Twenty-two acts of kindness. That’s what 11-year-old Ruben Martinez wants the Texas community of El Paso to do to honor the 22 lives that were lost in a mass shooting at an El Paso shopping area. He calls it the #ElPasoChallenge.
Here’s how it works: The 11-year-old challenged each person in El Paso to do 22 good deeds for others – one for each of the victims shot and killed. Rueben had several suggestions and listed some ideas of “kind acts:” mowing someone’s lawn, visiting a nursing home, paying for someone’s lunch or dinner, donating to families in need, writing someone a letter and telling them how great they are, holding the door for everyone, taking flowers to someone in the hospital or leaving a dollar on the vending machine for the next person.
The point is for people to “be kind to each other all day, every day,” his mom, Rose Gandarilla, said. Her son’s idea, she said, came after Ruben told his mom he didn’t want to go shopping at stores anymore, asking if they could find a delivery service instead. He was having some trouble dealing with what happened, and I explained to him that we could not live in fear and that people in our community are caring and loving. I told him to try and think of something he could do to make El Paso a little better.”
So, Ruben went to his room, brainstormed and came up with the challenge and he’s already leading the way. His first act of kindness was to go deliver dinner to the first responders. The young boy and his mom have been to multiple places Walgreens, Barnes & Noble and Sprouts to spread the message.
“He seems to be doing better and says that hopefully, the world will be a better place with all these random acts of kindness.”
Ruben said seeing the kindness in people is already helping him move forward. “It’s been great knowing everybody can help,” he said. “The most important thing is for people to be kind all day, every day, all night, every night.”
As I was reading this story last week, I remembered the quote from Fred Rogers, “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”
In a scary world, 11-year-old Rueben became a helper. He is leading the way with his #ElPasoChallenge. He is helping us to not focus on the scary but to look for the good. To look for the ways to fill our lives with kindness, have compassion for strangers and learn that love and kindness is stronger than hate.
So, as you go through your day – spread kindness. Be open to the opportunity to perform an act of kindness. Being kind puts a smile on your face and a lightness in your heart. It just feels good! It makes a difference!
-Bev Barnes, Administrative Assistant St. Luke’s Communication Team
