Small acts of kindness shaped the life of alumna

The memories came rushing back as Robin Bailey stepped onto the campus of Kennedy Home (KH) with her son Sammy. Decades had passed since she last walked those familiar paths—the very place she once called home.

Robin and Sammy were there to take part in the Friends of Children event, a one-day mission blitz where more than 200 volunteers gathered to serve across campus. Their assignment brought them to the girls' cottage where they met Susan Lee, the cottage mom. As Robin worked alongside her son, she couldn't help but think back to her own cottage days just down the road—and to the people whose small acts of kindness shaped her life forever.

"I only see it as a good thing—what an opportunity," Robin shared with a smile. "We had a swim team, summer Olympics, a basketball team, even a skating rink. We were very active. We had a dietician, Mrs. Bradshaw, who cooked our meals. It was incredible. I was with Rosa and Tom Nichols in Biggs Cottage. Mrs. Nichols decorated it beautifully. She wanted us to have something nice. I remember thinking we were pretty special to be in that cottage."

Robin came to Kennedy Home as a nine-year-old along with her two older sisters. For four years, the cottages, garden, and church pews became the backdrop of her childhood. Looking back, she realizes it was the little things—the quiet encouragements, the patient lessons, the faithful presence of caring adults—that left the biggest imprint on her heart.

There was Mr. Beacham, the athletic director, who saw her potential and took her to track meets. There was the dietician and Mrs. Nichols who taught her how to garden, can vegetables, and cook—skills she still uses today. Those lessons in the fields and kitchens of KH became the foundation for how she later poured love into her own family.

"When I became a mother, it was important to me to be very hands-on," Robin said. "I used what I learned here to make home-cooked meals and treats for my kids. Being able to show Sammy the garden during our visit meant so much. Cooking together has always been one of our favorite things."

More than the activities or lessons, it was the example of love that stayed with her. "Mr. and Mrs. Nichols modeled what a family could look like," Robin reflected. "Our cottage was a community—sixteen girls and our cottage parents. Every cottage was like that. We had our own neighborhood. We walked to church on Wednesdays and Sundays. We had a resident pastor and a choir director. It was the only time in my life, before I got married, that I had a community."

That sense of belonging inspired Robin to give back. Today, she serves as a substitute teacher and has volunteered at KH, hoping to offer others the same love she once received.

When asked what she would say to those who serve, give, and pray for Baptist Children's Homes, Robin didn't hesitate. "As someone who was a beneficiary, I know it sounds cliché, but you really do make a difference," she said earnestly. "Today's cottage parents are the Mrs. Nichols to me."

While visiting, Mrs. Susan, the cottage mom, said, "A young lady in care told me (after years of not finding a home and being in an institution), 'If I were a dog at an animal shelter, I would have been euthanized,' and it stuck with me and influenced our decision to serve older children and teens."

That statement made Robin think about how everyone wants to adopt the cute puppies, not the older dogs, and that helped her understand what that girl meant, how so many of the children, including herself, felt forgotten once they weren't "the cute ones" anymore. Robin went on to say, "But Kennedy Home gave us a community, a family, a home. The people who have a heart for those kids—they're so important, because it's easy to forget the ones who aren't little and cute anymore. Mrs. Bradshaw, Mr. Beacham, and Mrs. Nichols—they let me shine in something I was good at. That made all the difference. It doesn't have to be a major act or gift—the little things can really make a difference."

As Robin and Sammy's visit came to an end, they stopped in front of one of the large pecan trees that shade the lawn across from the administration building. Robin bent down and picked up a pecan still in its husk. Holding it in her hand, she smiled softly.

"I remember walking by that tree on the way to church each week," she said. "I used to go there by myself, pick up the pecans, and try to crack them open. The tree was so big and beautiful—it was my place. When I was under that pecan tree, I felt free and peaceful."

Robin's story is one of hope reclaimed and gratitude returned—a reminder of how God uses ordinary people to do extraordinary things through simple acts of love.

We may not all be called to serve as cottage parents or foster families, but each of us can do something. A smile, a word of encouragement, a moment of care—all of it matters.

Because as Robin's life so beautifully reminds us, it's often the smallest gestures that make the biggest difference.

Written By Kristyn Butts, BCH Director of Volunteer Engagement