Small Acts of Kindness make a BIG Difference
By Amanda Bowers
Small acts of daily kindness can have an immense impact. Rendi Wiggins and her sons, Sanders (17yo) and John Henry (11yo), believe that finding small ways each day to serve their community is their way of serving a higher purpose. “Service for us is more an outpouring of our faith in Jesus than anything else” said Mrs. Wiggins and believes that God places people in her life for higher purpose. The Wiggins family does not limit their service to one organization, rather has an ongoing relationship with volunteering in their community.
At Christmas, the family goes caroling to several organizations to share their faith and spread joy to so many who may otherwise be forgotten during the holiday season, but Mrs. Wiggins points out that small everyday acts of service are just as impactful. Sanders and John Henry saw an elderly neighbor in need of help with his trash cans at home and took it upon themselves to help each week, even ensuring their neighbor is taken care of when they are unavailable. “We are called to love others as ourselves” said Mrs. Wiggins, who strives to instill this value in her sons.
“I serve because it is what my creator calls me to do and it is one of the most joyous things in life” said Sanders, who is a junior at Texas High School. As a member of the Student Council, Sanders will log 500+ hours of time in service to his community before graduating next year. Most recently, Sanders delivered handmade Valentine’s Day cards to local nursing homes along with his fellow Student Council members.
Mrs. Wiggins not only serves on the St. Michael’s hospital foundation and the Texarkana Independent School District foundation board and is also a partner at Pettiette Armand. She still finds time to teach a weekly Sunday night Bible study group for Sanders and other TISD Juniors along with her husband, Dr. Randy Wiggins.
Volunteering together as a family is a how the Wiggins demonstrate their faith and show the love of Jesus Christ to their community. The family believes everyday acts of service as small as putting back a shopping cart or picking up a piece of trash are all for the betterment of humanity, because as John Henry so aptly puts it, “it is the right thing to do.”
