Larry Updike

The other day, my family was the beneficiary of a random act of kindness. We drove up to Gimli to enjoy the sunshine, stroll along the beach and to have supper at a restaurant.

It was a beautiful afternoon. I was surprised at how many people were tanning and playing games at the water’s edge.

My son likes to eat at a particular restaurant when we are in Gimli. We slid into our booth and before long, the hostess took our order. It was pretty packed that day and we expected a long wait for the food to arrive.

The service was surprisingly prompt. We were enjoying our selections when the waitress returned to announce that we wouldn’t have to pay for our meals. She left so quickly I couldn’t ask why.

I figured that someone must have picked up the tab. I whirled around to survey the place for a familiar face.

I didn’t recognize anyone.

Finally the waitress walked past our table again. I stopped and asked who it was that had looked after the bill. She said she didn’t know, but pointed to an empty booth. “They were sitting right there,” she said.

I looked towards the cashier at the exit and there was nobody there either. “What a kind thing to do,” I said gratefully.

A random act of kindness is a selfless act performed by an individual or group to bring cheer or to assist someone with no other motive than to make people smile or be happy. There are a million stories like mine. If you have one, please leave a short account of it in the comment section of the Sun’s website — I’d love to read it.

Over the next few weeks many Winnipeg churches are coming together to love their city with random acts of kindness. This joint effort is operating under the moniker “Love Winnipeg”. As part of “Love Winnipeg,” Siloam Mission is teaming up with The Lighthouse Mission, The Salvation Army and others to host a barbecue and block party. The live music, fun and food celebration occurs this Saturday at 180 Henry Ave. by the Salvation Army from 11:30am to 2:30 p.m..

The event is called Caring for The Core.

We want to show our appreciation for the citizens of Winnipeg and give others the opportunity to meet the people who use our respective services.

Sometimes we make well-intentioned but mistaken assumptions about people we don’t know very well. It’s part of human nature, I suppose. Often people experiencing poverty and homelessness are pigeon-holed into categories that don’t really reflect reality.

An event like this might help alter perceptions.

People have been so generous to us over the years. This event is our way of loving you back. It’s a small token of kindness.

But it’s the least that we could do.

— Larry Updike is the senior communications and advocacy officer at Siloam Mission.

06/02/2010

SUN Article