20
And she thought on it,
00:22:55.24\00:22:56.81
and when they
came back together,
00:22:56.84\00:22:58.34
she said to him,
00:22:58.37\00:23:00.41
"I have only one
question for you,
00:23:00.44\00:23:04.85
are you kind?"
00:23:04.88\00:23:08.18
Are you kind?
00:23:08.22\00:23:09.92
If we have more
kindness in our marriages,
00:23:09.95\00:23:13.99
for example,
00:23:14.02\00:23:15.36
if we showed this
character of Christ,
00:23:15.39\00:23:18.29
of kindness in our marriages,
00:23:18.33\00:23:20.66
marriage would
be heaven on earth,
00:23:20.70\00:23:24.43
just for that
one little blessing,
00:23:24.47\00:23:27.44
that one little
blessing of kindness.
00:23:27.47\00:23:30.64
What do you
think about that, Adly?
00:23:30.67\00:23:34.38
Oh, I think it's very important.
00:23:34.41\00:23:36.54
I was holding
00:23:36.58\00:23:37.91
an Evangelistic
meeting in Mexico City,
00:23:37.95\00:23:42.78
and there was a lady that was,
00:23:42.82\00:23:45.15
seemed to be
very kind at church.
00:23:45.19\00:23:47.72
She would greet everyone,
00:23:47.76\00:23:49.09
and she would be
very friendly to everyone,
00:23:49.12\00:23:51.69
but her daughters came to see me
00:23:51.73\00:23:54.60
because she was
the opposite at home.
00:23:54.63\00:23:59.37
And when I visited
her and spoke with her,
00:23:59.40\00:24:03.54
she came to recognize
00:24:03.57\00:24:06.17
that she was failing at
the most important place,
00:24:06.21\00:24:09.64
which was her home.
00:24:09.68\00:24:11.51
Her husband, 25 years,
00:24:11.55\00:24:14.72
listening to the
message would not accept it.
00:24:14.75\00:24:18.09
But when she finally
understood that the first place
00:24:18.12\00:24:21.76
where she needed to
be kind, and graceful,
00:24:21.79\00:24:24.49
and loving was at home,
and she changed her attitude.
00:24:24.53\00:24:28.43
That man came to church,
and soon he was baptized.
00:24:28.46\00:24:32.73
When I ask him why finally
he had made that decision,
00:24:32.77\00:24:35.87
he said,
00:24:35.90\00:24:37.24
"Because finally
my wife is showing
00:24:37.27\00:24:40.21
what she pretends
at church in the home."
00:24:40.24\00:24:44.55
So that's a first place
00:24:44.58\00:24:45.91
where we need to start
being kind to each other.
00:24:45.95\00:24:49.28
Yeah, you know, one of the tests
00:24:49.32\00:24:52.25
of whether a
person is kind or not
00:24:52.29\00:24:55.09
is whether they
refrain from words
00:24:55.12\00:24:58.56
and acts of recrimination.
00:24:58.59\00:25:03.77
When someone has hurt you
00:25:03.80\00:25:07.40
and you have the
character of Christ in you,
00:25:07.44\00:25:11.84
you don't strike back,
00:25:11.87\00:25:14.54
you don't indulge in words
00:25:14.58\00:25:18.45
and acts of recrimination
00:25:18.48\00:25:20.65
because you,
00:25:20.68\00:25:22.62
if you feel the need
to injure someone else
00:25:22.65\00:25:28.12
because they have injured you,
00:25:28.16\00:25:30.79
you need that
character dimension of Jesus.
00:25:30.83\00:25:34.83
You need to
learn to be Christ like
00:25:34.86\00:25:37.53
and to be kind.
00:25:37.57\00:25:39.30
I appreciate you all
being so much with me today
00:25:39.33\00:25:42.44
and talking about
this very important trait.
00:25:42.47\00:25:45.34
May God continue to bless
us as we strive to be kind.
00:25:45.37\00:25:48.98
What can we do about
the unfairness of life?
00:25:53.82\00:25:58.19
It's unrealistic to think
we can eradicate injustice
00:25:58.22\00:26:01.19
and create a world
that is fair to everyone.
00:26:01.22\00:26:05.09
But we can do our part.
00:26:05.13\00:26:07.46
We can change our
little part of the world.
00:26:07.50\00:26:11.23
A story from the
civil war tells of a man
00:26:11.27\00:26:13.40
who traveled for
days on horseback
00:26:13.44\00:26:15.40
to find General
Ulysses S. Grant.
00:26:15.44\00:26:18.67
He asked to see the
general and was finally allowed
00:26:18.71\00:26:21.21
into the presence
of that great general.
00:26:21.24\00:26:23.95
He stated his
name and his mission.
00:26:23.98\00:26:25.81
He had come to plead
for the life of one named,
00:26:25.85\00:26:28.92
Fredrick Stone, a soldier
00:26:28.95\00:26:31.49
who was to be executed
for the crime of desertion.
00:26:31.52\00:26:35.72
Grant responded by saying that
just because he'd come to plead
00:26:35.76\00:26:38.83
for the life of a great friend,
00:26:38.86\00:26:41.16
he wasn't going to
commute the death sentence
00:26:41.20\00:26:44.83
"A great friend?"
00:26:44.87\00:26:46.30
The man responded,
00:26:46.33\00:26:48.37
"I have no greater
enemy than Fredrick Stone."
00:26:48.40\00:26:51.91
General Grant was stunned,
00:26:51.94\00:26:53.31
he hesitated for a few
moments and then he said,
00:26:53.34\00:26:56.11
"You would come all this way
00:26:56.14\00:26:58.55
not for a friend,
00:26:58.58\00:27:03.52
but for an enemy.
00:27:03.55\00:27:06.86
Am I hearing that correctly?"
00:27:06.89\00:27:08.96
"Yes, Sir," He said.
00:27:08.99\00:27:11.29
Grant looked at him and said,
00:27:11.33\00:27:13.63
"You know, for a man
00:27:13.66\00:27:15.00
who would ride four
days in dangerous territory,
00:27:15.03\00:27:19.17
all of that to plead the life
of an enemy, to plead the life,
00:27:19.20\00:27:25.14
for the life of
someone who was his enemy.
00:27:25.17\00:27:28.34
I will the grant the request."
00:27:28.38\00:27:32.45
It's the easiest thing
to show love and kindness
00:27:32.48\00:27:37.12
to those who are
part of our families.
00:27:37.15\00:27:40.56
But to show kindness to an enemy
00:27:40.59\00:27:43.46
is really something special.
00:27:43.49\00:27:46.83
I'm Wintley Phipps.
00:27:46.86\00:27:48.26
Thank you for being
with us and remember
00:27:48.30\00:27:50.57
to be a Christian
means to be Christ like.
00:27:50.60\00:27:53.90