The word “kindness” is frequently mentioned, and we make an effort to practice it as frequently as we can.
Acts of compassion can be expressed towards both our loved ones and strangers without the need for grand gestures.
It could be a small gesture like offering a warm smile, holding the door open for someone, or refraining from reacting negatively when tempted.
These are the qualities of grace, patience, and gentleness
This creates opportunities for the world to heal.
James, a homeless man, met Jodi and Dawn Gieber, a married couple from Arkansas.
Having lived on the streets for more than a decade, James had a poor reputation among the locals.
For most people, James was unfriendly.
Dawn and Jodi held a different view of James. They believed he wasn’t a bad person; he was just hungry.
Every day on their way to work, the couple would spot him, and they were certain he wasn’t the dreadful man the public portrayed him to be.
The couple felt compelled to reach out to James. According to Dawn’s statement to KARK:
“He was cold. He was eating out of dumpsters. James just had no resources, and my husband and I just felt that there was something we needed to do to help him.”
One morning, while on her way to work, Dawn stopped to have a conversation with James.
When she inquired about his homelessness, he confessed to taking a destructive route that caused him to lose touch with his family.
Dawn took this as her cue when James expressed his cluelessness about where to start searching for them.
Upon returning home that day, she informed her husband about the conversation.
Afterward, they commenced their online work by conducting Google searches, making phone calls, and utilizing email and social media to reach out to others.
To be honest, the couple didn’t anticipate any leads.
However, just before Thanksgiving, they were contacted by a woman claiming to be James’ niece. They had previously assumed he had passed away since they were unable to locate him.
Dawn didn’t hesitate to inform the niece that James had been searching for them throughout all these years.
James’ family loved him.
Despite their continued search efforts, they presumed the worst when they failed to locate him.
The initial thing Dawn clarified to the homeless man was that he was loved and taken care of.
Dawn and Jodi made arrangements to provide assurance to the niece that they were truthful in everything they had conveyed.
Initially, it was for James to have the opportunity to speak with his family over the phone at last.
James became emotional during the conversation, causing the couple to recognize that James and his family required a proper reunion.
However, outstanding warrants for the homeless man posed an obstacle.
Resolute in her resolve to assist, Dawn courageously presented James’ situation to the court, followed by an offer to settle his outstanding warrants.
As a result, all charges were dropped, and the case was finally closed.
Prior to embarking on a 600-mile road trip to Illinois, Dawn and Jodi assisted James in preparing by purchasing him a set of clothes and shoes.
The compassionate couple went above and beyond what James ever anticipated.
Upon their arrival, Dawn recognized the need to capture the emotional reunion on video.
As James’ brother tightly embraced him, his niece began to weep as they held each other.
With their reunion finally achieved, there was no going back to James’ previous way of life.
Presently, James resides with his sister in Wisconsin, and the family regularly sends Dawn and Jodi pictures of James living a more contented life.
