• Rebecca Conlon and Carmel College Principal Chris Allen pictured with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.

Mercy in Action

Who knows what effect a random act of kindness can have?

I was reminded of the power of Mercy in action during a conversation with one of our co-head girls, Rebecca. We had just had the wonderful experience of having lunch at QBE Stadium as guests of a member of the Northern Club, Tania Young. The key note speaker was Jacinda Ardern.

After the speeches, another guest at our table encouraged Rebecca to go and talk to the PM. Hillary Barry was the emcee for the event and we asked her to facilitate the meeting. Jacinda graciously spoke to us and even posed for this photo with us.

But the Mercy in action that led to this moment happened five years previously. On the journey home in my car, Rebecca was saying what a great opportunity this had been and how it might never have eventuated had it not been for a staff member approaching a shy young Year 8 girl and her mother who were wandering around our college grounds on a Sunday morning, trying to decide if this was where she wanted to go to school. The staff member asked these strangers if he could be of assistance and, when he heard why they were there, offered to take them on a tour. He chatted to them and answered all their questions. Then and there, Rebecca and her mum decided if this was what people at Carmel are like, this is where I want to continue my learning journey.

It was this brief interaction, this friendly approach to strangers, these kind words and actions that led to this shy young girl becoming our co-head girl, confident enough to discuss educational matters with the Prime Minister at lunch and to ask for an autograph on the menu and a photograph.

“Kindness is power; the power to help someone, the power to move someone, the power to inspire someone. When you start by helping one person with kindness, you never know how far that spark will go.” 

 


Issue 97 April 2019