Simultaneously Small & Great

The Remarkable Ordinary #5: Anna Tran on an Act of Gentleness that Changed a Family

The Brown family moved into our city from abroad just before the pandemic. Sadly, nothing for them ever seemed to go the way they expected.

Then just after the pandemic, a single woman named Ada¹ also moved into our city. She settled into the UK just as the lockdown rules were being lifted.

This is a story about them.

The Browns were brilliant artists who used their photography and musical abilities to honor God. But despite their brilliance, their circumstances seemed to only get continually worse. After unexpected mental health issues, financial hardship, and loneliness mounted, they eventually confessed they were unable to function as well as they wanted to. They became desperate for some kind of break.

Thankfully, God often shows up in our lives in the most unexpected ways. We anticipate grand moves, but He consistently surprises us by showing up simply, through a friend who decides to be present with you, who cares enough to wash your feet.

I think this is what I noticed in Mrs. Brown and the kids the next time I met with them. There was an incredible change. She seemed light and hopeful, and her children were relaxed—calm in a way I’d never seen before. Since I knew they’d just started homeschooling, I asked whether the changes were thanks to that.

She replied that the changes were thanks to Ada.

Ada had decided to use one of her days off to sit with Mrs. Brown and help her to plan her homeschooling week. Ada is not yet a wife or mum (though an aunty to many babies in our community). She’s not a teacher nor was she homeschooled. But she’s amazingly compassionate and generous, and she has an ability to see gentle solutions to the lynchpin points of pain in people’s lives.

The emotionally drained mum would articulate what she desired for her home and family, and then Ada would transform it into a visual schedule for all to see. This visual schedule allowed this mum to see that even though the season was disappointing and a bit messy, it was not a total failure. Ada enabled this mum to realize where she was ‘winning’ and empowered her to walk in what God had called her to.

There wasn’t any big incentive for Ada in these sacrificial acts of gentle kindness. But her small acts of gentleness and generosity transformed this family’s lives.

It was a simultaneously small and great thing.

I don’t know why it’s stuck with me for all these months. Probably because it was something anyone could’ve done for this family, but something only Ada took the time to do. It makes me think of the way Jesus sees us when no one else does, and how gentleness is a very underrated fruit of the Spirit.

The Browns have since gone on to live in another country. The mum continues to homeschool her little ones surrounded by a community of other homeschooling families.

As for Ada, she continues doing these small great things for those privileged enough to share life with her.

A huge thanks to

Anna Tran

for writing this beautiful story. If you haven’t yet, please check out her wonderful publication Heart & Hope !

The Remarkable Ordinary is a weekly publication for highlighting Christians performing ordinary acts of kindness, hospitality, and integrity. Its goal is to be an anti-moral failure, anti-church scandal, anti-Christian-hypocrisy journalism.

For more info on why we’re starting The Remarkable Ordinary, check out this essay.

1. (Ada is not her real name, she would be mortified if I was to write openly about her, but you know who you are sis, thank you for being you.)